Sandeep Says….
The site is about a melange of multiple topics – culture, history, food, Pune City and Information Security
Guhagar – Typically Konkan
The state of Maharashtra has been blessed with a beautiful coastline. This narrow coastal belt is about fifty kilometers in width is bounded on the west by the sea and by the mighty Sahyadri mountain ranges towards the east. This narrow strip that runs for about 720 kilometers in Maharashtra is a treasure trove in many respects. This region is referred to as the Konkan. A large portion is endowed with greenery that is a natural habitat for flora and fauna, the coastline is beautiful and offers breathtaking views, there are many beautiful beaches and some that are quite peaceful and secluded.
One of the many locations in the Konkan that I have enjoy is the small town of Guhagar and the region surrounding it. Guhagar can be approached by road via the town of Chiplun located on the Mumbai Goa Highway. Chiplun is about 230 km from Mumbai and approximately at the same distance from Pune. The exact distances may vary to a small degree based on the exact route chosen. From Chiplun, Guhagar is about 45 km away.
Typical konkan view – near Bhatgoan Bridge
The road from Chiplun to Guhagar is quite interesting. Villages, greenery and water bodies give you company on the way. One of the first villages that one sees is Mirjoli, the birth place of Hamid Dalwai, activist, author and social reformer. A little further one reaches the road crossing at Ganeshkhind. A left turn at this point leads to the village of Tamhanmala, the ancestral village of Gopal Krishna Gokhale. He was born in the village of Kotluk that is a few miles away. At Ganeshkhind, continuing along the main road leads to Guhagar. A little further on the road after the village of Malghar one reaches a bridge. From the bridge it is likely that you may be able to see the crocodiles in the water below !
Pass the villages of Rampur, Marga Tamhane, Chikhli, the market place at Shringar Tali and Pat Panhale. A couple of kilometers from Guhagar, is a bridge over another lake. There is restriction on using this bridge presently as it needs renovation. However smaller vehicles are allowed to ply on over this bridge. The road descends down a hill and a few turns of the road into Guhagar. It is a relatively small place. The village of Guhagar runs north-south along the sea shore for about four kilometers and is barely a kilometer in the east-west direction. Thus even for a taluka town, it seems quite small. As one enters the town the bus stop is to the left.
Diagonally opposite the bus stand is the temple of Vyadeshwar. It is Shiva temple and quite spacious. The temple is being quite well maintained over the last few years. Inside the temple premises a small courtyard. A big Nandi is located facing the temple. A verandah runs on the outer periphery of the temple from where devotees can enter the sabha mandap. The sabha-mandap is large enough to accommodate about fifty people at a time. The Vyadeshwar deity , the Shiva Linga can be accessed from the small ‘antarala’ that is located towards the end of the sabha-mandap. Like many of the Shiva temples, the ‘gabhara’ or ‘garbha-griha’ is at a lower level than the sabha mandap and one has to climb down a couple of steps to reach the deity. From the construction it seems that the temple is likely to be over 200 years old.
Behind the temple is the small ‘main’ road that goes to Anjanvel village and Dabhol creek towards the north and the villages of Varveli and Palshet to the south. Along this road within a stretch of a hundred meters are a few restaurants that serve the local Maharashtra preparations from the konkan. While most of them serve vegetarian fare, a couple of them like Annapurna are famous for non-vegetarian meals including fish. However, southern parts of the konkan in the Sindhudurg district are better suited, if you are keen on sea-food. Behind this road is the beach. The Guhagar beach is extensive. It is almost seven kilometers long from one end to the other. It is quite wide also. The beach is generally safe if you do not venture inside too much and if you respect advice of the locals related to the tides and safety. It is advisable to drive down the road for a couple of kilometers to enjoy the beach that is away from the town center. Here it is quite peaceful with not too many people around you. Behind the sandy beach are tall trees that have been grown specifically to act as wind breakers and stop erosion of the coastal areas.
The Guhagar beach is clean with white sand. If you are lucky at a distance you may be able to see dolphins. Depending on the season you may be able to spot starfish in the sand. We once saw a dead puffer fish washed ashore. The trees lining the beach provide a sanctuary for many birds like the brahmani kite, shikra and many other birds. ( picture credits – Aniruddha Godbole )
The Durga Devi temple is another notable temple in Guhagar. It is nested in the greenery and is a very nice temple to visit. The temple has been renovated about a decade and a half ago. It has managed to strike a balance between the old charm and the imperatives of the new age.
The Village of Anjanvel is about 10km from the Durgadevi Temple. The Dabhol Power Plant is located at Anjanvel. In addition, the Gopalgad Fort is in the vicinity of the village. One has to negotiate a steep road from Anjanvel to reach Gopalgad. The fort was held in different times by the Siddis, Angre and also the Peshwa forces. Gopalgad overlooks the Dabhol creek. The river Vashishti meets the sea at this location. The waters of both the sea and the river can be differentiated from this vantage point. The Dabhol power plant can also be seen from here. Access to the insides of the fort was however restricted when we visited it. However now it is open for visitors is what I understand.
Not very far from the Gopalgad fort is the Anjanvel/Talkeshwar Lighthouse. The lighthouse is open for visitors during the non operating hours in the afternoon. Entry fee is nominal and climbing into the light house is quite an experience. Photography is prohibited inside the light house. The equipment inside the lighthouse is old but well maintained. The view from the lighthouse is quite exciting.
Takleshwar/ Anjanvel Lighthouse
About a 45 minute drive from Guhagar is a the village of Hedvi. The road takes you through mango orchards, winding roads, small villages and also unspoilt green tree cover. There are two major attractions at the village of Hedvi. The fist is the famous Ganpati temple. The temple is perched at a slight elevation from the road. The temple is nice, clean and well maintained. The deity is ‘dasha- bhuja’ or has ten hands. One of the hands holds a fruit that we were told is the ‘Mahalunge fruit’. I am unable to find reference to this particular fruit so not aware about this fruit.
Hedvi Ganpati Temple
The other attraction at the village is the Baman Ghal. The village like so any others in the region is has a sea shore. Some part of it is rocky. The sea has cut a gorge into one of the rocks. During the high tide particularly on the new or the full moon days, the water that rushes into this gorge sprays a fountain high into the air. It is an very interesting phenomenon to enjoy, provided you are that on the right days and at the right times.
The village a Velneshwar about fifteen minutes away from Hedvi by car is another attraction that is worth a visit. The village of Velneshwar is by the sea and one has to descend from a plateau to the sea level along a small winding road. There is a MTDC resort on the path downhill that offers accommodation. The view of the sea from here is quite panoramic. The village is known for the temple of Velneshwar – A Shiva Mandir. The temple is probably atleast two hundred years old. There is also another Kal-Bhairav temple in the same complex. As per tradition, visitors and devotees have to draw water from the well in the complex, wash their feet and then enter the temple. If you want to savour a simple, vegetarian, local meal make it a point to visit one of the homes nearby that offer lunch with a set menu of chapatti, vegetable, rice, amti, papad and a few accompaniments.
There is a lot to explore in this region. There is a lot of nature, beautiful views, ample greenery and most of this without too much of a crowd. The roads are generally good but it is always good to seek local advice. Most of the attractions and villages are within a short drive from each other. Except the monsoons rest of the year is a good time to visit. During summer though it can get quite hot. But then there are mangoes grown natively that are an attraction in the season. The best times to visit are between November to March when the climate is relatively mild. I have been visiting for years but never seem to have enough.
Konkan is dotted with water tanks with lotus flowers in abundance
***********************************************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment