For those who can never decide whether sunsets are best caught from the mountains or the seaside, catching one over the sea from the top of a green, grassy spur on the ruins of the Sagargad hill fort might just add a new predilection to the list. But Sagargad, near Alibag, really simplifies choices, especially if what you want is an easy, scenic monsoon trek. Trekkers can look forward to walks through beautiful dense Sahyadri vegetation and fabulous views of the Konkan thickets here.
The weather is enjoyable almost year round, with the possible exception of summer. The fort, or whatever little remains of it now, remains ensconced in lush greenery during the rainy season, when the Southwest Monsoons from the nearby Arabian Sea sweep the Konkan.
But it is unlikely that either the views or the chirpy weather amused the unfortunate lot who, according to legend, were either prisoners of war or accused of crimes, and for whom retribution came in the form of being chucked off the hill into the green expanse below from a 'monkey point' at the southern end of the fort. War and its upshots are never pleasant, and today do not seem to fit in with what nature has reclaimed of this and other hill forts, but every fort has its history, and this one is no exception. Though Sagargad is a hill fort, unlike most other Konkan forts, which are typically either coastal or island structures; it forms part of a network.
Sagargad's history is closely tied to that of the other coastal garrisons in the vicinity of Alibaug - Khanderi, Colaba, Revdanda, Chaul, and Underi. During the course of time, the fort's list of keepers has included the Satvahan, Moryas from the Konkan, Chalukyas, Shilahara Dynasty, Bahamanis, the Sultan of Gujarat, Nizamshahi of Ahmednagar, Portuguese, Marathas, Mughals and the British. According to legend, a subterranean escape tunnel runs from Sagargad to the Colaba island fort, several kilometres away in Alibag.
Apart from Shivaji, who surrendered this fort along with several others in the Treaty of Purandar in 1655, the fort's most dynamic occupant has got to be Kanhoji Angre, the legendary Maratha admiral who was assigned the task of patrolling the Konkan coast, and whom the British dreaded and labelled a pirate, because he kept attacking and capturing British, Dutch and Portuguese vessels on their way to or from their Asian colonies. He even had a base in The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, from where he would mastermind these excursions.
Closer home, he administered the area and maintained a naval force which methodically issued papers (dastak), authorising vessels to ply his waters. This was at a time when a struggle for supremacy flared between the Portuguese with a stronghold in Goa, the British East India Company, the Muslim Siddhis, who controlled patches like the Janjira island fort and supported the Mughal emperor, who himself was constantly being pushed to the corner by the Marathas, with their guerrilla warfare.
Angre could neither be trounced nor kept under control, even after the British and Portuguese decided to fight him jointly. He reportedly died in 1729, and remained undefeated. The Indian Navy has honoured him by naming the Western Naval Command headquarters after him.
In 1818, the British annexed Sagargad, along with nearby forts like Colaba, Revdanda and Chaul.
To reach Sagargad, take the turn from the Mumbai-Goa Road heading to Alibag via Karnala and Pen, and get about 6-10 km before the main town at a village called Khandala. Another enjoyable way to get there is by taking a ferry to Rewas or Mandwa from Ferry Wharf/ Uran or the Gateway of India respectively, and then bussing or hitching it from there. From Khandala take the trail leading up to the Siddheshwar Temple and follow it to the top of the fort. A guide would be unnecessary, and the relatively easy uphill trek should take about two-and-a-half hours. The track passes through the Katkari tribal hamlet of Maachi. The locals here, who live a hand to mouth existence, might be willing to accommodate trekkers in their huts for a reasonable sum.
In the mid of the hill one can see 'Nagobacha Tappa' ( a Place of Snakes ) and famous step ' Devachi Payari ' . There is one popular story about this step that it was named because it is said that God itself stepped here after the construction of the temple and the steps. The temple of Kanakeshwar is very beautiful, it is a ' Hoysal ' style structure built in 1764 . A water tank - popular known as 'Pushkarni' - has water almost through out the year.
