Ganapatipule is a picturesque spot on the shores of Arabian sea in Ratnagiri District in Maharashtra. The place is famous for the Ganpatipule Temple dedicated to Ganesh atop a hill. The blue and white foaming sea, the white sands and the green hills with red mud which are typical of Konkan provide the setting for Ganpatipule Ganesh Mandir.
Importance Of
Ganpatipule Temple Timings
- Morning Opening is at 5:00 AM
- The temple is open throughout the day
- Evening Closing is at 9:00 PM
- Aarti Timings are 5:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM
- Mahaprasad for visitors at 12:15 AM to 2 PM.
- Devotees can offer puja on a symbolic murti daily from 7 AM to 11 AM.
- Sankashti Chaturthi (fourth day after full moon day), palkhi departs for Pradakshina at 4:00 PM
Ganpatipule Temple History
It is obvious that our ancestors who were aware of the beauty of nature and the religious and divine feelings associated with such locations must have selected this hill near the sea-shore for Lord Ganesha’s abode.
The entire hill is considered sacred and there is a laterite paved stone path around the hill for circumambulation.
Ganapatipule was a small village in ancient times.
The temple has a history of three hundred years. A person in named Bhide discovered the temple spot and murti of Ganesha as per the divine guidance in his dream.
Pulan in vernacular means sand and as the deity is near the sea sand the place is named Ganapatipule. Some people believe that Ganpatipule got the name from the white sand (Pule in Marathi) from which the murti of Lord Ganesh was crafted.
Importance Of
- As per Mudgala Purana Ganesh temple, Ganapatipule temple is referred as Paschim Dwar-Devata (Western Sentinel God).
- Ganpatipule is one of the Ashta Dwar Devatas.
- It is also one among the eight important Ganesh temples in Maharashtra.
- It is said that Ganesha had come in the dream of the founder of the temple and told him that hill behind the temples is Ganesha’s nirakar form. Those who worship and propitiate here will be relieved of all the difficulties in life.
- The murti worshipped in the temple is Swayambhu that which appeared on its own.
Ganpatipule Temple Information
Hinduism teaches that God is seen and observable everywhere is stressed by such simple temple structures. Nature is valued and revered most and one feels the holy presence on the seashore on the full moon night when the high seas seem to chant the Vedic hymns.
The hill of Ganapatipule is itself deified and therefore the path of circumambulation is of importance to the devotees. There is a stone arch on the way to the temple and the path leading to the temple is paved.
There are dharamshalas, kitchen and temple offices on the way and very simple laterite retaining wall on the hill side.
The temple has east-west orientation and forms part of the hill behind.
The Patwardhan family of Sangli proposed to construct a hall on the seashore between the temple and the sea, but nature’s temple that it is, the deity warned the Patwardhan’s against such plan and it was abandoned. The setting Sun’s rays over the Indian ocean still fall on the foot of the deity.
The temple is about 13 meters high and constructed in stone, wood and is covered with a tiled roof. The temple has undergone renovation in recent times and now spots a cream roof and terracotta walls.
Eight Deep Malas adorn the courtyard.
The Sabhamandapa has ten pillars and steps lead on to the sea sands.
Temple has doors on north, east and west.
Devotees take bath and dip in the sea and then proceed to perform pujas and rituals.
A well with fine steps and an impressive example of Konkan architecture can be seen in the complex.
The wood carvings in the temple depict monkeys, mythical birds, buffalos, fish, creepers, coconut trees and betelnut trees.
Two of the most important festivals are Ganesh Chaturthi (late August or early September) and another is Magha Shuddha Chaturthi (late January or early February). The Chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing phase of moon) is important here. The day becomes doubly auspicious when Chaturthi falls on Tuesday.