On the Konkan coast of Maharastra sits in seeming placidness the serene sea fort of Vijaydurg. A rock that has been witness to thrilling times of an era when Shivaji and his empire spread through the Deccan like wildfire, followed by the formation of a naval force off its coast that dominated the Arabian sea for over 50 years. A hotspot of Maratha activity, in its history of daring feats, impossible achievements lies also a tragic tale of greed and power that sowed the seeds of the decline of the grand Maratha Empire.