Alibaug (Alibag)

Alibaug (Alibag), on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra in today’s Raigad district, began as a cluster of coastal Koli fishing and farming villages. The older settlement around the Ramnath temple was largely agrarian, with rice fields, coconut and betel-nut groves, and small boats trading along the Arabian Sea coast. The town’s later name is traditionally linked to a wealthy local landlord and horticulturist, Ali Shah, whose “bagh” (gardens) led people to call the place Ali-cha-bagh → Alibag/Alibaug.

From the 17th century, the area became strategically important under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Maratha navy. The nearby Kolaba (Alibaug) Fort, built and strengthened in Shivaji’s time and later used by the famed Maratha admiral Kanhoji Angre, served as a key naval base and customs point, allowing the Marathas to challenge Portuguese and British shipping along the Konkan. With the decline of Maratha power and the rise of British rule in the early 19th century, Alibaug and its fort passed into the Bombay Presidency, losing much of their military role as Bombay (Mumbai) emerged as the dominant port.

In the 20th century, Alibaug evolved into a quiet district and coastal town, known for its beaches, coconut groves and proximity to Mumbai, and gradually reimagined as a popular weekend and holiday destination rather than a naval stronghold.