Coastal Konkan dotted with forts, but only a few get tourists

The Konkan coast from Vasai to Vengurla is endowed with rich bio-diversity and has everything from a metropolitan city like Mumbai to small villages

The coastal Konkan belt of Maharashtra is dotted with 63 forts but hardly a dozen are well-known and visited by tourists, says Raghuji Raje Angre, a descendent of the legendary Maratha Navy's Admiral Kanhoji Angre.

“If one decides to visit all the forts in the Konkan region, it will take at least 104 weekends. The forts in the region are of great historical significance as they were built 800-1,000 years ago,” said Angre.

The Konkan coast from Vasai to Vengurla is endowed with rich bio-diversity and the 720-km stretch has everything from a metropolitan city like Mumbai to small villages. “The belt has many beaches, forts, harbours and waterfalls -- all great tourist attractions,” Angre said, while speaking on ‘Sea Forts’ at a webinar series on Konkan hosted by the Directorate of Tourism.

The talk was moderated by Hanumant Hede, Deputy Director (Tourism) Regional Office, Konkan Division, Navi Mumbai, which dealt with forts along the Arabian Sea.

Angre shared valuable information on some of the lesser-known forts in the region, including Karnala Fort, located inside the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, and Sagargad Fort, surrounded by lush green hills; about 150 years ago, a British Colonel, Meland, built retreat homes there.

He said the nearby Siddheshwar Falls is a great place to visit during the monsoon. He then spoke about the ramparts of Kolaba fort, which have stood the test of time and was the main station of the Maratha Navy.

“Suvarnadurg is a fort located on a small island in the Arabian Sea, near Harnai in Konkan. It was conquered by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1660 and was an important strategic point for the Marathas. Kanhoji Angre started his career here. The fort also includes another small land fort called the Kanakadurg and other land side forts such as Bankot fort, Fattegad fort and Gova fort,” he said.

“The Khanderi fort was recently renamed as Kanhoji Angre Island. The main attraction there is the Kanhoji Angre lighthouse. One can see an amazing rock which, when struck with another stone, emits metallic musical notes, like Hampi musical pillars. Underi is a companion fort to Khanderi and has lesser tourism facilities,” said Angre.

“The Chaul and Padmadurg forts are historical sea forts. The first European to have landed in Chaul was a Russian traveller called Athanasius Nikitin. One can witness the existence of a hitherto unknown rock-cut Buddhist cave at Agrav near Chaul. Situated near Murud-Janjira fort is the Padmadurg fort. It was built to counter Siddis. The shape of the fort resembles an open lotus, also known as Padma, substantiating its etymological significance. Numerous sculptures and motifs of the lotuses can be seen inside the fortress too,” he said.

The Ratnagiri or Bhagawati fort is situated near the Ratnagiri docks and is famous for the Goddess Bhagawati temple. Jaigad fort is a historical landmark and Jaigad harbour near the fort is one of the best harbours.

The palace of Kanhoji Angre lies in the middle of the fort along with temples of Lord Ganesh and Hanuman within the premises. Ganpatipule, Kolisare, Lakshmikeshav and Malgund are the places one can visit around Jaigad.

“The Vijaydurg fort is known as the Gibraltar of Asia and is a masterpiece of ancient architecture. It was a prominent location for the Maratha warship. It was constructed during the regime of Raja Bhoja II of the Shilahar dynasty and restructured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It served as a strong naval base for Admiral Kanhoji Angre. The Devgad Fort is an important fort in Sindhudurg district. It was under the control of Kanhoji Angre for a long period. The beauty of the fort enthrals the tourists and offers a panoramic view of the sea,” added Angre.