Kihim
| Kihim किहीम |
|
|---|---|
| Village | |
 Kihim
|
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| Country | India |
| State | Maharashtra |
| District | Raigad |
| Taluka | Alibag |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 2,582 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Marathi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN CODE | 402 201 |
| Telephone code | 02141 |
Kihim is a small village located to the north of Alibag. Commonly known to people in Mumbai as a weekend getaway, it is accessible via Road and Water.
Contents
History
Kihim evolved as a village in the 17th century during the era of Sarkhel Kanhoji Aangre, the naval chief of King Shivaji's Kingdom. It formed part of the then known as "Ashtagare" (or Eight Villages).
Climate
Kihim has a tropical climate with heavy rainfall during Monsoon. Winters are moderate and Summers are hot and humid.
Demographics
Population of Kihim stood at 2,582[1] according to the 2011 Census, with Male population at 1,285 (49.76%) and Female at 1,297 (50.23%). Literacy is 78% (Male: 81.17%, Female: 74.48%).
Economy
Kihim mostly thrives on Tourism[2][3] throughout the year with November to May being peak months. Farming is another major occupation found here. Rice is the main produce of the area like majority of the Konkan region. Coconut and Betel nut is also produced on a large scale.
Tourism
Major attraction in Kihim is its sandy beach. Though Kihim was once known as a "Bird Watchers' Paradise", very few exotic species can be still found in the areas having dense cover of trees. Variety of butterflies are also found here.
Tourist facilities here mainly consist of "Bed and Breakfast Schemes" run by the locals under the regulations of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, which acts as a governing body for Tourism throughout the State of Maharashtra. One can easily find average quality lodging and boarding facilities throughout the village, except for the month of December when advance bookings may be required. For restaurants, one has to go to a nearby locality known as Chondhi.
Other nearby attractions include the Kihim Pond, Kankeshwar Temple near Mapgaon and Karmarkar Museum in Sasawane.
Administration
Kihim acts as a Group Gram Panchayat for few small villages like Kamath, Chondhi and Bamansure.
Education
"Sadashiv Mahadev Wadke Vidyalaya" is a major educational institution in the area which provides facilities right from Kindergarten to Graduation. Not only from Kihim, but children from surrounding villages and towns also attend here. Kihim also has a Zilla Parishad run Primary school.
Transport
- Road: Kihim is well connected to Alibag by road. MSRTC buses run to and from Alibag few times a day. It can also be accessed from Mumbai via NH-17 and then a state route connecting from Wadkhal. The distance is approximately 94 km from Mumbai. From Pune, Kihim is accessible forking out from Khopoli onto the state route leading towards Alibag after taking NH-4. Distance is approximately 144 km. Passenger ferry terminals like Mandwa (11 km) and Rewas (15 km) are also connected to Kihim via road. Auto Rickshaws are readily available everywhere for local travel, but the fares are not regulated. Its a common practice to decide the fare before hand to avoid bargaining later. One can also travel to Chondhi (1.5 km) as more frequent buses and autos are available from here for Alibag, Mandwa and Rewas.
- Railways: The nearest railway station is at Pen, which is approximately 30 km away.
- Ferry: Passenger boat services are available from Mandwa[4] Jetty to Gateway of India and from Rewas to Bhaucha Dhakka in Mumbai throughout the year, except for Monsoon.
