Dativare Fort

Maharashtra, India

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Dativare Fort, also known as Hira Dongar, is located about 72 km from Vasai in Palghar district, Maharashtra, near the village of Datiware, on a small hillock beside the Vaitarna River.

The fort likely dates back to the Portuguese era and played a strategic role in controlling the coastal trade routes and intercepting ships with long-range artillery. It is a semicircular fortification with bastions and was part of the defenses during the Maratha conquest of Vasai led by Chimaji Appa in 1739. The fort’s structure includes bastions around 15 to 20 feet high, built using traditional materials like lead stone, clay, lime, and conch shells.

Though little remains of the fort today, it is historically significant as a Portuguese outpost and a key location in Maratha naval campaigns. The fort is accessible from Saphale station, with a safe road up to the fort entrance, taking about half an hour to reach.