Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri (March 2-4, 2012)

Every birthday ends up either by going to office, if it is a weekday or at home if it is a Sunday / holiday...Fortunately/unfortunately, if not any other day, but on birthday I end up reminiscing on my past ...Result: : no significant achievement which I could boast of .....This year, I made it a point  that I will visit one religious place within India on my birthday...Since any good / new work starts with praying to Lord Ganesha, I started my first religious visit by going to Ganpatipule....

It was an overnite journey by ST bus. Reached Malgund around 7.30am......One of my friend Mr. Shailesh Salgaonkar, suggested me to stay at Malgund instead of at MTDC resort in Ganpatipule. This place is 2 kms away from Ganpatipule. I was hesitant at first, since I was travelling alone and the place also was new to me. However, i decided to give it a try...I was in for surprise, I realised, I had taken a very wise decision by heeding his advice. (Generally i listen to people but dont follow them or their advice)...First instance, I fell in love with the place.....It was a small village....with trees on both sides of the road....The place was very calm.....

First Spot: Keshavesut Smarak:

This is a place of a very famous marathi poet Keshavsut...This place is now being used as a hostel and a public library. This library stacks approx. 25000 books and has been awarded as the best public library. 

Second Spot: Omkareshwar temple: This temple is located slightly away from the residential area.Nearby there was nothing except farms. Not a single person could be sighted near the temple. I was bit scared to sit in the temple. However, thought I shdnt be scared since it was a temple. God is there with me...Sat for sometime...Place was so serene that i could hear the sound of the wind....Felt too good.....I could actually feel positive vibrations all over the place. 


Third spot: Someshwar temple: Locations and the atmosphere was very similar. This temple had a nice sitting place outside the temple...temple was made up of wood. Temple was locked but could see the diety from outside. Could hear the woodpecker's call. This place was also lonely. Not a single person was in sight. Was thinking If God happens to pass by, I would be the only one to get all the wishes granted!!!!!!!!

Liked the place so much, that i was completely engrossed in reading prayers. Decision of coming to this place was worth it!!


Fourth spot: Ram mandir: This temple was one of the oldest temple. It had a huge place. Students come here for study. 


Fifth Spot: Vitthal Mandir: Same calmness. temple was not locked. opened it sans making any noise...Noticed that there was no daan peti....


Sixth Spot: Hanuman mandir:  This temple was also closed. However they had put Hanuman mantra on the record. finally some sound!!!!!


Had a lovely lunch at SWAD... Ambiance and food was tooooooooo good....liked the restaurant very much. 

Visited Prachin konkan. They had depicted the old konkan through mud images....


Ganpatipule Temple:  Walked from Prachin konkan place to Ganpatipule. It was almost 1 and 1/2 kms. Walking in these places is not at all tiring. You feel like just walking...cool air and less pollution.....Temple is situated at the banks of the beach. pradakshina is 1km. one has to walk around the temple. After Ganpati darshan, sat a the beach. Sunset was tooooooo good. Enjoyed this visit very very much.....


Next day: Birthday...early morning went to malgund beach...On the way, met many female farmers.... aksed them where they were going...was sure they were not going to the beach....they said they were working at the farms...There is this particular seed called "kulit"  which is a local food. these seeds have to be removed before sunrise...could hear the sound of the waves. beach was clean and hardly 5 - 6 people were on the beach....had a lovely walk along the beach. watched the sunrise...suddenly remembered that i forgot to carry my camera...was cursing myself....(when i told this to my brother, he said but Tai u had mobile with you.!!!!)....missed capturing sunrise pictures....however they were captured with my eyes....while returning took a shortcut..crossed from the farms...had a lovely breakfast....

Visited Ganpatipule mandir to get blessings on my birthday.......sat for few minutes....this was one of my best celebrated birthday...praying at Ganpatipule.........

Ganpatipule temple

Since Velneshwar temple is famous for Shiva's temple, everywhere you will find images of the snakes..it is said that snake actually visits on Shivaratri day.....Since I had gone on other, I could not witness the visit of the snake..Had this wish of seeing actual snake since had heard that there were many in the village...when i was returning back from Karateshwar mandir, i actually got to see a snake crossing the road.......

Shri Swami Samarth

Later on, visited Hidvi, Velneshwar, Jaigad fort, Karateshwar mandir, Swami Samarth math and finally lighthouse....