Alibag Town

Alibag has an identity crisis... Any sea face south of Mumbai is 'Alibag'. And those who actually land in the Alibag town are disappointed that the beach actually disappears at high tide and that there is nothing else in the town to see. Those who are only interested in ‘Beaching’ should be looking at other nearby locations like Kihim, Akshi or Kashid. But those who want a slice of history should certainly read this article. This article lists some interesting spots in the town along a 3km walk.

1. Angre Wada
2. Ali’s Grave and Well
3. Temples
4. Angre Vrundavan (Royal Cenotaphs)
5. Magen Aboth Synagogue
6. Fish Market
7. Koliwada with jetty and Fish drying yard
8. Bhaji Market
9. ZP building - Murals
10. Alibag Beach
11. Kulaba & Sarjekot Forts
12. Geomagnetic Observatory
13. Hirakot Fort & Lake

Other places of Interest but not shown in the map - Kanhoji Angre Smarak, Ramnath Mandir, Banjara Tanda etc.

Velas Turtle Festival on 22nd March

Many of you must have heard of Olive Ridley Turtles (ORTs) being endangered by development and poaching in Orissa and Tamil Nadu. But very few Mumbaikars know that just 200 Kms south of Mumbai is one of the prime spots for breeding of these endangered species. From Murud Janjira to Dabhol, we have a string of beaches which are favoured by ORTs for laying their eggs.

For the 6th Year in a row, Bhau Katdare and his team at Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra are organizing the Velas Turtle Festival, aimed at conservation of ORTs along the Konkan coast. So be there and show that you care!

Click on the image for a larger map

Forts in Thane District

Maharashtra has the largest number of forts in India and Thane district has the largest number of forts in any district in India. I have tried to list out all the fort or fort like structures that I have come across… 67 in number! In case, I have missed out on any forts please feel free to give your comments. Majority of the forts have been located on the map below but some like Pimplasgad have been “approximately located” while some like Naldurg could not be located at all. Please help me locate these so that a good database is created.

No Fort - Taluka (Status on Map)
1 Agashi - Vasai (Not located )
2 Alibag/ Pankot - Palghar (Correctly located )
3 Arnala Bastion - Vasai (Correctly located )
4 Arnala Fort - Vasai (Correctly located )
5 Asawa - Palghar (Correctly located )
6 Ballalgad - Talasari (Not located )
7 Balwantgad - Shahapur (Correctly located )
8 Belapur Bastion - Thane (Correctly located )
9 Belapur Fort - Thane (Correctly located )
10 Bhairavgad - Murbad (Correctly located )
11 Bhandargad - Shahapur (Correctly located )
12 Bhavangad - Palghar (Correctly located )
13 Bhupatgad - Jawhar (Correctly located )
14 Chatale - Palghar (Not located )
15 Chinchani - Dahanu (Not located )
16 Dahanu - Dahanu (Correctly located )
17 Danda - Palghar (Not located )
18 Dativare - Palghar (Not located )
19 Dehri - Bhiwandi (Not located )
20 Dharavi - Thane (Approximately located )
21 Dindigad - Bhiwandi (Not located )
22 Durgadi - Kalyan (Correctly located )
23 Firangkot - Bhiwandi (Not located )
24 Gaimukh - Thane (Approximately located )
25 Gambhirgad - Dahanu (Correctly located )
26 Ghodbundar - Thane (Correctly located )
27 Gorakhgad - Murbad (Correctly located )
28 Gumtara/ Gotara - Bhiwandi (Approximately located )
29 Hirakot - Thane (Correctly located )
30 Jawhar kot - Jawhar (Correctly located )
31 Jivdhangad - Vasai (Correctly located )
32 Kaldurg - Palghar (Correctly located )
33 Kamandurg - Vasai (Correctly located )
34 Kambe - Bhiwandi (Approximately located )
35 Kelve - Palghar (Not located )
36 Kharbav - Bhiwandi (Approximately located )
37 Khatale - Palghar (Not located )
38 Kital - Palghar (Not located )
39 Kohoj - Wada (Correctly located )
40 Kore - Palghar (Not located )
41 Madhla Buruj - Palghar (Not located )
42 Mahim - Palghar (Correctly located )
43 Mahuli - Shahapur (Correctly located )
44 Malajgad - Vasai (Approximately located )
45 Malanggad - Kalyan (Correctly located )
46 Mandvi - Vasai (Approximately located )
47 Manor - Palghar (Not located )
48 Mathane - Palghar (Not located )
49 Naglakot - Thane (Approximately located )
50 Naldurg - Murbad (Not located )
51 Palasgad - Shahapur (Correctly located )
52 Parsik - Thane (Approximately located )
53 Phutka Buruj - Palghar (Not located )
54 Pimplasgad - Bhiwandi (Approximately located )
55 Segvah/ Sawte - Dahanu (Correctly located )
56 Shirgaon - Palghar (Correctly located )
57 Siddhagad - Murbad (Correctly located )
58 Takmak - Vasai (Correctly located )
59 Tandulwadi - Palghar (Correctly located )
60 Tankicha Buruj - Palghar (Not located )
61 Tarapur - Palghar (Correctly located )
62 Thane - Thane (Correctly located )
63 Usrani - Palghar (Not located )
64 Vajirgad - Vasai (Correctly located )
65 Vasai/Bassien - Vasai (Correctly located )
66 Virthan - Palghar (Not located )
67 Yedvan - Palghar (Correctly located)

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“Durgasampada Thanyachi” a book Sadashiv Tetwilkar and Gazetteer of Thane District are invaluable sources of information for this database

Timing the Tides

We all know that moon influences the timing of tides in the ocean. In 24 hours we get 2 High Tides and 2 Low Tides but the timing keeps on changing.

Here is a very simple method to calculate the same. All you need to know is what is the phase of the moon for the day? On Poornima (Full Moon Day) and on Amavasya (No Moon Day), the High Tide is at 12 noon and 12 midnight and the Low Tide is at 6 am and 6 pm. Every day the tide is delayed by 45 mins over previous day. This means one day after Poornima/ Amavasya, we have the High Tides at 12.45 AM and 12.45 PM and the Low Tides at 6.45 AM and 6. 45 PM.

Test Question for Paanchvi Pass: What is the timing of the High Tide seven days after Amvasya? 5.15 AM and PM
So what has all this got to do with “Escape from Mumbai”? It is important to know the timing of High Tide and Low Tide while visiting some of the coastal locations like Kulaba Fort and Usranicha Pagar.

Shortcut to Raigad

Once you pass Mangaon on the Mumbai-Goa Highway, you can see to your left the flat topped mountain of Raigad... Shivaji's Capital. But a low lying mountain range blocks your path and you have to drive down further to take a detour via Mahad to see this "Durg Durgeshwar" (Lord of Forts). Earlier I had travelled on a dirt track from Mangaon to Raigad via Gharoshi. This has now been converted into a tar road that passes through some nice wooded slopes. Though I have not travelled on this road by car, others who have used this road can leave behind their comments on this post

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