Tourist Attractions and Places near Pune and Mumbai

I visited the Mangal Murti Morya Ganpati Temple (also known as Birla Ganpati) and the Sai baba temple at Shirgaon along with the visit to the Ghorwadeshwar Caves. If you are feeling deeply religious, you can ignore the caves and combine the visit with a trip to the Ayyapan/Murugan hill temples.

The Ganapati idol is huge and one cannot miss it when you are on the NH4 as you reach the Somatane Toll Plaza.There is a parking place just before the entrance gate. You have to climb around 179 steps to reach the top. Though the number 179 looks a lot, the climb isn’t anything to worry about, as you don’t even feel it OR this number is not just the steps to the base of the idol, have to check on this.

This a birla family establishment and the idol was sculpted/created by Maturam Verma and Nareshkumar Verma of Pilani. The idol is 54 feet high, placed on a 18 foot pedestal which is 45 feet wide. As you may noticed (and was written there), all these dimensions were planned in such a way that they add up to the number 9, considered auspicious. The status faces east. We were there in the evening and hence couldn’t get good photos of the front side. But the metallic surface finish of the idol would look great in the early morning light. So, plan a trip in the morning if you are looking for good photos. This place is also well let up (visible from the expressway too) at night.

From here, it is a few kms drive across the expressway (through an underpass) to Shirgaon Sai Baba temple. This temple was built as a replica of the Shirdi Sai Baba temple. The architecture is meant to resemble the original temple at Shirdi. All the daily aartis done at Shirdi are also performed here. Kakad Arti – 5.15 Am, Maha Abhishek – 7 AM, Noon Arti – 12 noon, Dhup Arti – 6.15 pm and the Shej Arti at 10 pm. The temple remains closed from 10.30 pm to 5 AM.

Prasad is available from 12 noon to 3 pm at the Anna Chatralaya, which is an architectural marvel by itself. So, for the ones who find it difficult to make the trip to Shirdi, this is a good alternative, just like the Narayanpur Balaji temple is for Tirupati.

How to go to Shirgaon and the Ganpati Temple: Both these places are just before the Somatane toll plaza on Mumbai Pune old highway (NH4) , around 3 kms from Dehu Road. If you go through NH4, you have to pay the toll of around 26 INR. if you want to avoid it (and explore some inner roads in the process), take the left before the expressway exit and go through Kiwale and Gahunje to Shirgaon.

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written by Rajaram S

A lazy Sunday afternoon in winter. With Vidhya and Akshara out of Pune for 2 weekends, i had planned on a few short road trips. One of them was a visit to the Ghorwadeshwar caves just on the outskirts of Pune. I combined this with a visit to Birla Ganpati Temple (the huge Ganpati Statue on NH4) and Shirgaon Sai Baba Mandir. Alternatively, you can combine this with a visit to the Ayyappan temple in Dehu Road.

Ghorwadeshwar caves are believed to have been carved around the 3rd century A.D. The places is protected now. There are many prayer halls on the top with the biggest one being converted into a Shiva shrine.

How to go to Ghorwadeshwar Caves: The caves are located just before the toll plaza near Somatane on Nh4 (coming from Pune). You can easily miss the base. Watch out for an arch with some steps going onto a hill. Another landmark is a giant water tower on the right. If you have crossed the water tower, you have missed Ghorwadeshwar. Once you open up the below map, switch to satellite mode. I have marked the destination right at the base of Ghorwadeshwar. You should be able to see the steps leading up to the cave.

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What i thought would be a short 20-min walk to the top turned out to be close to an hour’s climb. But, nothing difficult about the climb. There are proper stairs until the half-way, maybe around 200 of them. Once you reach the half-way point, you will come to some sort of a rocky plateau, which is a good place to catch you breath if you intend to go forward OR enjoy the view, click photos and start the walk down! There is nothing else so high in the surrounding and hence you can spend hours watching the traffic go through the toll plaza. Of course, you get a good (albeit a little far) view of the huge Birla Ganapati. From the photos i had seen on other blogs, this place is super-green during the monsoons and would be a great option for an evening trek.

I was here with Lokesh and he, not being a regular at walks/treks, needed some rest mid-way. But, we were determined to go on. A lady at the chai-stall advised us to continue from here on, not on the main path, but on a small side track, which she said would be much easier. There are no stairs from the mid-way to the caves, but a wide-enough eroded mud path which can be tricky to climb during the rains. But, judging by how the side-track looked, Lokesh felt that the lady had tricked him! But, i would advise the side track any day, as it was far more interesting and fun to climb. Yes, it is a bit narrow at some places, but it is a gentle slope and a fall wouldn’t cause much damage. The third photo below can give you a comparison between both the paths.

On this trail, we heard a constant bell sound closing in on us. Then, we found that it was a cow which was also climbing up to the cave temple. It must have been a regular looking at its fitness and the ease with which it was climbing!

Once you cross the mid-way, you start to see the caves (a portion of it). They are at two levels. At the bottom level, you have two sections and then you continue on around the mountain to the top.

Once you reach the caves, you will come to a fork. Turning right on the fork will take you to the main set of caves. These caves face westward and hence are beautifully lit up at evening. Also, you get a good view of the expressway. One of the caves has been converted to a shrine which has a shivling inside. There are lot of water storage tanks dug into the ground.I heard that this place gets very crowded during mahashivratri.

Going beyond these caves will take you to a route to the top, but we didn’t proceed as a) it looked too narrow and b) we had more places on the agenda.

If you take the left on the fork, you go to one set of broken caves, which i presume is being used by the priest. Nothing much of interest there.

A good place for an energetic walk and nice views for an evening outing!

written by Rajaram S

While Mumbai is identified as the city abuzz with a thriving nightlife and a constant accelerated life due to heavy commuting, not far from the buzz is a peaceful respite – an islet in the Arabian Sea. Sindhudurg has been gaining popularity as one of the top weekend destinations from Mumbai for the last few years. Head South of Mumbai to the district to enjoy the verdant surroundings and various historical sites –

1. The most peaceful of the sights is the weathered fortress on the shores of the sea in the town of Malvan. There are limited places to stay, but the destination ensures that you can stay clear of crowds.
2. Sawantwadi works well as a hub to visit places like Amboli and the Nagartas waterfalls. The monsoons are no more looked upon as a daunting season to travel. With some amount of attention to the leeches, enjoy the relentless rain from a balcony and enjoy a good book in Sawantwadi.
3. The ‘Dashavtaar’ art form of Sindhudurg is famous for its ritualistic dance and drama style. During festive occasions, the temples host shows for the locals and travellers. This 11^th century art form is a great opportunity to get connected with traditions.
4. Kunkeshwar Temple – The temple was built in 1100 A.D and was frequently visited by the famous warrior, Shivaji. For those who are not looking for a spiritual connect, Kunkeshwar is also famous for coconut, palm and mango plantations and a variety of seafood.
5. Tarkarli – The search for an isolated beach, unhindered by touristy crowds is finally over. Enjoy this narrow beach stretch with some great Konkani food and options to tent on the sandy stretches.
6. Shiroda Beach – Sparkling blue water and a destination that is replete with nature & wildlife, this beach is great for those who have a sense of adventure. The salt deposits and the Cajurina plantations are a delight for travellers here.
7. Karvi – Karvi is a small village in the Amboli range of mountains which is famous for a type of flower that blooms once in seven years. A short hike is the best way to go searching for these flowers. Ensure that you have a local with you!
8. Hiranykeshi – A place dedicated to Lord Shiva, Hiranykeshi is great to go during Shivaratri when pilgrims come from far away to pay homage to the temple here. The colourful festival is great for photo-opportunities.
9. Dhamapur Lake – Spread over 5 acres, the Dhamapur Lake is situated on the Western part of the district. Many local tourists visit here for the lure of a peaceful destination with some fun activities like boating.
10. Moti Lake – Sawantwadi town has yet another attraction amidst the green landscape – Moti or ‘Pearl’ Lake. This looks brilliant by the night.

So if you are looking for a peaceful holiday away from the rush in Mumbai, the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra offers a variety of places, the most relaxing being the unassuming beaches.

This guest post was written by Mahindra Homestays, who have a range of homestay accommodations throughout India and run the popular India Travel Blog. They have a collection of Sindhudurg homestays.

written by Rajaram S