Devgad

Devgad

Devgad is a picturesque destination in the Sindhudurg district along the west coast of Maharashtra. It is the hometown for world famous variety of Alphonso Mango known as Devgad Hapus.  This destination also offers incentive for bird watchers. Apart from the abundant natural beauty, Devgad offers the traveler with interesting sites – historical forts and temples, back waters and pristine beaches - that are worth exploring.

Devgad Port –

Devgad is a natural harbor and well guarded port town. Earlier big ships used to dock at the port jetty.

Devgad Jetty –

After serving passengers since 1958 finally the service was shut down in 1988. However it is used for fishing so visitors can get the unique experience of auctioning of fish. 

Devgad Fort – 

It was built in 1705 by Kanhoji Aangre, a Maratha naval chief. Total area of this fort is 120 Acres. There is a lighthouse which was built in 1915.

Devgad Beach –

It is one the smallest beach in Sindhudurg. It is located in between the Devgad fort and the Windmill area. It is one of the lesser known beaches of Sindhudurg.

Windmills – 

The first Windmill project in Maharashtra was installed at Vijaydurg and Devgad. In Devgad, one can visit a windmill plateau from where one can have a panoramic view of Devgad beach, Devgad fort and stretch of Arabian Sea. A magnificent sunset can be seen from this point.

Pokharbav Ganapati Temple – 

This beautiful Ganesh temple is a worth watch place in Devgad. Below the temple, there is small water body which flows throughout the year. There is a Shivling which is situated on the back of a tortoise-shaped rock. 

Shri Kunkeshwar Temple –

The elaborately carved Kunkeshwar Temple was built around 1100 AD. This temple is famous as ‘Kashi of South Konkan’. Every year a huge celebration takes place on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

Kunkeshwar-Katvaneshwar Beach –

Kunkeshwar is a beautiful lonely stretch of sand which sparkles in the sunlight. If you are lucky, you can get a rare view of dolphins diving in the deep sea from a distance.

Tambaldeg-Mithbav Beach –

This is one of the absolutely clean, calm & quiet beaches in Devgad. There is a small temple of Goddess Shri Gajabadevi on a small hill at one end of the shore. You will surely enjoy the beautiful necklace view of the seashore from here.

Shri Vimaleshwar Temple –

This Shiva Temple is one of the ancient temples in Devgad. Renowned for its architecture, the temple is believed to be built by Pandava.

The temple is constructed in monolithic lateritic rock. Two big sculptures of elephants are carved on the two sides of the door. Outside the temple different images are carved on stones. It is said that the Shivling in the temple is 12 feet deep in the Garbhagrih. The Annual fair day is celebrated on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.

Padavane Beach –

This beach is near Padavane village of Devgad Taluka. It is an untouched, vast and very clean beach. 

Vijaydurg Fort –

This oldest fort on Sindhudurg coast was constructed in the regime of Raja Bhoj of Shilahar Dynasty in 1193 to 1205. The fort was earlier known as "Gheria".In 1653 Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj won this fort from Adilshaha of Vijapur and extended the area of fort and renamed the fort as “Vijay Durg” (Vijay means Victory, Durg means Fort). This fort was also known as "Eastern Gibraltar" as this was impregnable for a long time like the fort “Gibraltar” in Europe.

Helium Benches –

There are stone benches inside the Vijaydurg fort which are known as ‘Sahebache Ote’ in local language. The presence of ‘Helium’, one of the basic elements of Sun, was first detected from here on 18-08-1868, a solar eclipse day, by a French scientist Sir Lockyer.

Shri Rameshwar Temple –

The temple is situated at Girye village near Vijaydurg in the fort. Like Vijaydurg fort, this temple also has a historical background. It is said that the temple was built by Gangadharapant Bhanu, brother of Nana Phadanvis, during Peshwa period.  

The temple has tiled roof and the whole construction is worth seeing. The deep entrance path way has been paved out of rocky plateau ahead, so that the temple is not visible from the distance.  The wooden and stone art-work inside the temple is characteristic of ancient culture. Spacious architecture and colourful decoration of pictures add to the grandness of the temple. Annual grand fair is held on the day of Maha Shivratri  as well as on Mondays of the Month of Shravan.