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Alibag
Brief
An idyllic town, on the western coast of India, Alibag is a wonderful place to take a relaxed vacation, with nothing on your mind. With it's candid tranquility, simple rustic beauty, palm swaying, enchanting, enthralling beaches, miles of seductive sand and hours of shushing waves, would definitely be music to your ears. While the hill range of the Western Ghats, adds a unique character of greenery ,to the blue of the ocean, the beaches, temples, forts and the slow pace of village life of this Konkan beachside resort, is sure to mesmerise you completely. As you enjoy the cool, breezy sea cruise, you will realise how easy it is to forget the noisy, polluted, and fast life of Mumbai and gradually sink into the paradise you have been longing for years.
History
Earlier known as Colaba, on the shores, were many baugs (gardens) owned by a certain rich man, whose name is said to have been Ali. Alibag was named after him and his gardens. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, on the shore, built the Colaba fort in 1652, to check the British from Bombay, an example of his military foresight. Kanhoji Angre, the great Maratha admiral, established the township towards the end of the 17th century. The main village at that time, was today's Ramnath. Kanhoji Angre even issued a silver coin called the Alibagi rupaiya. Alibag saw three major wars in 1706, 1722 and 1730. In 1706 Kanhoji Angre defeated the Siddhi of Janjira. In 1722, the British and Portuguese attacked the fort jointly, but were defeated. In 1730 the British and the Marathas fought at Chaul. Angre defeated the British and brought the captain to the fort. Sakhoji created history, by defeating the combined might of the British, the Portuguese and the Siddhi.
CultureClimate & Geogaphical Location
Alibag has a calm and pleasant climate throughout the year. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Alibag lies in the Konkan region in Raigad district. It lies on almost the same latitude, as the southern tip of Mumbai and is very close to this tip across the narrow strip of the Arabian Sea.
How to Reach
Alibag is connected via Mumbai by air, rail, road and sea. By air, the nearest airport to Alibag is at Mumbai, which is served by leading international airlines, Air India, Indian Airlines and private airlines, connecting Mumbai with almost all the major cities in the country. The International Airport at Sahar has air India and all the other international flights landing here. By rail, though the nearest railhead is Panvel, Mumbai with the headquarters of the Central and Western railways is the convenient railhead. Regular train services connect Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus (Victoria terminus) and Mumbai Central Stations to different parts of India. Alibag is on the Mumbai-Goa route and is also accessible by Konkan Railway. By road, Alibag is 108 km from Mumbai and 138 km from Pune. There are a number of buses plying round the clock from Mumbai. State transport buses run from all over the state. In Mumbai there are a few buses that leave from Dadar (east). You can also get private cars and drive down from Mumbai and Pune. By sea, every hour ferries leave Ferry Wharf in Mumbai to get to Alibag. The journey takes one-and-a-half hour but you are unlikely to notice the passage of time. Catamaran services are also available from the Gateway of India to Mandwa Jetty, which is 22 km away from Alibag. There are also ferries from ferry Wharf in Mazgaon and Sewri. Both catamaran services and ferries are suspended from June to October, during the monsoon.
Tourist Places :
Murud-Janjira
Murud, is today popular, for is alluring beaches, coconut and betel palms, and an ancient Fort. A sleepy coastal town with neat Indo-Gothic buildings and meandering pathways, Murud-Janjira is a picture post card,perfect beach with the promise of lazy, sunny afternoons and cool dips in the clean sea. From the main strand, one can see the broken fortifications of the Kasa fort in the middle of the sea. Even as you amble, drive, swim, walk towards Rajpuri, 4kms south from the main Murud town, you catch sight of the dark edifice of the 300 year old Janjira fort, still withstanding the surge and retreat of the Arabian sea. The only fort in Maharashtra that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj could not conquer, Janjira inspires awe and admiration and is an architectural marvel. Just a few Kms away are two unspoilt beaches Nandgaon and Kashid. The nearest railway station is Panvel.
Alibag Beach
At high tide, there is very little sand on the beach. There is a small rocky wall and there is trash. The beach is relatively empty during the day, but towards evening and at low tide, it fills up with tourists visiting the Colaba fort. There have been fatal accidents on the beach, so don't go beyond the shallow waters, if you dont know how to swim.
Magnetic Observatory
The magnetic observatory, a Government of India project, was established in 1905. It has two buildings, one for the magnetometers (instruments that measure the forces of the earths magnetism) and the other for the magnetographs (which measure the forces of magnetism). The buildings were built without any steel, since that might affect the readings of the instruments within.
Nagaon Beach
Nearly 7 km away from Alibag, the Nagaon beach, lies between Alibag and Revdanda. The beach is lined with cypress and is clean and beautiful. While the sea is rough here, it is not dangerous like the Alibag beach.
Kihim
Kihim lies at an equidistance from Mandwa jetty and Alibag ,at 13 km. You can see the Khanderi fort from Kihim beach, but getting there is very costly and not that easy, as there are no means of transport for reaching it. One can hire a boat to get there, but the cost is a stiff Rs 1,000 for a round trip, for a group of up to 10 people. The beach itself is clean and empty, much better than the one at Alibag. Since it is closer to Alibag, one can stay in Alibag and swim here instead. As there are no lifeguards, it is better not to venture into deep waters, unless one is a good swimmer. But if one wishes to stay at Kihim, one can enjoy the comforts of an unusual tent holiday organized by MTDC. The nearest railway station is Panvel 85km. By road Kihim is 136km from Mumbai.
Others
COLABA FORT - This is a 20-minute walk from the beach to the fort. Built in 1680, by the Maratha ruler Shivaji, the fort looms over the skyline of the beach, a grey forbidding mass of lead and steel and stone.
REWAS - MANDWA - The region along the coastline is one of the most beautiful area close to the vicinity of Mumbai. Dotted by beaches, creeks and bays lying amidst a wide variety of vegetation and plantation, this ideally suited region, is fast becoming the most sought after than any other destination.
VIKRAM KIRTI MANDIR - 20 km from Alibag, the Vikram Vinayak temple is on a hill near Revdanda. Built by the Birlas in snowy marble, the roof is made up of translucent Polycarp, which fills the temple with light and air.