Murud Janjira- is an island fort along the Konkan coast. Its about 50 kms from Alibaug & the drive from Alibaug to Murud is so picturesque that it would be criminal to do that stretch during night.
You are on a hilly stretch with western ghats on your left & the Arabian Sea on your right. This sparsely populated area has some good beaches on the way- the favorite being Kashir Beach. My advise- take a break at Kashir- have food/drinks at the shacks,play some beach volleyball, take a nap on the hammock & then start your journey again towards Murud.
The Murud fort was built in the 16th Century and is strategically located at the islet-the idea was very clearly to control all marine movements in the area. The fort walls rise some 80-90 ft above water & its first glimpse leaves everyone with awe- coz u cant stop admiring the reslilence of the people who would have toiled hard to build this structure.
The local guide would impress upon you the following facts
– One cant see the entrance of the fort until you are about 30-40 ft away
– The fort had huge fresh water wells that ensured regular supply of drinking water
– There was once an under sea tunnel that connected the fort to the mainland
– 4 cannons of this fort were the most powerful guns of those days- which ensured that this fort was never captured.
So theres a lot many reasons why u must go there- but my favourite experience was the sailboat ride that you take to reach the fort.
The fort cannot be accessed during the monsoons (or so we were told)- so time your trip accordingly.
Leave a Reply