Terekhol Fort, Goa

 

Fort Tiracol, originally uploaded by Venkatesh K.

Fort Terekhol (also spelt as Tirakol or Tirakhol) is situated on the Terekhol River on the northern tip of Goa. It was built by Maharaja Khem Sawant Bhonsle, the King of Sawantwadi in the 17th century. It was rebuilt in 1764 after the Portuguese Viceroy Dom Pedro Miguel de Almeida captured it. But Terekhol was legally incorporated into Goa only in 1788.

Terekhol Fort is at the northern most tip of Goa's shoreline, 42 km from Panaji, the capital of Goa, on a hillock overlooking the Arabian Sea, at the mouth of river Terekhol. Dr. Bernado Peres da Silva, the first Goan born Viceroy of Goa launched an armed rebellion against the Portuguese using Fort Terekhol as his base in 1825. But the result was not very fruitful as the Portuguese took over the fort once again and Dr. Bernado Peres da Silva never returned to Goa.

The fort was in ruins and the remains of the fort have now been repaired and converted into a hotel, the Terekhol Fort Heritage. The century old Church of St. Anthony is in its courtyard. The Church is not open to the general public except on certain occasions such as the annual feast that is usually held some time in May.