|
|
About 60-km from Alibaug, Murud is actually a tiny village
set atop a small hillock with a heart stopping view of the coast, with
mile after mile of soft silvery sand. Janjira is further south, the chief
attraction being the sea fort built in the 15th century. It stands about a
kilometre away from the coast, but a small fishing boat will take one
there.
The fort itself is almost entirely intact, despite the ravages of wind
and tide, a marvel of ancient engineering. The 300-year old fort is an
architectural marvel - once upon a time considered to be impregnable. It
is worthwhile to pay the fort a visit for its lovely architecture.
The fort was never conquered by an enemy for over 300 years since its
construction by the Ahmadnagar rulers under the supervision of their
regent Malik Ambar in the 15th century, Murud-Janjira is probably the only
impregnable fort on the 720-km Maharashtra coastline. Neither the
Portuguese nor the British could subjugate the fort. And the Marathas,
despite their repeated attempts failed to subjugate the Siddi power.
Once
the capital town of the Siddis of Janjira, Murud is today popular for its
alluring beach, whispering casurina, coconut and betel palms and an
ancient fort. On a hillock to the north is the shrine of Lord Dattatreya,
the three heads representing Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. The palace of
the Nawab and the Janjira caves are also a must for the tourists. A few
kilometers away are two undiscovered beaches Kashid and Nandgaon.
Air: Nearest airport is
Mumbai , 165-km away.
Rail: Roha on the Konkan railway is the nearest railway station.
Boat: Regular ferry services are available from Ferry Wharf up to
Rewas (23-km) starting at 6.00 a.m. in the morning till 6.00 p.m. in the
evening. This service is suspended during the monsoon. After Rewas one
needs to take a bus via Alibag and Chaul. There are also regular
catamarans from the Gateway of India in Mumbai going up to Mandwa. The
first catamaran leaves at 7.45 a.m. and takes one hour to reach Mandwa.
Road: Plenty of buses are available from Mumbai via Revdanda
(165-km), Alibag (52-km), Panvel (122-km), Rewas (75-km) and Pune (230-km)
via Mahad. On reaching the tranquil fishing town of Murud, this place is
accessible by local sailing boat only.
There are few private beach resorts and one MTDC holiday resort available for accommodation.