Sadashivgad, Karwar ( India) - Scenic and Tranquil Village at Confluence Of Arabian Sea and Kali River

Important Note: 

1. Check the COVID 19 travel restrictions of the place online before undertaking your sojourn.
2. Kindly note that the Distance of places, Prices, Hotel rates, Temperature, and other figures may change according to the conditions prevailing at the time of your visit. There may even be short cuts and extra conveyance available that you can avail of when traveling locally. Tourists must conduct their own research before traveling and take due diligence on rates & distances from authorized online sources. All the facts and information provided in relation to the place is for my own personal use and collected from different online sources and collated together. For more details, Click this link DISCLAIMER.

Situated along India's western coast at Kawar, Uttar Kannada district lies the picturesque and scenic village of Sadashivgad. Just at the Kali river point in Sadashivgad and across the periphery of Nandangadda village, you will find a small beach stretch where you can laze and do your literary scribblings or any activity of leisure. Further from the beach and navigable by a canoe, lies enclosed island housing mangroves and palm trees, tall shrubs, and edible oysters. I used to wonder what lies in that enclosed island, as we always had the fear of landing there due to its central location. This island is a picture-perfect location for shutterbugs. Karwar town, at a distance of 5kms from Sadashivgad village, was called 'Baithkol' in Arabic, meaning 'Bay of Safety', due to its hidden location at sea.

[Picture Credit: Wikipedia]

The origin of Sadashivgad is peculiar since it was called 'Cintacora', an old port during the Portuguese times. The name further underwent a metamorphosis and was changed to 'Chitakula' and 'Sindbur'. But the real nomenclature of Karwar is derived from 'Kadwad', a village on the banks of Kali river. Kadwad was an important trading center during British times, and there existed a factory dealing in Muslim, a fine cotton cloth for which Kadwad was famed for. Pepper, Cinamon, Blue coarse cloth were other traded items, which were favored by Arab and African traders. 

Sadashivgad was also not immune to the Maratha culture as Shivaji Maharaj visited it after marching from Bednore in the South. He paid his obeisance at the sacred temple in Gokarna and captured Ankola and ultimately crossed the Kali river to conquer Sadashivgad ('Gad'). 

[Gateway to Fort]

The village of Sadashivgad was built using the ruins and ramparts of the Samvargad fort built by the Sonda Kings. This satellite fort is at the highest pinnacle(200m high, m high ramparts, 2m wide walls) and was called the 'Pani Killa'. You can find a canon point and tower with an opening for guns. This fort was a guarding point for the main Sadashivgad fort which existed to its east & North East sides and had 3 canons. It was named Sadashivgad by Sonda king. Basavalinga after his father Sadashivalinga in 1715. Now only broken fortifications remain.   

 One can get a panoramic view of the Arabian sea and the Kali river from here. Tourists come to get a glimpse of the setting sun at the Kali river which is a spectacle. There's a beautiful single arched entry point when climbing from below Sadashivgad village towards the fort. After falling into the hands of Portuguese, the fort was pulled down and now you will find only single walls and broken ramparts. The Portuguese called it 'Fort de Piro' due to the presence of a Muslim Dargah of Sufi Pir(saint), Shah Karamuddin.  

Embarking on the spiritual side of Sadashivgad, we get an interplay of cultures and religions. There are two important landmarks, Durga Bhavani Temple & the Dargah of Pir Shah Karamuddin.  

Midway along the Sadashivgad hill, lies the centuries-old Durga Bhavani Temple, made famous by Shivaji Maharaj's visit. Legend states that he visited this temple twice.  

The environs around the temple is very serene and you can get an enchanting view of the estuary below the Sadashivgad cliff.  

The surreal vistas, majestic hills, canoe dotting estuary, and the setting sun makes the view from the temple simply breathtaking.   

The annual Utsav/Jatra is held at the temple and attended by hordes of locals and tourists. It is celebrated with much pomp and fervor. People specially come to have a glimpse of the sanctum sanctorum where Durga Devi sits majestically atop a lion. The idol is very striking and is said to be placed by the ancient kings.  Two cannons guard the entrance up the stairs of the temple which was brought here from the fort.  

[Photo Credits: "DURGADEVI TEMPLE" by hrm1000, Wikimapia is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0]

[Photo Credits:

"Sadashivgad Dargah" by hrm1000, Wikimapia is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 ]

Just diagonally opposite the temple lies the very famous and sacred blue-domed Dargah of Baghdadi Sufi Saint Peer Shah Shamshoddin Kharobat.

It is said that the saint arrived from Bijapur to Sadashivgad(Chittakula) and was attracted by the Sangam of Arabian sea and Kali river and settled here.

The saint was well renowned for Karamat/ miracles and hence was called 'Shah Karamamuddin'. This mosque is regarded as one of the top 10 best mosques in coastal region of India.

At a further distance of 2km northwards, lies the village of Shiveshwar, from which the Fortress Shiveshwar derived its name. Here you will find a Muslim dargah, tunnel, and a well enclosed inside the fortress.

Any traveler looking out for heavenly peace will find Karwar and its surrounding areas captivating, due to the mesmerizing beauty of the Kali River and the nearby areas. No doubt, why it is also called the 'Kashmir of Karnataka'. The coastal seaside town of Karwar beckons one and all and never fails to amaze. This is the reason why the greatest Bengali poet and literary stalwart, Rabindranath Tagore once quoted - 'If there is a heaven on earth, it is here, it is here'. Though small in area and devoid of attractions, Karwars is a haven for the eye which beholds it. Arab traders knew the significance of the place and called it 'Bhaitkol' meaning 'Safe harbor'.  

How to get there ---->

 International Travelers: 

• Goa Dabolim Airport(Vasco) to Karwar: 90-100km  / 2hrs (may vary)

Distance from Karwar to Sadashivgad(Toll-Naka): Almost 6 km

 Domestic Tourist: 

• Nearest Place: Karwar 

 Nearest Railway Stations:

• Karwar
• Asnoti
• Shirwad

 Hotels near Sadashivgad Fort:

• Emerald Bay - Sterling, Sadashivgad (300m)
• Hotel Bhadra, Karwar (600m)
• Cintacor Island Resort, Kurumgad (6.3 km)
• Jungle Lodges, Devbagh (6km)

 Nearby Restaurants:

• Hotel Amrut - Very famous for seafood (4km)
• Shweta Lunch Home (4km)
• Masala Kitchen (1.3km)

 Lodges / Accommodations in Karwar:

• Hotel Premiere
• Hotel Kamat Plus
• Hotel Sahana Palace

Rates are around 1000 for one full day (may vary according to seasons and at the discretion of management).

 Lodges / Accommodations near Sadashivgad:

• Om Lodge
• Anmol Residency

The lodges are in Kodibag, which is around 8km from Sadashivgad. 

 Bets Time to visit: Oct-March

 Nearby Attractions:

• Tilmati Beach
• Devbag Beach (famous for a groove of Casurina trees - called 'Gali Mari' in Kannada) 
• Karwar Beach Warship Museum - INS Chapal (decommissioned missile boat)
• Rabindranath Tagore Beach - Gazebos present on the beach / Mayura Musical Fountain /Rock Garden
• Binaga Caustic Soda Factory
• Sea-Bird Naval Project (INS Kadamba) -  of Indian Navy 
• Kaiga Atomic Power Center (Almost 60km from Karwar - But kindly check on Google Maps or online sources for exact distance as there may be short cuts. Different sources give different results.)
• Majali Beach

More scenic places:

• Chendia waterfall
• Nagarmani falls
• Gudahalli peak
• Shirve Ghat
• Anshi Ghat
• Kurumgad island (tortoise shaped island, 4 km away from the coast) / Visit 5 story lighthouse (Oyster Rock built by the British)
• Anjadiva island - Indian Naval base and also famous for Our Lady Of Brotas (Spring) church built by the Portuguese.

Conclusion: 

Tourists visit Karwar for its pristine beaches, and is aptly called 'The Queen of the Konkan Coast'. The Sylvan lush green Western Ghats, raging Kali river and undulating Arabian sea are truly natures gifts for Karwar and their fusion is a visual spectacle. As Tagore stated - 'Karwar is certainly a fit place where we realize, the beauty of nature is not a figment of imagination'. Due to this, many colonial powers like Arabs, Dutch, Portuguese, French & British had their sails directed here. Although Karwar and its environs remain untapped, the beauty remains awe-inspiring. 

The crescent-shaped Rabindranath Tagore beach is a go-to place for every tourist. For the adventurous, there are Dolphin sighting tours, Kayaking, Parasailing, Snorkelling,  Banana boat rides, and Canoeing in close by locations to Karwar, top among them being Devbag Beach. 

Now, Karwar has been adjudged the first-rate harbor, in between Bombay and Colombo. It is the district headquarters of an eponymous taluka and of Uttar Kannada district. The annual Karavalli Utsav is also held here for 2-3 days.  

My Final Thoughts:

Although Sadashivgad is less remote and more of a village, I included it in my blog list due to its internal location jutting out at NH-17, which connects Goa and Karnataka. I myself have visited this place many times and have my fondest memories here at Kali river point and RT Beach.