41. A road trip to Ganapatipule – Ganapati’s sands

The silver sands of Ganapatipule will beckon you over and over again. If you are looking for a laid back quiet weekend out, this is the place for you. We had spent just an evening in Ganapatipule in August 2012 while on a trip to Ratnagiri, but the sea which at high tide has this peculiar bulging shape and the setting sun lighting up the silver sands left a lasting imprint on my mind. So when my cousin suggested a couple of days break at Ganpatipule we were up and ready in no time.

After doing the mandatory research about the route to take etc. we decided to go via Bhor, as in kilometer terms that was the shortest. So just before reaching Satara, when you are about 5 km from Shirwal you come across a bridge with Hotel Vegas to the left after the bridge, go further down till you see a petrol pump on the left take a right turn into a nondescript, unmarked road for Bhor. We had to ask people along the way for directions. We took the following route from Pune. 

Swargate -> to Satara Road-> Bhor ->Bhambhatmal -> Birwadi -> Rajewadi (Just before Mahad on a prominent intersection turn left to) -> Poladpur you will join the old NH4 (present NH66) -> Kashedi -> Khed ->Asurde ->Chiplun ->Sawarde ->go towards Hathkhamba till you reach Nivali Phata -> turn right ->Chafe ->follow roadsigns to Ganpatipule.

However as it turned out the route though shorter took a much longer time. We took near about 9 hours to cover a distance of 337 km, of course we took a number of breaks in between. The Bhor Ghat takes a long time to cross even though there is no traffic on it. Which again is not such a good thing because robberies have been reported on that stretch of road.

Anyway, we had a pleasant drive and enjoyed the view from the hill top. We stopped at Chiplun for lunch and to ask for directions. Rajeev went to the Savarde branch of the SBI to ask for directions and was overcome with emotion at the warm reception he got, even though we are not working with the SBI now. 

It is easy to remember what we had for lunch because for every meal, here onward, other than the hotel buffet, we had fried pomfret and prawn curry (my cousin’s favourite). Rajeev preferred his veg thali.  

It was almost six pm by the time we drove into Courtyard, The Fern, our hotel. The hotel was pleasant and spread out but I have decided to stay at the MTDC resort if I go again because it is located on a hill just adjacent to the beach and the temple and serves the best food in town.

The next day we visited the temple and the adjoining beach. The temple built some 400 years ago is dedicated to Ganesha, the resident god of Maharashtra. The temple has a Swayambhu (self-originated) idol of the Lord. As you are not allowed to take a picture inside the temple, I am putting up a picture of the idol lifted off the internet, placed by somebody not as law abiding.

Swayambhu Ganapati

Ganpati's fibreglass "vahan"

The inadvertent inclusion of the dude with the glasses is the highlight of the shot!

devotees on the beach,- morning shades.

We had our usual lunch at the MTDC restaurant, Tarang. Before lunch, however, as the heavy buffet breakfast was still sitting heavy, we drove into Malgund village, just 2 kms from the temple on the road to Jaigarh fort. Malgund village has been made famous by a son of the soil, Marathi poet Krishnaji Keshav Damle, better known as Keshavsut (son of Keshav). The house in which he was born on October 7, 1866 is being converted into a memorial and is only the second such memorial after Tagore’s at Shanti Niketan. Rajeev was sufficiently touched to research and write a full post on him.

Keshavsut's house has been restored and being converted to a memorial

The poet

His poetry etched on granite

 The beaches of Ganpatipule have white sands which change colour as per the time of the day, so my sister in law, who I call Boudi, was very eager to see the sun set on the beach. But I happened to switch on the TV after our afternoon siesta and saw the “beating of the Retreat” being telecast. Boudi being from an armed forces family could not unglue herself from the show. So we happily spent the evening drinking beer, playing cards and generally loitering around.

The next day we decided to go to the Gaiwada beach in Malgund. During winters this beach gets a number of migratory birds. I was in for a disappointment because, as the coconut seller on the beach told us, on 26^th January a Ferris wheel was installed on the beach and was visited by hordes of people which scared away most of the birds. I must warn that this is not a very safe beach and unlike the temple beach does not have any life guards, therefore, only people wanting to spend a quiet time chilling out, watching the birds and the surf, while time stands still should go there. We had the whole beach to ourselves, sharing the coconut seller’s shack for cover from the hot sun. Time just passed and nobody wanted to leave.

Life is good!

Eurasian Curlews

Black-headed Gulls 

Kentish Plover (chicks perhaps)

Intermediate Egret

A devotee's homage on sand. A Shiva temple ensconced within the primordial sound of Creation - OM.  

Hermit crab sand art

Unfortunately, the fried pomfret and the prawn curry beckoned us and we dragged ourselves to the MTDC restaurant.

In Malgund there is an open air museum called Prachin Konkan. It show cases the traditional way of life of the region through life size models. It is a unique display, spread across 3 acres over a hillside. We had seen it the last time we visited Ganpatipule and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This time we could not cover the place as my cousins found it difficult trekking up the hillside.

Open-air museum Pracheen Konkan

some displays

In the evening we again came back to the beach to see the sun set. It is said that between 2^nd and 8^th February and 2^nd and 8^th November the setting sun’s rays fall directly on the idol as if to pay obeisance to Ganesha. We were just a few days too early to see this phenomenon.

waiting for the sun to set!

Finally! Boudi got her fill of the promised 'golden sands'

A beautiful  Brahminy kite took a  breather on a tree on the beach and made my day

An adult Greater Coucal sat on a pile of coconut husk

Red vented bulbuls frolicked and chirped and celebrated the end of another day

Ronnie, the friend we left behind and can't stay in touch with 'cos he's not on social media.

The next morning after breakfast we started back for Pune but this time we took another route which though almost 50 kms more was much faster. We covered a distance of 393 km in 7 hours over the fast drive Satara highway, mostly because Dada could finally drive his car the way he likes to - FAST.

Ganpatipule -> Chafe -> Nivali Phata -> Hatkhamba -> (turn left 15 km) -> Pali - NH 166 left fork towards Malkapur 60 km -> Kolhapur go straight and join AH 47 (old NH7) and continue till you reach Pune.

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Links:

1) A Memorial to Keshavsut ,the "Father of Modern Marathi Poetry" at Malgund Village near Ganpati Pule