Chapora Fort in Vagator | Atlas Obscura

Goa is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. This rise is tourism, especially in the modern era, can be attributed to the landmark Bollywood film Dil Chahta Hai. Several portions of the movie were filmed in Goa. Out of them, one of the most iconic scenes is at Chapora Fort. Such is the influence of the movie on modern day pop culture, that people lovingly call this place “Dil Chahta Hai Fort”.

The history of this fort goes back to the 16th century when this place had a military outpost of Adil Shah of Bijapur. It is located at the spot where the Chapora River meets the Arabian Sea. The location carried strategic importance as it served as a watchtower to monitor the river traffic, which was an important commerce route and also served as a defensive fortification against sea attacks.

The name Chapora comes from the area’s earlier name Shahapura (which means Town of the Shah) back when the area came under Adil Shah’s territory. Eventually the fort was captured by the Portuguese for whom it was of immense importance, because this spot became the northern outpost of the Old Conquests, also known as Velhas Conquistas. The Old Conquests were the areas of Goa which were incorporated into the Portuguese territory in the 16th century. Beyond this area, to the north of the Chapora river, the area of Pernem was under the control of the Maharaja of Sawantwadi.

Eventually, more areas were added under the Portuguese territory during the New Conquests, or Novas Conquistas during the 18th century. This expansion included the area of Pernem. Therefore, the Portuguese did not have any further need of this fort as the area beyond the river came under their control. Therefore the fort lost its strategic importance at that time.

Through its history, the control of the fort has been transferred across different empires, thus reflecting the geopolitical dynamics of those times. Once upon a time, the fort had a barracks, an officer’s quarters and a church dedicated to St. Anthony within its walls, of which little remains today. It is also said that the fort had secret tunnels, to give the people within the fort a safe passage to escape in case of a breach.

Today, the outer walls of the fort remain. The turrets at the end of the bastions are one of the most fascinating aspects of the fort’s architecture. The fort remains a hugely popular tourist destination, as people enjoy the fort’s architecture and the sweeping views of the sea.