Historical sites

Visitors who travel to Diu are advised to visit two historical places -- the Diu fort and the St. Paul's Church -- without which their journey to Diu could be a dud. We too received this advice and so we thought of beginning our tour of historical sites from the fort.

DIU FORT -- A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURE

When we entered the fort we were expecting some architectural marvel, like what you experience when you visit the Mughal fort in Agra and the Rajput for in Jaipur. We walked to the bastions that overlooked the sea and had some large canons pointing towards the sea. After spending about half an hour in one of the bastion surveying the structures around it, we discovered that there was nothing aesthetically appealing in the Diu fort. Although the position of the fort near the sea made for some great view the fort in itself did not appeal to us. Perhaps the Mughal architecture in Delhi and adjoining areas had bench-marked our aesthetic senses a notch higher than expected.

Map of the fort (click to see big view)

The fort, however, was a highly functional one, given the way various things were positioned. The walls of the fort were thick and robust, and the bastions in different directions towards the sea opened up in a large open courtyard which had a few gates, rooms and walkways. Rows of trees were lined up in the courtyard, which we felt must have been the same when it was being occupied by the Portugese. The structure of the fort revealed quite a few interesting things about its Portugese occupants. The Portugese who occupied Diu were extremely practical people and did not believe in wasting their time and energy in frivilous things, more so in the art and decor. Unlike the Mughals the Portugese in India did not have access to large fortune and so perhaps had to fit themselves into the relatively meagre income from whatever sources they had.

Concrete balls used to stop enemies

The fort with its high walls was secured from all sides. While the sea served as a barrier on two directions the remaining two sides towards the land was separated by a deep canal that ran alongside the fort. Such canals were usual for securing forts in India. The canals were filled with water and crocodiles were let loose in this so as to thwart any attack.

The canal the ran around the Diu fort

Near one of the bastions was a large square dry pond, which was perhaps used for storing water. Diu has no rivers flowing through its territory which makes the area extremely dry with scant resources for fresh water. The pond inside the fort was perhaps meant to meet this crisis.

SAINT PAUL'S CATHEDRAL -- AN AESTHETIC SPLENDOR

Within a few hundred meters of the Diu fort is the Saint Paul's Cathedral, perhaps the only historical site with aesthetically appealing interiors in Diu. Its construction is dated to 1601 AD and was amongst the three churches built by the Portuguese in Diu. The church is considered as one of the best examples of baroque architecture (artistic style) in India.


From the outside the Church does not appear like the usual catholic splendour that is seen in India or in Europe but the moment you step inside you are sure to get awed with the woodwork and the way things are arranged. This intricate carved wood work is considered to be one of the most elaborate in all Portugese churches in India. The altar has the image of St. Mary which is carved out of a single piece of Burmese teak. This altar is lined and lit up with 101 candles.

A unique aspect of this church is the facade, which has intricate decoration against its plain walls.The extravagant carved decorations are largely attributed to the craftsmanship of the Indian artisans, which remains a typical style of most churches in Goa. Some scholars believe that the Indian silversmiths, known for their exquisite workmanship, have influenced the decor in the facade. This is also because Jesuits in India had difficulty finding native artists who could recreate the original Jesuit architectural designs. Hence, the religious images which are made in ivory and the other objects have a strong local flavour.

The Church is well-maintained till date and it is one of the most-visited places in Diu. Visitors can cherish their visit to this astonishing relic of Diu rich historical past by buying some interesting mementos that are available off the counter inside the church. One of these interesting mementos is a plate that carries the church in its eternal glory.

GANGESHWAR TEMPLE -- AN ANCIENT SITE

The five Shiv Lingas in the temple

This ancient temple, dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, is situated on one end of Diu. The temple is few feets away from the sea and is the one which has about 5 Shivlingams that were established by the Pandavas when they were in exile. The temple appears to be a cave like structure. The only additions to it appears to be the stairway and the lights.

Waves washing the temple during high tide
(courtesy: website http://diutourism.co.in/)

When we talked to the members of the priest's family and other locals we learnt that the time when this temple was established it used to be a very precarious location and had to be negotiated on foot through the steep rocky terrain. With years the temple has become easily accessible because one can now drive down through a road to this temple. Interestingly, while the Portugese were Christians they choose not to destroy the temple and they left it as such. It was only after Diu's accession to India in the 1960s that the temple compound and roads were constructed.

The drive to the Gangeswar Temple

In the evening when the colourful lights are switched on the ambience is nostalgic. The roaring waves of the sea can be heard nearby and the Shivlingas are only a few feet away from the sea. At night the temple is evacuated as it gets completely subsumed by the sea. As the first lights of dawn hits the region the sea water recedes as the priest and his assistants move in to perform the puja.

Interestingly the Shiv Lingas in the temple are of varying sizes, which portrays the seniority of the Pandava brothers. A large Shiv Linga in between, however, is of a large size which was established by Bheem, the strongest of all brothers.

The drive to the Gangeswar temple is fascinating. The road passes through hilly terrain before providing more than a kilometer of run by the sea. When we were traveling on this road the drive was so overwhelming that we could not help but get down to get a picture of this nostalgic evening.      

INS KHUKRI MEMORIAL IN FUDAM VILLAGE

The memorial of the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Khukri is located in the Fudam village, about 4 kilometers from the city center of Diu. The memorial is built in memory of the lives of all valiant sailors of this ship who died during the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971. The memorial consists of a beautiful scale model, encased in a glass case.

Khukri was a Type 14 anti-submarine warfare frigate of the Indian Navy, which played an active role in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. She was sunk by PNS Hangor - a French Daphne Class submarine of the Pakistan Navy - on 09 December 1971 at 40 nautical miles off the coast of Diu, Gujarat.

Khukri went down her crew of 18 officers and 176 sailors on that fateful night. Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla chose to go down with his ship. This single act of Captain Mulla and his valiant crew is a shining example of unyielding spirit and indomitable courage, glorifying the highest traditions of the Indian Navy. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his gallant action. The details of the event have been compiled by Mr Ramesh Lalwani here>>>

Despite its importance it is painful to see how this symbol of the sacrifice of valiant Indian soldiers is not maintained properly. The glass is fogged up badly so much so that one can barely see what is inside.

The sea view from the Khukri memorial is fascinating. This point is also known as the Sunset Point and it offers one of the most marvelous sunset views in Diu.

THE SEA-SHELL MUSEUM: ZEAL OF A NAVAL CAPTAIN