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Alibag, also known as Alibaug (Pronunciation: libaːɡ, is a coastal town and a
municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
in
Raigad District Raigad district (Marathi pronunciation: aːjɡəɖ, previously Colaba district, is a district in the Konkan division of Maharashtra, India. The district was renamed to Raigad after the fort that was the first capital of the former Marath ...
of Maharashtra,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is the headquarters of the Raigad district and is south of the city of
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
. Alibag is part of the
Mumbai Metropolitan Region Mumbai Metropolitan Region (abbreviated to MMR and previously also as Greater Bombay Metropolitan Area), is a metropolitan area consisting of Mumbai (Bombay) and its satellite towns in the northern Konkan division, of the Maharashtra state in ...
and is situated at a distance of about 96 km from Mumbai and 143 km from
Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
. Alibag is a holy place for Goddess Shree Padmakshi Renuka, and thousands of people go there to worship every day.


History

Alibag and its surrounding villages are the historic hinterlands of
Bene Israel The Bene Israel (), also referred to as the "Shanivar Teli" () or " Native Jew" caste, are a community of Jews in India. It has been suggested that they are the descendants of one of the Ten Lost Tribes via their ancestors who had settled there ce ...
Jews. According to
Indian Jewish The history of the Jews in India dates back to antiquity.
historian
Esther David Esther David (born 17 March 1945) is an Indian Jewish author, an artist and a sculptor. She is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award. Early life She was born into a Bene Israel Jewish family in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. She won Sahitya Akademi ...
, Jews arrived in the region over 2000 years ago, escaping persecution from the Roman Empire, when their ship wrecked here. As they got into the business of
oil-pressing Expeller pressing (also called oil pressing) is a mechanical method for extracting oil from raw materials. The raw materials are squeezed under high pressure in a single step. When used for the extraction of food oils, typical raw materials are ...
and plantations, continued practising Sabbath and took holidays on Saturday, they came to be known as 'Shanvar-telis' There is a synagogue named 'Magen Aboth synagogue' in the "Israel Alley" (Marathi इस्राएल आळी meaning Israel lane) area of the town. Revdanda, Chaul, Nagaon, Akshi, Varsoli, Thal, Navgaon,
Kihim Kihim is a small village located to the north of Alibag. Commonly known to people in Mumbai as a weekend getaway, it is accessible via Road and Water. It forms part of the string of beach hamlets along the coast of Alibag taluka collectively ...
, and Aawas villages were known as "Ashtagare". After retirement,
Kanhoji Angre Kanhoji Angre (Marathi: कान्होजी आंग्रे, anʱod͡ʒiː aːŋɡɾe, also known as Conajee Angria or Sarkhel Angré (August 1669 – 4 July 1729) was a chief of the Maratha Navy in present-day India. Kanhoji became k ...
the Grand Admiral of the Maratha Navy settled and spent his last days in Alibag.


Etymology

A wealthy Bene Israelite named Eli (Elisha/Elizah) used to live there at that time and owned many plantations of mangoes and coconuts in his gardens. Hence the natives used to call the place "Eli cha Bagh" and in the subsequent generations pronunciation changed to simply "Alibag", and the name stuck.


Geography

Alibag is located about 120 km south of
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
, at . The average elevation is 0 metres (0 feet).The District Government offices are located along the sea coast road. Alibag is the center place of Raigad District.


Demographics

India
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
, Alibag had a population of 19,491. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Alibag has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 54% of the males and 46% of females literate. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. 75% of the population speaks the Marathi language. As of the 2011 census, Alibag town had a population of 20,743, of which 10,646 are males while 10,097 are females, and 17,431 were educated, with a literacy rate of 84%. The population of children ages 0-6 is 1833, which is 8.84% of the total population of Alibag.


Climate


Cyclones

In November 2009
Cyclone Phyan Cyclonic Storm Phyan developed as a tropical disturbance to the southwest of Colombo in Sri Lanka on November 4, 2009. Over the next couple of days, the disturbance gradually developed before weakening as it made landfall on Southern India on Nove ...
made landfall in the city. Massive damage to property was reported in the districts of Ratnagiri, Raigad,
Sindhudurg Sindhudurg Fort (Marathi pronunciation: in̪d̪ʱud̪uɾɡ is a historical fort that occupies an island in the Arabian Sea, just off the coast of Maharashtra in Western India. The fort was built by Shivaji Maharaj.The fortress lies on the sh ...
,
Thane Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven taluk ...
and Palghar. In
Navi Mumbai Navi Mumbai (), is a planned city situated on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, located in the Konkan division of Maharashtra state, on the mainland of India. Navi Mumbai is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The city i ...
, the 7th one-day international cricket match between India and Australia was abandoned after Cyclone Phyan brought heavy rain to Mumbai. Eleven years later, in early June 2020, severe cyclonic storm Nisarga made landfall in Alibag at peak intensity. The cyclone blew off tin and asbestos sheets from roofs and uprooted trees in Alibag, Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Pune. Several trees fell on houses.


Places of Interest


Historical

*
Kolaba Fort Kolaba Fort located at Alibag beach is an old fortified maritime base in Alibag, Konkan, India. It is situated in the sea at a distance of 1–2 km from the shores of Alibag, 35 km south of Mumbai, in the Konkan region of Maharashtr ...
, an old fortified maritime base which was the naval headquarters of the Maratha ruler
Shivaji Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adil ...
, and was used to launch raids on British ships. * 'Kanhoji Angre Samadhi', the memorial to Maratha Admiral
Kanhoji Angre Kanhoji Angre (Marathi: कान्होजी आंग्रे, anʱod͡ʒiː aːŋɡɾe, also known as Conajee Angria or Sarkhel Angré (August 1669 – 4 July 1729) was a chief of the Maratha Navy in present-day India. Kanhoji became k ...
* Hirakot fort, built by Kanhoji Angre in 1720


Religious

* Kalambika Mandir, temple built by Kanhoji Angre * Balaji Mandir, temple to Lord Shri Balaji or Shri Venkateshwar (an avatar of lord Shri Vishnu), built in 1788. * 'Magen Aboth synagogue' in the 'Israel Alley' area of the town


Scientific

Alibag houses a observatory magnetic that was set up in 1904.Colaba-Alibag magnetic observatory and Nanabhoy Moos: the influence of one over the other - Harvard.edu
/ref> It serves as one of the significant observatories forming part of a global network now run by
Indian Institute of Geomagnetism The Indian Institute of Geomagnetism is an autonomous research institution established by the Government of India's Department of Science and Technology. The facility is engaged in basic and applied research in geomagnetism, as well as allie ...
. The observatory has two buildings; the first building has magnetometers that record changes occurring in the geomagnetic fields. The second building consists of precision recording instruments, which give data about
geomagnetic storm A geomagnetic storm, also known as a magnetic storm, is a temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere caused by a solar wind shock wave and/or cloud of magnetic field that interacts with the Earth's magnetic field. The disturbance that d ...
s caused by solar storms which are shared with other countries.


Transport


Road

One can reach Alibag via
Pen A pen is a common writing instrument that applies ink to a surface, usually paper, for writing or drawing. Early pens such as reed pens, quill pens, dip pens and ruling pens held a small amount of ink on a nib or in a small void or cavity wh ...
(30 km), which is on the
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
(108 km) –
Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
road. From Mumbai, one can reach Alibag by traveling on the Mumbai-Goa highway (NH-66) till Wadkhal (or Vadkhal) and taking the right fork from Wadkhal to continue on (NH-166A)– the left fork being the road to
Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
. It is approximately 108 km from Mumbai.


Railways

The nearest rail
railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...
is at
Pen A pen is a common writing instrument that applies ink to a surface, usually paper, for writing or drawing. Early pens such as reed pens, quill pens, dip pens and ruling pens held a small amount of ink on a nib or in a small void or cavity wh ...
. Through
Pen A pen is a common writing instrument that applies ink to a surface, usually paper, for writing or drawing. Early pens such as reed pens, quill pens, dip pens and ruling pens held a small amount of ink on a nib or in a small void or cavity wh ...
, it is connected to
Panvel Panvel () is a city and taluka in Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. It is highly populated due to its closeness to Mumbai. Panvel is also governed for development purpose by the body of Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Panvel Municipal Corpor ...
and onward to
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
and the
Indian Railways Indian Railways (IR) is a statutory body under the ownership of Ministry of Railways, Government of India that operates India's national railway system. It manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a tota ...
network. Now Pen-Panvel trains are also started from 4 November 2018 now it is easier to reach Alibag.


Boat services

The nearest
jetty A jetty is a structure that projects from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French word ', "thrown", signifying some ...
is Mandwa, from where catamaran/ ferry services are available to the Gateway of India,
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
. Another port in the vicinity is
Rewas Rewas (Rewas-Bodani or Revas) is one of 48 “minor” ports of Maharashtra located at Rewas Creek, near Karanja creek at mouth of the Patalganga River about southward of Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) and south-east of Mumbai Port. It is control ...
, from where a ferry service is available to
Ferry Wharf Bhaucha Dhakka (also called as Ferry Wharf) is a wharf along the Thane Creek, along the coast of Dockyard Road on the Eastern seafront of Mumbai, the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The wharf serves as the port for numerous fishe ...
(Bhau cha Dhakka) (Dockyard Road). There is a jetty at Custom Bandar from where fishermen in Alibag set sail. One can reach Alibag by catamaran through Gateway of India to Mandwa or from Bhaucha Dhakka to Rewas and from Mandwa/Rewas to Alibag by bus. The ticket includes the trip from the Gateway to Mandwa and the bus trip from Mandwa to Alibag bus stop. The well-known operators of these catamarans are PNP, Maldar, and Ajanta, and tickets can be purchased at their booth at the Gateway of India. From Rewas to Alibag, one needs to take a State Transport bus or a rickshaw. Take the ferry from Gateway to Mandwa. Services are usually available from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. The trip takes 40 to 55  minutes depending on the type of boat. From Mandwa operators carry passengers to Alibag in their own chartered buses. The bus journey time is 45  minutes. Alibag beach is within walking distance from the bus stop. Another option is to take a ferry from "Bhaucha Dhakka" to Rewas. Timings are the same but the schedule may change depending on the tide. From Rewas take the state transport bus or rickshaw to Alibag. Speedboats from the Gateway of India to Mandwa Jetty take roughly 20–25 minutes depending on the weather and can be hired at the Gateway of India at Jetty No. 5 opposite the Taj Mahal Hotel. The new jetty installed in 2014 at Mandwa ensures the safety of guests travelling by speedboat. There is a Ro-Ro service now in place from Ferry
Wharf A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths (mooring locatio ...
to Mandwa from where Alibag is a 30 minute drive. The ferry ride takes an hour


Air

The nearest airport is in
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
which is 140 km away by road. Alibag has no airport. Navi Mumbai International Airport, scheduled to start operation in 2024, is under construction approximately 57Km from Alibag.


Notable people

Notable people born in Alibag include: *
Kanhoji Angre Kanhoji Angre (Marathi: कान्होजी आंग्रे, anʱod͡ʒiː aːŋɡɾe, also known as Conajee Angria or Sarkhel Angré (August 1669 – 4 July 1729) was a chief of the Maratha Navy in present-day India. Kanhoji became k ...
- Indian admiral,
Maratha Navy The Maratha Navy was the naval wing of the armed forces of the Maratha Empire, which existed from around mid-17th century to mid-18th century in India. Formative years Historian Sir Jadunath Sarkar noted: In medieval India, the Muslim rul ...
's Chief (18th-century India) *
Ashwini Bhave Ashwini Bhave (also spelled Ashvini Bhave) is an Indian model and actress known for her work in both Hindi and Marathi-language films and television serials. Born and raised in India, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Career Bhave was ...
- Indian actress *
Devdatta Nage Devdatta Nage (born 5 February 1977) is an Indian actor. He gained fame after playing role of Lord Khandoba in the Zee Marathi serial ''Jai Malhar''. Personal life Nage is from Alibag of Raigad district, Maharashtra, India. He lives in Mumb ...
- Indian actor *
Nana Patekar Vishwanath Patekar (born 1 January 1951), better known as Nana Patekar, is an Indian actor, screenwriter, film maker, and a former Indian Territorial Army officer, mainly working in Hindi and Marathi cinema. He is regarded as one of the finest an ...
- Celebrated film actor and writer *
Sanjay Raut Sanjay Rajaram Raut (Marathi pronunciation: ənd͡ʒəj ɾaːut̪ born 15 November 1961) is an Indian politician from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) party. He is a member of the Parliament of India representing Maharashtra in the Ra ...
- Indian journalist & politician *
Ramesh Tendulkar Ramesh Tendulkar (18 December 1930 – 19 May 1999) was an Indian Marathi poet and novelist. He is the father of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Early life and education Tendulkar was born in Alibag, Maharashtra. He used to live at Thikrul Naka, ...
- Noted marathi poet and
Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (; ; born 24 April 1973) is an Indian former international cricketer who captained the Indian national team. He is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the all time highest run-sco ...
's father * Adesh Bandekar - Marathi actor, politician *
Arun Shridhar Vaidya General Arunkumar Shridhar Vaidya (27 July 1926 – 10 August 1986) was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He served as the 13th Chief of the Army Staff from 1983 to 1986. Following his retirement, he was assassinated by Harjinder Singh J ...
- 13th
Chief of the Army Staff (India) The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) (unofficially known as the Army Chief) is a statutory position in the Indian Army held usually by a four star general. As the highest ranking officer to serve solely in the Indian Army, the chief is the profess ...
* Mugdha Vaishampayan - Indian singer * Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari - Indian spiritual Guru *
Mukri Mohammed Umar Mukri (5 January 1922 – 4 September 2000), popularly known as Mukri, was an Indian actor, who worked as a comedian in Hindi films. Born as Muhammad Umar Mukri in Uran, in Kokani Muslim Family. He started his film career with th ...
- Indian actor


Education

Alibag has a new Government Medical College towards education for medical students in the district. There was a growing need for medical education as else students had to go away from there district. Furthermore the medical college helps in the need for the district medical vacancies for the local population, which would otherwise bruden the major hospitals elsewhere. This medical college started in year 2022.
Government Medical Colle
ref>ge


References


External links

* {{Authority control Konkan Bene Israel Populated coastal places in India Beaches of Maharashtra Talukas in Maharashtra Cities and towns in Raigad district