Lighthouses of India's Southwest Coast

This page lists lighthouses of the Arabian Sea coast of India, starting near the southern tip of the country and extending northward through the greater Mumbai (Bombay) area. This region includes the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra. From Goa southward this coast is known historically as the Malabar Coast, while the coast of Mararashtra is called the Konkan Coast. In general, the coastline is low and sandy, but the land rises quickly behind the beaches to the mountains called the Western Ghats. Besides Mumbai, the coast has a number of ports such as Kozhikode (Calicut), Cochin, Kannur (Cannanore), and Goa, all of which were early sites of European trade and penetration. It seems odd that so few photos are available for some of these lighthouses. If you travel to this area, any photos you might take of lighthouses would be very welcome. Lighthouses and aids to navigation in India are administered by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL), an agency of the Ministry of Shipping. However, lighthouses in the Mumbai area are maintained by the Mumbai Port Trust. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112. General Sources DGLL - Madras District Lighthouses Lighthouse information from the DGLL district office in Chennai (Madras). This office administers the lighthouses of southern Kerala, from Vizhinjam through Alleppey. DGLL - Cochin District Lighthouses Lighthouse information from the DGLL district office in Cochin. This office administers the lighthouses of central and northern Kerala, from Manakkodam through Kasaragod. DGLL - Mumbai District Lighthouses Lighthouse information from the DGLL district office in Mumbai. This office administers the lighthouses of Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra.

Kovalam Light, June 2006 Creative Commons photo by K.K. Seema

Southern Kerala Lighthouses
*** Vizhinjam (Vilinjam, Kovalam)

1972. Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); white flash every 15 s. 36 m (118 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. A photo appears above, Deep Goswami has a closeup, DGLL also has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Foundations of a 9th century fort were discovered near the lighthouse in late 2005. Lighthouse Beach, stretching to the north toward Kovalam, is a popular tourist attraction, and as a result this lighthouse is one of the most visited lighthouses of India. Located on a rocky promontory about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Vizhinjam and 13 km (8 mi) south of Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum), the capital of Kerala. Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-121; Admiralty F0718; NGA 27492.

*** Anjengo (Anjuthengu, Varkala)

1987. Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 36 m (118 ft) round concrete tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands. A blogger has a slide show of photos. Anjengo (Anjuthengu) is the site of a British East India Company fort dating to 1684. Located about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Thiruvananthapuram. Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-073; Admiralty F0715; NGA 27502.

*** Kollam (Quilan, Thankasseri, Tangasseri)

1902. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 44 m (144 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with red and white spiral bands; 2° Fresnel lens. A closeup photo is available, Sasheer Raj has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Thankasseri (or Tangasseri), on the north side of the city of Kollam, was an early outpost of the Portuguese, later taken by the Dutch and then by the British. The lighthouse, a beautiful relic of the British Empire, stands on a point of land near the ruins of Portuguese and Dutch forts. Site open, tower reported open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-019; Admiralty F0712; NGA 27504.

*** Kovilthottam (2) 1962 (station established 1953). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 5 s. 15 m (49 ft) square masonry tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. DGLL has a larger photo, and D.M. Brennan has a distant view. Kovilthottam is a small port near Chavara, about 15 km (9 mi) north of Kollam. Accessible by road. Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-096; Admiralty F0710; NGA 27512. *** Alleppey (Alappuzha) 1862. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 15 s. 28 m (92 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. John Alex has a good photo, a good 2007 photo and another photo are available, DGLL also has a larger photo, and Google has a satellite view. This historic lighthouse has a rare teak spiral stairway. It was painted all white for many years; the red bands were added in 2000. Located just of the beach in Alleppey (now usually called Alappuzha). Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-081; Admiralty F0706; NGA 27516. * Manakkodam (Manaccur) 1979. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 34 m (112 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower, lower half skeletal and upper half enclosed, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof painted red. John Alex has a good photo, DGLL has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse originally had red bands, but fishermen complained it could be confused with the Cochin Light, so the color patterns of the Alleppey Light and this tower were exchanged in 2000. The lighthouse marks the entrance of a new harbor created by cutting an inlet through a barrier beach to a backwater lagoon. Located inside the inlet, about 12 km (7.5 mi) northwest of Shertalai. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-099; Admiralty F0705; NGA 27520. * Cochin (Kochi, Vypin) (4) 1979 (station established 1839). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 46 m (151 ft) 8-ribbed, double-shell concrete tower with lantern and double gallery. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. The DGLL photo appears at right, Sasheer Raj has a 2008 photo, Prashobh Balakrishnan has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. The British built the port of Cochin in the 1830s. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1920, and then in 1936 the light was moved to a 25 m (82 ft) steel skeletal tower. All these lights proved inadequate as landfall lights for the port, leading to the construction of the present lighthouse. Located on Vypin Island north of the harbor entrance; the island is accessible by ferry. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-083; Admiralty F0698; NGA 27528. * Azhikode (Periyar River) 1982. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower, lower half skeletal and upper half enclosed, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern roof painted red. DGLL has a larger photo. The lighthouse replaced a small light at the mouth of the Periyar River. Located 8 km (5 mi) west of Kodungallur and 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the river entrance. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-075; Admiralty F0694.5; NGA 27560.

Cochin Light, 2009 photo copyright John Alex; used by permission

Northern Kerala Lighthouses

* Chetwai 1986. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. John Alex has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse has a design common to many modern Indian light towers. Located just off the beach south of Chavakkad. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-082; Admiralty F0693; NGA 27564. * Ponnani (3) 1983 (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 15 s. 30 m (98 ft) 12-sided concrete tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands. A good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The original light, on a mast, was replaced by a skeletal tower in 1948. Located on the outskirts of Ponnani, just south of the Bharathpuzha river entrance. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-108; Admiralty F0692; NGA 27632. * Beypore 1977. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 30 m (98 ft) hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A good photo is available, DGLL has a photo, John Alex has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located behind the beach and south of a river entrance at Chaliyam, 5 km (3 mi) south of Beypore and about 15 km (9 mi) south of Kozhikode (Calicut). Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-076; Admiralty F0689; NGA 27636. * Kozhikode (Calicut) 1907 (station established 1847). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. John Alex's photo is at right, and Sasheer Raj also has a 2008 photo. Calicut, now called Kozhikode, is the place where Vasco da Gama landed in India in 1498, inaugurating India's contact with western Europe. Interestingly, the original lighthouse was taller at 33 m (108 ft). Located near the waterfront in Kozhikode. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-097; Admiralty F0686; NGA 27640.

Calicut Light, September 2008 photo copyright John Alex; used by permission

* Kadalur Point (Thikkoti, Sacrifice Rock)

1909. Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); white flash every 5 s. 35 m (115 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with one black horizontal band; lantern dome painted red. The lighthouse marks dangerous offshore shoals and a rocky reef called Velliyamkallu or Sacrifice Rock. Located on a low promontory 6 km (3.8 mi) northwest of Quilandi near the village of Thikkoti. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-013; Admiralty F0682; NGA 27652.

* Tellicherry (Thalassery) 1835. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); three white flashes every 9 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern dome painted red. Eric Lord has an excellent 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is one of the oldest British lighthouses still active in India. It stands within a fort built in 1708 by the British East India Company (not by the Portuguese, as the DGLL page suggests). Located in Thalassery, as Tellicherry is now called. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-116; Admiralty F0674; NGA 27664. * Cannanore (Kannur) (3) 1976 (station established 1903). Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 10 s. 23 m (75 ft) round concrete tower with gallery and a small lantern, painted red with one white horizontal band. Sanand Karunakaran's photo is at right, Mohamed Salim has a good closeup photo, DGLL has another photo, and Google has a satellite view. The first Cannanore lighthouses were at Fort St. Angelo, an early 16th century Portuguese fort. Lanterns were shown from the fort walls as early as 1843. A permanent light was mounted on a pedestal on the walls of the fort in 1903 and moved to a steel mast in 1939. The modern lighthouse is not at the fort, however. Located on a rocky promontory about 2 km (1.25 mi) northwest of Kannur harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-079; Admiralty F0672; NGA 27668. Mount Dilli (Kotte Kunnu) 1979. Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 17 m (56 ft) triangular cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, painted white red and white horizontal bands. The lighthouse is built on a very prominent headland called Kotte Kunnu or Mount Dilli. It's surprising there was no lighthouse built earlier at this location, where the British lighthouse engineer Alan Stevenson had recommended one in 1926. The lighthouse was formerly a tourist attraction, but the area has been acquired by the federal government for construction of a naval academy and is now closed. Located on the headland on the west side of the harbor of Azhikal. Site and tower closed. ARLHS IND-102; Admiralty F0679.5; NGA 27676. * Kasaragod 1984. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. DGLL has a better photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located just behind the beach at Kasaragod, the northernmost city of Kerala. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-090; Admiralty F0668.5; NGA 27680.

Kannur Light, October 2006 Creative Commons photo by Sanand Karunakaran

Karnataka Lighthouses

* Mangalore 18th century, said to have been built by Sultan Haidar Ali; if so, it dates from around 1780. Inactive. Masonry tower with a square lantern structure, mounted on a square base. Godwin Castelino has a photo, and Klaus Huelse has a historic postcard view. We need more information on the history of this interesting tower; very little seems to be known about it. There exist historic images from around 1900 that show a conventional lantern room atop the tower. Located atop Light House Hill above the business district of Mangalore, the principal port of Karnataka. Site open, tower closed. Mangalore Harbour 1903 (station established 1843). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white flash every 3 s. 11 m (36 ft) round masonry tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands. A distant view probably shows the lighthouse. Located on the south side of the harbor entrance at Mangalore. Site status unknown. ARLHS IND-100; Admiralty F0668; NGA 27684. New Mangalore Range Front Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); quick-flashing white light. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical white concrete tower. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located midway on the north breakwater of Mangalore's modern harbor, about 7 km (4.5 mi) north of the traditional harbor. Site and tower closed. Admiralty F0666; NGA 27688. * Suratkal (Suratkal Point) 1972. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); white flash every 10 s. 36 m (118 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. 2-story keeper's house adjacent or attached to the lighthouse. DGLL has a closeup photo, another good photo is available, P. Bachodi has a distant photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse functions as the landfall light for Mangalore; it stands by a very popular beach. Located off the beach about 8 km (5 mi) north of Suratkal and 18 km (11 mi) north of Mangalore. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-114; Admiralty F0660; NGA 27700. ** Kaup (Kap, Udipi) 1901. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 27 m (89 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. A photo is at right, and a sunset photo shows Kapu Beach with the lighthouse in the distance. Vikas Moodbidri has a closeup, a second closeup is also available, Klaus Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This is easily the best known lighthouse of Karnataka. Located on a low but rocky promontory interrupting a lengthy beach about 16 km (10 mi) south of Udupi. Site open, tower open but we do not know the schedule. ARLHS IND-091; Admiralty F0658; NGA 27704.

Kaup Light, December 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Malpe (Lighthouse Island) (2)

Date unknown (station established 1900). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white flash every 3 s. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Two 1-story keeper's houses. No closeup photo available, but Google has a satellite view. There is a distant view and also a very distant view of the island in which the tower can just be seen. The original lighthouse had a focal plane height of 19.5 m (64 ft). Located atop an island southwest of the entrance to the harbor of Malpe. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IND-098; Admiralty F0655; NGA 27708.

** Bhatkal (3)

1959 (station established 1891). Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 14 m (46 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. DGLL has a photo in which the lighthouse is painted with red and white horizontal bands, but Suruchi Dumpawar's October 2007 photo shows it all white. Google has a satellite view. The original stone post light was replaced by a masonry tower in 1936. Located on a promontory on the west side of the entrance to the Bhatkal River at Bhatkal. Site open, tower open but we do not know the schedule. ARLHS IND-077; Admiralty F0648; NGA 27724.

Tadri (2)

Date unknown (station established 1891). Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical stone tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. The original light was on a mast. Located atop a promontory on the northwest side of the entrance to the harbor of Tadri. Site status unknown, although the light appears to be accessible by a dirt road. Admiralty F0638; NGA 27744.

Oyster Rocks

1864. Active; focal plane 63 m (207 ft); white flash every 10 s. 19 m (62 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted red with one white horizontal band; lantern painted white with a red dome. 2° Fresnel lens. DGLL has a photo of this historic British lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The Oyster Rocks are the westernmost of several reefs and islets protecting the harbor of Karwar, which has the only naturally protected anchorage between Bombay and Cochin. The Indian Navy has a major base at Karwar. Located about 8 km (5 mi) west southwest of the Karwar waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS IND-105; Admiralty F0634; NGA 27756.

Goa Lighthouses
Note: Goa, the principal territory of the former Portuguese India, remained under Portuguese control until it was captured by Indian troops in 1961. In 1987 it became the 25th state of the Indian union.
St. George Island (Ilha de São Jorge) (2)

1977 (station established 1956). Active; focal plane 93 m (305 ft); four flashes every 20 s, white or red depending on direction. 16 m (52 ft) slender round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery and an external stairway spiralling around the tower. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands. DGLL has a larger photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was on a skeletal tower. Located on an island (Ilha de São Jorge) about 8 km (5 mi) south southwest of Marmagoa. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS IND-112; Admiralty F0628; NGA 27768.

* Marmagoa Breakwater

Date unknown (station established 1900). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); one long (1.5 s) flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 23 m 2-stage tower: the lower half is a hexagonal concrete or masonry tower with gallery, painted all white; the upper half is an hourglass-shaped fiberglass (?) tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. It's very likely that the lower stage is the original 1900 tower. Located at the north end of the breakwater at Marmagoa; apparently accessible by walking the breakwater; there should also be a good view from the ferry between Panaji and Marmagoa. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-101; Admiralty F0622; NGA 27760.

* Panaji Range Front

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white flash every 3 s. 22 m (72 ft) round cylindrical concrete or masonry tower, painted white. Mira Rithalia has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is the front light of the entrance range for Panaji, the principal port of Goa. Located on the south bank of the Mandovi River in front of the Kala Academy. Site probably open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-106; Admiralty F0610; NGA 27780.

* Fort Aguada (Goa) (Range Front) 1864. Inactive. 13 m (43 ft) round old-style stone tower, incorporating keeper's quarters, with lantern and gallery, painted white. This wonderful old building was in service as recently as the 1970s, but by 2005 it was abandoned and deteriorating. In late 2005 and early 2006 the exterior of the lighthouse was patched and painted white, as seen in a March 2006 photo. This was an improvement, but Vineeth K. Bhat's May 2007 photo shows the lighthouse quickly reverting to its weathered appearance. Early in 2008 the lighthouse was once again patched and painted, as seen in Rahul Ganguly's photo at right. The two lighthouses of Fort Aguada were paired as a range during the early 20th century. Located in Fort Aguada, an early 16th century fortification, about 10 km (6 mi) west of Panaji. Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Fort Aguada (Goa) (Range Rear) (2) Date unknown (station established 1902). Active; focal plane 85 m (279 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 21 m (69 ft) square concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof painted red. A fine 2007 closeup photo and a more distant view are available, and DGLL has a page for the lighthouse and a larger closeup. Apparently this light was built originally as the rear light of a range, with the old lighthouse (previous entry) as the front light. It is not known when the range was discontinued. Located a short distance west of Fort Aguada; Google has a satellite view showing both lighthouses. Site and tower closed, although the lighthouse can be viewed easily from the fort. ARLHS IND-069; Admiralty F0606; NGA 27772. Aguada Point Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (86 ft); red flash every 3 s. 12 m (39 ft) round stone tower with gallery; lantern removed. Tower painted white. Victoria Bensley has a closeup photo, and a panoramic photo shows this lighthouse on the point and the two Fort Aguada (Goa) lighthouses above. Located on the point below Fort Aguada, at the northern entrance to the Mandovi estuary and Panaji harbor. The tower is hard to spot in the center of a Google satellite view. Site status unknown. ARLHS IND-070; Admiralty F0607; NGA 27776.

1864 Fort Aguada Light, May 2008 Creative Commons photo by Rahul Ganguly

Southern Maharashtra Lighthouses
Note: This area is the very scenic Konkan Coast, backed by the mountains known as the Western Ghats. Many areas of this coast are rarely visited and lack tourist facilities, so information on these lighthouses is needed.
* Vengurla Point (3)

1968 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane 82 m (269 ft); red flash every 5 s.13 m (43 ft) hexagonal cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. DGLL's page has an incorrect photo, but elsewhere DGLL has a photo of Jadye Vivek has a closeup photo, a distant photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located atop a seaside bluff at Vengurla. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-120; Admiralty F0600; NGA 27800.

Vengurla Rocks (2)

1890 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 21 m (69 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. DGLL has a larger photo. The Vengurla Rocks are bare rocks best known as a breeding site for a rare bird, the Indian swiftlet. The original lighthouse was described as a white tower on a square building, with a focal plane height of 40 m (131 ft). Located in the Arabian Sea about 11 km (7 mi) off the coast and 20 km (13 mi) west northwest of Vengurla. Accessible only by boat; it may be possible to arrange transportation from Vengurla. Site and tower closed. ARLHS IND-009; Admiralty F0598; NGA 27804.

* Devgarh (Davgarh) (2)

1958 (station established 1915). Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); four white flashes every 23 s. 11 m (36 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. DGLL has a larger photo, Kothanda Srinivasan also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is built within the walls of a ruined early 18th century fortress. Located on a promontory at south side of the harbor entrance at Devgarh. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-084; Admiralty F0590; NGA 27828.

Ragapur (Wajapur, Tarapur) Point (2)

1958 (station established 1873). Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); white flash every 15 s. 23 m (75 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete keeper's cottage. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. DGLL has a larger photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the point at the south side of the entrance to Rajapur Bay, about 45 km (28 mi) west of Rajapur. An unpaved cart track leads to the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-122; Admiralty F0586; NGA 27840.

** Ratnagiri (Rathnagiri) (3)

1965 (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 102 m (335 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. DGLL has a larger photo, Karishma Pais has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse, a 10 m (33 ft) masonry tower, was replaced by a skeletal tower in 1940. The lighthouse is within the walls of Ratnagiri Fort. Located on heights on the south side of the harbor at Ratnagiri. Accessible by road. Site open, and one tourist site mentions that the lighthouse is open on a limited basis (no details available). ARLHS IND-110; Admiralty F0580; NGA 27856.

*** Jaigarh (Jaigarh Head, Karateshwar) (3) 1933 (station established 1896). Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 22 m (72 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Several 1-story keeper's houses. DGLL has a larger photo, and Google has a good satellite view. The original light, mounted on a bastion of Jaigarh Fort, was replaced by a skeletal tower in 1899. Nilesh Korgaonkar has an account of a visit to the lighthouse in 1998; he found the lighthouse was not automated and keepers were still winding the clockwork rotating mechanism by hand. Located on a promontory about 50 km (30 mi) south of Guhagar. Site open, tower open in late afternoons daily except Sundays. ARLHS IND-087; Admiralty F0578; NGA 27868. * Tolkeshwar Point (Dabhol) (3) 1958 (station established 1880). Active; focal plane 104 m (341 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. Frank Finnie contributed the lovely view at right, DGLL has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original cast iron post light was replaced by a short masonry tower in 1934. Nilesh Korgaonkar reports on a 1998 visit. Located on a high promontory near Dabhol, about 20 km (13 mi) north northwest of Guhagar. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS IND-117; Admiralty F0566; NGA 27888.

Tolkeshwar Point Light, September 2006 photo copyright Frank Finnie; used by permission

* Harnai Promontory (Dapoli)

1912. Actve; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower with gallery; the lantern has been replaced by a light on a short mast. The lighthouse was formerly painted white, but in photos it seems most of the paint has weathered off. Konkaninfo.com has a closeup photo, a distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located atop a small island, connected to the mainland by a causeway, on the north side of the harbor entrance at Dapoli. Site probably open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-086; Admiralty F0564; NGA 27904.

Nanvell (Nanwell) Point (Rajpuri Point)

1964 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 66 m (217 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 19 m (62 ft) octagonal masonry tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. DGLL has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was a 10.5 m (34 ft) white tower. In 1998 Nilesh Korgaonkar had a long hike from Nanvell to reach the lighthouse, where he had tea with the keepers. Located on a promontory at the southern entrance to the Rajpuri Creek estuary, about 80 km (50 mi) west of Mangaon. Site open but difficult to reach, tower may be open by arrangement with the keepers. ARLHS IND-104; Admiralty F0562; NGA 27908.

Northern Maharashtra and Mumbai (Bombay) Area Lighthouses
Note: Mumbai (formerly called Bombay) is India's greatest port and most populous city. The historic and central portion of the city is located on Salsette Island, which is separated from the mainland by the city's harbor, an estuary called Thane Creek.
* Chaul (Korlai Fort)

1955. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 3 s. 16 m (52 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Tower painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. DGLL has a larger photo, Mithila Rane has a photo, Vinit Maheshwari has a 2007 photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Ruins of the early 16th century Korlai fort, built in a successful campaign to expel the Portuguese from Chaul, are on the hill above the lighthouse; a long stairway connects the fort and the light station. Located on a promontory on the north side of the entrance to Chaul, about 18 km (11 mi) south of Alibag and 40 km (25 mi) south of the Mumbai (Bombay) metropolitan area. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-081; Admiralty F0568; NGA 27928.

Chaul Kadu Reefs

1870. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red flash every 3 s. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with gallery, painted white. Lantern removed. In front of the lighthouse is a prow-shaped masonry wall meant to break the force of any waves that might reach the tower. DGLL has a closeup photo. The lighthouse was built with a refuge room to shelter shipwrecked sailors. Located about 5 km (3 mi) offshore and about 10 km (6 mi) southwest of Alibag. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS IND-001; Admiralty F0557.6; NGA 27924.

Khanhoji Angre (Khanderi Island, Kennery Island)

1867. Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white or red depending on direction. 15 m (49 ft) octagonal cut stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. 1° Fresnel lens in use. The tower is unpainted; lantern painted white; lantern roof is gray metallic. NGA lists this tower at a height of 31 m (100 ft), but a photo shows a much shorter tower. A closeup shows that an enclosed observation room has been built on the gallery. Khanderi Island is also the site of a 17th century fort. The island is managed by the Mumbai Port Trust, which restricts entry to a few guided tours. The lighthouse has been renamed for Khanhoji Angre, an early 18th century Maratha admiral who used the island as a base to attack British and Portuguese ships along the west coast of India. Located about 6 km (4.5 mi) offshore and 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Alibag; Google has a satellite view. Site and tower generally closed. Operator/site manager: Mumbai Port Trust. ARLHS IND-093; Admiralty F0556; NGA 27936.

Prongs Reef (Colaba Point)

1874 (lightship station established 1842). Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); white flash every 10 s. 44 m (144 ft) round tapered stone tower with lantern and two galleries, mounted on a stone pier. 1° Fresnel lens in use. The tower is painted in three horizontal bands, red, white, and black respectively. Babul Bhatt has a distant 2008 photo, Google has a good satellite view, and Klaus Huelse has a historic postcard image. This historic offshore lighthouse marks the entrance to Mumbai Harbour. It is one of the few offshore lighthouses in the world still staffed. In its early days, it was one of the few lighthouses equipped with a cannon to repel pirates. Located about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) south of Colaba Point, the southernmost point of Salsette Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Mumbai Port Trust. ARLHS IND-007; Admiralty F0514; NGA 27952.

Sunk Rock

1884. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white along the channel and red in other directions. 22 m (72 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a stone pier. Tower painted in a red and yellow checkerboard pattern; lantern and gallery painted white. Another excellent photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Swimming races are held between the lighthouse and the Gateway of India, a famous landmark on the Mumbai waterfront. Located about 2.5 km southeast of the Gateway to India. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Mumbai Port Trust. ARLHS IND-008; Admiralty F0516; NGA 27956.

Dolphin Rock

1850. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); four flashes every 20 s, white to the east northeast and red in other directions. 13 m (43 ft) round stone tower topped by a circular keeper's house, lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted; keeper's house and lantern painted white. An October 2005 photo shows the lighthouse in apparently good condition, but a July 2007 photo shows the lantern removed. Located about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) north of the Sunk Rock Light in Mumbai Harbour; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Mumbai Port Trust. ARLHS IND-002; Admiralty F0520; NGA 27968.

Tucker (Tucker Patch) 1908. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 2 s off. 21 m (69 ft) two-stage tower; the lower half is an octagonal cylindrical masonry tower with gallery, painted red; the upper half (added later) is a square skeletal tower, painted white. Shiva M. Misra has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock in Mumbai Harbour about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Dolphin Rock. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Mumbai Port Trust. Admiralty F0546; NGA 28004. * Uttan 1960. Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. Approx. 17 m (56 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. DGLL has a larger photo, Google has a satellite view. Located near the northwestern point of Salsette Island, about 50 km (30 mi) north of Mumbai. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-119; Admiralty F0499; NGA 28060. * Arnala (4) 1996 (station established 1860). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); three flashes every 15 s, white or red depending on direction. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower with double gallery, painted white. The original light on a mast was replaced by skeletal towers in 1907 and again in 1967. The present lighthouse is twice the height of the 1967 light it replaced. Located in Arnala, a fishing port about 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Vasai. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-074; Admiralty F0494; NGA 28068. Tarapur (Tarapur Point) 1961. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 23 m (75 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal black and white bands; lantern roof painted red. DGLL has a larger photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory about 6 km (4 mi) southwest of Tarapur. Accessible by a walk of 1 km (0.6 mi) from the nearest road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-115; Admiralty F0491.5; NGA 28084. ** Umergaon (Umergam, Umbergaon) 1979. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 15 s. 30 m (98 ft) triangular cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands. DGLL's photo is at right, Pavan Rao has another photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Umergaon Beach is a popular resort, and several web sites mention the possibility of climbing the lighthouse. Located off the beach at Umergaon. Site open, tower reported open. ARLHS IND-118; Admiralty F0489; NGA 28092.

Umergaon (Umbergam) Light; DGLL photo

Information available on lost lighthouses:

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Posted January 30, 2006. Checked and revised August 26, 2008. Lighthouses: 51. Site copyright 2008 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.