About
Konkan

Konkan is a great area having a huge potential in terms of Industry, Tourism, Fruits and horticulture, Minerals, Fisheries etc. it is very strategically located between Mumbai the commercial capital of India and Goa the great tourism destination. It is lined with a large coastline making it strategically located for any global trade. Being located next to Mumbai, it is already enjoying spill over of Multi crore industry being located in Konkan. Reliance Industries with its petrochemical plant in Patalganaga, Birla’s Sponge iron plant near Dharmatar, Mittal’s Sponge iron plant at Dolvi, IPCL’s petrochmical plant at Nagothane, RCF’s fertilizer plant at Nhava Sheva, Hindustan lever’s detergent plant at Chiplun, JNPT one of the largest Port and growing very fast located at Nhava Sheva, Thane with all the Multinational pharmaceutical industries and large number of medium and small scale industries.  

Konkan also has history and culture as old as Lord Parshuram and Shivaji. Konkan has natural beauty with lush green rice fields, mango orchards, Hills, thick forests, large coastline, beaches and Hill stations. Thus place is quite suitable for business tourism as well as short duration tourism (weekend escape), Resort based tourism, Hill station tourism, nature tourism.             

Konkan Geography, Konkan History, Konkan Tourist Places, Konkan food and culture:

The Konkan is a coastal strip of land bounded by the Sahyadri on the east, and Arabian Sea on the west. It is a land where mythology breathes side by side with economic growth; a land with rich mineral resources, dense forest cover and a landscape fringed with paddy, coconut and mango trees.

The human creation of Konkan railway is the greatest event since lord Parshuram created the region. Konkan railway is the single biggest railway-engineering project in south Asia this century.

Konkan the landscape, carpeted with tropical forest, where Sambar roam and leopards arch their backs. Cast an eye-upon the miles of lush vegetation— tamarind, bamboo, coconut, betel nut, cashew, jackfruit, and of course, the Alphonso mango of Ratnagiri. Hear the whisper of the history in the mountains; Raigad, where Roha is located, was once the stronghold of the 17^th century Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and every stone has a story to tell. Listen to the music of the rivers – Savitri, Jagbudi, Vahishthi, and Shastri, among them; see the fisherman cast his lazy line into a stream or a buffalo cool off in the sun.

Konkan is a thin strip of land, about 720 km. At it’s widest between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats or the Sahyadri mountain ranges. Mythology says Lord Parshuram the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, created the region. After cleansing the world of evil-forces several times, he is said to have come and rested in Konkan, blessing the area with his presence. Little surprise then that the only Lord Parshuram temple in the country is found in Konkan, near Chiplun, in Maharashtra.

Its proximity to the Arabian Sea, especially the fact that several major and minor seaports to peninsular India fall in this region, has endowed Konkan with a rich-history and cultural heritage. This region- was the home to the first organised Indian Navy, set up by the great warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji saw the strategic importance of the-region and the need to have a strong navy to defend this long coastline from European invaders. He did that by setting up a naval force as well as by building strong sea forts along the coast. Some of these forts, like Vijaydurg, survive to this day, a testimony to his vision. Further proof of it importance Shivaji attached to Konkan, is the fact that the massive Raigad fort, which Shivaji made his capital, also guarded the trading route between Konkan and the hinterland.

The belt was for a long time the most important marine trading -center of India and has always had strong links with seafarers from the Middle East, Africa and Europe. These trading links have left their mark behind to this day and one finds an amazing mix of cultures and people here.

Konkan was also the area where Vasco Da Gama landed in 1498, leading a European onslaught that eventually led to the colonisation of India. Incidentally, spices, especially pepper, so attractive to early European traders, grow abundantly in the region. Blessed with fertile soil, and one of the highest rainfalls in the country – an average rainfall of 3,500 mm, - the region is rich with natural resources. It also has enormous mineral wealth, especially bauxite and silica sand.

Agriculture and industry flourished side by side in the Konkan, and it is a treasure-trove for tourists too. Now, the spectacular and rugged landscape will never be the same again. Konkan Darshan is going to change it forever.

The Konkan region is rich in mineral like iron ore, bauxite, silica sand and chromite, and has tremendous potential in both ferrous and non-ferrous metal industries.

A few industrial units have already sprung up at Roha, Chiplun, Ratnagiri and Kudal; this includes Usha Ispat Steel Plant, Hindustan Oman Petroleum Refinery, Nagarjuna Power Corporation and BASF to be named few. Chains of hotel like Taj group and Oberoi made plans to provide accommodations.

Every state in the Konkan offer tremendous variety – history, adventure, wildlife and sun-kissed beaches – and many of these spots are yet untouched and pristine. (Describe tours and travel package)

While it would be impossible to enumerate the hundreds of interesting tourist spots in the Konkan, here is a bird’s eye view. And while you are traveling, make it a point to sample culinary delights of the region – kurkuron bombeel (crispy fried Bombay duck), sol-kadhi, a tangy smooth appetiser, kelyache panchamrut (a sweetish medley of bananas and vegetables), tisrya-che kavlan (clams in thick spicy masala) and kelphoola-ch bhaji, (a Konkan favorite, made of banana flower). Especially ensure that you try Lord Ganesha’s favorite steamed delight, the Modak! 

If Maharashtra is the home of bustling Mumbai, the country's commercial capital and center of the film industry, it is also a state, which can be immensely satisfying to those looking out for history or adventure. For today's traveler, the Raigad Fort combines both. The fort, built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1664, witnessed his glittering coronation in 1674, and-it was from here that he set out for his expedition of the south, and in 1680, breathed his fast. In trying to reach it, the tourist can now opt for a steep three climb, or or four-hour for the heart-stopping Raigad Ropeway, 35 km, away from Chiplun-based Konkan Railway officials who have tried it warn that it is meant only for the brave! 

The Raigad district, formerly known as Kolaba, is the birthplace of Sri Kanhoji Angre, the first Maratha naval chief. It also has lovely beaches; Alibag, the headquarters of the district, 108 kms away Mumbai, is a well known one, but there is like Akshi-Nagaon, seven km, away the Alibag-Rewdanda Road, where inscriptions the Chalukyan period may be found, and the and Bhimeshwar and Vishnu temples.

Take a break at the beaches of Ganpatipule where during high tide the sea touches the feet the Ganesh temple; loll around at the longest beaches at Murud, or lake a boat across to the sea fort Janjira. You could also relax at the Velneshwar beach 60 km. away from Chiplun. Sindhudurg, part of Ratnagiri till March 1981, has myriad delights as well. It has been declared a tourist belt, with plans to set up a national man park In conjunction with National Institute Oceanography, and to develop Amboli, 30 km from Sawantwadi as a' hill station with facilities for hang-gliding, rock climbing and trekking. Legend has it that the Pandavas crossed this area during the 13^th year of their exile. For those looking at remnants the past, there is the imposing Sindhudurg fort, where Shivaji Maharaj's hand and footprints have been preserved, and Kunkeshwar, a seaside temple built by the Yadavas in 1.000 A.D; for those who want beaches, there are Mochemad and Shiroda.