Ratnagiri

Ratnagiri is located at a distance of about 330 km from Mumbai and situated along the western coast in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Konkan is a narrow coastal strip, running from North to South with a varying width. The Konkan strip lies between the Arabian Sea in the west and the Sayhadri or the Western Ghats to the east. Ratnagiri district is famous for Alphanso mangoes, cashew nuts, fisheries, rice and mineral bauxite. Ratnagiri was once the administrative capital under the Bijapur rulers.

Prime Attractions in Ratnagiri
The prime attractions in and around Ratnagiri are the Parashuram Temple (near Chiplun), Ganapatipule and Pavas. There are some wonderful caves in Chiplun, Khed, Dabhol, Sangameshwar, Gauhani Velgaum and Vade Padel, which are also worth visiting. According to the Buddhist legends, the region got converted to Buddhism as early as the fifth century BC. Shivsamarth, near Chiplun, with sculptures from Shivaji's era is also an important attraction. The "Ganga of Rajapur" is called a natural miracle. There are 14 small pond lets (about 3 ft apart from one another) and they all flood with water, with different temperatures in each pond. According to the Geologists it is a rare case of a large natural "Siphon Cup".

Tourist Attractions
Some of the major tourist attractions of Ratnagiri are as follows-

Tilak Smarak- This is the ancestral house of the great freedom fighter of India, Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Patit Pawan Mandir- The patit Pawan Mandir was the first temple built for the non-Brahmins by revolutionary leader, Swatantryaveer Savarkar.

Thibaw Palace- The Thibaw Palace was built for the exiled King and Queen of Burma (now Myanmar) in 1910-11. It now houses the Ratnagiri Sub-center of the Mumbai University.

Ratnadurg Fort and Bhagwati Mandir - The Ratnadurg fort is located on the sea shore of Ratnagiri. It spreads across an area of about 120 acres. The fort is surrounded by sea. Inside the fort, there is a temple called the "Bhagwati Mandir". This ancient temple is quite famous among the local populace.

Lighthouse - The lighthouse is one of the oldest and most beautiful places to see around in Ratnagiri and is open to the public for a limited time.