Sindhudurg is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri District. The district headquarters are located at Oros. The district occupies an area of 5207 km and has a population of 868,825 of which 9.47% were urban. Sindhudurg district was established in 1981.
Sindhudurg is the central town in the district of the same name and is an important historical place in Maharashtra. It is situated along the Konkan coast and can be reached from Goa as well. It was once a strong naval base of the Maratha rulers and the Sindhudurg fort bears testimony to the Maratha supremacy and power, especially during the reign of Shivaji. Sindhudurg is famous for its serene and beautiful beaches, temples, historical forts and folk art forms like Dashavtar, Chitrakathi, Pangul, Keertan, and Dhangiri dance.
History of Sindhudurg district is synonymous with the greater tract of the Konkan of which it is a part. The Konkan is famous for its long coast line and safe harbours. The word 'Konkan' is of Indian origin and of considerable antiquity, though the origin of the name has never been sufficiently explained. The name of the district has been adopted from the famous sea fort of Sindhudurg. This was built by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj near Malvan and it literally means 'Sea Fort'. Its construction started on November 25, 1664 and after 3 years it was completed in such a fashion that it could not be seen easily by the enemy coming in from the Arabian Sea.