Madh Island- Weekend getaway from Mumbai

It was a bright  sunny Sunday. As planned, a group of enthusiastic photographers travelled to Madh Island to explore its surroundings. For most of them it was a change from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai life. 

We took BEST bus from Malad Railway station. The bus ride took about 45 minutes. All along the way to Madh, one can see enormous development everywhere and high rise buildings. Madh is spread over a large area and the scenic beauty started to appear when the bus crossed the city boundary. The trees on the road side had lost none of their natural charm. We got down from the bus at Madh Church. Since it was Sunday, there was a  huge crowd of devotees around the church.  We decided to come back to the church after breakfast. Had Maharashtrian breakfast of  Misal Pav- a mildly spiced usal made from matki (moth bean), sev, a spicy rassa and soft, untoasted pav. We all enjoyed the breakfast.

Soon we came back to 'Our lady of Sea' church. By that time, the church hall was empty. What attracted me most was the phrase  'If you want peace!!!Protect creation '  written on a borad, which was place at the entrance of the church. As we entered, the building reminded me of  all the conservative churches I have been in. It was very beautiful inside. And we spent enough time inside the church.

Our Lady of the Sea church, Madh Island

Madh Island consisting of fishing villages and farmlands. Fishermen dwell in this area and one can get sight of their houses. We could see busy men and women knitting fishing nets and curating their catch from the sea.  I watched fish  kept to dry on 15-foot tall wooden racks to dry in the heat for a longer shelf life.

We wanted to see other important areas of Madh. We walked towards Kali Mata mandir. The narrow roads are blessed by Gulmohar Tree cover and  the heat is broken by these vividly flowering trees.

Another attraction on Madh Island is the 'Madh Fort'. The fort is situated close to Aksa beach.  And I walked around the fort. The fort is surrounded by local fishermen communities. I could see fishing boats reaching the jetty with  basketfull of fish.  Beside this fort, is a small temple of Lord Shiv known as Killeshwar Mahadev Temple.  We then decided to explore the fort from the other side. We climbed the rocks around the fort to reach the entrance of the fort.

The fort was built by the Portuguese as a watchtower in the 17th century and now under the control of the Indian Air Force. Prior Permission is needed for accessing it. Bollywood movies and serials have also been shot at this magnificent venue. The fort itself is a  fascinating place. Several episodes from the  popular TV series C.I.D have been shot here.

Madh Fort

There are quite good views of Mumbai skyline from the fort.  If you have good eyesight you can have a tiny glimpse of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

Madh Island Beach is one of the most famous beaches of Mumbai. The beach is clean with less crowd around.  Overall it is an ideal destination for those wishing to get away from the busy life of the city.