Raigad Fort.

Raigad fort is a hill fort situated at a height of about 2700 feet above sea level near Mahad in Raigad district of Maharashtra. The fort was made capital of Maratha empire in the year 1674 by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The fort was captured by Shivaji Maharaj from Chandrarao More in 1656.

Raigad fort previously known as Rairi belonged to Mores of Javali, who were feudatories of Adilshahs of Bijapur. It was used as a prison cell by Adilshahs before Shivaji Maharaj took it over.

In 1818 the fort was bombarded with cannons and partly destroyed by  British forces and was controlled by East India Company.

Raigad Fort.

Raigad fort is about one and a half hours drive from Mahad. There is a ropeway which takes you to the fort within a span of 10 minutes. Alternately one has to climb about 1737 steps to reach the fort. There is a museum near the begining of the ropeway and a canteen at the top. Lodging and boarding facilities are available at Raigad fort.

Raigad fort which was partly destroyed by British cannons still shows some features which are reminiscent of  historical times. The ropeway takes you to Mena Darwaja Some of the places of interest are Takmak Tok (execution place),Wagh Darwaja, Bazarpeth ( market place) and Nagarkhana (entry place). Shivaji Maharaj's royal throne is seen about 200 meters from Nagarkhana. There is a lake inside the fort called Gangasagar Lake. Besides one can see Ranivasa (residence of queens) and main tower inside the fort. Shivaji Maharaj's samadhi memorial is seen in Jagdishwar temple within the fort.

Bajarpeth- old market.

Ranivasa, Gangasagar lake and Main tower seen on right.

Nagarkhana Darwaza.

Pachad is a place located at the base of  Raigad fort. At this place Shivaji Maharaj had built a palace for his mother Jijabai during her later days as she preferred staying at a lower altitude. The palace was destroyed by the British during their rule and is in ruins now. There is a memorial of Jijabai near the place which can be approached by a motorable road.

Jijamata memorial, Pachad.

Raigad fort is about 102 km from Mumbai near Mahad on Mumbai Goa highway. The road from Pune is via Khalapur and Pali.

Places to visit nearby: Harihareshwar beach, Gandharpale caves, Shivthar Ghal and Mahabaleshwar.

For information on Raigad ropeway:  Click Here.

Gandharpale Buddhist caves, Mahad.

These are a group of 30 caves situated on a hill on  Mumbai-Goa highway just before Mahad. They have been believed to be excavated between 150-300 AD. The caves are situated at the confluence of Gandhari and Savitri rivers and located near Pale village, thus the name is a combination of the two.

The caves are believed to be resting places used by the Buddhas while travelling. A few stupas, prayer halls (Chaityagrihas) and carvings of Lord Buddha can be seen in these caves. Cave nos. 1,8,15 and 21 are important as they have various stupas and sculpture images inside.

There is a stony staircase close to the highway to approach these caves on top. It takes about half an hour to climb the way up. The view from the top is awesome.

View of caves from highway.

Steps for climbing.

Cave no. 21

Carvings of Lord Buddha in Cave no. 1

View from top.

Best time to visit this place is during or soon after monsoon as there is a lot of greenery on the hill and around it.

Konkani food items.

A place highly recommended for shopping Konkani eating items is Konkan Food Bazaar. It is located about 5 km from Alibaug on Alibaug Revdanda road-the road from Alibaug to Murud. One can get all kinds of food items,ingredients,spices belonging to this region here.

 Food items such as spices, papads, kokam syrup, which form daily part of Konkani meals are available here. Mango,gooseberry and jackfruit items are available here in plenty as they are found in abundance in this region.

Konkan Food Bazaar is a place worth visiting while travelling to Kashid or Revdanda beach. There are plenty of varieties of fresh food items available here. I would like to recommend the Papads, Kokam syrup and masalas which are delicacies of this region. Besides, Alphonso mango items are available in different forms such as aam papad and aamba vadi.

How to reach Alibaug and Kashid?

Alibaug is about 100 km from Mumbai. There are two ways of accessing it from Mumbai-road and ferry.

The road from Mumbai to Goa ie. National Highway 17 takes you to Alibaug. The road from Mumbai goes to Panvel followed by Pen. At Pen, you reach Vadkhal Naka, where there is a diversion. One road which goes straight goes to Alibaug whereas National Highway 17 continues as Mumbai Goa road. The road to Alibaug goes via a place called Poynad and reaches Alibaug. For Kashid, one has to take a left turn once you reach Alibaug. This road goes via Nagaon to Revdanda and is called Alibaug Revdanda road. Once it reaches Revdanda, it continues as Revdanda Murud road to reach Murud. Kashid is on this road before Murud.

Alternately one can take a ferry ride from Mumbai. The ferry starts at Gateway of India and reaches Mandwa port in about an hour's time. The private ferry operators have arrangements to drop you at Alibaug bus depot, from where one can take a bus to Murud via Revdanda and Kashid.

Mandwa Jetty.

Mandwa beach.

The distance by road from Pune to Alibaug is about 140 km. One has to take Mumbai Pune expressway and exit it at Khopoli to reach Pen followed by the road to Alibaug.

Recommendations on Mumbai Alibaug road journey:
Restautant Kshuda Shanti Bhuvan is a great place to have breakfast if you are travelling by road. It is located at Vadkhal Naka at Pen. It is famous for Maharashtrian dishes like Vada Pav and Misal Pav. Car parking is a bit of a problem at times of season as the restaurant touches the main road, however, the restaurant guard is always keen to help you.
There is a petrol pump right opposite the restaurant where one can fill up their tanks.

Lokmanya Tilak birthplace.

Undoubtedly the most important structure in Ratnagiri, one which makes every Maharashtrian proud is the birthplace of Lokmanya Tilak.

Lokmanya Tilak or Bal gangadhar Tilak was the first leader of India to fight against the imperial British Raj. He advocated the word "Swaraj" which meant self-rule. He said "Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it." Thus the fight for independence against British rule began.

The place is on Tilak Lane. It is close to Congress Bhavan. There is a big statue of the great leader at the gate. Visitors are allowed inside the place.There is a museum inside having photos showing some of the incidents in the life of the great freedom fighter, his freedom struggle, family life etc. Some of his personal belongings also are kept here. The place is now looked after and maintained by Maharashtra state archaeological department. It is a heritage monument.

The birthplace of Lokmanya Tilak is a place worth visiting. History lovers will enjoy visiting this place.It has a beautiful garden full of trees and a nice backyard for relaxing. The place is very neat,quiet and tranquilizing. The house has traditional looks which is typical of the Konkan region.
The place is closed on Mondays. There is no entry fee. Photography is not allowed inside the house.

Kashid beach.

A beautiful beach located an hour's drive from Alibaug in Raigad district of north Konkan is Kashid. The beach is situated on Alibaug-Murud road. The beach has many water sports and water activities such as jet ski, para sailing and banana ride to name a few. Kashid beach is a very clean beach and is ideal for surfing. The beach looks quite deserted on week days but is full of tourists on weekends.
There are quite a few hotels in the vicinity. Locals provide accommodation in cottages  with food on daily basis. They provide hammocks for relaxing on the beach. Kashid is one of the most beautiful beaches in north Konkan area. Its worthwhile spending your weekends here, enjoying the nature and being away from the busy bustling life in Mumbai. One can even make it a one day trip from Mumbai by starting early. Ferry service is available from Gateway of India to Mandava beach. There are local buses to Murud which drop you to Kashid on the way.

Recommendation for overnight stay at Kashid:
A grand resort to stay at Kashid is Prakruti Resorts. Prakruti Resorts has numerous villas as well as rooms of different sizes for accommodation. It has a multi cuisine restaurant serving Indian, Chinese and continental dishes, a beautiful swimming pool and golf course. The resort has foreign as well as Indian visitors.

                                                                 Kashid beach.

                                                       Hammock on the beach.
Places to visit nearby:
Murud-Janjira fort.
Murud beach.
Phansad wild life sanctuary.
Birla temple.
Revdanda beach and fort.

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Kihim Beach

Kihim beach is a beautiful beach located towards north of Alibaug in Raigad district of Maharashtra. Kihim is a small village. Rice fields, coconut trees and betel nut trees are found in plenty here. The road from Alibaug leads to a place called Chondhi market, from where a small lane passes through numerous small houses to lead to Kihim beach.

Kihim is connected by road to the two ferry terminals- Rewas and Mandwa, which carry tourists from Gateway of India and Bhau cha dhakka respectively from Mumbai.
Pen is the nearest railway station.

Kihim beach is the best beach closest to Alibaug. There are a few hotels and resorts in the vicinity for staying overnight. Some private bungalows are available for accommodation. They are very close to the beach. Sunset time is a good time to be here. One can enjoy water sports such as scooter rides as well as camel and horse rides on the sands. There are a few food stalls on the beach that serve local dishes such as Vada Pav, cold drinks and tender coconut water.

Places to visit near by:
Kankeshwar Lord Shiva Temple.
Mandwa jetty.

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Nagaon beach

A clean and beautiful beach about 9km from Alibaug in Raigad district of north Konkan is Nagaon beach. This beach is famous for water sports and is being increasingly frequented by tourists in recent times. Horse cart riding and camel riding are attractions on the beach. One can also enjoy jet ski ride, para sailing and banana rides on the sea. The beach is very clean. The beach is lined by coconut and betel nut trees. One can stay in one of the cottages belonging to the local people who serve local food-fish curry and rice being a delicacy. The food and accommodation are reasonably cheap here. A few good resorts are also available in the vicinity for overnight stays. Anisha resort is one such place which serves veg as well as non-veg Indian as well as Chinese cuisine.
Nagaon beach has a long stretch of sand which is camel brown in color. I liked the beach for its serenity, being some distance away from Alibaug town. A very nice and pleasant place to stay on weekends.

 Alibaug is the nearest town.  Mandwa jetty is the nearest jetty which brings tourists from Mumbai. Rewas port near Alibaug is close by.Pen is the nearest railway station.

Nearby places to visit:
Revdanda beach and fort.
Murud beach.
Murud Janjira fort.
Kashid beach.
Shitala Devi Mandir.
Birla Mandir.

Revdanda fort and beach.

Revdanda fort is an old Portuguese coastal fort at the mouth of Kundalika creek,in Raigad district of Maharashtra. A narrow alley on Alibaug-Murud road leads to the fort. It takes about 15 minutes from Alibaug to reach Revdanda.

The fort is mostly in ruins, but the walls facing the sea are still intact. There is an access to the fort from the sea side. The fort has numerous beetle nut and coconut trees surrounding it.

Adjoining the fort is Revdanda beach. The waves of the sea lash on to the walls of the fort during high tides. The beach is serene and is scantily visited by tourists especially during the week days. The beach is very clean and tidy.
 Korlai fort, an old Portugese fortification of Korlai village is visible from the beach. The fort was built on an island called Morro de Chaul to guard Revdanda creek. Korlai fort is approachable by road.
Revdanda beach is a very comfortable place to relax especially if you are the loner type. There are hardly any tourists and so you can be at ease and enjoy the nature. No food stalls are visible anywhere near the beach.
 Revdanda fort is approachable by car. However there is hardly any place for parking your vehicle and you have to do with parking your vehicle in a neighboring care taker house who happily charges for the same!!

                                                                 Interiors of Revdanda fort.

                                                              View of fort wall from sea side.

             Korlai fort.

Ratnadurg fort, Ratnagiri.

This fort is also called Bhagwati or Bhagwati Durga fort, named after Bhagwati temple which is situated in the fort premises. Bhagwati temple lies on the northern side of the fort and can be accessed by road. A few steps have to be climbed to reach the interiors of the fort. Navratri is celebrated here with pomp by deities of goddess Durga. The fort has a temple of Lord Hanuman at its entrance. The fort is surrounded on all the three sides by sea. There is a light house southwards at a distance from the main fort for which a narrow steep road passing through hamlets has to be taken. Entry to the lighthouse is only between 4pm to 5pm. One has to travel by your own vehicle to reach lighthouse. The lighthouse presents a beautiful view of the Arabian sea at the time of sunset.

Ratnadurga fort was originally built by the Bahamanis. The fort is built in the shape of a horse shoe. It was then captured by Adil Shah, followed by Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century. The fort was then handed over to Kanhoji Angre, who lost the fort to Peshwas who joined the British to conquer the fort. The fort was later on taken over by the British in the  early 19th century.

                                                 Front view of Ratnadurg fort.

                                                      Bhagwati temple in the fort premises.

                                                                 Lighthouse 

One can see Ratnagiri town from this fort. Monsoon is a great time to visit this fort as there is  greenery all around. The fort presents a beautiful view of sun setting.
Ratnadurg fort is about 4km from center of Ratnagiri city.

Aare-Ware beach, Bhandarpule.

Aare-Ware beach is just a few kilometers from Ganpatipule near a place called Bhandarpule in Ratnagiri district. These are in fact two beaches, Aare and Ware. These are blue water beaches, clean and are a delight to watch. Aare Ware point,a place on top of a hill presents a panaromic view of the beach below. These beaches are on the road connecting Ganpatipule to Ratnagiri. In fact the road (coastal highway) itself is called Aare Ware road. Travelling down this road provides ultimate views of Konkan seas and landscapes.

                                                            Aare Beach.

                                      Ware Beach-view from Aare Ware point.

There are only a couple of stalls on the picnic spot where coconut water and cold drinks are available.
Resorts for staying are available at Bhandarpule and down Aare Ware road. If you ever plan to go to Ganpatipule do make it a point to see these mesmerizing beaches.

Click here to watch beautiful video of Aare Ware beach from hill top.

Click here and see a beautiful video of Aare Ware beach on the way to Ratnagiri from Ganpatipule.

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Malgund

Malgund is a small village about 2km away from Ganpatipule, in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. It has a beautiful beach which is a great attraction to tourists. There are quite a few tourist resorts very close to the beach.

                                                         Malgund beach at twilight.

Malgund is the birth place of  famous Marathi poet Keshavsut. A monument and a museum have been built in his memory which gives information on Marathi poets and Marathi literature.

                                                      Birth place of Keshavsut.

                                                        Keshavsut Memorial.

 Malgund is accessible by road from Ganpatipule. Nearest railway station is Ratnagiri. Summers are hot and humid. Best time to visit is after the monsoons.

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