Vijaydurga The sleepy village boasts of a seemingly impregnable, pre Shivaji period fort that, maritime history says, was the scene of many a bloody battle. It has been attacked from the sea by the British to take it over from its Indian occupants. A dilapidated board at the entrance of the fort tells you its history. Some of the board is readable whilst the rest is guesswork since the paint has peeled off. Once upon a time the steamer from Bombay to Goa used to halt at the jetty near the entrance to the fort. Now the catamaran whizzes past oblivious of the fort, the town and the beach. Incidentally the one of the best views of the fort is from this jetty. The fort stretches out in to the sea and a walk inside its precincts is worthwhile. When I was there last, the organisers of the McDowell Bombay – Goa Regatta had established a staging post inside the fort and there was quite a bit of revelry. Otherwise no one really bothers to come here. The locals inform us that Mr Vijay Mallya, the liquor baron, boss of United Breweries that owns the McDowell Brand, has bought over a 100 acres of land in the area just north of here with a view to building a resort some time in the future. Gives you an indication of the potential of the place.
Vijaydurg’s beach is quite hidden from view and is not obvious to the casual visitor. Ask for the small bus terminus just before you get to the fort and the road ends. It’s tucked away in a corner. Go beyond the bus stop and you are on the beach. It’s a stretch of about a kilometer with good views of the fort stretching out into the sea to the right and a small plateau with a hut to the left. It’s relatively clean and peaceful as not even the locals bother to come here. North of Vijaydurg is a flat plateau that can be seen from the southern end of the fort. It looks very attractive with casurina plantations and some small stretches of isolated beaches. There is no ferry service from Vijaydurga north. One has to go back to the highway and then turn north towards Rajapur. Just short of Rajapur, look for the turning for a place called Jaitapur. The road leads back to the coast and should take you to the area that you were looking at from Vijaydurg. It’s a stony plateau with a lonely lighthouse at its western edge, the road towards which is quite rough and unmarked. I once banged into a rock and bent my rim of my front left wheel. Fortunately the damage was slight and the tyre did not puncture and I could wait until I got back to Bombay to have it straightened out.
Devgarh A short 25km drive southwards from Vijaydurg without going back to the highway brings you to the larger town of Devgarh, famous for its Alphonso mangoes. It also has a post Shivaji period fortress which now houses a lighthouse within its ramparts. Devgarh is mainly a fishing village and has a wonderful natural harbour because of the way a finger of land juts out into the sea and then suddenly turn north forming a protective barrier. The beach is set in a gentle curve and on my first visit I missed it completely because the approach is not quite apparent. Go through the town and negotiate the bazaar that is located on a steep slope. A little after the slope peters out and the road progresses hugging the parked fishing trawlers, in various stages of repair and disrepair, turn left and a short drive will bring you to the beach. A brightly coloured temple to the left and the road climbing suddenly for a few feet marks the turning. The road continues up a hill and ends at the southern entrance to the fort. The view from here in the evenings is magnificent, especially on cloudy days when the sky rapidly changes hues just before sunset. The waves crashing on the rocks below provide a fitting serenade to this spectacle. Just like the Taj Mahal, I am of the opinion that Devgarh beach must be visited on a full moon night. (The daily newspapers, available here on the same evening, give the phase of the moon). A peculiar phenomenon of phosforence in the water makes the surf on the waves glows in the dark. Even when you kick sand as the wave recedes, sparklers seem to emanate from the sand and water. Talk about stardust on the beach. Southwards along the coast, beyond the creek at Mumbri, is a lovely walk all along the rocky slopes. It ends at the temple of Kunkeshwar, a lonely stretch of sand that simply sparkles in the sunlight. You can even approach this temple by the road that branches off at Jamsande. The drive has a grand finale when you near the temple and the panorama of undulating fields and swaying palms against the backdrop of a deep blue ocean unfolds beyond your windscreen. About half an hour’s drive north from Devgarh is the village of Padavnewadi. The road is not metalled after you leave the main road to Vijaydurg. Also the beach does not have shade and the sun can be quite fierce in such circumstances. So time your visit either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Why I feel its worth mentioning is because the local technique of fishing is much in vogue here and if you’re lucky you can time you visit to coincide with one such event. Try asking in Devgarh before you venture if you are interested. Just south of Devgarh is the village of Mumbri and if you want to get to its beach, you have to cross the backwaters of the creek by a local rowboat. Actually the boatman just punts across by pushing against the riverbed with his bamboo stick. There is also a rather large boat-building yard here near the mouth of the creek and when we were there last, we got to witness the elaborate ritual of launching a newly built boat. There’s lots of "puja", prayers and then begins the hard work of literally manually winching the boat into the water for the first time. You can drive right up to the jetty and safely leave it there under some shady spot. After crossing the backwaters for the price of Rs 2/-, just head west by means of any footpath that you see - never mind if its going through someone’s house, he won’t mind. After a while you should come to a beach – one of the rare ones that has sand dunes and shady palms. The dunes lend a different perspective to the way the beach appears. If you have the time, head north along the beach and take the bridle path up the hill and head for the temple of Kunkeshwar and another beach. Or try your luck and see if the locals are going to indulge in fishing. You may be able to capture some ethnic faces and people on your camera.
Achra Its possible to go south from Devgarh without getting back to the highway as there are no creeks to impede your journey. Halfway to Malvan on this inner road is the village of Achra. Just west of it is it’s twin by the name of Achra Bandar. I harboured fears of a smelly jetty with the stench of dried fish when I read the word "Bandar" since locally the word is associated with a jetty where fishermen dock after they return with their catch. Imagine our surprise when after driving west for about 6 km from Achra Bazaar, through some rather unique mangroves we came upon one of the loveliest beaches on the coast. We could go right up to the beach. The sands stretched out for almost a couple of kilometres to the south and to the north there was a grove of coconut trees all bent to one side. On the sands were catamarans silently waiting to be put out to sea again. Local urchins frolicked in the huge waves and shouted at each other in gay abandon. The strong breeze gently rustled the leaves above us completing a picture of serenity. Some "Bandar". If you are spending some time somewhere around you could easily spend half a day picnicking and sun-worshipping here.
Sindhudurg and Malvan It’s possible to continue on to the town of Malvan without getting back to the highway. The road goes through the village of Achra and then enters Malvan from its north. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has established a tented resort at Tarkarli, approximately 2 km south of Malvan. I stayed there once and even though its located on the beach, the hygienic standards leave much to be desired and therefore it is best left alone. The beach is one long stretch from Malvan and the fort of Sindhudurg, which once was Shivaji’s Naval Headquarters, is visible from almost anywhere along the beach. A short boat ride from the jetty at Malvan takes you to the island on which the fort is situated. There’s even a guide to take you around inside. Villagers still live there as there are three fresh-water wells inside and they are completely cut off during the monsoons. A most interesting spectacle to witness at Malvan is the auction of the day’s catch in the evening when all the trawlers come home. Resembling the trading floor of any stock exchange with various types of fish being sold to the highest bidder, it is an exercise in organised chaos that an outsider will be at an utter loss to understand. Its all over within an hour or so with the catch having exchanged hands, loaded on to trucks, and despatched to the markets of the larger cities inland. I managed to buy two large surmais, a local variety of salmon that my friend and I cooked for the evening meal on the beach with a log-fire thrown in.
Direct By Rail. Take the KONKAN RAILWAY either at Bombay’s Victoria Terminus (VT), now known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST for short) or at any of the stations en route if you are already on the road. To get to Vijaydurg or Devgarh, disembark at Kankawli. The place is about 40 km from Devgarh and Vijaydurg is another 24 km beyond. It is a good idea to see Devgarh and then proceed to Vijaydurg. To get to Malvan, Sindhudurg fort and Tarkarli, get down at Kudal and take a bus to Malvan. To get to Vengurla get down at Sawantwadi Road railway station and take a bus. Direct By Road. Continue towards Goa on the NH 17 beyond Lanja and Rajapur until you get to the congested village of Talere. (It’s wrongly marked as “Tarele” on some of the milestones just preceeding it.) At Talere, ask for the turning to Vijaydurg. To go Devgarh, continue further south for another 8 km or so and then look for the turning to the right. It comes after an uncharacteristically, for this highway, straight stretch of road and is quite prominently marked so you can’t miss it. The turning for Malvan, coming from the north is at the village of Kasal just beyond Kankawli. After that it’s a 40 km run. Vengurla appears to be on the Highway but is not. After Kudal, on the highway, you will come to a T- junction. Take the right turning for Vengurla and the left for Sawantwadi. If in doubt, ask after you cross Kudal or look for the milestones and sign posting. From/To Neighbouring Sector. If coming from the south, i.e. Goa to be precise, try and come via the inner roads from Panjim to Mapuca to Siolim and then on to Korgao (incidentally, our family village) and on to the last Goan outpost absolutely on the border – Terekhol. It’s an old Portuguese fort now converted into a government rest house. As soon as you depart from Terekhol, north, you are in the Maharashtra. Make your way through the coastal villages to Vengurla. If coming from the north, try and see if you can get a ferry service at Purnagad. My guess that they have closed down by because of the bridge nearing completion. In a few months you should be able to leave this sector by road and make your way to Rajapur. Getting Around All the towns in this area have rickshaws run privately and you can either pay by the meter or negotiate a flat price for a place or by the day. Buses depart from the main bus terminus at Devgarh to all the places around. To get to Achra Bandar, take any bus going to Malvan from Devgarh and then get down at Achra’s bazaar, which is on the main road. After that to get to the beach, get hold of a rickshaw or walk if you feel like it. To get to Kunkeshwar by trekking, preferably tie up a day earlier with the boatman at Mumbri’s jetty for an early morning hour. Pay him the measly two or three rupees for the trip across and then head north along the coast. After the beach at Mumbri finishes you should be able to see the bridle path climbing up the hill in front of you. Follow the path and you should be in Kunkeshwar via the temple in an hour’s time. To get to Padavnewadi beach, either hire a rickshaw or find out at the bus stop what time the bus leaves. There should be at least two bus services – one in the morning and one in the evening. It’s NOT advisable to take a bus to Vijaydurg and then get down at the junction and walk. It’s rather long and dusty. Vijaydurg has a regular bus service from Devgarh and there are buses leaving from Viajaydurg for other places also. Tarkarli is only a couple of kilometres from Malvan. You can either take a rickshaw or wait for the bus that regularly plies to it and another place beyond. To get to the Sindhudurg fort from Malvan, go the jetty which behind the local State Bank of India Building. It’s also the northern end of the beach. Since it is frequently visited by local tourists and also the villagers living inside the fort regularly commute to the mainland there is a regular service to the island and back. It takes about 10 minutes and costs about Rs 10 per passenger. Vengurla and Sawantwadi are both fairly large sized towns. Regular bus services ply from Malvan and Devgarh. Check the timings from the bus terminus where you want to board.
VIJAYDURG - SINDHUDURG Once naval bases, Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg bear testimony to Maharashtra's martial supremacy during Shivaji's reign. Vijaydurg or Victory Fort was strengthened around the seventeenth century by Shivaji, to whom it owes its finest features -- the triple line of walls, the numerous towers and the massive interior buildings. Once seized by the British and renamed Fort Augustus, Sindhudurg or the Ocean Fort at Malvan port has history etched all over. Constructed by Shivaji in 1664, at a site personally selected by him. The construction of a sea fort is a stupendous task, and at Sindhudurg no efforts were spared. Over 2000 khandis (4000 mounds) of iron were used for casting and the foundation stones were laid down firmly in lead. Even today, as one approaches the fort past a rocky reef, navigable through a narrow channel, one marvels at the transportation of such heavy material through such choppy waters. Within its precincts are temples holding the shrines of Maruti, Bhavani, Mahadeo, Jarimai, Mahapurush and also of Shivaji -- the only such shrine in the country. As for Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg beaches, they offer the visitor one of the most serene and beautiful coastal views in India. Getting there: Rajapur and Kudal respectively are the nearest railheads on the Konkan Railway. Sindhudurg by road is 510 kms and Vijaydurg is 425 kms from Mumbai via the Goa highway.
The entire coastline of the western state of Maharashtra -- starting from the well known towns of Kihim and Alibag in the north to the town of Vengurla in the south where it merges with that of Goa -- is dotted with golden beaches, picturesque creeks, solitary lighthouses, ancient forts, stunning cliffs and charming fishing hamlets, many of them still remain the way nature sculpted them. Untouched by the consumerism that has devoured most beaches near Bombay and Goa -- thereby driving it out of the reach of an average income earner -- these Maharashtra locales suffer from no such ruin. By contrast, they are spell bindingly beautiful. They offer what the real traveller is looking for – vast open spaces, undisturbed solitude and the prospect to do something really different. Many locals, having already sensed an opportunity, offer basic "extra-room-to-let" type of accommodation.
Languages: Marathi and Konkani is spoken. English is often understood.
Time: Five and a half hours ahead of GMT.
Climate: Maximum temperature of 35 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperature of about 15 degrees Celsius. Rainfall is up to 900 mm in the monsoon.
Best times to visit: The entire Indian coastline is situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the equator. So it goes without saying that temperatures are in the 30s through most of the year and can soar to the 40s in May and October. Humidity is always above 80 per cent. From June to about mid-September, the south-west monsoon strikes the coast. It doesn't rain, it pours. So that leaves the period from about mid-November to about mid-February as the ideal season for rambling along this coastline. The temperatures are in the mid-20s and humidity is down to a tolerable level. The sun is lower near the southern horizon and apart from being milder, affords a good light throughout the day for some great photography. For those who simply cannot stand the heat, the period from December 15 to the end of January as the most ideal. It is also the ideal season as Goa can be included as a trip at the end of your journey in time for the Carnival which is sometime in the first week of February.
Culture and people: Maharashtra is one of the better administered states of India. The roads and public utilities are in good condition. This is true even for the smaller roads that meander off from the main Bombay-Goa National Highway and transport you to offbeat locations. There is no fear of crime even if some of these roads are quite lonely. Most of these smaller roads, especially those that run parallel to the coast, qualify as scenic drives because of the terrain that they traverse.
This region is a relatively prosperous area of the state. The people are literate and well off, living in neat and clean villages. They depend upon fishing for their livelihood and very little agriculture occurs here. However, the southern portion, in and around the town of Ratnagiri, is famous for its Alphonso mangoes. Harvesting occurs from April to May. As a result of both these lucrative occupations, this is an affluent belt compared to other rural regions of India. Don't be surprised to see garish looking 'villas' in obscure seaside villages belonging to the local rich man. But do not ask how he made his money.
History: Maharashtra is proud of its history of having stood up, initially, against the Mughal invaders from the north and then later against the British Empire. Chhatrapati Shivaji, a Maratha warrior, who harassed the invaders by occupying forts on hill-tops all over the region and adopting tactics that are now termed as guerrilla warfare, is a hero. He even commanded a naval fleet (that looked after his maritime interests) from the island fortress of Sindhudurg and for sometime prevented the British colonisers from establishing their hegemony in spite of their naval might.
Though most of his forts are located inland and have now become weekend tourist attractions for the locals, quite a few of them are located on the coastline and – fortunately – are not tourist attractions. Though now in ruins, they add a touch of history to a lonely stretch of coast wherever they occur.
Food: Fish and other exotica from the Arabian Sea dominate the cuisine. The fiery seafood curries may be a bit too spicy for the uninitiated. Most of the sleepy towns you encounter on these stretches only have 'eateries' or communal dining rooms, as opposed to restaurants. By and large, they are fairly clean. Food is served in a single plate, with all the courses together. A second helping may or may not cost extra.
Fresh tender coconut water is another way to quench your thirst. Unfortunately, since they are so common in everyone’s garden they are not sold at any of the markets. If you make friends with some local who has a couple of coconut trees in his garden, be sure to request him for a couple. The white flesh of the coconut, which they scoop out after you have drunk the water, is simply delicious.
Don't forget to ask for sol kadhi, a pink local concoction made from the kokam fruit, that makes your taste buds tingle. It's also a great stomach soother after a meal of hot fish curry.
Dress Sense: Casual clothing. Tank tops and skimpy outfits are not advisable.
Be wary of: Water. It advisable to buy mineral water. Avoid cold food.
Permits: You do not require permits to visit any of the coastal areas in Maharashtra and neither are these towns out of bounds to foreigners. After the Bombay blasts of 1993, it was discovered that most of the explosives were unloaded from the sea somewhere along this coastline. Smuggling of gold and banned foreign goods takes place along the coast was once common. You may still find police check posts on some roads near the coast. But as long as one has a passport with a valid visa and an international driving license, if you are driving your own vehicle, there should be no problems in moving around in any of these coastal areas.
Should the police try to harass you just be politely firm and tell them that your papers are perfectly in order and you are aware that you are not required to pay anything extra. However, the lighthouses along the coast may pose a problem since government employees man them and if you are a foreigner they may not allow you inside the precincts.
Permits are also not required for camping on any stretch of the beach. The entire area is environmentally fragile and the government has declared that no built-up structures like houses or resorts can be constructed within 500 metres of the high-tide mark. But this does not apply to temporary tents and you are free to pitch your own at any place that takes your fancy for as long as you want provided you don't create a nuisance or encroach on anybody's private property. Even if you want to pitch a tent in what looks like a mango orchard or somebody's private garden, I am pretty sure that you are bound to be more than welcome. To be on the safe side, it is advisable to take the village headman's permission. It is not advisable to pitch camp on some absolutely lonely stretch, however pretty or attractive it may appeal to you, especially if you have female company. Be prudent and park yourself within shouting distance of the outer fringes of the nearby village. These areas are known to be safe, but why tempt fate?
The Little Extras: We are writing about mostly unchartered territory. The going can get quite rough. In fact, this is a very, rough, rough guide. But there are plenty of rewarding moments to compensate for the discomfort and sacrifice of doing away with the luxury of comfort travel. There are chances to witness the intricate art of boat building. Watching wood as it is bent over a slow fire and then laboriously glued into place, one plank at a time.
Or bumping up with solitary skiffs near the coast looking for crabs and lobsters.
Or witnessing the elaborate ritual of manual hauling in of a huge fishing net (locally known as rapan) from the beach controlled by a single trawler out at sea.
But my most memorable moment will certainly be the scene of a small school of dolphins frolicking off the beach at Devgarh. Etched in my mind is the sight of one youngster porposise, who revelled in leaping high into the air. The whole scene lasted for only a few minutes but it more than compensated for any of the roughing out we had to do to reach these moments.