SAWANTWADI

 A lovely hill station, Sawantwadi offers incredible sceneries of nature with lush, verdurous landscapes. Its meandering waterfalls and glittering lakes attributes to the majestic look. Perched at an altitude of 690 mts this beautiful hill station is located in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. 

 Santanwadi is popular for its handicrafts. The three hundred year old art of making the round playing cards called “Ganjifa” is still practiced in Sawantwadi. Though the game of round playing cards was started by the Malla Kings of Bengal and also played in Orissa, Jaipur and Kadapa, the tradition of making these cards is sadly alive only in Sawantwadi. The 10 embodiments/avatars of Lord Vishnu form the basis of the ganjifas. Sawantwadi’s wooden toys, artificial fruits and Laquerware are popular. The chitaries (people who were involved in painting, making wooden articals etc) of Sawatwadi has dissappeared long back due to the bringing in of the artwork and articles from China and Europe.

 The picnicking families mainly opt Hiranya Keshi Nagarta Falls and Narayangad to spend their vacation joyously. Moti Lake, Narendra Park, and the Narendra hill are the other prime attractions.  The grandeur of the Sawantwadi royal family can be relished in the Maharaja palace. Vithal temple, Hanuman temple are the perfect places to engross oneself in deep meditation or sing bhajans and make one’s heart light. The charm of the olden generation can be greatly experienced at Kolgaon darwaja, Atmeshwar Tali and Vithal Mandir. Raghunath market houses the popular local items. 

 Rich in its biodiversity, this verdant land houses many wild animals like bison, tiger, wild boar, leopards and many other species. Elegantly flourished by the plantations of Cashew nut, Areca and Coconut, Sawantwadi is also famous for its rich collection of medicinal plants. 

 The picturesque scenery, the majesty of nature, the slow pace of life, and the welcoming nature of its people combine to make Sawantwadi one of the prime tourist destinations in India. 

                                              PLACES TO SEE

Sawantwadi Palace : Sawantwadi palace was built in 1800 A.D. by King Khemsawant- Bhosle the 3rd. This grand palace has a spectacular collection of the items prepared from lacquer.  Visitors can fill their eyes with the 'Ganjifa' paintings , beautiful wooden and clay work. The art and painting visible in the palace provides a strong proof that the royal clan greatly supported the artwork of the artists.  Boating facilities are available for the tourists in the Moti Talav which is located in front of the palace. The fountains add charm to the beauty of the lake. 

By Air : Belgaum airport is about at 64 km. It connects Bangalore and Mumbai with many flights.

By Train : The nearest station is about 28kms from Sawantwadi. It has good number of trains to Bangalore, Belgaum and Hubli. 

By Road : Sawantwadi is well connected by Government buses to many cities in Maharashtra and Karnataka.