Karwar

Karwar is a harbour on the Kanara coast near the mouth of the Kali River. Its sheltered inlet linked the Arabian Sea with routes through the Western Ghats to inland markets such as Hubli. Pepper from the hills of Sonda, cardamom and cotton cloth passed through the port, attracting merchants from Arabia and beyond. Under Bijapur, Karwar became one of the most important ports on the western coast.

In 1638 the English Courteen Association established a trading house at nearby Kadwad, later incorporated into the East India Company’s network. The English bought and sold cloth and spices in a trade connecting the coast with weaving centres on the plateau. Shivaji raided Karwar in 1665 and the Marathas later gained influence in the area. On the northern bank of the Kali, the rulers of Sonda built Sadashivgad fort in 1715, adding another stronghold to a coast contested by regional rulers and European merchants.