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Alibag
Coordinates:

FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

18.64N72.88E

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AlibaaGh,( : )isacoastaltownand

AlibaaGh

amunicipalcouncilinRaigadDistrictintheKonkanregion
ofMaharashtra,India.Itisalsotheheadquartersofthe

city

Raigaddistrict.Theoriginalnameofthisplacewas
RamnathwhichisjustadjacenttomaincityAlibaaGh.
Contents[hide]
1History
2Geography
3Education
4Economy
5Transport
6Demographics

AlibaaGhFort

6.1FamousPeoplefromAlibag

Nickname(s):Colabafort

7Tourism
7.1Gallery
7.2Otherattractions
8References
9Externallinks

AlibaaGh

History

[edit]

AlibaaGhwasdevelopedinthe17thcenturybySarkhel
KanhojiAangrethenavalchiefofKingShivaji'sKingdom.
AlibaaGhisacoastaltownandmunicipalcouncilin

Coordinates:

18.64N72.88E

was"Kulaba".Today'sRamnathwasthemainvillageat

Country
State
District
Foundedby

India
Maharashtra
Raigad
ShivajiMaharaj

thattime.ABeneIsraelitenamedAliusedtolivethereat

Elevation

0m(0ft)

RaigaddistrictinKonkanregionofMaharashtra,India.Itis
theheadquartersoftheRaigaddistrict.Raigad'sfirstname

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thattime.Hewasarichmanandownedmanyplantations
ofmangoesandcoconutsinhisgardens.Hencethelocals
usedtocalltheplace"AlichiBagh"(Marathifor"Gardensof
Ali"),orsimply"Alibagh",andthenamestuck.
Just3kilometersawayfromAlibaaGhonAlibagMumbai
highwayyouwillfindonesmallvillageKhandalehaving

Population(2001)
Total

19,491

Languages
Official

Marathi

Timezone

IST(UTC+5:30)

PIN
Telephonecode

402201
02141

populationofaround5000people,whichisalsoheading
GramPanchayats.KhandaleissurroundedbywonderfulShivatemplessuchasSidheshwar.During
ShrawanmonththebeautyonthesehillocksisbreathtakingandoneachShrawaniSomwarsthousandsof
Alibagkarsvisitthisplaceforworshipandenjoyingnaturebeauty.Alsoonthesamehighwaygoddess
PatrudeviMandirislocatedinsmallGhatcallesKarleKhind.
Khandaleisalsoveryfamousforwhiteonions,whicharesoldalloverMaharashtraas"KhandaleKande".
ThisuniquebreedofonionsarehavingveryrichcontributionsinAyurvedikmedicinesandveryuseful
duringsummerheatwhichishavinguniquesweetertaste.Rewdanda,Chaul,Nagon,Akshi,Varsoli,Thal,
KihimandAawasvillageswereknownas"Ashtagare"atthattime.Duringthosetimesthereweresome
navalbattlesoutofwhichonewasfoughtatVarsolibetweenKanhojiAangreandSiddiofJanjirainthe
year1706.In1722EnglishandPortuguesejointlyattackedonKulabafortandtheylostthiswar.AtChaul
therewasabattlebetweentheEnglishandSakhojiin1730.Sakhojiwonthiswarandbroughtdownthe
losingpartyalongwiththeircaptainatKulaba.Kanhojievenissuedhisowncurrencyintheformofasilver
coincalledtheAlibagirupaiya.AlibaaGhanditssurroundingvillagesarethehistorichinterlandofBene
IsraeliJews.Thereisasynagogueinthe"IsraelAli"(Marathi meaningIsraellane)areaofthe
town.
AlibagalsohousesaMagneticObservatorywhichwassetupin1904.Itservesasoneofthesignificant
observatoriesformingpartofaglobalnetworknowrunbyIndianInstituteofGeomagnetism.The
observatoryhastwobuildingsthefirstbuildinghasmagnetometersthatrecordchangesoccurringinthe
Geomagneticfields.Thesecondbuildingconsistsofprecisionrecordinginstruments,whichgivedata
aboutgeomagneticstormscausedbysolarstormswhichissharedwithdifferentcountries.Itisfromyears
thattheAlibagRegionandRaigaddistrictinallisheadedandruledbytheBhartiyaShetkariKamgar
Paksha(PeasantsandWorkersPartyofIndia).

Geography

[edit]

Alibagislocatedabout100kmsouthofMumbai,at183829N725220E.Theaverageelevationis
0metres(0feet).

Education

[edit]

AftertheBritishtookovertheoldColabaandthisregion,theyestablishedfourAngloVernacularmedium
schooland30governmentschoolsintheyear186566.Intheyear1861thefirstschoolforgirlswas
startedinAlibaaGh.TheMissionChurchstartedthefirstEnglishschoolinAlibaaGhin1879.J.S.M.
CollegeAlibaaGh,formerlyknownasTopiwalaIndustrialHighschoolwasrenamedGeneralArunkumar
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VaidyaHighSchoolafterGeneralArunkumarVaidyawhostudiedthere.Othernotableschoolsinclude
R.C.FSchoolandjuniorCollege,SaintMary'sConventSchool,ChandrakantHariKeluskarHomeopathic
MedicalCollegeandJ.R.H.KanyashalaAlibagAdv.DattaPatilCollegeofLaw,Alibagisthefirstlaw
collegeinRaigadDistrict.TheOthernotableschoolisinthevillageKhandalewhichisrunbyKonkan
EducationSociety.TakingoveralltheinstitutesPrabhakarPatilEducationSociety(PNPeducationSociety)
hasturnedouttobecomeoneofthemostwellknowninstituteofRaigadDistricthavingestablished&
registeredin2001[(Maharashtra)/83/2000(Raigad)&F3373Raigad]byinspirationoflatePrabhakar
NarayanPatil(AliasBhaoo)wasagreatSocialWorkerinRaigad.Hisworkinthefieldofeducationand
politicswasinvaluable.TodaytheSocietyruns27Institutes:FivePrimaryEnglish&MarathiSchools,
TwentySevenSecondaryMarathiSchools,OneArts,Science&CommerceJr.&Sr.College,OneEnglish
&MarathiMediumD.EdCollege,OneB.Ed.College,OnePolytechnicInstituteandOneMMSCollege.
ThisSocietywasestablishedwiththepointofviewofprovidingqualityeducationtothepeopleofRaigad
District.Henceitstartedwithestablishingfreehighschoolsinthemostunderdevelopedareasofthe
District.Thisprovidedagreatimpetusforstudents.Nowtheycouldgetqualityeducationattheirdoorstep.
Allteacherswhoworkforthesocietyarehighlyqualified.
TodayworldhasbecomeaglobalvillagethereisadiredemandforqualityEnglishmediumschools.
HencetofulfillthisdemandthesocietycameupwithfiveEnglishmediumschoolsinanaroundthedistrict.
AfterschoolthePNPeducationsocietyhasbroadenitsprospectbyfocusingonhigher&highertechnical
education.

Economy

[edit]

Tourismisthemainstayofthetown'seconomy.Sincethelate1990sthetownandmunicipalityhaveseen
developmentofindustrialsites.RashtriyaChemicalsandFertilizers(RCF)wasthefirstindustrialunitset
upnearAlibag.OthercompaniesincludeIspatindustriesLtd(MittalGroup),WelspunMaxsteel
Ltd(WelspunGroup),GasAuthorityOfIndiaLimited(GAIL),HPLPGandReliancePetrochemicals(RPCL)
arealsolocatednearthetown.

Transport

[edit]

Road:OnecanreachAlibaaGhviaPen(30kmaway),whichisontheMumbai(78kmaway)
Goaroad.FromMumbai,onecanreachAlibaaGhbytravelingontheMumbaiGoahighway(NH
17)tillWadkhal(orVadkhal)andtakingtherightforkfromWadkhaltheleftforkbeingtheroadtoGoa.
Thedistanceisapproximately108kmfromMumbai
Railways:ThenearestrailrailwaystationisatPen.ThroughPen,itisconnectedtoPanveland
onwardstoMumbaiandtheIndianRailwaysnetwork.
Catamaran/Ferry:ThenearestjettyisMandwaFromwherecatamaran/ferryservicesareavailable
toGatewayofIndia,Mumbai.[1]AnotherportinthevicinityisRewas,fromwhereaferryserviceis
availabletoFerryWharf(BhauchaDhakka)(DockyardRoad).ThereisalsoajettyatCustomBandar
fromwherefishermeninAlibagsetsail.
OnecanreachAlibagbycatamaran(sea)throughGatewayofIndiatoMandwaorfromBhauchaDhakkato
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RewasandfromMandwa/RewastoAlibagbybus.TicketincludesjourneyfromGatewaytoMandwaand
busjourneyfromMandwatoAlibagbusstop.FromRewastoAlibagoneneedstotakeStateTransport
busoraRickshaw.TaketheferryfromGatewaytoMandwa.Servicesavailablefrom6:00amtill
6:00pm.Pleasecheckforthecurrenttimetablewithferryserviceprovidersbecauseitkeepsonchanging
asperseatidesandduringmonsoonitisusuallynotoperated.FerryJourneytime:40to55minutes
dependingonthetypeofboats.FromMandwaoperatorcarriespassengerstoAlibagintheirown
charteredbuses.BusJourneytime:45minutes.Alibagbeachiswalkingdistancefromthebusstop.
Anotheroptionistotakeaferryfrom"BhauchaDhkka"toRewas.Timingsaresamebutschedulemay
changedependingonthetide.FromRewastakeStateTransportBusorRickshawtoAlibag.BusJourney
time:1hourtoreachAlibag.OnebenefitofusingtheBhauchaDhakkaRewasroutebyferryisthatyou
canalsotakea2wheeleralongwithyouontheferryonthisrouteforanominalcharge.Youcangoto
AlibagbyS.T.busfromMumbai.FromMumbaitoAlibaghavingdaily3540S.T.buses,alsoBorivali,
Thane,Kalyan,Pune,Kolhapur,Miraj,Nashikhavingbusestoalibagforjourney.
GettingThere(AtAlibag)ByAir:NearestairportisMumbai,140km.ByRailway:Nearestrailwaystation
isPanvel,ByRoad:MumbaiPanvelPenWadkhalAlibag.130km,MumbaiPanvelPen
WadkhalKarleKhind.125km,PuneAlibag.150km

Demographics

[edit]

Asof2001Indiacensus,[2]Alibaghadapopulationof19,491.Malesconstitute52%ofthepopulationand
females48%.Alibaghasanaverageliteracyrateof79%,higherthanthenationalaverageof59.5%with
54%ofthemalesand46%offemalesliterate.11%ofthepopulationisunder6yearsofage.

FamousPeoplefromAlibag

[edit]

FamouscelebritieswhoareborninAlibagareSarkhelKanhojioAngre,V.P.Karmarkar1964Padmshree
AwardWinnersculpturerSaswane,GeneralArunShridharVaidyawholedOperationBlueStar,
MaharashtraBushanNanasahebDharmadhikari(JesthNirupankarRevadanda),PadmaVibhushan,
Magsaysay&TempletonAwardWinner[PandurangShastriAathavaleDadaji](SwadhyaParivarRoha),
ActorNanaPatekarMurud,ChildSingerMugdhaVaishampayan,JuileeBhandreMumbaiMonorail
Captain,ActressAshwiniBhave,novelistArunTamhankar.AlsonowadaysAlibagistheweekendhomefor
richandfamouslikeSachinTendulkar,RaviShastri,SunilGavaskar,RatanTata,businessmanGodrej,
singhaniyaofRaymondetc.whohavetheirpicturesqueseafacingbungalowsinandaroundAlibag.

Tourism

[edit]

Beaches ThefollowingarethemaintouristattractionsinandaroundAlibag:
Alibagbeach:Thisisthemainbeachofthetown.Averyflatstretchmakesforalongwalk.
Reasonablycleanbeachandhasthincrowdsduringtheweek.Thesandhasahardtextureandisa
shadeofblack.Noteasytocreatesandcastles.Notethatthetiderollsinfromallsides.Youmayhave
towadethroughwateronthewayback.
SiddheshwarMandirnearKhandale:ThisisfamousShivatemplesituatednearpicturesquehills
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nearvillageKhandalejust4kmfromAlibagPenstatehighway.Youcandriveyourvehiclesjustnearto
hillocksandwithsmalltrekyoucanreachthisbeautifultemple.Thebeautyaroundthistempleis
awesomeduringShrawanmonthwhenhundredsofpeoplethrongtoworshipthistempleduring
ShrawaniSomwars.Ifyoufurthertravelfromthistempleyoucanseetheremainsofancientfortcalled
"Sagargad".
AlibagFort:AlibagistheseatofDistrictAdministrationofRaigad(formerlyKolaba)districtsince1852.
ThenameKolabaisattributedtoaSeaFortKolababuiltbyShivajithegreat,in1680tofightthemighty
navalprowessoftheSiddis'(Abyssenians)ofJanjiraandtheBritishofMumbai.Kolabafortisfamous
formanybattles,betweenSiddisandKanhojiAngre,theBritishandthePortuguese.
Khanderi&UnderiIslands:JustfewkilometersfromseashoreofKihimBeachonecanvisit
Khanderi&Underiislands.TheseislandsareheavilyfortifiedandbuiltbyShivajiMaharajassea
observationpostsin1660CE[1]tokeepacheckontheSiddisatMurudJanjirafort.Howeverlateronit
lostitsimportance.Mostofthefortisstillintactthemostprominentstructureisalighthousebuiltin
1837whichisstillinserviceandusedforseanavigation.
BetElSynagogue:OnceuponatimetherewasveryBigJewishCommunitylivinginAlibagmostof
thethemwereoilpressersandsellers.BetElSynagogueistheonlySynagogueinAlibag.ViceroyLord
Curzon(18991905)visitedthissynagogue.ThisplacehadbeenplaceofworshipfortheJewish
communityandratherthanreligiousservicesitwasplacewherecommunitycentre,Konkan
developmentprogrammesandthosedaysVillagemeetingsusedtobeheld.Thesynagogueisa
heritagepropertyhavinguniquestyleandiswellknownIndianJewishandKonkantouristpoint.
VarsoliBeach:Locatedaboutamilefromthemainbeach,hometoaverylargenavalbase.Itis
situatedjustontheoutskirtsofAlibag.Itisrelativelylessvisitedsiteandasaresultisaquietbeach
withsparklingwhitesandandcleanerseawater.VarsoliisasmallsatellitevillageacrossAlibag,
completewiththickvegetationofcoconutandCasuarina.
AkshiBeach:Itissituated6kmawayfromAlibag.Itisafavouritespotforadvertising,TVserialand
filmshoots.Thisbeachiswellsuitedforthechildrenandladiesastheseaisflatforalongdistance.
Onecanwalkthroughtoaconsiderabledistancetowardsthesea.
Nagaonbeach:Itissituatedabout10kmawayfromAlibagandisfamousforcoconutsandbetelnuts.
OnecanwalkonthebeachfromNagaonbeachtoAkshibeachintenminutes.Itismorepopularforits
watersportsandmostofthetouristscomingtoAlibaaGhstaynearNagaonbeach.
KihimNavgaonBeach:Kihimisasecludedplaceatadistanceof12kmfromAlibag.TheKihim
beachisfamousfordensecoverofCoconuttrees.Itisalsofamous[citationneeded]forwoodswhichare
hometorarebutterflies,birdsandflowers.
Awas:Itissituatedabout16kmawayfromAlibag.
Saswane:Itissituatedabout18kmawayfromAlibag.
Rewas:Itissituatedabout24kmawayfromAlibag.FromRewas,thereisaferryboatserviceto
Mumbai(bhauchaDhakka)andalsotoUran(Karanja).
ChaulRevdanda:Itissituatedabout17kmawayfromAlibag.
KanakeshwarMandir:Itissituatedabout17kmawayfromAlibagtoKarlekhindChondiroad.13km
fromAlibaginNortheastdirectionisthisveryfamousShivtempleona900ft.highhill.Itisa5000ft.
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longclimbonwellpavedstairs,whichtakesaroundonehour.Landmarksalongtheroutearetombsof
MohanGiriandBalgiri,NagobaRest,JambhaliPlateau,God'sstair,Gaymandietc.Thefatigueofthe
uphillclimbvanishesthemomentoneentersthescenictemplepremises.Itcomprisesvarioussmall
templesofSriPaleshwar,SriHanuman,SriBalramKrishnaandLordShiv.Thespecialattractionisan
ancientsweetwatertankenclosedintraditionalstructureofblackstone.Theancienttemplewasbuilt
byRajaRamdeoraiyadav.TheheightoftheShivtempleis54ft.ThefrontgatehasLionsculptureon
bothsideswithtraditionallamppillar(deepmaal)infront.The4ft.long'Pindi'ofLordShivissilver
plated.ThepremisesalsoincludeNagaarkhana,BheemKunda,agardenforflowerstobeofferedto
theLord,SriRamGaneshtempleandGomukha.Everyyear,thereisafaironKartikPoornimain
Hinducalendar.Onthishill,avarietyofherbsarefound.
Mandawa:Itissituatedabout20kmnorthofAlibag.Thecatamaran/ferryservicesareavailablefrom
MumbaitotheMandawajetty.ManyBollywoodcelebritiesownbungalowshere.
KashidBeach:Itis36kmawayfromAlibag,ontheAlibagMurudhighway,alsothisbeachispossibly
oneofthecleanestandmostbeautifulbeachesintheregionwithalmost'white'sand.Therearemany
cottagesandresortsavailablerangingfromaroundRS:1500toRS:20,000.Prakrutiresortistheluxury
andthecostliestofall.Thisvillagedoesnothaveanywineshops.Onehastogoaround6kmtowards
Murudtobuyalcohol.Kashidistheperfectplacetocalmdownandrelaxfortheurbanpeople.Onecan
findwatersportsfacilityandnumberofsmallshopsforsnacks.BEWARE:Takecareofyourselfinthe
water(particularlyatthehightides)asthereweremanyincidentswhichcostthelife.Thereisadanger
boardwarningthepeople.[citationneeded]
KorlaiBeach:Aquietserenebeachwithalternatewhiteandblacksands,alongaserenestretchofthe
Arabiancoastline,adjacenttoavillageofKorlaiCreolePortuguesespeakingIndians.Justacrossthe
bridge,totherightthereisKorlaifortwithintheseaandattachedtothemainlandbyanarrowlandstrip
throughtheKorlaifortthroughtheKorlaiVillage.ItissupposedtohavebeenbuiltbythePortuguesein
1521.Themaingatehasaninscriptionwhichmeans'noentrywithoutafight'.Theforthasseven
gates,asweetwaterwell,achurchindisuse,aHindutempleandaLighthousewhichisstillusedfor
navigationpurpose.

Gallery

[edit]

WalktotheFort

Otherattractions

EveningatThalbeach

IsolatedThalBeach

[edit]

Kolaba(orKulaba)fort(NottobeconfusedwithColabainMumbai)issituatedintheseaatadistance
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of12kmfromtheAlibagshores.Duringlowtideonecanwalktothefort.Thiswasbuiltby
ChatrapatiShivajiMaharajandisassumedtobethelastonethathebuiltbeforehisdeath.Thefort
usedtohaveasweetwaterwell.
KanakeshwartempleissituatedonahillnearMapgaonvillage,about12kmawayfromAlibagand
fallsonthewaytoMandawa.
TowerofSt.Barbara.(SatkhaniBuruj)
ChauliIsahistorictownsituatedabout15kmawayfrom
Alibag.ItisfamousforitsPortugueseruins,anoldchurch,a
synagogue,Buddhistcaves,theHamamKhanaandatemple.
ShitaladeviTemple,Chaulissituatedabout18kmawayfrom
Alibag.
VikramVinayakTempleorBirlaTemple,Salavissituated
about20kmawayfromAlibag.OnthewaytoJanjira,takethe
rightforktoreachtheVikramIspatindustry.Goingabitahead
willleadonetothetemple.[1]
Sagargad
KarmarkarMuseum :Amuseumofexquisitesculpturesfrom

KankneshwarTemple

therenownedsculptorPadmashriV.P.KarmarkarinSasavne,
about18kmfromAlibagBusDepot.
KanhojiAngreSamadhi
UmaMaheshwartemple
Balajitemple
MurudJanjira:JanjiraisafortsituatednotveryfarfromAlibag.ItwasbuiltbySidditraders.Shivaji
MaharajfailedtocapturethefortfromtheSiddis.Onecanfindfreshwaterpoundsinsidetheforteven
today.
DattaMandir:situatedatbhowale,2kmawayfromchaul.
HinguljaMandir:Situatedneardattamandir,historictemplebuiltbypandwas.
MagneticObservatory:Establishedin1904bytheIndianInstituteofGeomagnetism .Although
after26/11,thesecurityhasbeentightenedandaccesstotheObservatoryhasbeenrestricted.A
writtenpermissionfromthePanvelofficeofIndianInstituteofGeomagnetism needstobepresented
whenenteringthepremisesoftheObservatoryinAlibag.
KorlaiFortandKorlaiCreolePortugueseofKorlaivillage:SituatedbetweenChaulandKashid,a
villageofIndiansbornofIndoPortugueseancestors,speakingauniquecreoleofPortugueseanda
fortlostinthesandsofhistory.

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b"AlibaaGh:AperfectweekendGetawayforMumbaikars" .
2. ^"CensusofIndia2001:Datafromthe2001Census,includingcities,villagesandtowns(Provisional)" .
CensusCommissionofIndia.Archivedfromtheoriginal

on20040616.Retrieved20081101.

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Externallinks

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[edit]

ChitralekhaPatil
DainikKrushival
RaigadTimes
Kokannama
Grampanchayat
baaGhAboutAlibaaGh
AlibagPictures
baaGhattractions.htmlAlibaaGhAttractions
baaGh.in/AlibaaGhmap.htmlMumbaiAlibaaGhFerryTimeTable
TourisminformationforAlibag

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