Ganpatipule Day 2 Part 2

Imagine watching a documentary of the Greek coast, with hills rising up, a small beach, and caves surrounding the beach, with blue seas crashing, who does not want to go to that place? What if someone tells you that about 30 km from the town of Ratnagiri, there lies a small village and in that village lies one of the most beautiful coast lines ever, something eyes can never forget about.

Welcome to the small village of Kasheli on the coast of Maharashtra just south of Ratnagiri. This village might seem ordinary from outside but it is one of the magical places in India. This village is the only village in India to have a Sun temple with an idol, Petroglyph carvings and the most spellbinding view one could offer. This village is an ancient village with its roots which can be traced back to 800 years.

The story goes like this, in the 12th Century, in Prabhas Patan, Gujarat. It was the reign of Alauddin Khilji and his descendants. It was under their reign when they were at a rage of destroying every temple that exists in the town of Somnath. There existed 11 temples in which one of them was a sun temple. This temple was the only temple with an idol of the sun god. The people fearing that the attack will destroy the only idol in the country, they put the idol on a ship to be shipped to the South of India until the war is over and it is brought back. Luck had its own way though, when the ship reached the waters near the coast of Kasheli, the ship got aground. The sailors believed that god does not want to sail anymore and fearing the wrath of the god, the sailors found a cave near a beach high enough so that not many can reach it. They put the idol high above in the cave and as soon as the tide came, their ship got unstuck and they went their own ways. In the village, there lived a worshiper of the sun god named Kanaka. One night, in her sleep, she gets a vision from the sun god that the idol is placed in the cave on the beach. Next day, she visits the beach and finds that there is an idol in the cave. Amazed by this, she builds a temple in the village of Kasheli by the name of Kanakaditya Mandir (Kanaka - Name, Aditya - Sun God). The temple finished its construction in 1191 AD, completing more than 800 years. The cave has since been named as Devachi Kholi (God’s House) and the residing beach is named as Devghali beach.

Recently, the villagers have developed the place and put steps so that one can visit the beach and the cave. The villagers have also constructed a view point and a washroom facility. The location houses a picturesque location. However dangerous yet too beautiful to miss. Although the suggested season to visit is during winters but one could tell, best visited during the monsoons which opens the beauty of the valley, Devghali beach offers. The road leading up from Ratnagiri traverses through various beaches and bridges. Although it is a tiring drive, if mustered up the courage, it provides an unique perspective of the Australian sea caves just in the Coast of Maharashtra.

Fin.

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