Janjira Fort, located on an island off the west coast of India, has stood tall for hundreds of years. Locals call it Ajeya Fort, meaning invincible.

This is one of the most impressive and unique “impregnable” forts on the west coast of India as it has never been conquered by any enemy in history.

Originally, this sea fortress was a small wooden structure built by local fishermen to guard against pirate attacks.

Much later, the island was occupied by the Sidi people. They expanded it into a stone fortress in 1569 and developed it over the next 150 years. The fortress remained inhabited until 1984.

Janjira Fort was built by Malik Ambar – a Siddi military leader who was the prime minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in the Deccan region of India.

Today, the fortress is almost completely intact, although occasionally affected by wind and tides, and is considered a testament to the wonders of ancient architecture and engineering.

Today, the fortress is almost completely intact, although occasionally affected by wind and tides, and is considered a testament to the wonders of ancient architecture and engineering.

The fort also contains the remains of a mosque, a palace, two cisterns where the ancient Sidi people stored fresh water, and three cannons that once protected the fort from enemy attacks. It is believed that there were once more than 500 cannons in Janjira.

One of the most unique features of Janjira Fort is that it has only one entrance. There is also a secret tunnel that leads to Rajapuri village. The tunnel was built as an escape route for the king and his family in case of enemy attack.

Although surrounded by the Arabian Sea, the island has freshwater springs to sustain life. In the 20th century, there were 550 families living in the fort.

Visitors can take a boat from Rajapuri village to Janjira Fort. The ideal time to visit is from October to March after the monsoon ends.