| Mirjan Fort | |
|---|---|
| Part of Uttara Kannada | |
| Karnataka, India | |
 | |
 | |
  Mirjan Fort | |
| Coordinates | 14°29′20″N 74°25′03″E / 14.4888°N 74.4175°E |
| Type | Fusion of Deccan and Mughal Architecture |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Government of Karnataka |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Site history | |
| Built | Built in 16th century by Rani Chennabhairadevi and refurbished in 17th century |
| Materials | Laterite Stones and mud |
The Mirjan Fort is located on the west coast of the Uttara Kannada district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. The fort known for its architectural elegance was the location of several battles in the past. It is about 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) from the National Highway 66 and 21 kilometres (13 mi) from Gokarna, the famous Hindu pilgrimage centre on the west coast of India.[1][2]
According to the first historical version, Rani Chennabhairadevi of Gersoppa (under the Vijayanagara Empire) was initially credited with building the Mirjan Fort in the 16th century. She ruled for 54 years and also lived in the fort.[3][4][5] During her reign, the port at Mirjan, which is 32 kilometres (20 mi) to the south east of Karwar, was used for shipping pepper, saltpetre and betel nut to Surat. Gersoppa, a district annexed to Bednur, was famous for the pepper exported from this region. Consequently, the Portuguese gave the epithet "Rani, the Pepper queen" ("Rainha de Pimenta" in Portuguese) to the Queen of Gersoppa.[3][4][5][6]
- ^ "Excavations - 2000-2005 – Karnataka". Fort, Mirjan, dt. Uttar Kannada. Archaeological Survey of India and National Informatics Centre. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ "Miscellany". Deccan Herald. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ a b Sarkar, Jadunath (1992). Shivaji and his times. Orient Blackswan. pp. 172–173. ISBN 81-250-1347-4. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ a b "Tribute to Pepper Queen Mirjan Fort". Travelogues : oktatabyebye. 11 June 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ a b Jyotsna Kamat (7 May 2010). "Queen of Gersoppa: Chennabhairadevi, Brave Ruler of Gersoppa (1552-1606 C.E)". Kamatpotporri. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ Ramaswamy, Chitra (15 April 2014). "Where the pepper queen ruled". No. Bangalore. Deccan Herald. Retrieved 19 January 2015.