Sadashivgad Fort is located in Devbagh in Kanwar, Karnataka. This fort is a famous tourist destination and is located near Kali River Bridge which lies at the meeting point of Arabian Sea and Kali River. The fort has ramparts going upto 8 meters high and about 2 meters wide. The palace looks massive with its towers and the highest point here is the citadel. Made on a 200 ft high hill-top, this fort is located at a distance of 5 km to the north of Karwar. This fort offers panoramic view of the complete village with the beautiful valley of river Kali.

Karwar is a beautiful and picturesque town of the district. The town has lovely beaches, temples and forts that attract tourists in huge amount. The town is located at about 15 km south of the Karnataka-Goa border and is about 519 km northwest of Bangalore. This region of Uttara Kannada is recognized for its serene and natural beauty with gorgeous scenery.

Sadashivgad is an important historical sight of the town. Being located at border of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Karwar is a blend of both Marathi and Kannda cultures. The town is also well known as ‘Kone’.

History

The fort was constructed in 1715 by Basavlingraj, who named it after his father Sadashivlingraj. They were titled as ‘Raja’ after taking over places such as Chittakula and Simveshwar. Kadra, Kadwad and parts of Canara also came under them at this time. Chitrakul, also called Cintacora, was an old port of the region. This village also came to be known as Sadashivgad after construction of the fort. The banks of Kali River were used as a central place of trading from early days. With the construction of Sadashivgad Fort, trade grew as it gave Portuguese greater confidence. They also realized that the fort worked as a sheltered harbor.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj seized Ankola on his way while visiting a sacred temple at Gokarna and then visited Karwar. This raised an alarm for powerful groups such as the East India Company as well as Sher Shah’s army. Therefore, they gathered offerings and took them to Shivaji. They prayed that they be spared. However, Shivaji crossed Kali River and conquered Sadashivgad, after which he handed it over to the local Bhandaris.

Architecture

Panikilla is an outwork on the west near the cliff. The citadel has a single arched gateway. There is a small fort about 60 meters by 20 meters on the top of the hillock to the east of Sadashivgad Fort called Samvargad fort. This was a satellite fort guarding the Sadashivgad Fort on its east and north east.

Today, most of the fort lies in ruins. It was taken down by General Mathews of the East India Company in 1783.

Best Time to visit

October to April is the best time to visit this fort. One can visit the fort at the time of sunset for a beautiful view. Winters are the best period to visit this fort. Summers in Karwar are hot and are avoided by tourists.

Timings

Timings are 7 am to 7 pm. Open on all weekdays.

How to Reach

By Train

The nearest railway stations are Karwar and Asnoti. Karwar has better transport facilities.

By Road

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation busses ply regularly on NH-17. A number of private operators also run bus services on the same route. The NH-17 continues on a bridge built over Kali River and the road splits the Sadashivgad granite hill to connect Karnataka and Goa.

Nearby Places

• There is a satellite fort close to Sadashivgad named Samvargad.
• Shantadurga Temple also lies midway on the Sadashivgad hill. It offers an amazing view of sunset from the peak.
• There is a Dargah dating back to 17th century that attracts Muslim pilgrims here.
• Durgadevi Temple is well known here and must be visited.
• Nagnath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is also close by and worth visiting.