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A Week in Konkan (India)

Konkan is the western coast strip of Maharashtra, a state of India. It is bordered by Arabian Sea on the west and Sahyadri Mountains on the east. This rain bathed region is perennially lush green and perilously mountainous. This coastal belt is famous for seafood, gorgeous un-spoilt beaches and temples. Actually, temples are central to life in Konkan. Not surprisingly then, some of the most revered and most visited temples in Maharashtra are in this region. I travelled the entire length of Konkan with friends Nikhil and Sanket and their wives. 

Day 1: Pali Ganapati.

We started our foray into Konkan from Mumbai by road. Our first stop was at the town of Pali, famous for Pali Ganapati – one of the eight most pious Ganapati’s in Maharashtra. Pali’s temple is a large stone structure, heavy wooden carved doors all surrounded by modern concrete walls. It is thankfully not a commercialized as similar temples in Mumbai and on the day we visited it wasn’t crowded either. So, we had a good look around and enough time to pray.

Next we stopped at hot water springs right next to Pali where locals have built a bath house around the springs. Smell of Sulphur is unmistakable. The rest of the day was spent travelling to Harihareshwar.

Amazing food was the undertone of this trip. Tonight we ate at hotel ‘Open Umbrella’ in the town of Mangaon. High highly recommended – komdi vade.

Day 2: Harihareshwar

Things hadn’t gone according to plan on Day 1 and when we should have been travelling to Ganapatipule, out next stop, we were just starting for Harihareshwar temple. This temple is called, “Kashi of the South”. Kashi is the most venerated in India. Interesting Fact #1: The idol of Lord Shiva, the deity this temple is dedicated to, is down a narrow hole in the ground. Fact #2: Unlike, most temples, where a walk around the temple, pradakshina as it’s called, is just that. However, at Harihareshwar,  it is 2 mile long hike along a path that goes up a hill, then descends on the other side into a treacherously rocky beach, infamous for washing a few people every year. The rough sea has created amazing rock formations here, many of which look like yeti’s foot. One such formation is revered as being Vishnu’s foot. This temple is definitely one of the most unique ones I have visited.

Next we visited the beach at Srivardhan: a clam, private, non-commercial beach. As peaceful as this beach was, we were short on time and had to get on the road towards Ganapatipule.

Day 3: Ganapatipule/Tarkarli

Early morning at Ganapatipule, we went for long walk on the beach. The beach itself is pristine but a shade dangerous as the sea has a strong current. At one end of the beach is a gorgeous view of an inlet from the sea. Post breakfast we walked across the road to Ganapati Pule Temple. I had heard a lot about the temple and it didn’t disappoint. It’s pious, well maintained and it being beach front is an added benefit. We spent enough time here before heading towards our final destination on Konkan Strip, Tarkarli.

Tarkarli: Now this is what I am talking about!! We reached our hotel in the afternoon and headed straight for the water. This was supposed to be a coastal trip, a lot of water, a lot of swimming. Unfortunately, due to the delay on day 1, today was the first time we entered water….but we weren’t thinking of that right now, the warm waters of Konkan that taunted us for the past 3 days, were all too soothing.

Tarkarli is an amazing place to be:  the beach is serene, lined with thick trees, the sand is white and so fine (no exaggeration), water is calm, even 30 feet into the sea the water is only waist deep and a view of Fort Sindhudurga in the distance is icing on cake. Only if the waters off India’s coast were as blue as that in Hawaii, this place would have been something else. But what it lacks in water quality, it more than makes up for with laid back village life and famous Malvani food…oh the food!! Forget Goa, go Tarkarli!

That evening we had dinner at a local eatery – notice I didn’t call it a restaurant – the owner cooks for herself and her customers in the same kitchen! If you know what I am talking about, we had yum-yum homemade sea food prepared in authentic Malvani spices! The trip seemed to have only just begun. After dinner we sat by the sea in total darkness; just the sound of the waves crashing few feet from us.

Day 4: Tarkarli

Agenda 1: Visit Sindhudurga: We drove into city of Malvan, and took a ferry across the sea and to the fort. For the next 1 hour a tour guide walked us through the fort’s defenses, retelling ancient legends and stories of Shivaji Maharaj’s heroics at the fort. The fort design is immaculate – from the hideaway main entry way, the slight slope that prevents waters from entering the fort during high tide, a secret passage way that goes under the sea to the neighboring village, hidden sunken rocks to break the hull of an attacking ship - evidence of Shivaji’s clever defenses are everywhere. Unfortunately, just like many other forts, this fort too is in ruins. Besides, the strong outer-wall protecting the fort and temple dedicated to the Shivaji nothing else remains. If only Indian Governments didn’t show such apathy towards the forts and their heritage, site such as this one could have been so much more popular. Now I wasn’t expecting a gift shop or anything but I was hoping to find some souvenir of Sindhudurga here, but didn’t find anything of note.  Forts, such as this, deserve better.

Currently, the second most popular thing to do at Sindhudurga is snorkeling. We didn’t, since based on accounts of people who have, the water isn’t ‘clear’.

Agenda 2: Soak up Tarkali Beach….literally.

Agenda 3: Tarkarli Backwaters: Although, named after Kerala’s natural wonder, Tarkarli’s thrid most famous attraction is a far cry from it. Still it’s worth a look if you have an evening to give. The most unexpected of experiences happened here – we set out in the bay during low tide. As the water receded so an island emerged from the Sea, at the point where the sea moves inlands. Our boat driver was kind enough to dock at this island and let us walk about on this barren, slight moist to touch but surreally beautiful island. On one side, the west side, the sea was misty orange with the Sun setting in it, North was the Tarkarli Beach, East, was blocked by a mountain ridge and South was the backwaters we had treaded to get to the island.

We wanted to wait for the Sun to set all the way but the tide swelled faster than we expected and we had to ‘evacuate’. Not long after we got back into the boat, half the island was under water. It was an amazing experience. Next we had another terrific dinner at Gurudev, ate till we could eat no more and then spent some quite time by the beach at night.

Day 5: Kolhapur and Back to Mumbai

Last day of our trip but we had a long distance to cover. We reached Tarkarli via the long and winding way of Mumbai-Goa Highway but we returned via the Mumbai-Kolhapur highway – a flatter, faster highway. On the way was of course, Kolhapur but that was after we made an unexpected halt at ‘Gagangiri Maharaj’s Ashram at Gagan Bavda’. Not much of note here if you are a visitor except an ashram perched high on a mountain peak providing amazing views of valley below. If, however, one is a devotee, this is a revered place. Our stop was brief. Next stop – Kolhapur.

Kolhapur is most famous for: Mahalakshmi temple, spicy curries and its iconic kolhapuri chappal. We weren’t hungry so we skipped the curries, much to my anguish, but instead I loaded up on fresh sugarcane juice – oh yes, Kolhapur is famous for large scale sugar factories – hence sugar cane.

Mahalakshmi temple is actually a large campus with smaller temples devoted to many deities.  I was surprised to see a temple of ‘Subramanyam’ here. It’s a deity typically revered in the southern India and only men are allowed to pray to it. Bad luck besets women who pray at his altar. The entire temple campus is hundreds of years old and made from black igneous rock, the carvings on which are just breath taking. On the inside though, this thick black rock gives the temple an ominous look but that is in extreme contract to the Mahalakshmi’s altar which is brightly light and glittering with the gold ornaments used to decorate the goddess. Luckily, we were able to spend enough time inside..

Next we visited the ‘Old Palace’ of Shahu Maharaj, a decendent of Shivaji Maharaj who made Kolhapur his capital and made the Mahalakshmi temple what it is today. The palace is aging and crumbling but this lack of restoration shows the original untampered side of the palace. Entrance is free and its worth a look.

Later we shopped for Kolhapuri chappals and then uneventfully sped back towards Mumbai.