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Ganpatipule is regarded as one of the most important
beaches of Mahrashtra with its clear and pristine waters
and beach covered with fresh greeneries. Fine, sifted,
silver sands and a gentle lapping sea, which soothes
frayed nerves, are features of this beach, which is
regarded as a beautiful seaside resort of today, especially
for families in Maharashtra.
The town possesses a pastoral beauty untouched by commercialisation.
The roadside sceneries on the way to Ganapatipule are
captivating with narrow roads, red soil, roofed houses,
clean courtyards, innumerable fruit bearing trees and
casuarinas lining.
An ancient pilgrim center, Ganpatipule is one of the
‘Ashta Ganapatis’ (eight Ganpatis) of India
and called the ‘Paschim Dwar-Dewata’ (Western
Sentinel God), and has a lot to offer to tourists who
seek to unearth the treasures of this small, yet captivating
town.
Swayambhu Ganapati: The temple of the ‘Swayambhu
Ganapati’ is known for its unique idol of Lord
Ganapati and the magnificient temple structure itself.
The name of this temple arose from the words, ‘Swayambhu’
meaning self originated, and ‘Ganapati’
meaning the lord of ‘ganas’ or army. The
temple is 400 years old and is at the foot of a hillock.
Most piligrims believe in taking a 'pradakshina' around
the hill instead of just the temple.
Thebaw Palace: Constructed in 1910-11, the Thebaw Palace
was built for the exiled king and queen of Burma (now
Mayanmar). They lived in this palace from 1911 till
their death in 1916. The five years of their stay are
now immortalised in the form of their tombs, made with
stone.
Malgund: Malgund is a small peaceful village, situated
about one km away from Ganapatipule. It is the birthplace
of the famous Marathi poet, Keshavsoot. The poet's house
has been renovated and converted into a students’
hostel. The Marathi Sahitya Parishad (Marathi Literature
Society) has constructed a beautiful monument called
Keshavesoot Smarak in the memory of this great poet.
Jaigarh Fort: Nestled on a cliff at the entrance of
the Sangameshwar river and 35kms from Ganapatipule,
is the Jaigarh Fort. This 17th century fort offers a
commanding view of the sea.
Shopping: Ganpatipule is blessed with some of the finest
horticultural fruits and offers a variety of local preprations
like ‘ambapoli’ (thin pancakes of dried
and crushed mango), ‘phanspoli’ (thin pancakes
of dried and crushed jack fruit), cashewnuts, coconuts
etc. The most famous variety of mangoes in the world
- the devgad ‘hapus’ mangoes, are also available
here.
Seasons to visit:
The climate of Ganpatipule is moist and humid in the
summers, but healthy and devoid of pollution. Thus,
the best season to visit the town is winters when the
temperatures drop and it becomes pleasant.
Getting there:
Air: The nearest airport is Ratnagiri, 50 kms away.
Rail: The nearest railhead is Ratnagiri, 50 kms away,
on the Konkan railway.
Road: Ganapatipule is well connected by road to Mumbai
(375 kms), Pune (331 kms) and Kohlapur (144 kms).
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