Sindhudurg is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri District. The district headquarters are located at Oros. The district occupies an area of 5207 km² and has a population of 849,651 of which 12.59% were urban (as of 2011).
As of 2011 it is the least populous district of Maharashtra (out of 39).
Origin of name
The district is named after the fort of Sindhudurg (which means "fort in the sea"), which lies on a rocky island just off the coast of Malvan. Sindhudurg fort, built in the 16th century by King Shivaji is the only fort which has Shivaji's temple inside the fort and a palm imprint of King Shivaji. Sindhudurg district has 37 forts, the highest number of forts in Maharashtra as well as all types of forts (Jaldurg – Sea), (Bhuikot – fort on land) and (Giri- fort on hilltop).
About The District
Established on 1 May 1981,
Tahsils and Panchayat Samiti:
Dodamarg
Sawantwadi
Kudal
Vengurla
Malvan
Kankavli
Devgad
Vaibhavwadi
Nagar Palika:
kudal
Sawantwadi
Malvan
devgad-jamsande
Kankavli
Vengurla
Cities
Sawantwadi
Vaibhavwadi
Malvan
Kankavli
Vengurla
Kudal
Oros
Devgad
Smaller towns include
Dodamarg
Vaibhavwadi
Vijaydurg
Banda
Amboli – hill resort
Rameshwar
Girye
Mangaon
Shiroda
Mhapan
Phondaghat
Bhedshi
Kot Kamte
Kandalgaon
[[Katta, Sindhudurg|Katta]
Talere
Shirgaon
Kharepatan
Achara
Sukalwad
Khotale
Hedul
vanygawde
Kasal
pawashi
Kadawal
Trimbak
Jamsande
Shiroda
Ghonsari
Hivale
Poip
Tirlot
Navanagar
Amberi
Waghotan
Tirawade
Redi
Talvade Gate
Tale Bazar
Salgaon
Bhuibawada- Vaibhavwadi
Kunkeshwar
Katwan
Phanasgaon
Undil
Manache-mutat
Mathbudruk
Budhavle
Sanadave
Masure
Shivapur kudal
28. Ovaliye
Gram Panchayat: 433
Tot. Villages: 743
No. of Towns: 5
Police Stations: 9
Police outpost: 23
Agriculture
Major Crops are Rice, Coconut, Kokam, Mango, Cashew.
Annual Crop Kokam, Mango, Cashew
Irrigated 33,910 Hector
Non-Irrigated. 104,390 Hector
Forest 38,643 Hector
74% of total land holding in the district, are held by small and marginal farmers. The irrigated area is only 23.48% through well and small channels.
Irrigation
Major Projects 2 (Tilari & Talamba)
Medium Projects 4
Small Projects State owned : 33, Z.P. owned : 460
Education Section
Primary Schools - Zilla Parishad – 1469, Private – 49
Secondary Schools Grantable : 184, Central Govt. : 1, Private : 22
Junior Colleges :43
Senior Colleges :7
D.Ed./ BEd Colleges: 4 + 1
Medical Colleges :1
Engineering Colleges: 2
Polytechnic Colleges :3
Industrial Training Institutes (ITI)- (7) 1.Sawntwadi 2.Malvan 3.Deogad 4.Sindhudurgnagari 5.Vengurla 6.Phondaghat 7.Vaibhavwadi
Banking Sector
Nationalised Banks 66 Branches
Cooperative Banks 106 Branches
Rural Banks 15 Branches
Fisheries
Sea Coast Length 121 km Fishing Area 16000 km2.
Main Fisheries Centers – (8) Vijaydurg, Devgad, Nivati, Achara, Malvan, Sarjekot, Vengurla, Shiroda
Fisherman Population 25365
Total Fish Production 19273 M. Tons
Fisheries Co.Op. Soc. 34 (Total Members 14216)
Location and Climate
Sindhudurg is bordered on the north by Ratnagiri District, on the south by the state of Goa, on the west by the Arabian Sea, and to the east across the crest of the Western Ghats or Sahyadris is Kolhapur District. Sindhudurg is part of Konkan (coastal) region, a narrow coastal plain in western Maharashtra which lies between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea.
Sindhudurg has a semi-tropical climate and remains warm and humid in most of the year. It has three clear seasons : Rainy (June – October), winter (November-mid February) and Summer (mid February–May). Temperatures vary between Max. 32 °C and monsoon winds bring heavy rains (average rainfall 3240.10 mm).
People
Language - The people of Sindhudurg District mostly speak a distinct Konkani dialect Malvani, almost all are fluent in Marathi as well. Mostly people loves to talk malvani in sindhudurg. Malvan city is famous for his malvani language.
Cuisine
The cuisine of the district is popularly known as Malvani cuisine. Coconut, Rice and Fish assume prime significance in the Malavani cuisine. Seafood containing fish, especially Bangada (Soloman) Paplet (Pomfret), Prawns, and Tisrya (Mussels) is very popular. "Kombdi Vade"also called Vade Sagoti, a chicken savoury, is the most popular dish here. Others include Ukadya Tandulachi Pej (उकड्या तांदळाची पेज – a semi-fluid boiled preparation made of brown-red rice variety) and Sol Kadhi (सोल कढी – A preparation made of Sol (Kokum) सोल and coconut milk). Dry fish is also a local delicacy like "Golma" (dried prawns).
Malvani cuisine is one of the unique cuisines than rest of the Maharashtra with very low oil and spices but very tasty with use of locally available spices. Even TAJ group has also included Malvani cuisine in their menu. Below are some of the famous dishes/ sweets are Malvani
Kombadi vade or Vade Sagoti (कोंबडी वडे Thick puris made of rice atta)
Ghavane – Ras (घावने - Rice dosa with sweet coconut milk)
Amboli – Usal (आंबोळी उसळ - fermented rice dosa with spicy curry)
Shirvale (शिरवाळे - noodles served with sweet coconut milk)
Dhondas (धोंडस)
All types of fry fishes and fish curries in Malvani masala
Solkadi (सोलकढी)
Khaprolya (खापरोळ्या)
Ukadiche Modak in Malvani style
Nhevre/Karanjee (करंजी - Stuffed crunchy sweet delicacy)
Olya Kajuchi Usal
Pithi Bhat (पिठी-भात - Pithi is made of kulith unlike the besan one prevalent across maharashtra)
Ukdya Tandlachi Pej with
phanasa (jackfruit) chi bhaji
Mango is a major factor to the life of Sindhudurg. Varieties of Alphonso Mango (हापुस आंबा ) from Devgad are particularly popular. Other varieties of mango: Mankur (मानकुर), Pāyari (पायरी) and Karel (करेल – used for preparing Mango Pickle),rayval are also popular for their distinct taste. Jackfruit is also one of the most popular fruits of Sindhudurg.
The Malvani cuisine also has many vegetarian dishes, including garyache sandan, pickle of karmal, bimble, amba halad, karadichi bhakri, kanyacha sanja, appe, ghavan, dalimichi usual, and kaju usual, Raiwal Ambyacha Rayta, Yelapp.
Places of attraction
Tourist Destinations
Amboli Hill Station Sawantwadi
Sindhudurg Fort in Malvan
Vijaydurg Fort Devgad
Scuba diving in Tarkarlli (Malvan)
Tarkarli Beach
Nivati Rock (A Light House in deep sea), Nivati Beach
Bhagvati Temple, Dhamapur Lake
Sawantwadi Palace
Sawantwadi Lake (Moti Talav)
Rock Garden at Malvan
Hanumantagad, Fukeri (Dodamarg)
Tilari Dam (Dodamarg)
Mangeli Waterfall (Dodamarg) - One of the famous waterfall in recent years
Navdurga Redi
Napapne Waterfall, Vaibhavwadi
Achara Beach and Rameshwar Temple (16th Century)
Mangeli waterfall (Dodamarg Taluka – near Goa)
Shi Mandir, Medhe (Dodamarg Taluka )
* dream land garden, navivadi (kudal taluka)
Rameshwar Temple Kandalgaon
Manache waterfall
*Bharatgad Fort masure (Malvan)
' *Manohar Manosantosh Gad (Shivapur) (Taluka kudal)
*Shivapur waterfall Gadakarwadi , GhawhalWadi (Shivapur) (TALUKA KUDAL)
Temples
Shri Devi Mauli Mandir (Tiravade)
shri devi sateri temple (pawashi)
Shri Dev. Lingeshwar temple (Tulsuli tarf Mangaon)
Shri Devi Gothanadevi temple (Tulsuli tarf Mangaon)
Kunkeshwar temple, Devgad
Lakshminarayan Temple, Walwal
Shri Sateri BhadraKali Temple, Aronda
Shri Bramhanand Swami Math, Ozar (Taluka Malvan)
Bharadi Devi temple, Aangnewadi, Masure
Shri Sai Baba Temple (First and oldest temple of Saibaba in India), Kudal
Redi Ganesh Vengurla
Navadurga Temple at Redi
Shri Dev Rameshwar temple (17th Century) in Aakeri, Sawantwadi
Shri Dev Rameshwar Temple (16th Century) in Rameshwar, Girye-Vijaydurg
Shree Dev Rameshwar Temple, Achara
Bhalchandra Maharaj Ashram, Kankavli
Shri Rahateshwar Mandir, Devgad
Shri Dev Gangeshvar,Lore No. 1(Kankavli)
Shri Dev Kaleshwar temple, Nerur (Kudal)
Shri Dev Kudaleshwar Temple, Kudal
Shri Dev Laxmi Narayan, Walawal (Kudal)
Shri Dev ravalnath temple (ambdos, malvan)
Shri Devi Mauli Temple, Walawal (Kudal)
Shri Devi Yakshini Temple, Mangaon (Kudal)
Shri Dev Ling Ravalnath Karanje Mandir, Karanje (Kanakavli)
Shri Dev Gopalkrishna Temple, Talashil-Tondavali (Malvan)
Shri Dev Rameshwar Temple, Humarmala- walawal (Kudal)
Shri Devi Sateri Shantadurga Temple, Mhapan (Vengurle)
Shri Dev Siddheshwar Temple, Mhapan (Vengurle)
Shri Dev Adnarayan Temple, Parule (Vengurle)
Shri Devi Chamundeshwari Temple, Aandurle (Kudal)
Shri Dev Vetoba temple, Parule (Vengurle)
Shri Dev Mahapurush temple,bhogave wadi Parule (Vengurle)
Shri Dev Kshetrapal temple, Parule-chipi (Vengurle)
Shri Dev Maruti Temple, Kudal City
Shri Dev Vetal Temple, Pendur (Malvan)
Shri Dev Lingeshwer Temple, Kalse (Malvan)
Shri Devi Bhavai Bhagavti Temple & Dhampur Lake, Dhampur (Malvan)
Shri Ganesh Temple at Sawarwadi
Shri Lingeshwar-Pavanadevi Mandir,Janavali(Kanakavli)
Shri Maooli-Ravalnath-Vetal-Bagwe Maharaj Samadhi, Masure.
Shri kalbhairav temple, kharepatan(kankavli).
Shri Dev Kunkeshwar Temple (Devgad)
Bhagwati Devi Temple (Kot Kamte)
Shri Dev Jaiteer Temple, Tulas (Vengurla)
Shri Dev Vetoba Temple, Ajgaon (Sawantwadi)
Shri Devi Shanta Durga Temple, Vadachapat (Malvan).
Shri Devi Kelbai temple,kudal
Shri Devi Mauli Temple, Fukeri (Dodamarg)
Vyagreshwar temple manache devagad
Shri devi Bhairavi mandir shivapur kudal near manohar manosantosh gad '
Ravalnath mandir shivaji kudal
Beaches
Redi
Shiroda
Tarkarli
Malvan
Talashil Beach
Tondavali Beach
Vijaydurg
Rameshwar
Kotharwadi Beach, Girye
Velagar
Bhogve mahapurush
Nivati (Mhapan – Taluka Vengurle)
Khavne (Mhapan – Taluka Vengurle)
Kondura (Dabholi – Taluka Vengurle)
Devbaug (Malvan)
Waingani (aachra)
Sagareshwar (Vengurle)
Aachra (Malvan)
Mochemad, Aravali(Vengurle)
Mithbav (Devgad)
Chivla, Rajkot (Malvan)
Bhogve (Vengurle) – you can see this beach in famous Marathi movie 'Shwaas'
Sindhudurg has a sex ratio of 1037 females for every 1000 males which is second highest in Maharashtra, and a literacy rate of 85.56%.
Divisions
The 8 talukas of this district are Devgad, Kankavli, Malvan, Kudal, Sawantwadi, Vengurla and Dodamarg and Vaibhavwadi.
There are 3 Vidhan Sabha constituencies in this district. These are Kankavli, Sawantwadi and Kudal. All of these are part of the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency.
Transportation
The Sindudurg district is connected to state capital Mumbai by road through National Highway 17( NH-17 ) which is now renumbered as NH-66. This highway also connects district to neighbouring state Goa and Karnataka also. There are regular MSRTC and private luxury buses connecting to adjoining cities like Kolhapur (110 km away from Kanakavli City), Belgaum (90 km away from Sawantwadi City), Panaji – Goa (55 km away from Sawantwadi & Vengurle). Towns and major villages has good connectivity with Mumbai as major migrated population of district is located in Mumbai area. According to one source, there are roughly more than 120 luxury buses running daily towards Mumbai and suburbs. District is also well connected by Konkan railway to Mumbai, Thane,Goa and other parts of the country like Mangalore, Karwar Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Hapa, Veraval, New Delhi, Jodhpur, Porbundar by Konkan Railway. The main railway stations on this route are Kudal, Kankavli and Sawantwadi. Many trains halt at these stations. The nearest airport is Dabolim Airport in Goa which is very close(80 km) for cities like Sawantwadi, Kudal and Vengurle. New airport Sindhudurg Airport at Chipi-Parule is under construction.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhudurg_district
