It is therefore possible to argue that responsibility for the territory and subjects of Janjira lay not solely with its ruler, but also with the group of Sidi  
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[^0]:    2 The Konkan is a stretch of coastal territory in the present Indian state of Maharashtra. The Deccan refers to a plateau which covers much of central and southern India, with the Vindhya Range forming its northern boundary.  
sardars who appointed him based on the idea that the chosen person was the most capable to rule. This was clearly evident during the Maratha siege of 1659, when the selected ruler, Fateh Khan, had proved to be self-serving and unable to rise to the challenge. The responsibility for protecting the fort from inevitable seizure by the Marathas under Fateh Khan rested with the Sidi sardars, who took immediate measures to ensure the defeat of the enemy. After the two Sidi chiefs Khairat Khan and Kasim Khan proved their military prowess against the Marathas, the election of both as successive rulers of Janjira was seen as not only inevitable but also prudent.