Alibag and its surrounding villages are the historic hinterlands of Bene Israel Jews. According to Indian Jewish historian Esther David, Jews arrived in the region over 2000 years ago, escaping persecution from the Roman Empire, when their ship wrecked here. As they got into the business of oil-pressing and plantations, continued practising Sabbath and took holidays on Saturday, they came to be known as 'Shanvar-telis'('Saturday – Oilpeople')[2] There is a synagogue named 'Magen Aboth Synagogue' in the "Israel Alley" (Marathi ' इस्राएल आळी ' meaning Israel lane) area of the town.[3][4]
Etymology
A Bene Israelite named Eli (Elisha/Elizah) used to live there at that time and owned many plantations of mangoes and coconuts in his gardens. The natives started calling the place "Eli cha Bagh"(which means "Eli's garden") and in the subsequent generations the pronunciation changed to simply "Alibag", and the name stuck.[3]
As of 2001[update] India census, Alibag had a population of 19,491. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Alibag has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 54% of the males and 46% of females' literate. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. 75% of the population speaks the Marathi language.[5]
As of the 2011 census, Alibag had a population of 20,743, of which 10,646 are males while 10,097 are females, and 17,431 were educated, with a literacy rate of 84%.[6]
In November 2009, Cyclone Phyan made landfall in the city. Damage to property was reported in the districts of Ratnagiri, Raigad, Sindhudurg, Thane and Palghar. Eleven years later, in early June 2020, severe cyclonic storm Nisarga made landfall in Alibag at peak intensity. The cyclone blew off tin and asbestos sheets from roofs and uprooted trees in Alibag. Several trees fell on houses.[10]
Places of interest
Historical
Kanhoji Angre Samadhi
Kolaba Fort, an old fortified maritime base which was the naval headquarters of the Maratha ruler Shivaji, and was used to launch raids on British ships.[11]
'Kanhoji Angre Samadhi', the memorial to Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Angre[12]
Kalambika Mandir, temple built by Kanhoji Angre[14]
Balaji Mandir, temple to Lord Shri Balaji or Shri Venkateshwar (an avatar of lord Shri Vishnu), built in 1788.[14]
'Magen Aboth synagogue' in the 'Israel Alley' area of the town[4]
Scientific
Alibag houses a magnetic observatory that was set up in 1904.[15] It serves as one of the significant observatories forming part of a global network now run by Indian Institute of Geomagnetism. The observatory has two buildings; the first building has magnetometers that record changes occurring in the geomagnetic fields. The second building consists of precision recording instruments, which give data about geomagnetic storms caused by solar storms which are shared with other countries.[15]
Transport
Road
Alibag is situated near National Highway – 166A.[16] It is approximately 108 km from Mumbai. Alibag also has MSRTC bus connectivity mostly from Mumbai and Konkan division.
Alibag Pandhara Kanda Shetkari UtpadakGat from Alibag, proposed the GI registration of Alibag White onion. After filing the application in January 2020, the Onion was granted the GI tag in 2022 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Alibag White onion" exclusive to the Onion grown in the region. It thus became the second onion variety from Maharashtra after Lasalgaon onion and the 17th type of goods from Maharashtra to earn the GI tag.[20][21]
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