Mirjan Fort

The fort and the Pepper Queen

Mirjan Fort is usually linked to Chennabhairadevi, the sixteenth-century queen of Gerusoppa, whom the Portuguese called the Pepper Queen. Her capital, Gerusoppa, lies up the Sharavathi from Honnavar, and the pepper her kingdom grew was shipped from ports along this coast, Honnavar and Mirjan among them. The fort guarded that trade on the Aghanashini river.

What survives is a compact laterite fort with high double walls, round bastions, several deep wells, the outline of a moat and steps up to a flag tower. It is looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India and is tidy and uncommercial.

Getting there from the homestay

About 31 km north of Honnavar, roughly forty-five minutes. Drive up NH-66 through Kumta; the fort is signed and lies about a kilometre off the highway. It is on the way to Gokarna, which is why most of our guests see it as a stop on that day trip rather than a trip of its own.

Gokarna day trip from Honnavar Honnavar as a base near Gokarna Rooms in Honnavar Photos of the house and rooms Honnavar 2 day itinerary

When to go

From August to January the walls and courtyards are covered in bright green grass and the laterite glows red against it, which is when the well-known photographs are taken. By late summer the grass has dried to brown. Go early or late in the day, because there is almost no shade inside.

Good to know

Entry has traditionally been free and the fort is open during daylight hours. An hour is enough. The steps and wall tops have no railings and are slippery in the rain, so keep a hand on small children.