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Forts
- Alibaug and Murud |
Kulaba Fort : |
It is located 1 km across
from Alibag beach. The Great
Maratha-warrior Shivaji
started the construction of
this sea fort in 1680 A.D.
The fort is 900 ft. long,
350 ft. wide and has 25 ft.
high walls which have 17
bastions (burj) on all
sides. The fort has been
standing for over 300 years.
The fort can only be
accessed during ebb tide
through a narrow strip of
land which goes underwater
during high tide. The huge
front entrance arch has
tigers, peacocks, elephants
sculpted on it. Beyond that
comes another small gate.
Next to that gate are the
shrines of Mahishasura and
Padmavathi, Kanifnath, Sri
Ganesh and the fort-deity.
Next to them comes the
sourthern gate which is
variously known as Darya/Yeshwant
Darwaja. Raghoji Angre built
a beautiful temple of Shri
Ganesh in front of the sweet
water tank in 1759. The
inner sanctum sanctorum
includes images of Sri
Ashtabhuja Devi, Shiv,
Vishnu, Surya. The
collection of the pantheon
lends it the name 'Shri
Ganesh Panchayatan'. Within
the premises, you will find
a well and a tank of sweet
water in the midst of sea!
On one of the 17 bastions,
two cannons in intact
condition can be seen. The
Archaeological Survey of
India charges a token entry
Fee for the visitors. The Ganesh Temple (Mandir) is
in the fort. The length is 20 meter, width is 6 meter and 15 meter of this
popular Ganesh Temple. The most people visit this temple at Ganesh Jayanti.
The two cannon in good situation are present on this historical fort. |
HIRAKOT
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In the heart of Alibag town,
this fort was built by the
Angres in 1720. Its imposing
black Bassalt high walls are
indicative of the
significance of this fort.
Legend has it that the Angre
treasure used to be housed
in it. Today, it is used as
District Jail. |
KHANDERI
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Three to four kilometers
into the sea from Thai
beach, which is 5 kms from
Alibag, this fort was built
in 1678 on a small island.
Later, a light house was
erected. This fort was for
long under the Angre's
control. Today it is under
Bombay port trust
administration. With their
permission, you can visit
the fort in local boats.
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UNDERI
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Just 374th of a Kilometer
away from Khanderi, this is
another island fort built by
Siddi Qasam in 1680.
Supremacy over this fort
kept shifting between the
Siddis, Peshwas, Angres and
later the British. One can
visit this fort with
permission from the Bombay
port trust. Local fishing
boats can be hired for a
visit |
SAGARGADH
:
|
This hill-fort, 7kms from
Alibag is an old fort of
Shivaji's times at 1357ft
from sea-level. A dirt-track
road to this fort begins at
Khandala on Alibag-Pen road
to the East. Half-way to the
fort is Siddheshwar temple
and an Ashram, where you can
rest a while. During rainy
season, one finds a
cascading waterfall at this
spot. To the left just
before the Ashram, the
trek-route to Sagargad
begins. In an hour's time,
one can reach the fort. The
main gate is in completely
desolate state while the two
bastions are partially
dilapidated. Inside, a
temple and a small tank are
in a disused state. Another
tank is known as Pandav Kund.
On the fort proper, one
finds nine tombs of Satis.
The place is called Sati
Plateau. Besides this
plateau a thumb-like erect
land mass is known as
Wanartok. The fort is
totally uninhabited. |
KASA (PADMADURGA) FORT
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When Shivaji the Great
decidied to take on the
Siddis of
Janjira, his
admiral, Daulat Khan, built
this fort on an island next
to Janjira. The rock, on
which the fort was built,
was called Kasa and the fort
was named Padmadurg. The
fort has six bastions, some
of them devastated by Gun
attack from the famous 'kalal
bangdi' gun in Janjira. Kasa
was soon overpowered by Siddis and used as a Jail.
Private boat can be hired to
visit this fort.
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JANJIRA FORT
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This overwhelming guardian
of the Siddi naval prowess
over
the Arabian sea, can be
approached in sail boats,
which leave from Rajpuri
jetty, 5 kms from Murud. As
we land at the front gate of
the fort, two formidable
bastions. can be seen
guarding the huge gate. Here
is a sculpture in stone
depicting a Lion that has
overpowered six elephants.
The main gate is followed by
another gate where 3 lungers/anchors
are clearly visible in front
of shrine of 5
Peers(peerpanchayatan).
Opposite of that is a big
sweet water tank. Around
that stand Khasha Siddi
Masjid and ruins of houses.
Next comes Surul Khan's
mansion(wada). In the
backyard, remnants of Hindu
sculptures are visible.
During archaeological
excavations in 1985, temple
ruins and a 'Shivaling' was
found. On the background,
fortified bulwarks with guns
positioned, are
unmistakable. There are 24
bastions in all, having
their separate names.
Special attraction of this
fort is 3 Gigantic Cannons
named Kalalbangdi, Chavri
and Landa Kasam. Another
gate to the west is sea-
facing,called'Darya Darwaza'. |
TOMB OF KAlNHOJI ANGRE
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Just five-minute walk from
Alibag ST stand, on way to
market, is this tomb. The
structure has 8 faces and
the pillars are exquisitely
sculpted. Though in
dilapidated state today, it
stands in sacred memory of
the great Maratha Admiral
Konhoji Angre |
MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY
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Established in 1904, this
observatory is the only one
of its kind in Asia and one
of 13 in the whole world,
with whom data is exchanged
every 12 minutes. The
British period building that
houses rare valuable
instruments like a magnatograph is built only
in stone, with no steel
used. The observatory
records magnetic movement in
the earth's' crust and also
magnetic storms caused by
solar storms. |
KARMARKAR SHILPALAYA (Sasawane)
:
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18 kms from Alibag on Aliba
Rewas Road, 150 works of art
of the famous sculptor Late
Mr. Nanasaheb Karmarkar are
displayed in his own bunglow.
The exhibition is open the
whole day, all days of a
week and entry fee is Rs.5/-
per head. Filming the
sculptures on camera is
charged Rs. 10/- while
video-shooting is charged Rs.
50/- |
PHANSAD SANCTUARY (52.71 sq
kms) : |
Before Nandgaon, on way to
Murud comes Borli village,
7kms to the left is this
'Game' reserved forest for
the erstwhile Nawab of Murud.
Today, this is a Government
Sanctuary for rabbits,
wolves, tigers etc. There is
an information center, an
exhibition, trekking
facilities are made
available by the government
near Supegaon. These
facilities are approachable
on Murud-Roha road via.
Supegaon at Usroli, 7 kms
from Murud. |
NAWAB'S PALACE (MURUD):
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When you are about to enter
Murund town, this palace is
situated on the right side
on a plateau with the sea
for a backdrop. One
appreciates the choice of
location. Built in 1885, it
is a private property of the
royal family and prohibited
for outsider. The
architecture is a mix of
Mughal and Gothic styles |
CARVINGS AT KUDE MANDAD:
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These Buddha period carvings
are 25 kms south of Murud
via. Bhalgaon. A Saatwahana
Dynasty Aristocrat named
Mahabhoj, ruled from Rajpuri
near Murud around 100 B.C.
He got these carvings
carried out in the hill rock
for Buddhist monks as their
lodging/resting place. 200
feet above sea level there
are 26 compartments in two
tiers-15 in the lower and 11
in the upper tier. They
comprise 5 Chaityas, 21
Vihars, a huge Stoopa and
water tanks. The pillars are
exquisitely decorated. One
also finds inscriptions in
Brahmi script. To the west
of this group of carvings,
is vast expanse of Arabian
sea, scenic hilly region of
Tala taluka to the east and
Ghosala hill fort to the
north. |
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