Surrounded by four hills and with river Savitri flowing through the town, Harihareshwar is famous for its temple of Lord Harihareshwar and is a popular weekend beach destination especially for people in Mumbai and Pune. Harihareshwar comes across as a pleasant surprise with some of the most peaceful and beautiful beaches along the Konkan Coast. The nearby Pushpadri hill and surrounding dense woods only make the beaches more attractive. The name literally translates into the abode of Lord Shiva and the place assumes significant spiritual and religious importance. Harihareshwar's ancient temples also let the visitors view a unique blend of the Indian and Maratha architecture.
Temple Town
Known as the temple town, this place has some beautiful temples you can pay a visit to while in town. Some of the very famous and stunningly crafted temples, including the Kalbhairav temple, Soja Devi Temple and the Shankar temple is a treat to the eyes of all the visitors visiting Harihareshwar for the first time. There are grand festivities which are being held every year in the Kalbhairav temple and the Shankar temple during the time of Shivratri, which attracts a lot of tourists over to the place. Ganesh Vandana is also an important ritual of this location, and thus the Ganesh Gully is one of the most frequently visited locations in the town, which has a 30 feet tall statue of Lord Ganesha.
Best Time To Visit
October to March are the best months to visit Harihareshwar when the hot weather is a bit at rest. The Diwali and Shiv Ratri celebrations during this period along with Ganesh Chaturthi in September can make a visit to Harihareshwar a more enchanting one. The summers are quite warm, followed by a humid monsoon and pleasantly cool winters.
Suggested Itinerary
Day 1: If you make it to the town by morning, freshen up a bit in your hotel and then head out to explore the beautiful place Harihareshwar is. You can visit the major temples of the town on Day 1.
Day 2: Utilise the second day of your trip to head out to the beautiful beaches of the city. Spend either you sunrise or your sunsets in one of those beaches to witness the beauty of these moments. And if all this doesn't make you tired, then head out to roam around the small, beautiful streets of the city to shop for yourself and to remember the parts of this place forever.
Attractions in Harihareshwar
Harihareshwar Beach
Undoubtedly the highlight to the town and its tourism scene, is the Harihareshwar Beach. This beach is a sheer joy to be at - elegant, clean, soothing and soft. The fact that it is relatively unpolluted is quite a delight to all its tourists.
Kalbhairav Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this is one of the most ancient and the most renowned temples of Maharashtra. The deity of Lord Shiva and Kalbhairav, the lord of all manthra shastras, are places in the temple along with others. It is believed that Lord Shiva created Kalbhairava and blessed him with all manthras.
Somja Devi Temple
Find yet another ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Somja in Srivardhan. It is believed that the Goddess helps in extracting the venom of snake from the body of the person. The victims pray and undertake Pradakshinaas or Dandvat that is circumscribing the temple by lying flat on the stomach.
Food of Harihareshwar
Konkani food is the best option here. Authentic Konkani dishes full of flavour and original elements is sure to be enjoyable. One must try the famous and refreshing Kokam Sharbat here. Since this is a temple town, most common eateries are vegetarian, but you will find non-vegetarian menus at a few joints as well as options from a typical North Indian cuisine.
How To Reach Harihareshwar
The nearest railhead is Mangaon (57 km from Harihareshwar) and is well connected to Pune and Mumbai. The Mumbai airport at a distance of 188 km from this town is the nearest airport. Taxis to Harihareshwar are easily available. The bus service is quite good too. Srivardhan (another major tourist attraction nearby) and Harihareshwar are connected by sea launches, the distance of the travel is about 25 km.
