About Nivati Fort
Nivati Fort is a 17th-century coastal fortification located on a hill near Nivati village in Vengurla taluka, Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra. Built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1664 immediately after Sindhudurg Fort, it was strategically positioned to monitor the Karli Creek and Vengurla port. The fort spans 4-5 acres and features red laterite stone construction with a protective moat. Though now in ruins with dense vegetation, its bastions and gates remain structurally intact, offering panoramic views of the Arabian Sea.
Visitors guide
Visitors can explore the ruins of a Maratha-era coastal fort situated on a 50-meter high hill overlooking the Arabian Sea. The site includes surviving fortification walls, bastions, gates, and a 20-foot wide moat surrounding the 4-5 acre premises. The terrain is covered with dense bushes and thorny vegetation. From the elevated position, visitors can observe panoramic sea views, Nivati Beach, Bhogave Beach, and the distant Nivati Rock Lighthouse in the mid-sea. The fort is largely unexplored and lacks developed tourist infrastructure.
Key highlights
- 01
Built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1664 as a strategic watchpost for Karli Creek and Vengurla port
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Fortified with red laterite stones and protected by a 20-foot wide and 10-foot deep moat
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Panoramic views of the Arabian Sea, Nivati Beach, and Bhogave Beach from the 50-meter elevation
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Surviving gates and bastions remain in good condition despite overall ruinous state
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Distant view of Nivati Rock Lighthouse located in the mid-sea
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Historical transitions of control between Marathas, Sawants, Portuguese, Kolhapur rulers, and British
History of Nivati Fort
Constructed in 1664 by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj immediately after Sindhudurg Fort to safeguard the sea route from Karli Creek to Vengurla port. The fort served as a strategic naval watchpoint against British, Portuguese, and Abyssinian forces. Control passed through multiple powers: Marathas (1739-1748), Ismail Khan under Portuguese (1748), Karvirkar of Kolhapur (1787), Sawants (1803), and finally captured without resistance by H.M. IV Rifles of the British Army on February 4, 1818.
Route
| By air |
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