Velneshwar

If you thought that Dapoli was pristine and secluded think again - you need to visit Velneshwar. A small cove with a pristine stretch of soft white sand beach laced with lush green coconut trees, Velneshwar is yet to feature in the tourist map of Maharashtra even of the frequent traveler, Velneshwar is just emerging into the tourist scene as a beach destination in the long stretch of Konkan beaches.

Velneshwar hasnt been been spoken about much apart from the Velneshwar Shiva Temple which is flocked by hundreds of devotees during the Maha - Shivratri festival. Small shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Ganesha and Kala Bhairav are also present in this Shiva temple.

This Laxmi Ganesh Temple is not only ancient but also rare. Carved in white stone beleived to be from the Kashmir region the idol is 3 feet high with ten hands, hence the name 'Dashabhuja Ganapati'. A grand ceremony along with a procession of a chariot is held in Magh every year to mark the birth of the diety.