History, Importance, Timings, Architecture, Interesting Facts and Travel Guide of Swayambhu Ganpati Temple, Ganpatipule, Maharashtra, India
Swayambhu Ganpati Temple located on Ganpatipule Beach at just one km from small beach town Ganpatipule in Ratnagiri district of Kokan region Maharashtra is one of the holiest place and holds significant values in devotee. Ganpatipule is located at just 25 km from Ratnagiri, surrounded by lush green range of Sahyadri hills, clean and crystal clear beach, silver sand and lots of mango and cashew tree. This Ganesh temple is believed to be extremely prehistoric Temple and major pilgrimage destination of Maharashtra. This Ganesh Lambodar’s temple is being famed as Paschim Dwar Devta - Wester'n Sentinal God and also one of the Ashta Dwar Devatas of subcontinent and mentioned in Pre historic literature Purans. The idol faces the west inplace of east as other temple thus said to guard the western gates. The temple is situated at the base of a small hill, pradakshina around the Ganesh shaped hill is believed to be highly sacred in pilgrims. The present temple is around 400-year-old and Swayambhu – self created monolith idol of Lord Ganesha believed to be discovered 1600 years ago.
As per the local folklore, Lord Ganesha left the Gule – original abode due to some offended comment and reached the Pule. Thus its name after Ganpatipule and as per some other tales Pule means white sand in Marathi and idol of Ganesha made up of white sand thus named as Ganpatipule.
Though Ganpatipule is a very small town of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra but near to this town there is one of the most picturesque beaches which attracts devotees, tourist and beach lovers. Every year thousands of devotees patronised the temple of swayambhu ‘self-originated’ Ganesh temple. In connection to clean beach and clear waters, make sure to pay their respects to the deities in peaceful environment those who visit Ganpatipule. It is rich in Flora, greenery including coconut Palms and mangroves as well. The gram panchayat of Ganpatipule is governing this town.
It is believed that, before 1600 years this Idol of Ganesha is self-created and other Idol is placed in the Shrine sanctorum. This Idol of Lord Ganpati had manufactured from the copper material and this idol portrays The God riding on lion. The idol of the Mushak is placed outside of the temple and it is also manufactured from the copper material. Megh Shuddha Chaturthi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali etc. are major festivals celebrated at this Temple.
As per the local mythology, a native lady had locomotive Hindu God Ganpati to Pule from his original place of Gule. This is a few kilometre ahead from this town. Lord Ganpati had taken umbrage at a remark. In consequence, this region is famed as Ganpatipule. It is said that this Lord Ganpati Idol had sprung up from the soil at Ganpatipule and it is 400 years old. In other Indian temple most of the deities face towards the East but in divergent this deities faces towards the west. The temple is located at the bottom of the hill. As a mark of respect devotees walk around the Ganesh Shaped hills (pradakshina).
Another mythology of this temple is, There was a person whose name was Bhide, he has many cows and from few days one of his cow was not giving milk. The cowherd kept her under observation to find the reason. He was surprised to observe that the milk was flowing from the cow udder and it was flowing on the place where the Lord Ganesha Idol is placed presently. The cowherd described this incident to Bhide. He found the Idol of Lord Ganesha by cleaning up the area. And it is said that he built a sanctum here and he started to perform all the rituals.
You can hear the rhythmic beats and feel highly spiritual aura coming out from the Ganpatipule temple in the morning and evenings when the idol is being dressed and Arti is performed.
How to Reach Ganpati Temple, Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India
Ganpati Temple is just one km from Ganpatipule bus station. As Ganpatipule is very popular pilgrimage destination and tourist attraction due to long starch cleared beach of Ratnagiri district. Thus it is very well connected with all major cities of Maharashtra via road, rail and air network. Ganpatipule is located at just distance of 25 km from Ratnagiri, 190 km from Mahabaleshwar, 210 km from Satara, 152 km from Kolhapur, 291 km from Lonavala, 280 km from Pune and 325 km from Mumbai. Pune and Mumbai are the nearest airport from Ganpatipule. And nearest major railway station from Ganpatipule is Ratnagiri at just 30 km
