Arbit Raj

Many people will be surprised to know that there are so many places off the beaten track, around Bombay. And the best part is that its possible to a day trip with ease and be back home comfortably by night.

Went to a place called Arnala some time back. Arnala is a fishing village which is 8-10 kms away from Virar station, on the Western Railway line. Go towards the S.T. bus depot. which is 5 minutes away from the station, on the West side. Take a S.T. bus going to Arnala.

Once you hit Arnala beach you turn towards the right side where you see the fishing boats in the distance. You have to walk carefully in this area as this is also used as an open-air loo by the villagers there. But this landmine-laden area soon passes and you reach the ferry. There's a ferry which takes you across to the island. Be sure to time your arrival because the ferries are at hourly intervals or even more. There is one at 12 noon which is quite convenient if you are planning a trip. Things get interesting when it halts around 15-20 feet away from the shore and you have to wade into the thigh-high water. Clamber up the ladder and you are into the boat along with baskets of fish for company.The 10-15 minute ferry ride is fun with the sun shining strong and salty winds blowing around.

The scene is repeated as you get down. Wade again and reach the sands. You are greeted by the sight of fish and nothing but fish all around. Some freshly caught, some hung out to dry on the bamboo contraptions, others discarded after sorting. There are simply so many that even the crows going around seem bored with this plentiful source. As we learnt, the residents of Arnala village transport their daily catch of myriad varieties of fish, squid and prawns to the mainland for sale. Everyone we saw that day was so busy and engrossed in his/her work. Weatherbeaten fishermen coming in with their catch and tending to the boats, while the fisherwomen were more involved in the sorting and cleaning of the seafood itself.

A 5-10 minute walk through the village takes you to the fort entrance. The fort walls are in a fairly good condition even today. Once you enter the fort to the right, there are stairs which take you up on the fort wall itself. There is a 8-10 feet wide route all along the fort wall. The best part about this island is that its so small that you see the sea up close from wherever you are standing on the fort wall. Certain areas remind you of the scene from "Dil Chahta Hai"where the three characters are sitting on a wall, looking out into the sea and contemplating what lies ahead. At periodic intervals there are protruding watch-towers (called 'buruj' in Marathi), where gunners in an era gone by, stood guard.

The inside of the fort houses a small temple. There was a huge polygonal well in which you can see turtles bobbing up and down at the water line. Small children having a field day indulging in simple pastimes. Breaking raw mangoes off the many trees that line the inner boundary of the fort. If you just stand still, you suddenly realise that this is so different from the hustle-bustle of our daily lives. Time crawls. And you let yourself slow down too.



Once you come out of the fort, the sands are quite tempting. On the western side, opposite to where you land on the island, there is a narrow strip of dark brown sand. Its the closest to a virgin beach that I've seen anywhere near Mumbai. Gaze out into the azure expanse in front of you and soak up the sun. Its very easy to slip into a philosophical groove when you are here. You can have a leisurely walk around the island to go back to the ferry. On the southern side of the island there are farms where the villagers grow their vegetables. There are a few dwellings on this side. Try requesting them for some fresh coconut water. We found the coconuts unlike any that we get in the city, with literally double the quantity of water inside. Not that you mind it....

Towards the southern tip of the island there is a very interesting watch-tower standing in quiet isolation. As you approach it you intuitively look for an entrance. But even when you are done going round it it will leave you puzzled because there simply is not any entrance. There is a small opening at the base though which goes 4 feet in and then there is a circular passageway through which one would need to crawl to go ahead. According to the locals, there are cannonballs stored inside. But we were warned not to go inside for fear of snakes which have made this their residence. Halfway up there are a few openings in. Apparently the only way up, is to use the creepers of a tree that has caught root on the crevices between the huge rocks that make up the watch-tower.

Once you are done seeing this come back to the point where you landed and patiently wait for the ferry which shuttles between the island and Arnala beach on the mainland. The last ferry of the island leaves around 6:30 PM so make sure to come back in time. Again up the ladder and into the boat. This time you will be used to the fisherwomen with their dripping baskets loaded with fish. Touch the beach again and off on to terra firma.



Further reference:
http://www.geocities.com/unitedit/places/Arnala/Arnala_fort.htm