Shri Kunkeshwar Temple

The Konkan region of Maharashtra is known for its pristine beaches and beautiful temples spread across the coastal area. One of the such temples is the Shri Kunkeshwar Temple which is located in Devgad taluka of Sindhudurg district. This temple is near the Kunkeshwar beach on a small hilltop. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is also known as Kashi of South Konkan. According to legends, the original temple was built to worship a self originated Shiv Lingam found near the beach. After some years, Yadav Kings of Sevuna dynasty built this huge temple in Hemadpanti style. Later it was rebuilt by the great maratha warrior, Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during his reign.

I had read and heard a lot about an old story which says this temple was built by an Arabian/Iranian trader who later committed suicide from temple top due to fear of unacceptance of his acts in the Muslim religion. This story seems to be untrue and has been proved by historians. I found details of this truth in a marathi book titled ‘Katha Hi Kunkeshwarachi’ authored by Mr. Ranjit Ramesh Hirlekar. The book covers history of Shri Kunkeshwar Temple and its surrounding areas. This book is available at the book stall run by the temple trust in the temple premises.

The shades of latte colour looks beautiful on temple with an adjoining pillars like structure and nice conical shikhar (apex). It is built using Jamba stone which is available in Konkan region. The stone is natural red stone also known as Laterite or Chira stone. Even black stones were used for strengthening the structure of the temple. The interior area of the temple is spacious. The Shiv Lingam is placed in the center of the temple and well preserved by the temple trust. There are few steps to be climbed with a small entrance to reach the center area.

The temple area is surrounded by other smaller shrines such as Shri Ganesh Temple, Shri Narayan Temple and Shri Jogeshwari Temple. A mid-sized stoned made deepstamb is also present in the front of the main entrance of the temple. Once you enter the temple premises, you’ll feel the spiritual atmosphere and peace of mind. After taking darshan of Kunkeshwar and other god/goddesses in the premises, you can take a stroll on the beautiful beach touching the temple.

Outside the temple there are not much options for snacks or lunch. You’ll find some food stalls selling local food such as vada pav, pakoras, tea and cold drinks. It’s better you have a heavy breakfast or lunch before visiting the temple. During summer season, the best time to visit the temple is early morning or evening time. Devgad taluka being the largest producer of alphanso mangoes, you’ll find local mango sellers near temple selling mangoes at low price as compared to the mangoes sold at prices in the big cities.

If you like visiting temples and beaches then pack your bags for Kunkeshwar. It is one of the best places to visit in Konkan during any season. You’ll definitely like the beautiful Kunkeshwar temple, the pristine Kunkeshwar beach and the king of fruits – Alphanso mango (hapus) from Devgad. Hapus is available only in summer season.

Enjoy your trip to Kunkeshwar 🙂

Here are some beautiful photos captured by me during my recent trip to Kunkeshwar along with my family.

How to reach:
By Road:
Distance from near by villages/cities to Kunkeshwar.
Devgad to Kunkeshwar – 14 km
Kankavli to Kunkeshwar – 50. 9 km
Malvan to Kunkeshwar – 41.6 km
Sawantwadi to Kunkeshwar – 90.7 km
Mumbai to Kunkeshwar – 441.4 km via NH66 and 504.1 km via NH48
Pune to Kunkeshwar – 361.4 km
Kolhapur to Kunkeshwar – 131.6 km

By Rail:
Distance from the nearest railway stations to Kunkeshwar.
1. Nandgaon – 44 km
2. ‎Kankavli – 50 km

By Air:
The nearest airports are the Goa and Kolhapur airports. You can hire a private vehicle to reach Kunkeshwar.

Travel Tips:
1. If you are coming from Mumbai and traveling by train then get down at Kankavli station. Hire a private vehicle to reach Kunkeshwar.
2. ‎ For stay in Kankavli, try Jaltarang Hotel. It’s a good, clean and reasonable hotel. Known as one of the best in Kankavli.
4. ‎ For vegetarians, try Joshi Khanaval in Kankavli market area. The food thali served here is Maharashtrian Brahmin style. The food is less spicy and delicious.

References:
1. Shri Kunkeshwar Temple
2. Wikipedia – Kunkeshwar
3. Katha Hi Kunkeshwarachi by Mr. Ranjit Ramesh Hirlekar