SINDHUDURG - A PERFECT BLEND OF NATURAL BEAUTY & CULTURAL HERITAGE

Sindhudurg Overview

Situated along the Konkan coast, Sindhudurg is located at a close proximity to Goa and is surrounded by the Arabian Sea on the west & Sahyadri hill ranges on the east. It consists of 8 Talukas - Devgad, Vaibhavwadi, Dodamarg, Kankavali, Malvan, Kudal, Vengurla and Sawantwadi, carved out of Ratnagiri and Kolhapur districts. Sindhudurg is famous for its serene and beautiful beaches, temples, historical forts and folk art forms like Dashavtar, Chitrakathi, Keertan, Dhangiri dance, etc. This place has great potential for attracting foreign tourists.

Historical Significance

The town is named after the majestic Sindhudurg Fort and is an important historical place in Maharashtra. Earlier, the town was a strong naval base of the Maratha rulers and Sindhudurg Fort was a testimony to the Maratha supremacy and power under the great Maratha ruler Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Why You Must Visit Sindhudurg

Be a walk on the lovely seashore & explore the virgin beauty of a secluded beach, explore historic magnificence, or just simply relax & rejuvenate – Sindhudurg has something for every kind of traveller. Sindhudurg is an ideal destination that is still untouched by the forces of modernization.

For nature lovers, this small but beautiful town offers serene and picturesque beaches. On a clear day, one can see the clear sea-bed upto a depth of almost 20 feet. Indian and foreign tourists love to explore the region and go scuba diving and snorkelling to help themselves with a visual treat of exotic coral reefs on the outskirts of the island.

Amboli waterfall and hill station is also a nice excursion site to explore. Most of the district area is covered by dense forest, with a lot of flora and fauna to please any nature lover. A host of wild animals like the Leopard, Wild Boar, Mongoose, Wild Rabbit, Wild Buffalo and the Macaque Monkey can be found here.

Endowed with majestic mountains, an exotic seashore, and a glorious scenery, this place is popular for tropical fruits like Alphonso Mangoes, Jamuns along with good quality Cashews.
If you are an art lover, the town is renowned for its traditional art forms like Dashavtar, Chitrakathi, Keertan and Dhangiri dance.

This region is extremely renowned for its unique Malvani Cuisine. A must try for travellers – domestic and foreign alike – this cuisine includes sumptuous recipes of seafood dishes, made in their own local flavour.

Some Of The Major Tourist Attractions In Sindhudurg:

Shri Devi Bharadi, Anganewadi

Anganewadi in Malvan is more famous for its Bharadi Devi Temple and the most popular fair called Anganewadi Jatra which is held annually. The most interesting thing about this fair is its changing date which is finalized by mutual consent in February every year. There are many legends about the appearance of the deity in this village of Malvan District. “Bharadi devi of Anganewadi” is one of the “Jagrut Devasthans” in Malvan fulfilling the wishes of all those visitors who come to this place with a devotion and great belief.

Shri Bharadi Devi Temple, Angnewadi

Sindhudurg Fort

The name Sindhudurg is a combination of words Sindhu, which means the sea, and Durg, which translates to a fort. It was built by the great Maratha warrior King, Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He choose this rocky island location to suit his strategic purpose of countering foreign forces, and to keep the Siddhis of Murud-Janjira in check. The beauty of this fort is that, it is built in such a fashion, that it could not be easily seen by the enemies that came from the Arabian Sea. Moreover, the fort also houses a temple dedicated to the great Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which is the only shrine of its kind in India. This fort was very important in the armory of Shivaji Maharaj. The fort area is spread over 48 acres on Kurte Island. The length of the fort is about three kilometers. The number of towers is 52 and there are 45 stone stairs.

Sindhudurg Fort

Malvan

Malvan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Maharashtra with famous beaches. Beaches in Malvan are popular for the past many years for its clean coastline  with a touch of history. Tarkarli Beach, Malvan Beach, Devbagh Beach, Chivala Beach, Achara Beach, Tondavali Beach are some popular beaches in Malvan. Beautiful stunning waves, blue waters, white sand, symphony of colours are all the blessings you can enjoy when you visit these paradisiacal beaches in Malvan -Tarkarli.
Apart from this, today Malvan is becoming the most popular destination for water sports in Maharashtra. Adventure water sports like Scuba Diving, Parasailing, Jet Ski ride, bumper ride, banana boating, and several others are another factor which hikes up the visitor count of these beaches. Beachfront Luxury accommodations, soothing vibes and wonderful sea view, this is what these beaches are made up of.
Something which is an unmissable part about these beaches, is the sunset and sunrise, as these are the times when their beauty multiples and is enough to bewitch anyone! These beaches are just perfect for all.

Devbag Sangam In Malvan

Sawantwadi Palace

Sawantwadi Rajwada (Palace) is known as an important tourist spot in Sindhudurg. Sawantwadi was the capital of Sawantwadi State before independence. The Bhonsle family ruled here. The palace was built by Khem Sawant Bhosale dynasty during 1755-1803. This palace is currently divided into three parts. The residence of the current royal family, the Raj Durbar and the Museum. This is a beautiful tourist spot in Sawantwadi city and can be reached by highway from Mumbai, Pune and Kolhapur.

Sawantwadi Palace

Sawantwadi Wooden Toys Market

Sawantwadi is famous for its art and culture, popularly known for Ganjifa playing cards and wooden toys made from mango tree. The craft is traditionally done by the Chitari or Chitrakar community recognized by the King. These communities migrated from Karwada and settled in Sawantwadi. These families survived mainly by supplying handicrafts items to the royal families. Later, other communities also adopted this craft because of its commercial success. Queen Satwasheela Devi continues the tradition even today, where many of the families are involved in Ganjifa cards and wooden toys making.  The toys are made by assembling flat shaped solid wood. Seasoned mango wood is chiselled or carved into desired toy shape. The cut-out pieces are finished on a sander, painted and assembled.

Sawantwadi Wooden Toys Market

Sri Dev Kunkeshwar Temple, Devgad

Sri Kshetra Kunkeshwar…. A sacred place of pilgrimage in Konkan... This is the land of Shambhu Mahadev who has been living in the rice fields of Kanke since ancient times... The God made of dough is Kunkeshwar... This place, which has been in the limelight since around 1100th century, is the crown jewel of the religious and historical beauty of Konkan. Nowhere else in Konkan is there such a grand temple as ancient as the Kunkeshwar temple. The name of the village also came to be known as Kunkeshwar.  Just 5-7 minutes from where the buses halts, the peak of the temple attracts attention. The temple is built on a hill near the coast & the part facing the sea is protected by a strong embankment. The temple is situated on a flat place on the bank of 8-9 meters height. The history of this temple is equally ancient, thrilling and mysterious.

Kunkeshwar Temple, Devgad

Visit to such a Scenic, Adventurous, Historic, Artistic & Spiritual place is worth experiencing.

Konkan Kulture

Don’t Just Visit, Experience It

Bio: KONKAN KULTURE is a Destination Marketing Agency for the Konkan region of Maharashtra. We focus on promoting Konkan Tourism & other businesses in Konkan, to make it more attractive to the tourists and other potential travellers, boosting the number of visitors and local businesses & providing employment to the locals. It is also about increasing awareness of the destination's rich culture and heritage to raise demand and improve its reputation.

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