Ratnagiri - Home of Hapus Mango

Ratnagiri    

    Ratnagiri district is one of the 36 districts of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is bounded on the west by Arabian Sea, on the south by Sindhudurg district, on the east by Satara district, Kolhapur district and Sangli district and on the north by Raigad district (formerly Colaba district). The city of Ratnagiri is the headquarters of this district. The urban population of the district is 11.33%.

    The present Ratnagiri district was known as North Ratnagiri district during and after the British rule. The present Sindhudurg district is called Dakshin Ratnagiri district. Sawantwadi was also included in the South Ratnagiri district. The names of these districts were changed in 1981. 

    Hapus Mango is the main identity of Ratnagiri district. Hapus mango from Ratnagiri district has got GI tag. Ratnagiri district is world famous for Hapus Mango. Like mango, cashew, coconut, locust, amsul (ratamba) etc. are cultivated here. Rice is cultivated mainly here.

    Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Agricultural University, Dapoli (Established; 18 May 1972) Ratnagiri District is known for its scenic and tourist attractions. There are many tourist areas in this district. Among them, Ganpatipule, Pawas, Marleshwar, Dapoli are some of the important places.

Must Visit Places Of Ratnagiri :

1. Ganpatipule
2. Pavas
3. Marleshwar
4. Dapoli
5. Panhalkeji Caves
6. Thiba Palace
7. Patit Pavan Mandir
8. Sangmeshwar
9. Rajapur
10. Ratandurg  Fort

Ganpatipule :

    Ganpatipule is mainly known for the old temple of Lord Ganapati which is the main attraction. Ganpatipule on the Konkan coast in Maharashtra has attractive beaches. In addition to the beach and the Ganapati Temple, there are many tourist spots in Ganapati Pule. About 2 km from Gangatipule, Malgund is the birthplace of the famous poet Keshavsutche and has a memorial in the village. Other attractions near Ganpatipule include Jaigad Fort, Ancient Konkan Museum, Aarey Ware Beach. Ganpati Pule has a large number of resorts and hotels to stay in the middle. The state government's MTDC residence is also available nearby.

Pavas :

    Pavas is located at a distance of 6 km from Ganeshpule and 17 km from Ratnagiri. Pavas is an important pilgrimage center due to the Sri Swami Swarupanda Samadhi Temple which is visited by thousands of devotees every year.

    Pavs is a natural place known for its natural beauty. Pavas came into light after Swami Swarupanad was selected for his ashram. In the memory of Sri Swami Swarupananda The Samadhi Mandir was built, who took samadhi here on 15 August 1974. Swami was born on 15 December 1903 at Pavas to Vishnupant and Rakhibai Godbole. His original name was Ramachandra, but he was affectionately addressed as Bho or Apa. At the age of 20, Swami took initiation from Sadguru Babamaharaj Vaidya of Pune and later started his spiritual journey. On his return to Pavas, he did religious penance and focused his attention on the deep study of Dnyaneshwari, Bhagavad Gita and Dasbodha. Swami gave his followers the Guru Mantra of 'Rama Krishna Hari', which is observed till date.

    The temple is very beautiful and one gets a sense of deep satisfaction and peace in the temple premises. Swami Smarak and Swami's original abode, Anantha Niwas, are very well maintained. In the premises of the Swami's temple, there is a meditation hall and an idol of Lord Ganesha carved on an elka tree. This place is famous for its natural beauty and serenity. The village has temples dedicated to Ganesha, Vishweshwar and Someshwara Shiva on either side of the river. Guru Purnima and Swami Ki Samadhi are two important festival days which are celebrated on a grand scale in Pavas.

Marleshwar :

    Marleshwar Temple is a cave temple located in Maral village near Sangameshwar, at a distance of 65 km from Ratnagiri. Sri Marleshwar Temple is one of the popular pilgrimage sites in Ratnagiri.

Marleshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that the temple was built by Lord Parashurama. The temple is most famous for the cobra, which is believed to reside here along with the Shivling and does not harm anyone till date. As a result of this there is a growing faith in this place and thousands of devotees visit this place every year. The name Marleshwar must have come from Maral village.

    Dhareshwar Waterfall is another tourist attraction of Marleshwar. Dhareshwar waterfall is formed on the Bawar river. The Jharna temple looks very beautiful from the cave, but one can get a better view of the waterfall from Karambeli Doh located near the waterfall. A saffron flag can be seen on the tip of the huge hill opposite behind Dhareshwar Falls. There is another Shiva temple in this flag and the villagers perform procedures at this place from Marleshwar on the marked days of Diwali.

    Makarsankranti and Mahashivratri are celebrated here with great pomp. On the day of Makarsankranti, Marleshwar and Girijadevi get married. The local villagers celebrate the marriage ceremony with enthusiasm. Apart from Mahashivratri, a fair is also organized on Tripuri Purnima.

    The temple is perched atop a hill and one has to climb some 400 steps to reach the summit. A visit to this temple with family will be a pleasurable experience though the climb may prove to be a bit difficult for children and the elderly. Monsoon is the best time to visit the temple, but the temple also gets closed when the waterfall reaches the cave complex making it very difficult to reach the temple site. There are state transport buses from nearby major cities to Maral village.

Dapoli :

    Dapoli  is a small town located in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra state, India. This city is also known as "Mini Mahabaleshwar", (there is a hill station named Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra) because the climate here is cold throughout the year. lives. The city is close to the Arabian Sea (about 8 km) and is located in Anjarle, Sarang, Bhopan, Harnai, Dabhol (which became infamous for India's Enron Power Plant), Unahaware, Jalgaon, Jimhawane, Asad, Vanand, Kherdi. , plays the role of major town (taluk headquarters) for nearby villages like Karde, Murud, Visapur and Umberghar. Jalgaon located in Dapoli had received the honor of 'Sant Gadgebaba Gram Swachhata' by the Maharashtra government for the cleanest village.

    Khed Taluk lies between the Dapoli and Sahyadri ranges. Dapoli's coastline is 50 km long, which extends from Burnodi, Kelshi to Dabhol. The general property characteristics of this beach are not much different from those of other parts of Konkan. It is surrounded by thick coconut trees. The major rivers here are - Bharja in the north and Vashishti in the south. Apart from these, there is another small river named Jog which joins the Arabian Sea through Sarang and Tadil.

    Despite being only 7 km from the Arabian Sea coast, the city is situated at an altitude of about 800 feet. There is a very old school here which is named after British citizen Alfred Gadne. During the British rule, Dapoli used to be a camp for British soldiers. Dapoli is also famous for the fact that one of the four agricultural universities of Maharashtra is located in Dapoli. The name of this university is Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth.

    Dapoli also houses the Krishna Chetna Andolan Kendra, a youth-program for agri-businesses and the Ramraje Engineering College. The gem is believed to be the birth place of PV Kane. Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was educated at Alfred Gadney High School for some years.

Panhalkeji Caves :

    There is a place called Panhalekaji on the Dapoli-Dabhol road which can also be reached from Khed side by passing through Vakavali and Tetawali. The caves of "Lani" or Panhalekaji are a must see. You can also reach these caves by your own car. This place is situated in a deep valley near the confluence of 'Kotjai' and 'Dhakti' rivers. You can see many animals and birds and reptiles living in the forests and rivers around here. There are 29 caves and many sculptures in the surrounding area. This whole area is very beautiful. The carvings in these caves date back to the 3rd century to the 14th century.

Thiba Palace :

    Thiba Palace is a historic building situated on a small hillock at a distance of 2 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, in Ratnagiri city. It is one of the major tourist attractions of Ratnagiri.

    Thiba Palace is an architectural grandeur that was built for King Thiba of Myanmar (Burma). This palace was built by the British in 1910 for putting the Burmese king under house arrest. The palace came into existence from 1910 until the death of the king on 16 December 1916.

    The palace is a beautifully constructed three-storey structure with sloping roof. The main attraction of this structure are the semi-circular wooden windows with beautiful carvings. On the first floor there is a dance hall with a marble floor. A Buddha statue is installed at the rear of the palace. King Thiba brought this idol to India. Presently the palace is maintained by ASI and is currently under renovation. The palace also houses a museum that displays various artifacts used by the king during his exile.

Thiba Point, a popular viewing point, is located near Thiba Palace. From this point there is a mesmerizing view of Someshwar Creek, Bhate Bridge and the Arabian Sea. The beautiful sunset of this place is also famous.

Patit Pawan Mandir :

    Patitpavan Temple is a Hindu temple located in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. It was built in 1931 by Mr. Bhagoji Sheth Keer with the inspiration of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.[1] 'PatitPavan' means 'one who purifies the fallen'. The purpose of the construction of this temple was to make such a temple in which all people including the so-called 'untouchables' could worship.

Sangmeshwar :

    Sangameshwar is a historical village in Ratnagiri district. The headquarters of this taluka is at Devrukh, 17 km from Sangameshwar village.

    The city is named Sangameshwar as it is situated at the confluence of two rivers Sonvi and Shastri. It is an important trading center in the area. Until the pre-independence period, one could reach Ratnagiri by boat. Sangameshwar is located on the Mumbai-Goa Highway (on National Highway 66). Sangameshwar can also be reached by Konkan Railway. Sambhaji Raja's main station Shrigarpur is near Sangameshwar.

    The famous Marleshwar temple is at a distance of about 35 km from here. Marleshwar is famous for the snakes in the temple and the beautiful waterfalls behind the temple.

    Aurangzeb's troops captured Sambhaji Maharaj, the king of the Marathas, in a temple at Sangameshwar and drove him to Tulapur near Alandi.

    Sangameshwar is connected to the city by two rivers, the Shastri and the Sonvi. To the east of the city lies the Western Ghats and to the west of the city is Ganpatipule, a tourist destination. The region is tropical. It receives heavy rainfall between June and October.

    According to legend, while the Pandavas were in exile, they carved this temple out of a stone in one night according to the plan of a king named Karna. There is a sun temple near the temple of Karneshwar.

Rajapur :

    The Ganga of Rajapur is the subject of study by many scholars. The Ganges has been suddenly appearing at this place since time immemorial and is considered to be a geological wonder. There is a road from Unhale village of Rajapur to Gangatirtha.

    There are fourteen ponds of the Ganges on the Chirebandi Ghat of Gangatirtha. In front of the main entrance is the Kashi Kund and in the open space next to it is the original Kund under the banyan tree.

Another surprise is that the water smells of sulfur and the water temperature in each tank is different. The ponds here have different names like Varun, Hira, Vedika, Narmada, Saraswati, Goda, Yamuna, Krishna, Agni, Chandra, Surya and Bankund and Kashi Kund is the largest of them. Devotees believe that water from all major rivers in India originates here. Ganga bathing is also available here. When the Ganges appeared, the Ganges of Rajapur took the form of a pilgrimage site.

  

Ratandurg Fort :

    Ratnagiri Fort is a historical fort situated on the banks of Arabian Sea in Ratnagiri. It is one of the popular forts in Maharashtra and one of the top tourist places to visit in Ratnagiri.

    Ratnadurg Fort was built during the rule of Bahamani Sultans. It was captured by Adilshah and then Chhatrapati Shivaji conquered the fort in 1670 AD. Later, the fort was controlled by the British, and later handed over to the Peshwas. The British captured the fort from the Peshwaos in 1818 AD.

    Ratnadurg Fort was once a strong hold of the Maratha Empire, which is spread over a area of 120 acres. The fort was used as a watchtower to keep a watch on pirates. Ratnadurg Fort is of on average 1300 meters and with a width of 1000 meters. The fort is divided into three parts – Upper Fort or Balekilla, Middle Peth Fort and Parkot. Of these, Peth Fort is in ruins and Parkote, the largest, accommodates the Ratnagiri Lighthouse.

    The fort has several bastions which are named as Ganesha, Markya, Baskya, Vetal, Khamakya Rede and Wagah. Parts of the fort walls are still intact and show their ability to withstand the waves of the Arabian Sea. There is a beautiful temple of Goddess Bhagwati in the middle of the fort. Due to the presence of the goddess, the fort is also known as Bhagwati Quila. Every year devotees celebrate the festival of Navratri in the Bhagwati temple complex. The fort also houses the temples of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesha.

    There is an old abandoned jetty on the left and a huge rock on the other. Watching the sunset from this fort is a major attraction for tourists. Another amazing attraction in the fort is the wonderful lighthouse situated along the bastions of the fort. The lighthouse offers a beautiful view of the Arabian Sea at sunset.

    Monsoon is the best time to visit this fort. The lush greenery along with the blue sea makes for a panoramic view.