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Languid waves, gorgeous sea
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Fed up of over-populated beaches in Goa? Try Ganapatipule instead. It's cheap and you get the authentic local flavour
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INTOXICATING BREAK The cerulean blue of the Arabian Sea is breathtaking PHOTO: M. KARUNAKARAN
Imagine a holiday spot that's a perfect place to take your kids, your parents, your spouse, boyfriend or your friends to. Ganapatipule. May sound pretty pious, the place, but beach bums too are bound to approve its white sand-kissed beach. It's also a place where you can savour the regional cuisine right in the villagers' yards.
Tucked away in Ratnagiri District in Maharashtra, along the visually stunning Konkan coastline, this hamlet by the sea is popular among Mumbaikars and Punekars. But beyond Maharashtra's borders, not many know of this place, soaked as much in religion as it is in water sports and amsol kadi. The latter is the local non-alcoholic beverage, one of the best pick-me-ups ever.
Ganapatipule is an interesting place to get to by road. A bumpy ride it may be. But it's wonderful to wait for a glimpse of that cerulean blue Arabian Sea as you wind up and down the Konkan ghats. The lush green around the village and the little unmarked bus stop give you the first hint of what kind of place it may be.
Sea-view room
When you see the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) resort, you know that's the place you want to stay, if you get a sea-view room! The best of the rooms are high on a little cliff and offer a beautiful balcony and French window view of the sea, with the accompanying sound of lazy waves. You can wind your way down from the rooms along stone steps right down to the sea below. (It's also easier to scoot up the stairs, if you're self-conscious after a dip in the waters.)
There are many other private resorts that have spread along the beach. Smaller homes of villagers along the coastline also offer accommodation; dorms are also easily available for student groups.
Go there in the winter season and you get the best of times on the beach. The water's coldish in the mornings, and you get to enjoy the just-right cool waters under the midday sun too! By noon, the seawater forms large puddles on the beach. These little natural swimming pools are a wonderful place to loll around, and safe for the kids too. Starfish and live cockles trapped in these pools make for an alfresco biology lesson.
Ganapatipule is typical of fishing villages - fisher folk generally go about their work leaving tourists alone. So there's no fear of being hassled. If you are the kind that believes `Be a Roman while in Rome' then you must check out the fiery coastal cuisine. If you walk through the centre of the little village, you'll find lots of small eateries with `Meals Ready' boards out. Invariably, the smell of seafood being cooked in masalas pervades the air. Little homes offer simple homemade meals in their yard — the eating area is totally no-fuss with just a few steel chairs and tables scattered around. You get chapattis with spicy brinjal curry, sol kadi (a coconut milk and kokum-based drink) and rice. In the mango season, there's cuploads of ambya-cha-ras (mango pulp) too, to eat with the chapattis or ghavan (rice chapatti). Bottled mango preserves are a must takeaway as are pomegranates.
After a post-lunch nap, nothing can be more relaxing than an evening stroll along the beach drenched in the soft radiance of the setting sun, with beautiful starfish imprints left behind by the afternoon tide. Little translucent crabs scuttle sideways in a rush to reach their burrows.
Evening is also a good time to visit the Ganapati temple on the beach. In fact, the village derives its name and existence from this temple nestled in the sand dunes. Over 400 years old, it draws the devout in large numbers — the figure reaches thousands during the annual jatra in November — as it is believed to be one of the very few swayambhu (self-created) Ganeshas in the country. The temple is set between two hills and attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. At sunrise and sunset, a shaft of light falls right on the idol, lighting it up in a glow. The hillock itself is considered sacred and the pradakshina may be the biggest you've ever taken. Those who appreciate walking in the quiet with the wooded hills on one side and the rocky hill face on the other will enjoy taking this path carved into the hillside.
For budget tourists and students, tents are pitched in the non-monsoon season. The more recent log huts by the backwaters are not a bad option either. They are secluded and quieter compared to the rest of the resort. Boating and kayaking in the backwaters can prove great fun here. There are many smaller villages and places to visit around Ganapatipule. You can do places like Malgund (where there's a beautiful museum dedicated to Marathi poet Keshav Sut) and Pawas by auto rickshaw, winding your way through palm-fringed roads.
How to get there
Ganapatipule is around 950 km from Bangalore (along the coast by road) and 375 km from Mumbai by road.
The nearest airport is Ratnagiri, around 50 km away
The nearest railway station too is Ratnagiri, on the Konkan Railway Network (If you are travelling from Bangalore/Chennai, the best option is to board trains in Mangalore and get off at Ratnagiri)
There are regular buses from Ratnagiri or you could hire a taxi.
BHUMIKA K.
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