Till 1850 Sawantwadi was known as Sunderwadi (A
beautiful locality). The name Sawantwadi came into the practice because of
surname of this erstwhile state’s ruling family of Khem-sawants. The palace was
earlier atop Narendra hill. Khemsawant III constructed the existing palace in
late 18th century (Construction period 1755-1803). The famous Moti-Talao (Talao-lake)
built in front of the palace in 1874 has added to its beauty. Now the palace is
a pride of Sawantwadi.
The ruling family has been supporting the local
artisans in a big way. The ‘Ganjifa Art’, ‘lacer work’, ‘woodwork painting’
date back to 18th century. In the palace, training sessions and workshops are
conducted for new generation of artisans. This has been a major attraction for
Domestic as well as foreign tourists. The present Queen-mother H.H.
Satwashiladevi has taken keen personal interest in promotion of these arts. To
add variety to the traditional designs in Ganjifa she interacted with the
artisans of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala and Vishnupura.
What to buy here:
Wooden toys and fruits are very famous in
Sawantwadi. Visitors buy decorative items made out of wood while in Sawantwadi.
Accommodation:
Accommodation
is available in Sawantwadi town.
Getting there:
By Air: Nearest airport
is Dabolim, Goa - 87 Kms
By Railway: Nearest
railway station is Sawantwadi Road on Konkan Railway.
By Road: It’s less than a
kilometer from Sawantwadi Bus Stand.
Mumbai – Sawantwadi, 499 Kms
Pune – Sawantwadi, 379 Kms.
Kolhapur – Sawantwadi, 165 Kms
Near by Places to see:
Moti Talao: This is in front of the palace.
Raghunath Market: Raghunath
Market is yet another speciality of Sawantwadi.
Kolgaon Archway: This
300 years old stone archway in Kolgaon village welcomes visitors to Sawantwadi
town.
Atmeshwar Tali: Atmeshwar
Tali near Vaishyawadi area is a water reservoir created by divine powers of
shri Damodar Swami around 300 years back.
Narendra Garden: You
can get nice view of Vengurla beaches from the top of Narendra Hill where this
garden is located.
Amboli Hill Station:Visit
Amboli, a tranquil hill station on the Western Ghats, surrounded by thick
forests and tree canopied hills. The sunset point, the origin of Hiranyakeshi
river Nagartas fall, Narayangad, Mahadergad, Kawalesad are some major points
worth visiting.
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