There we were leaving, just as I looked back at the sea with all the trawlers moored off Malvan beach, I saw the Indian flag on one of then and bid good bye to what started as the best unplanned beach trip 512 km from Mumbai. There was a feeling that I will miss this place very much, to the extent that I would come back once more.
It must be about 10 years since the last visited Malvan, at that time I remember traveling by bike with parents. We were very happy as kids to have to visit a beach. This time around it was nostalgia. We had decided based on the time we had to visit the fort in the middle of the sea called “Sindudurg”. Sindudurg was known to be one of Shivaji’s many forts along the coast of Maharashtra, built to monitor the sea and be a fortress to ward of threats from the British army. We were to visit Vengurla, Tarkarli and the Sindudurg fort. But time would have its way.
The journey: It was 12 am and we were at the Thane CBS, the bus to take us to our first destination was the only bus available at that hour. Impromptu strategy number 1, if there are too many people waiting for the same bus and there is no likelihood of getting a seat, the only option is to send the shortest man through the window, or deposit luggage through the window on the desired seat while everyone scrambles through the only door of the bus. But this never works when the seats are reserved, which was the case that night. As we set out that night, traveling by the only bus bound for Pimpalwadi available at that time to a place called Mahad, about 175 from Mumbai, there was a serious feeling that we should retrace our steps judging by the start. But the rewards of a clear beach egged us on to undertake the journey. The journey took us to a small town on NH17 called Mahad, a wait of an hour and a tiff with the conductor of the Chiplun bus managed to get us the much sought after feet space. As we headed to Chiplun the next stop on our perilous journey, we decided to take a break, wash up eat and then take the next bus directly to Malvan. We had covered almost half the distance. Luckily the bus from to Malvan was partially empty, which gave the three of us the much needed place to sprawl and take our naps as we braced ourselves for the 7 hour haul. The long winding roads though a peril to the stomach marked most of the journey. On our journey we had lunch at a small shanty; the deafening silence there had a peculiarly unnerving character to it, which not even the occasional breeze could break.
We reached Malvan, and judging by the journey we decided to book ourselves on the 3 pm bus for the next day, before we went on to enjoy ourselves. This cost us 2/3 the amount that we had spent on traveling from Mumbai hence we were happy.
Tarkarli beach: We proceeded to Tarkarli, which is a beach 7km from Malvan. Tarkarli as many websites state is a peaceful beach, with clear water and white sand. Very few visit the beach, except for the beach in front of the MTDC. We booked a place to stay for the night and since it was similar to a Paying guest arrangement with the garb of a resort we told the owner to cook for us for the night. The thali system is prevalent there. All the items served are the same everywhere as we realized when we dined in a restaurant the next day. The interesting bit about Malvani cuisine is the ‘ sol kadi‘, it a preparation made out of sour syrup of kokam and coconut milk (for the culinarily illiterate coconut milks is squeezed out of the scrapings of a fresh coconut). Once mixed in the right amount the ‘tadka ‘ is poured on the top of the preparation and served cold. Some would say “what’s the big deal in it”, but I realized the big deal when I tasted it in Malvan that night. There was a marked difference from the one I had had the chance to taste in Mumbai some time ago. We hurried onto the shore to catch a glimpse of the setting sun and dip ourselves in the water, in realization that we were finally there, thought the 17 hour journey had made us numb all through. That night after dinner two of us went onto the shore to make see the vast expanse of space. The thrill of watching the comparative jump in the number of stars as compared to Mumbai’s light contaminated skies was overwhelming. Though none of us knew constellations, it was certainly the best place to be for a star gazer. The next morning we hurried to the beach early to play in the water, collect shells and make the most of the hole digging crabs, seagulls, the boats, the clear water and white sand.
Malvan: We packed , paid for the room, food and left from Tarkarli. There is a regular bus service run by the MSRDC to and from Malvan bus terminus, which we boarded and left. From Malvan bus terminus it is a 10 min ride by rickshaw to the beach from where we were to ride by boat to the Sindudurg fort. The trip consists of a motor boat ride to the fort and a 1 hour window before the boat comes back to pick up the passengers. For some apparently weird reason like private buses the tickets to the boat are only sold is there are 15 or more passengers. So we were left by the jetty eating ice cream, buying caps and getting a free tan waiting until the requisite number of people came in. As against the last time where it took 40 min to get to the fort, this time around the boats fitted with the motors took less than 10 min to cover the 3 km distance by sea. We made friends with a kid, who was hitching a free ride on this boat, as he told me for him it was a ride to get away from the boredom. On the way I asked him about the coconut tree with 2 branches on the fort, as against the last time he told me the tree was hit by lightning a few years ago and had lost its beauty. Later as we saw it, it just stands in the form of a giant catapult witness to being the only one around. 
In its hay days as he told me the tree bore equal number of coconuts on each branch not one less. He became our guide for the fort, showing us the 3 fresh water wells on the fort called ‘dhai bhau, sakhar bhau and tup bhau‘ each being named by the taste of the water that Shivaji experienced when he first drank of the water. 
One of the wells had a tunnel running just near the level of the water, known to be used at that time to bring food and other supplies to the fort. He showed us the temple built on the fort with the bust of the warrior within, where people regularly go to visit. There was also the imprint of Shivaji’s foot and the palm which has been preserved on stone. The fort has become a small village, with electricity supply being provided from Malvan by polls built on rocks in the middle of the sea. This as against the last time has ruined the natural vegetation of the fort. Our junior guide showed us the place where Jijamata (Shivaji maharaj’s mother), would come to bathe, and the place where each year on 15 august and 26th Jan the Indian flag is hoisted. As we clicked on the various sites and scenes the most interesting was the 3 colours of the water of the same sea, as visible from the fort.
We boarded the semi luxury bus equipped with push back seats, much in contrast to the ones we had traveled by on our way from Mumbai, exactly on time. The visit to the fort had left us just enough time to eat a sumptuous meal; my wish of having fish by the beach was fulfilled.
The journey to Mumbai was uneventful. The bus reached IIT at 4:30 am on Sunday , giving us a whole days rest before the dreaded Monday!!
