English
Arnala Tower
Arnala [Ilha das Vacas/Agashi/Agaçaim], Maharashtra, India
Military Architecture
The Island of Arnalla, known during the Portuguese period as Ilha das Vacas (Cow Island), is located about 1 km from the coast, near the village of Agaçaim at the mouth of the Vaitarna or Dantorá River and north of the cassabé of Vasai. The Maratha fort built from 1737 on is the island’s main attraction. But several dozen metres south of its perimeter stand the ruins of a Portuguese tower. This small circular tower is one of the last examples of a military structure typology quite widespread in the Província do Norte of the Estado da Índia. Dozens of similar towers can be found at strategic sites along the coast; their main function was to deter pirate attacks. They had one, two or three floors and were equipped with a few light artillery weapons. Besides this function, they were also used as landmarks to help navigation. One of the best-known towers was on Elephant Island in the bay of Mumbai. The garrison would raise a flag to warn vessels about approaching pirates. As on Elephant Island, the tower on Cow Island was built by the respective landowner. This model of circular watchtower apparently originated in Corsica, where the inhabitants were constantly threatened by Arab corsairs. From there they spread little by little along the south coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The English adopted them after the Napoleonic Wars, calling them Martello towers. Under that designation the vestiges of ten-odd Portuguese towers were referenced in the old Província do Norte.