Being Marathi, I have a soft corner for forts of Maharashtra. Raigad, Torna, Sindhudurg, Panhala, Janjira, Ramshej, Harihar and many more. The list goes on. These are the battle grounds where hundreds took on fight with thousands of Mughals, Adilshah, European powers and Siddis. Many sing the ballads of victory where others mourn some losses.

I won’t claim that I am a trekking enthusiast or avid history buff. However, I have visited a few of them. I vividly remember my first trek to Fort Harihar. It was a day long excursion which I was on with three of my friends. It was memorable for many reasons but missing the last bus back home was the most dramatic one.

Till date, I had climbed to forts, walked straight into a few. Even had sailed to a couple of them. Today, I had another “first”. I rode a horse cart to Fort Colaba near Alibaug coast. Thanks to a low tide, I was able to get this bumpy experience. This pair of horses took me and my folks to the fort entrance in just 10 minutes.

Fort Colaba is a symbol of Maratha Navel prowess and leadership of Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He truly  was a visionary king who clearly understood the importance of controlling the coasts. Generations of Angres kept Siddis, British and Portuguese powers in these waters in check and ruled the region.

The glory has now faded into the past. What remains there are some of its ruins. However, there’s one beautiful Ganesh temple still intact and being worshipped by local people. The view of the vast ocean and Alibaug cost from ramparts of the fort is breathtaking. If you like to visit historical places, this could be your next destination.

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