A coastal romance....

Post-monsoon and winter days, folks like to drive down the sylvan Kokan coast, to the ancient Ganpati temple at Ganpatipule, on the west coast of India.

 A beach temple,  the 400 years old Ganpati image at Ganpatipule is said to have sprung up from the soil. This deity faces the West, so as to guard the western gates, unlike deities in other Indian temples who face the east. The temple is at the base of a hill, and pilgrims walk around (pradakshina) the hill as a mark of respect.

My friend Harish Krishnan,  a social media evangelist from Mumbai,  did a quick trip to Ganpatipule recently and posted some wonderful photos here.  Below is one such.  

According to a local folklore, the Hindu god, Ganapati, taking umbrage by a remark made by a native lady, moved to Pulé  (a few km ahead of the town) from his original abode of Gulé. Thus the region was named Ganpati-pulé. 

Dont know if Harish Krishnan noticed, but there seemed to be another native lady at Ganpatipule.....

(photo by Harish Krishnan)

Ruthless driving
on NH 17,
and then a quiet descent
to a brick red
worship
amidst
a crescendo of waves
rushing in full tide
for
the Ganpati Aarti.

A
liitle distance away,
amidst
a few raised rocks
she sits,
her jet black
washed
and
coconut-adorned hair
falling languidly
over her eyes,
looking up slowly
through her green eyelashes,
at the waves,
foaming in fun,
trying again and again
to reach her feet...

She hears him say
he must return,
soon
in response to Niravian calls....

She blinks
her salty tears
through her green eye lashes
as the ocean waves
recede quietly,
not wanting to interfere...

She
has never understood
why anyone
would want
to go back
from Ganpatipule.......