I have been to Konkan many times in the last few years as my work is connected with the region of Kokan but this is the first time I am sharing my experience about the beautiful area of Kokan. Since my work is connected to the region I will keep sharing my Kokan Tour experiences during my visits over there.
I, my cousin brother, and my brother-in-law started our Kokan Tour on the 27th day of September i.e. last Wednesday from Pune. The mode of transport was my brother’s Car (Hyundai Venue). A Car perfectly built for that region. Since we started the late evening we decided to halt at Kolhapur. We reached Kolhapur around 10: 30 PM at night after having scrumptious dinner at Shivraj Dhabha near Karad.
If you are traveling from Pune the perfect way to reach Kankavli is to take the Pune – Bengaluru Highway and from there you will pass through Satara, Karad, and Kolhapur. From Kolhapur take Radhanagari Road and then drive through Phonda Ghat and after Ghat ends you will reach Kankavli in just a span of around half an hour.
After taking Mahalaxmi darshan at Kolhapur we left Kolhapur at 9 AM in the morning. Our early exit from the city was due to a warning from the locals about the road closure because of “Anant Chaturdashi” i.e. Ganapati Visarjan. We reached Kolhapur on 27th Sep night and had the privilege to see some Sarvajanik Ganapati in Kolhapur City. “Kolhapur Cha 21 Foot MahaGanapati” and “Zoplyavarcha Ganapati” were some of the highlights of our Ganapati Darshan at Kolhapur.
After leaving Kolhapur and getting fascinated by the “Kolhapuri accent” we left for Kokan & on the way enjoyed a delicious Cut – Vada and Misal at a local eatery on the outskirts of Kolhapur and reached Sakedi (a village near Kankavli) at around 1 PM in the noon. After finishing our work at Sakedi we went to Kankavli and then left for Kudal to meet one of our distributors. The drive from Kankavli to Kudal is simply amazing thanks to NH-66 Mumbai – Goa Highway. Hope the lingering work on the highway is completed at the earliest.
From Kudal we went to Hurshi, a beautiful secluded village near Devgad. After an overnight halt at Hurshi we proceeded towards Devgad. The itinerary for Friday i.e. 29th Sep was meeting with some local distributors of the region. We met some young business owners and I was personally happy to see the local youth of Konkan doing business from his region. Products like Cashews, Kokum Products, Jamun Products, and Mango products have a massive market not only at the national level but also at the global level. The only thing needed is the consistency of locals to stay in the business and make use of proper marketing channels, especially channels like Digital Marketing in this Digital Age.
We were also overwhelmed by the warm welcome we received from the locals in the Kokan region. These people still follow the traditional Hindu philosophy of “AtithiDevo Bhava” which means treating guests with the same respect as God. After our meeting with the locals and enjoying the pristine beauty of Mother Nature, we had a good Veg food at Deogad. A traditional Maharashtrian Thali consisting of Poli (Roti), Bhaji, Rice, Dal, and Solkadi (A popular drink of the region).
After lunch, we started our favorite activity of Kokan Sightseeing. The spots we covered were Pokharbav Ganesh Temple – The Ganesh Mandir having steps to go down where you will see an age-old Shivlinga with a flowing water source in front. A calm, peaceful, and divine experience for sure.
The next on the list of our Kokan Tour was Kunkeshwar Temple (An awesome combination of Shiv Mandir and a beautiful beach). Since it was raining the scenery was even more awesome. The next location was Devgad Beach and man this was something of a different level. Green Mountain on one side and massive Sea on the other. The amazing view from the top defines why Kokan is one of the most searched areas online in terms of natural beauty. Lush green Sahyadri Ranges, pristine seashore, and the tall and huge windmills on the side. To all readers do visit Devgad Beach during your next visit to Kokan if you still have not witnessed this natural wonder.
After treating our eyes with some alluring views of Mother Nature we headed back to Hurshi and being tea addicts halted a couple of times for “Cutting Cha (Tea)”. After having dinner and chatting for some time we called it a day. The next morning that is on the 30th of September we resumed our journey back home. However, while going back to Pune we visited some local temples which were simply beautiful displaying the traditional art form of the region.
So the Kokan Tour was full of some amazing memories, the love and affection of the locals & the mesmerizing Kokan Nature which is still fresh in my mind.