Nisargnaad Coastal: Khanderi Fort

Khanderi (officially Kanhoji Angre island) is an island with a fort, located south of Mumbai, along the coast of Maharashtra. Khanderi is located 5 km off the coast of Maharashtra (off Thal, Kihim) and 20 km south of Mumbai. Khanderi, along with its sister fort Underi (Jaidurg) formed the major fortification along the Maharashtra coast, the former falling under Shivaji Maharaj’s control and the latter under his opponents, the Siddis. The island consists of two high hills, one facing north and the other facing south. Initially, the islands of Underi and Khanderi were uninhabited. It contained two wells to supply water to the forces within, and a temple of Sri Betal.
In 1679, Khanderi was occupied by the forces of Shivaji under the leadership of Maynak Bhandari, who oversaw the building of the fortifying walls. Subsequently, Khanderi fort was built during the reign of the Maratha Emperor Shivaji Maharaj in 1679. to keep a check on the Siddis at Murud-Janjira fort and was the site of many battles between Shivaji’s forces and the navy of Siddi. n 1998, Khanderi island was renamed Kanhoji Angre Island in honour of the Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Angre.