Sindhudurg

Sindhudurg is a sea fort located on an islet called Kurte in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Maharashtra in western India. The fortress lies on the shore of Malvan town of Sindhudurg District in Konkan. It is a protected monument. Malvan is 390 km away from Pune.

This fort was constructed by Chhatrapati Shivaji in the year 1656. The sea fort spreads over 48 acres with a 3 km long rampart, and walls that are 30 feet high and 12 feet thick. The massive walls acted as a deterrent to approaching enemies and to the waves and tides of the Arabian Sea. The main entrance of the fort is concealed and one cannot easily spot it. Only regular visitors can spot it.

Sindhudurg fort is a popular summer destination for Indian and foreign tourists to explore the island and go scuba-diving and snorkelling to view the coral reef on the outskirts of the island.

Sindhudurg can be reached either by train or by bus from Bombay, Goa and Mangalore. The Konkan railway has a railway station at Sindhudurg, but only few trains stop there. Kudal, Kanakvali and Sawantwadi are major railway stations in Sindhudurg district. There are Maharashtra state government (MSRTC) buses running from Mumbai, Pune, Ratnagiri, Sangli and Kolhapur.

The best time to visit Sindhudurg is from October to March when the weathers is cool and pleasant.

Attractions at the fort-

• There are three sweet water reservoirs in the fort ramparts. Even if the water in the nearby villages dries up in summer, these wells always contain water.
• There is a coconut tree which has branches and also gives fruit. (No other coconut tree has a branch.)
• There is a hidden passage starting from a temple that goes under the island for 3 km, under the sea for 12 km, and from there 12 km to a nearby village. The tunnel was used as an escape route for the women if the enemy entered the fort. However, the passage was closed during the British rule.
• A handprint and a footprint of Shivaji Maharaj is embedded in one section of the fort near the entrance. There is also Atmeshwar Mandir, which is a famous Shivling.
• The fort also houses a temple of Shivaji Maharaj. It is the only one in the world. The image of Shivaji Maharaj is seen without a beard!