“Omg! wow like really really wow” those were the only words I repeatedly uttered at each and every breath. The mesmerizing views of the Nivati fort not only took my breath away but also took away my ability to speak for a moment. I was stunned to be at Nivati fort and to have witnessed one the most beautiful sight of the trip here. The golden rays of sunlight glimmered through the sky thus spreading the golden shade all around the place. It felt nothing less than as if nature had set up a huge canvas for painting. The cloud free sky was painted in gorgeous pastel colors. The trees were red, orange, and brown with a tinge of gold. A massive expanse of crystal clear Arabian Sea stretched ahead of me with a fisherman boat proudly sailing back to its shore while catching the little sea breeze. It was all just perfect!
History of Nivati Fort
Built on a 4-5 acres of a hill overlooking the radiant and calm Arabian sea, the medieval Nivati fort was constructed with red laterite stones immediately after the construction of Sindhudurg fort by the greatest Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Even though Nivati is a sea fort, it has experienced many fierce battles in its glorious past. As soon as it was built, this tiny fort was under the complete control of the Marathas from the year 1739 until it was seized by the rulers of Sawantwadi. In 1748, Ismail Khan, serving the Portuguese army, won the battle and ruled over the fort. In 1787 the Chhatrapati of Karveer won the forts from the Sawants. The Sawants attacked the Chhatrapati of Karveer and took the fort back in 1803. Lastly, the British captured the fort on 4th February 1818 without any resistance.
Why was Nivati fort built at this specific location? That’s simple! The Maratha Rulers felt that the strategic location of the fort would help them in keeping a strict watch and would let them safeguard the sea route from Karli creek to the Vengurla port from an elevated point. The Maratha Army kept a tab on the naval powers like the British, the Portuguese and the Abyssinians from Nivati fort. With such alluring views, I can only imagine what a job location this would have been for The Maratha Army!
Architecture of Nivati fort
The defense strategy of this sea fort can be experienced at the entrance where one comes across 20 x 10 feet deep moat on both sides of the steps. What is a moat? It basically is a deep and wide ditch dug surrounding a castle, fort, or town and typically filled with water and intended as a defense against attack. How does it work? A water filled moat works as an obstacle to slow down or stop the sieging army from getting inside the fort. But it is interesting to note that the main purpose of a moat is in fact something else. And what’s that? Moat is built in any fort is to prevent the attacking army from digging a tunnel underneath the particular fort. In this manner the sieging army cannot easily enter the fort even during the night. Interesting right?
At present the entrance of the Nivati fort however is almost destroyed. The remains of the fort includes a big bastion and ramparts. If we go to the top from the path to the right of the fort, we can see the ramparts and the moat. Rampart basically is a defensive wall of a castle or walled city, having a broad top with a walkway and typically a stone parapet. Apart from that the entire fort is in ruins and is in dilapidated condition with trees and tall grass growing from each part of the fortification. However the views from the fort are absolutely breath taking. From the western point of the fort, we can see the wonderful orange colored rocks of the beach. To the right side of the fort is the beautiful Bhogave beach and in case of clear atmosphere its easy to spot the light house of Vengurla, situated on “Burnt Rocks”. In front of the sea facing side of the fort, we can see a rock almost 20 feet towards the sea, called as “Junagad”. Amazing right?
How to reach?
Nivati fort surely is a hidden gem in the treasure of Sindhudurg and the best thing is it welcomes visitors from all over the country with open arms.
BY ROAD: One way to reach the Nivati fort is to hit the road either with your own vehicle or with the help of the regularly operating MSRTC buses. These MSRTC buses start from Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur and Goa till the nearest city to the Nivati fort i.e. Kudal. The buses halt at the Kudal bus stand from where one can hire an auto for the pre-agreed rates that generally range between Rs. 500/- to Rs. 600/- one way.
BY TRAIN: Nivati fort is easily accessible especially if you are coming from the state of Maharashtra or Goa by train followed by the road. Kudal is the nearest station to Nivati fort and it is located at around 25-30 km from the train station. Regular auto rickshaw ply from the Kudal station charging approximately between Rs. 500/- to Rs. 600/- one way.
BY AIR: Chipi Airport of Sindhudurg is the nearest airport to all the beaches however the launch of the airport is still under process and no flights have taken off or landed in the airport as yet. Meanwhile the second nearest airport is the Goa Dabolim Airport which is 122 Km from Sindhudurg. One can hire a private cab from the Goa Airport to reach this impregnable fort.
Where to stay?
Nivati fort is surrounded by Kille Nivti beach on one side and Bhogave beach on the other side. There are several homestays as well as resorts near to the Bhogave beach that makes for a perfect location to enjoy the stay. Nivati fort is just 10 km away from Bhogave beach which is why Bhogave makes a perfect place to book your stay:
1) Krushnai Resort Bhogave: A simple and secluded resort located bang on to the Bhogave beach. This simple homestay accommodation is owned by Gaurav’s and his family who run the entire resort on their own property. Their local village home is right next to the rooms. The resort is quite simple and offers limited amenities at reasonable rates like TV, AC, hot water and towels. They offer delicious home cooked malvani meals as breakfast, lunch and dinner and also pay heed to your special meal requests if any. Living at Krushnai resort helps you learn a lot about the local life of people in the village. Inspite of being a local homestay the quick services offered just adds to the cherry to the cake. If you too wish to stay on the beach on a budget then Please contact +91 74991 94202 or check out their website for more information and booking.
2) The Leela’s Bamboo House and Water Sports & Resort: Looking to experience living in a bamboo tree house for a reasonable price then look no further than Leela’s Bamboo House located on a small hill on the way to Bhogave beach. it is a luxurious property with a awesome view of devbag sangam and Arabian sea from every bamboo house. The bamboo wood rooms having two different types AC and Non AC rooms as customer’s requirement. Apart from that the local resort offers top notch amenities at reasonable rates like TV, AC, hot water and towels. They offer delicious home cooked malvani meals as breakfast, lunch and dinner and also pay heed to your special meal requests if any. Imagine a wood house with a sea view from the window surrounded with lots of mango trees , cashew trees, coconut trees, and nature, that’s Leela’s Bamboo House for you. If you wish to spend a bit more but don’t want to burn a hole in your budget then talk to them on +91 7021800481/+91 9403559916 and also check out their website for more information and booking.
Pin it 😉
Note:*Not a sponsored post*