Ratnagiri: A Serene Coastal Getaway to Reconnect with Nature
Ratnagiri is known as heaven in India. It is a port city along the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri district. The most exciting things are the connected beaches and temples. People visit Ratnagiri to enjoy this view. In March, Ratnagiri hosts a cute and exciting event, the Turtles Festival, an eye candy. Ratnagiri is where a tourist can enjoy both spirituality and merriness simultaneously.
How to Reach?
One can use both trains and flights both to reach the destination. You will get the best deals from Mumbai Central and Pune for Ratnagiri. Buses are also a good idea to travel.
Best Places To Visit In Ratnagiri
Velneshwar Temple and Beach
The temple has a sculpture of Velneshwar Maharaj. The temple’s architecture and pictures enhance the beauty of the place, and behind the temple, there’s a beach with a calm, peaceful environment. Red houses look like beautiful red mushrooms on the Beach. So, the Beach seems heavenly with cool waves and lush all around. Apart from that, the dirt track makes the environment more memorable. The temple is a blessing and houses Lord Ganesha’s Sculpture, a spectacular Shivling, Nandi-the Lord Shiva vehicle, and a Radhe-Krishna sculpture. These temples are very attractive and gain the people’s major attention on the Beach, with the bells adding to the calmness.
Jai Vinayak Temple
The beautifully designed temple has sculptures of Lord Ganesh, Hanuman, and the Mushak Raj (vehicle of Lord Ganesh). The greenery around the temple and the peacefulness of the temple attract visitors towards the temple. The lush green trees cover the temple’s attractive entrance, and there is a road to Vinayak temple. The green leaves from roadside trees cover the route. So, it looks like a green carpet for tourists to welcome. As you walk into the temple, you will observe a mesmerizing view of the temple, i.e., built like a “Buddha temple.” Inside the temple, you will notice a big Ganesha Sculpture, which is light brown. The Hanuman Sculpture and the Mushak Raj Sculptures are painted gold. The temple spreads spiritual radiance.
Ganpatipule and Aare Ware Beach
The Ganpati pule showed the beauty of the Beach. There is a Mushak Raj sculpture in the temple in which people make a wish in its ears. The people believe their wishes will be completed after wishing in the sculpture’s ears. The famous and cleanest Beach in Ratnagiri is named “Aare Ware” Beach in front of the temple. The sunset scene and the sunrise look as beautiful as its heaven. The wet sand on the Beach seems like chocolate when you take it in your hands. The ocean shines with the blue sky as mirrors show our image. People stay at night in the huts and cottages near the Beach. Â
Jaigad Lighthouse
The lighthouse is situated nineteen kilometres from the Ganpati Pule beach. It is a romantic place for couples to spend time together. The view and the lighthouse scene are quiet and calm to observe to have a chill. It is the best example of ancient engineering. Earlier, when there were no great tools and machines, the lighthouse was so beautiful.
Pandre SamudraÂ
Padre Beach is situated near Ratnagiri town and is mainly famous for the environment, the silvery sands of the Beach, and the seashells. The Beach is also known as the White Beach of Ratnagiri. It is because the sand on the Beach is white. You can also visit some nearby places such as Mandvi and Mirkarvara. The Beach’s commercialization is zero. So, the beach’s peacefulness and relaxation are still on its top.
Dhamapur Lake
Dhamapur Lake is the oldest and biggest human-made lake in Ratnagiri. The folklore is that a king built the lake. The main viewpoints of attractions, like hill ranges and lush greenery, are on its two sides. The visitors can feel the calmness of this place.
Vela Turtle Festival of RatnagiriÂ
Vela Turtle Festival is a fascinating event in Ratnagiri, celebrated for breeding turtles between February to April. Turtles visit the Beach to lay eggs before returning to the sea. The people of Ratnagiri secure the eggs at the Beach till their hatching date. After the hatching period, the local people release those babies into the sea again. The scenario of releasing the turtles looks adorable, with small babies of turtles starting their race towards the sea. Tourists celebrate turtles’ cute steps towards the sea, making the event the most attractive.
No one can assume the time of hatching and the time of the turtles’ arrival. It’s between February to April every year, that’s it. People stay there for days to watch the hatching of turtle eggs. You can book a hut or hotel nearby the Beach. The natural breeding process of sea turtles occurs on a beach in the little village of Velas in the Konkan Belt.
Marine Aquarium and MuseumÂ
The aquarium is in Ratnagiri, and this exciting place is open from 10 am to 5:45 pm. The location is 3 kilometres far from the bus stand. The aquarium is beautifully designed and has the biggest aquariums with fish, sea horses, sea turtles, sea cucumbers, and whales’ skeletons. The entry fees of the museum are also minimal.
