Harihareshwar Tourism

It is one of the cleanest beaches in the Konkan stretch and allows one to enjoy a couple of water sport activities which will make your trip memorable. 

The location of Harihareshwar maximizes its natural attraction quotient. Nestled around four hills – Harihareshwar, Harshinachal, Brahmadri and Pushpadiri allows you to rest in the lap of nature. These hills offer a recluse spot for the many temples that dot its periphery. Most of these temples are dedicated to different Hindu Gods such as Lord Vishnu, Lord Kalbhairav, Lord Shiva, Lord Bramha and Yogeshwari. 

Lying in close proximity to the KalbhairavTemple, this is an attractive temple which is known to exhibit the local style of temple architecture to its best. 

As the name suggests, the temple is dedicated to Lord Kalbhairav, one of the manifestations of Hindu Lord Shiva. The temple was built during the 18th Century and is very popular in and across the state of Maharashtra. What adds to the attractiveness is the fact that the temple offers panoramic view of the Arabian Sea. 

While at Harihareshwar, do not skip visiting the Suvarna Ganesh Temple. What makes the temple a must-visit is the excellent drive to the self-incarnated temple on the Srivardhan - Diveagar road with a view of the beaches. 

Built around 1223-1224 CE, during the Hoysalareign of King ViraNarasimha II, the temple is dedicated to Lord Harihar. Known to be a fusion of two Hindu Gods – left vertical of Lord Vishnu and right vertical of Lord Shiva, the deity is rare fusion making it immensely popular among the devotees who throng the quaint little town to get a glimpse. It is the most prominent monument here as well the prime attraction o9f pilgrims who travel to Harihareshwar.

The temple is a rare example of Hoysala style of architecture with its square shaped mandapa or the main hall and is made of soapstone or potstone. The exterior of the temple projects a number of mythological stories. The mandapa wall is a parapet supported by half pillars which further support the cornice of the temple. While touring the temple premises, make sure that your camera captures the lotuses engraved on the open mandapa of the pillar-supported ceiling.

Though the temple’s shrine or the Vimana is missing, the charm of the temple has not lessened and still manages to attract the lovers of temple architecture. But the most attractive aspect of the temple is the Kannada inscriptions within the premises of the temple. 

There are not many eateries in Harihareshwar. The number of vegetarian restaurants is more since Harihareshwar is a pilgrimage site. Few of the better known restaurants are AvishkarBhojanalaya, Paldhe Restaurant, Gandharv Family Restaurant and Prachiti Bhojanalaya. 

The town is known for serving Konkani cuisine with a heavy dose of coconut in it. Also, the use of spices such as peppercorns and dried chillies along with tamarind and mango gives the cuisine a very distinct taste. While at Harihareshwar, do not miss the appetizer drink called the Sol Kadhi. Made of kokam fruit mixed with coconut milk, sol kadhi usually accompanies the meals. Few of the popular dishes in the region are Mori Masala or shark curry,KajuChi Aamti and PapletSaar.  

The temple complexes in Harihareshwar are dotted with a number of shops which sell souvenirs marking your journey to Harihareshwar. You can buy religious pendants and idols from the temple surrounding kiosks.

Flea market- The nearest flea markets are in Diveagar:

• Goregoan market

• Bazaar mhasla

• Kholiwadabkt

• Borli market

• Naka, mhasla

• Bazaar, Shriwardhan

Harihareshwar is a great destination for a beach holiday. It is less crowded than the other popular beach destinations; hence, the town has few of the cleanest beach on the Konkan coast stretch. One can also enjoy few water sport activities across the black sandy beach stretch such as speed boat rides and water scooter. Though the choices are limited, the growing popularity among weekend travellers is sure to bring in more options in the near future.The beach along the way makes it a very attractive biking stretch which will allow you to savour every moment of your trip to Harihareshwar.

Harihareshwar is also a great place to hire a bike and cycle to explore the region. Biking and cycling enthusiasts can opt for the stretch connecting Divegar, Shrivardhan, Harihareshwar, Karde, MurudHarnai, Dapoli, Ladgar, Dabhol Jetty and Guhagar.

Also, one can take a jetty ride from Dabhol to Guhagar, a coastal town known for its temples and beaches.

There is something for everyone in Harihareshwar. While the adults can be enamoured by the temple architecture, the children can spend their time playing in the waters of the clean beaches of Harihareshwar. Swimming and boating in the pristine waters can be very exciting for children. There is also the option of taking pony rides with the seawaters as the backdrop. If not pony rides, you will be surprised to find locals with camels too on the beaches.

In between the mountains there is the Ganesh gully or culvert which is only 3 feet wide. Dedicated to Hindu Lord Ganesha, the culvert has a niche where an idol of the God is strategically placed. 

Harihareshwar is a pilgrimage destination. Hence, most of the attractions are religious attractions in and around Harihareshwar. While planning to travel across the Konkan stretch to Hariharishwar, make it a point to travel during the Hindu festivals when the town witnesses the rise in the total number of tourists. 

One can also visit the village of Bagmandala which is a few miles away. The village is famous for being the home to the Peshwas of Maharashtra. The village also has a small port from where ferries can take you to the Bankot Fort, another historical site which can be traced back to the Peshwas. 

For tourists who are religiously inclined, there are a number of temples and holy sites in and around Harihareshwar. Few of the popular ones are the GayatriTirth, Vishnu pad, SitaSansar, PandavTirth, and 101 KauravAstitv which is located in close proximity to the LordHarihareswarTemple. Others are the Gram DevataSomajadevi which is approximately 10 kilometres from the town of Harihareshwar; Jeeveneshwar Temple around 12 kilometres away; further away are the Rupnarayan Temple, Kusumadevi, Rameshwar, Vitthal Temple, Bhairavnath and the Samsher Baba Peer Dargah.

While at Harihareshwar, you can visit a number of idyllic spots. One of the most popular places is the DiveagarBeach. What makes the beach a great spot to visit is the long stretch of Casuarina trees. You can take a walk across the path and relax. Apart from relaxing, there are a number of water sport activities which one can explore at the Diveagar beach. Few of the popular water sport activities available are parasailing and banana ride. Such availability makes it extremely popular among youngsters who throng the beaches to try their hands in such activities.

If you are not the water person and yet arrive at the DiveagarBeach then opt for the horse or camel rides that are available at the stretch. Most of the locals offer such services but make sure you haggle for the right tariff.Another beach which one can visit is the Velas beach. The beach is very popular among animal lovers as the beach is a site for turtle hatching. As per the records, approximate 21 turtle nests have been counted by NGOs who have been working for the marine turtle conservation.

It is one of the cleanest beaches in the Konkan stretch and allows one to enjoy a couple of water sport activities which will make your trip memorable.