My TripAdvisor Review No.126: Jaigad Fort, District Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.

“The Fort is in Ruins, but it's Worth a Visit.”

Reviewed 24 September 2015 NEW

The Jaigad Fort is about 20 km north of Ganpatipule on the coastal road. The drive along the Arabian Sea is very scenic and beautiful. We passed a couple of quaint fishing villages, and the huge industrial estate and township of JSW Energy, till we arrived at a dead end after the Jaigad village.

The Fort is right at the edge of a cliff overlooking the estuary of the Shastri River flowing into the Arabian Sea. The place was deserted, but as you enter between the bastions guarding the gate you get the aura of the erstwhile majesty of this fort. There were some steep steps leading up to the ramparts. I climbed up and walked along the wall for a while, feeling like a Maratha King. There was not a soul in sight, but the view was awesome, stretching over the sea to the horizon. But when I looked backwards the sights were not so beautiful, because then I could only see a tall chimney and an ugly industrial township. The Jaigad port and jetty were to my right.

There is a small temple in the centre of the fort. Due to the rains the floor of the fort was carpeted with green grass. The whole scene with the grass, rugged ramparts, deep blue sea and fluffy clouds in the background was indeed very enchanting.

I would say that Jaigad Fort is worth a visit during the monsoons, especially if you staying at Ganpatipule or Malgund.

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Visited August 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.125: Mehendales Swaad Dining, Malgund, District Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.

“Simple but Wholesome Vegetarian Food.”

Reviewed 21 September 2015 NEW

We stopped at ‘Swaad’ in Malgund village for lunch, on the way back from a visit to the Jaigad Fort. Malgund is about 4 km north of Ganpatipule. It was a neat and clean cottage style restaurant serving simple and authentic Konkani vegetarian fare. It has a simple layout of dining tables and chairs in a well ventilated cottage, no bar and no aircon, but quite comfortable.

We ordered their vegetarian thali, which consisted of a finely chopped bhindi (okra) sabji, black gram gravy, dal, chapatti, rice, and finely chopped salad (koshimbir), papad, pickle and curd. The preparation in the Konkani style masalas was delicious and tasty. Their sol-kadi was spicy and tangy and very refreshing. We quite enjoyed our lunch.

The only difficulty we had was that they have very limited parking space and we had to park our car at some distance away on the narrow road passing through the village.

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• Visited August 2015
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My TripAdvisor Review No.123: Ganpatipule Beach.

“Very Famous and Favorite among Konkan Beaches.”

Reviewed 19 September 2015NEW

This beautiful beach is in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. It is about 20 km north of Ratnagiri town along the Konkan coastline. It is also about mid-way between Mumbai and Goa. You have to turn off the Mumbai – Goa highway at Nivli (near Sangameshwar) and travel 30km along a state highway towards the coast to reach the scenic, quaint, seaside village of Ganpatipule.

The beach and village get their name from the famous Lord Ganesha temple located just next to the beach, and most of the visitors to the beach are devotees of this deity.

However, the beach itself is a very long and beautiful one, lined with swaying coconut palms and Casuarina trees and is a sight to behold. The sand is soft and light yellow in color. It is a gently sloping beach making it suitable for swimming in calm weather. It is good for long walks in the evenings and early mornings. One can view some spectacular sunsets over the Arabian Sea.

The state run MTDC resort is located right next to the beach, and the guests have direct access to the north end of the beach. They also arrange some water sports activities during the summer and winter seasons. There are many other good stay options also nearby, in Ganpatipule and Malgund villages, for those who want to have a longer beach vacation.

There are many shops and food stalls near the temple end of the beach, and one can sample the local Konkani food preparations, both vegetarian and seafood. Don’t forget to take home a crate-full of the famous Alphonso mangoes if you come here in the summer season.

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Visited August 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.124: 'Konkan Spice' at The Fern Courtyard Resort, Ganpatipule.

“Good Multicuisine Restaurant.”

Reviewed 20 September 2015NEW

Konkan Spice is a good multicuisine restaurant serving Indian, Tandoori and Oriental dishes. We decided to try it out when we were staying at The Fern Courtyard Resort where this restaurant is located.

We ordered Russian Salad and Chicken Biryani. The Russian salad was so-so, but the chicken biryani, served with cucumber raitha, was delicious. Portion size was generous and quite filling for the two of us.

The service was efficient and courteous. We quite enjoyed our dinner.

• Visited August 2015
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My TripAdvisor Review No.122: Ganpatipule Temple, District Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.

“Sentinel God of the West.”

Reviewed 18 September 2015NEW

This 400 year old temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha is beautifully located at the edge of the Arabian Sea at the temple town by the same name. Lord Ganesha is also lovingly known as ‘Ganpati’, and ‘pule’ is the local word for sand dunes, so the temple and the village where it is located have acquired the name ‘Ganpatipule’.

The Ganesha idol here has been formed by nature, hence it is also known as a ‘Swayambhu’ Ganpati. The idol faces west towards the sea, so the local people refer to it as the ‘Paschim Dwar Devta’ or the Sentinel God of the West.

The temple is wedged in between a hill and a lovely beach, and is beautifully decorated with wall carvings of the gods. As you enter you will be greeted by two brightly painted elephants and a brass mouse. The mouse is the ‘mushak-vahan’ or the riding companion of Lord Ganesha. After a darshan people generally do a ‘parikrama’ or circumambulation of the temple structure.

The road leading to the temple is lined with shops where you can buy offerings to the Lord. There are some restaurants serving the local cuisine. One can also walk directly on to the beach from the temple and enjoy a walk on the beach.

Ganpatipule temple is one of the most beautiful Ganesha temples in the Konkan.

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Visited August 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.121: Lord Suvarnaganesha Temple, Diveagar, District Raigad, Maharashtra.

“Golden Ganesh Idol not restored.”

Reviewed 17 September 2015NEW

The Lord Suvarna Ganesh temple is located at Diveagar village which is about 20 km from Shrivardhan. This temple was earlier famous for its golden Ganesh idol which was stolen a few years back. The thieves were nabbed but the idol had already been melted for its gold. It has still not been restored.

When we visited in August 2015 the temple was under renovation, but we were allowed to enter and pay our respects to the omnipresent Lord Ganesh. After all it is a question of faith, and we felt the presence of the Lord in the calm and serene surroundings. There was a stone idol of the deity instead of the original golden one.

Diveagar is a quaint, clean and peaceful fishing village, but is fast becoming a tourist destination for its beautiful beaches and natural rustic surroundings. Earlier the temple was the main attraction here.

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Visited August 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.120: Kondivali Beach, Shrivardan, Raigad District, Maharashtra.

“Virgin Beauty amongst Konkan Beaches.”

Reviewed 16 September 2015NEW

This beautiful beach is not in Shrivardhan town, but about 5 km north as you drive along the coastal road towards Diveagar. After passing Aravi village the road emerges on to this exquisite strip of golden sand and literally takes your breath away!

The road lined with casuarina trees, and the virgin beach run parallel to each other for almost 2 km. You have to stop and admire the natural beauty and click a few snaps. It is an excellent beach to take a long walk or relax for a while.

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Visited August 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.119: Rane Bandhu Khanaval, Diveagar, Konkan, Maharashtra.

“Excellent Konkani Seafood”

Reviewed 13 September 2015NEW

We had driven down from Harihareshwar to Diveagar along the beautiful coastal road and decided to stop for lunch before heading back. But there seemed to be a dearth of good stand-alone seafood restaurants, and most of the good hotels refused to serve walk-in guests. Finally one hotel manager suggested that we visit this place called ‘Rane Bandhu Khanaval’, for a meal.

We found the restaurant in a lane behind the Ganesh Mandir, and it looked like a shack by the roadside. However, unlike the nearby hotels, they were quite ready and willing to serve us without pre-ordering. The place was neat and clean inside, and they even had a good washroom behind.

We ordered the Surmai Plate which consisted of a big piece of fried Surmai fish, 3 chapattis, prawns curry, rice and papad. Rice and curry was available in unlimited quantities. The food was prepared in Konkani style and was very tasty. Their solkadi drink was tangy and refreshing too.

Service was quick and courteous, and the prices reasonable. I would definitely dine here again if I happen to pay another visit to Diveagar.

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• Visited August 2015
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My TripAdvisor Review No.118: Lord Shiva Temple, Harihareshwar, Raigad District, Konkan, Maharashtra.

“Holy Shiva Temple by the Sea.”

Reviewed 11 September 2015NEW

This temple is beautifully located at the edge of the Arabian Sea at the southern end of Raigad district in Maharashtra. The temple and the beach together make Harihareshwar a must visit for the spiritually inclined tourist. It is 18 km from Shrivardhan town.

There is a narrow road leading to the temple entrance, and there is a parking lot about 100 metres before the temple gates. The road is lined with a row of shops and eateries. One can buy temple offerings and souvenirs from some of the shops.

The temple has a simple construction with a tiled roof. There are actually two small buildings, one housing the Kal Bhairav mandir, and the other is the main Shiva temple with the stone Shivling. One has to enter the Kal Bhairav temple first and then the Shiva temple.

After a visit to the temple many of the pilgrims do a ‘pradakshina’ or circumambulation of the temple which takes them around the hill at the base of which this temple is located. One has to climb the hill till they reach a cleft in the hill, known as ‘Ganesh Gully’. Then there are steps leading down to the sea and it is believed that there is a Ganesh idol about 30 feet below sea level which can be seen during low tides. The ‘pradakshina’ is a small adventure by itself, and a good way to get a bird’s eye view of the beautiful beach and landscape around the temple. However it is a bit risky to do it during the monsoons and high tides.

Do visit the 2 km long beach after a darshan of the temple. There is also a viewing platform near the temple if the weather is too rough to venture onto the beach. It is fascinating to watch the approaching storm clouds from here during the monsoons.

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Visited August 2015

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My TripAdvisor Review No.117: Harihareshwar Beach, Raigad District, Maharashtra.

“Two Beaches. Too Beautiful.”

Reviewed 10 September 2015NEW

Harihareshwar beach is about 18 km south of Shrivardhan town on the Konkan coast. It is actually two beaches divided by a hill in the centre. At the base of the hill is the famous Lord Shiva Temple from which this beach town gets its name.

The north beach next to the temple is a long straight stretch of blackish sand for about 2 km. This part is more crowded with stalls and activities like quad biking and pony buggy rides. You may see some holiday makers venturing for a swim into the sea, but it’s not very safe at low tide and especially during the monsoons. The temple end of the beach has a look out platform, and this end of the beach is rockier.

The L shaped south beach is more isolated and beautiful, but it is not safe to swim here too. In fact the authorities have put up a warning sign for swimmers to be wary of the rocks and quicksands. The MTDC Resort has direct access to the south beach.

Harihareshwar is a good place to visit for its temple and for long walks along the beautiful beach, but not for water sports or for a swim in the sea.

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Visited August 2015

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