Cabo De Rama Fort Goa

Fort with a View

Goa is known for its sun-drenched beaches. It also has old forts-- some well known (like the Fort Aguada) and some others not so well known. One such not-so-well-known fort in south Goa is Cabo-De-Rama. Estimated to be more than 400 years old, the fort is situated on top of a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea. Although all forts are constructed at a height, Cabo de Rama must have posed additional challenge being on a sea facing cliff. Ghumakkad visited the fort in February 2017 with Naval course mates.

Those not familiar with the geography, see the map of India below.

According to Wikipedia, "Portuguese claimed the Cabo de Rama Fort after defeating the Raja (King) of Soonda and renovated it subsequently. In the past, the fort has switched hands between Hindu, Muslim monarchs and the Portuguese and witnessed many battles in history. The present rickety structure with turrets and rusty cannons is a leftover of the Portuguese. The Portuguese equipped it with 21 guns and military barracks, as well as commandant quarters and a chapel. Later, this fort housed a government prison till 1955 and was abandoned again."

Although in ruins, the fort conveys a feeling of fortitude and steadfastness. The main tower with a lofty rampart provide a breathtaking view of Goan coastline. Turrets though rusted, are as solid even today. As Wikipedia says "Cliffs drop steeply to the sea provide a panoramic outlook of the surrounding areas, at the western side of the fortress. The fort provides majestic views of the entire length of Colva beach and the Canacona stretch." The ruins reminded me of Las-Ruinas a fine dining restaurant built amidst old ruins in Cuba which I had visited in 1986.

Courtesy Wikipedia, here is a 1889 picture of the Fort. 

Two rusty cannons caught our eye. And like children, we climbed it. See the picture.

The view from the fort is truly breathtaking. To give you a 'real' feel, here is a short 30-second video.

Those who have done the '17-mile drive ' in  California will recall the 'Lone Cypress Tree'. Sample another one in Goa India!

Defacing our monuments is a national malaise, seen across the country. Goa was no exception. Sample this wall in the fort.

 Another wall with an engraved stone-- can someone please translate it?

There is a church of Santo Antonio inside the fort which is still used by devotees. It is in excellent condition. Picture.

It was time to thank our guide Imran. Taking a selfie with bulky DSLR can be quite tricky. But this one came OK.

Thanks to Assembly Elections in Goa, it was dry weekend with all wine shop and bars closed. Strict enforcement. See a lone bike next to a bar in the picture below.

While exploring the neighbourhood, I noticed that the size of the bricks used for walls was larger than usual. Close scrutiny revealed that these bricks were made of local red sand. Picture.

Next time you are in Goa, do not miss visiting the Cabo De Rama fort in south Goa. There are more attractions and some exotic locales nearby. Like an exclusive resort with just four cottages on a cliff face with a private beach 200 feet below. See the preview picture. 

More on it in the next picture story.

Thanks for browsing

    Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Ananth Aisola/ 8th Feb 2017