Page 472 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

470  SOUTHWESTERN INDIA

Shivaji. Steps lead to a sturdy
stone gate, where a stone
engraving of a lion holding six
diminutive elephants in captivity,
represents six successive Siddi
victories. Rusty cannons point
outwards through niches in the
ramparts. The palaces, gardens
and mosques lie in silent ruin,
and luxurious vegetation grows
around the palace of the Siddi
ruler, Sirul Khan.
Imposing Janjira Fort, built on an island
3 Ganapatipule
1 Alibag 2 Murud–Janjira
Ratnagiri district. 375 km (233 miles)
Raigarh district. 108 km (67 miles) Raigarh district. 165 km (103 miles) S of Mumbai. £ Ratnagiri, 22 km
S of Mumbai. @ g from Gateway S of Mumbai. 4 from Gateway of (14 miles) S of Ganapatipule, then bus.
of India, Mumbai, to Mandve, 18 km India, Mumbai to Mandve, 120 km @ _ Gauri Ganapati (Sep/Oct).
(11 miles) N of Alibag, then bus. (75 miles) N of Murud, then bus.
@ from Rajpuri to Janjira Fort. The small coastal village of
The port of Alibag was Ganapatipule is named after
developed by the Marathas A sleepy coastal town with Indo- the 400-year-old temple of
in the 17th century to protect Gothic houses and meandering Swayambhu Ganapati. Here,
their kingdom from the Dutch, pathways, Murud has a picture- the self-originated idol of
Portuguese and the increasingly perfect beach that promises lazy, Ganapati (the local name of
powerful British. Alibag is today sunny afternoons and cool dips Lord Ganesha) is revered by
a quiet town, just across the bay in the clean sea. The little village Hindus as one of the eight
from Mumbai. Its most impressive of Rajpuri, 4 km (2 miles) south sacred sites, or “Ashtha
sight is its beach, a 5-km (3-mile) of the main Murud town, is the Ganapatis”, in India. Devotees
stretch of soft silver sand, lined gateway to the Janjira Fort, show respect to the deity by
with a stand of coconut and the strongest island-fort in the performing a pradakshina, a
casuarina trees. Konkan, still enduring the surge walk around the hill near the
Kolaba Fort, constructed and retreat of the Arabian temple. The beach has
on an island in 1662 by the Sea. Boats are available at long stretches of pristine
Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Rajpuri to take visitors to white sands and clear
Shivaji (see p475), looms over the fort. waters. Beyond the coast
the skyline. It is a forbidding Also evocatively known lie groves of fruit trees,
grey mass of lead, steel and as the Jazeere Mehboob including mango, banana,
stone, built on a rock jutting or “Moon Fort”, it was built Alphonso jackfruit, coconut and
from the sea, and can be in 1511 by the Siddis, who mango betel nut.
reached on foot during low originally arrived in the
tide. Within its high ramparts Deccan from Abyssinia as part of Environs
are enclosed a temple dedi- the slave trade or as soldiers. The Ratnagiri, 25 km (16 miles) south
cated to Lord Ganesha and, fortress, with its high ramparts, of Ganapatipule, is famous for
next to it, a sweet-water well 22 bastions and granite walls its groves of delicious Alphonso
that must have been useful jointed with lead to withstand mangoes, locally known as hapus.
during sieges. There are two the onslaught of the sea, prov ed Ratnagiri’s fortress, Bala Qila, is
main entrances to the fort – invincible against attacks by the situated along the coast, and is
one from the shore and another Portuguese and British, and even intact, with a notable Bhagavati
from the sea. The enormous against the great Maratha leader, temple within its walls.
shore-side doorway is decorated
with sculptures of tigers,
elephants and peacocks.
Environs
Kihim Beach, 9 km (6 miles)
north of Alibag, is a tranquil
getaway, with woods brimming
with birds and wild flowers. It
was the favourite haunt of the
famous Indian ornithologist
Salim Ali (1896–1987), author of
the finest book on Indian birds. Swayambhu Ganapati Temple, at the base of a hill in Ganapatipule
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp700–701 and p715

470-471_EW_India.indd 470 26/04/17 11:47 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm