Suvarnadurg near Harnai Beach in Ratnagiri district inMaharashtra

Friday, October 9, 2015

After exploring Goa Fort near the Harnai Beach and Fattegad, we headed over to the jetty at the base of the Light House at Kanak Durga, to board a ferry to Suvarnadurg Fort. 

Manohar, Neha and Me with Suvarnadurg in the background

We were at the jetty at 3:15 PM. Not a soul was there apart from some crows, who gave us company. 

We saw a couple of fishing boats in the waters. They had a tri color hoisted atop it, but it was not the flag of India.  It didn't have the Ashoka Chakra in it. 

The time was now 3:30 PM on my watch and it was just us there. How come no one has come to see the fort, is the question we all had in our minds.

I walked up to a local who was sitting by the road and cleaning his fishing net. I asked him if the ferry departs from there. To which he replied that it does depart from there, but currently due to the rains the service is closed. But there are no rains at all, it was a hot sunny day. He told me that the services will resume post Dusshera. i.e around Nov 1. He informed me that the services shut down again in the last week of May due to the rains.

Wrong timing I guess. So close but so far. I asked if he would take us along if we pay him a premium, to which he declined. I inquired if we could walk it out to the beach as it was low tide. He declined as certain portions  of the waters are deep. Unlike Kulaba Fort in Alibag which can be done by walking in low tide.

Kulaba, Undheri and Khanderi in Alibag, Murud Janjira at Rajapuri, Sindhudurg in Malvan and Arnala Fort in Virar, are some of the forts which require a ferry to visit them. 

Looks like we will have to club it with other beaches in Malvan post November. 

View of Suvarnadurg from Goa fort

We then headed off to Mumbai. Now it was around 243 KM away. We filled up petrol in our car had some refreshments and headed off. Driving on the narrow roads in the dark requires a lot of experience. A big Thanks to Manohar who drove us safely back to Mumbai. We reached our start point at 10:30 PM. 

This trip was fun and budgeted too. Total damages inclusive of all was just Rs.1800. Aha

Goa fort at Harnai Beach in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

After being disappointed at Fattegad Fort, we headed over to sea Goa Fort. 

Land Entrance to Goa Fort

The fort has got strong fortification all over. We entered through the main door or Maha Darwaza from the land side. There is another entrance from the sea, but it is closed to public as it is blocked by bricks. 

Panoramic view of Goa Fort from the inside

The fort is  built in such a way that a portion of the fort is on land and the other is surrounded by sea. Something similar to Vijaydurg fort near Devgad and Shirgaon Fort in Palghar. 

We immediately climbed up the walls of the fort to get a good view of the fort, both from inside and outside. Not many structures within the fort. But the fort premises was green in color with a couple of buffaloes who posed for photos the moment they saw the camera phone in my hand. 

Manohar and Me in the fort premises

While walking in the waist length green grass, I felt like Russel Crowe, walking in the fields while heading home in the movie Gladiator. Had a similar experience at Peth Fort in Karjat, where we walked in the golden hay while approaching the fort. 

Fortification of Goa Fort

Certain portions of the fort have been newly constructed and they did have white colored tiles atop it. 

Again it is not known as to who built this fort. Please don't be confused between the State of Goa and Goa Fort as they are miles apart from each other. This fort was again built to keep a tab on Suvarnadurg Fort. 

Buffaloes in the fort premises

In the middle of the fort, there is a rampart leading to a structure atop it, it is covered with waist length grass. 

This heighten structure is located somewhat in the middle of the fort and offers a wonderful 360 degree view of the fort. 

Panoramic View of Suvarnadurg and sea from Goa Fort

Broken fortification and shore that is visible only during low tide at Goa Fort

It  took  us around 30 minutes to explore this fort, we then headed to the jetty located at the foot of KanakDurg fort to board a ferry to Suvarnadurg fort. 

Bastions of Goa Fort

Bastions of Goa Fort

Fattegad at Harnai Beach

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

After having lunch in the form of Chinese food, we decided to head to head over to Fattegad Fort. 

Fattegad fort is located very close to Kanaka Durga Fort and Goa Fort. Again it was built to keep a tab on Suvarnadurg Fort. Not sure as to who had built this fort. 

Panoramic view of Suvarnadurg, Fattegad, Goa Fort and Harnai Beach from the stairs leading to the Light House at KanakDurg

I could not see any fortification around it, to top it it was full of houses built by the locals. No respect for history at all. Instead of preserving what remains of it, they have built houses atop it. SAD. Something similar to Mahim Fort near St Michael's Church in Mumbai, too is full of illegal Bangladeshi's who have settled there making it unsafe to visit it.

Other forts in Maharashtra, where locals have settled within its premises are Vasai Fort, Pratapgad Fort and Panhalgad Fort in Kolhapur. 

We then headed off to see Goa fort.

Light House at Kanak Durga at Harnai Beach in Ratnagiri district inMaharashtra

Monday, October 5, 2015

After completing Harihareshwar Beach in Raigad district, we boarded the ferry to cross over to Ratnagiri district, as Harnai (beach and forts ) are located there. 

On the way to Harnai, not sure of the name of the place, tall grass growing on either side of the road

 It took us around 20 minutes to cross, via the ferry. Had we traveled by road it would have taken around 1 1/2 to 2 hours of our time. 

The time was now around 10 AM on my watch, and we didn't want to waste any time, so we decided to ask the locals for directions to visit Harnai Beach.

The road near the sea, from where I got a good view of the sea

We did get lost on the way, even though we didn't have the GPS ON, as there were no humans around to ask for directions when the road split into two nor were there any sighboards. 

We took the Kelshi - Aade route to reach Harnai Beach.  A certain part of the thin narrow road had grass as tall as a 6" growing on either side of the road. It was soon replaced by the sea. This is the first time that we have traveled by road so close to the sea. We stopped by for some photo shoots. I don't mind putting up a hammock here between these two trees and sipping on some ice cold beer. 

Panoramic View of the Sea on the way to Harnai

We kept asking locals for directions and finally in a little more than two hours time we were at Harnai. The time was around 12:10 PM on my watch. 

I didn't want to waste any time, as we had to visit the Light House at Kanak Durga, Fattegad, Goa Fort and finally Suvarnadurg in the middle of the water. We headed straight to the jetty to inquire about the ferry to take us to Survanadurg fort. We were informed that it is high tide and so the ferry service would resume at 4:00 PM. We decided to visit the Light House at Kanak Durga Fort aka Kanak durga Fort. 

View of the creek and sea atop a long bridge on the way to Harnai Beach

The jetty is located at the base of the Light House at Kanak Durga. Though the stairs leading to the top are from the other side, which can be seen while travelling to the jetty. 

View of the creek with fishing boats from atop a long bridge on the way to Harnai Beach

We climbed up the stairs to reach the lighthouse. The light house is short in height and not in use now. It is closed to the public. The tallest light house I have been in is the one near Fort Aguada in Goa, apart from the ones in Khanderi Fort and Korlai Fort. Not to forget the old and new light houses at Daman. 

Light House at Kanak Durga Fort, with the jetty on the left

The light house is located atop the hill and offers a wonderful view of the Harnai beach, the houses located along the coast, the fishing boats, Fattegad Fort covered with houses all over, Fortification of Goa Fort and Suvarnadurg Fort and off course the sea. 

Panoramic view of Suvarnadurg, Fattegad, Goa Fort and Harnai Beach from Kanak Durga Light House

Apart from the light house, I couldn't spot any fortifcation around it. Origin's of this fort are unknown but it was built to keep a tab on Suvarnadurg Fort.

Light House at Kanak Durga

It was hot, but we were not feeling the heat as strong winds were blowing. But we did get tan. It took us around 30 minutes to explore the Light House, we then decided to have some lunch as the time was around 1:30 PM on my watch. Later to explore Fattegad, Goa Fort and Suvarnadurg.  

Manohar, Neha and Me with Suvarnadurg in the backdrop