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Ganpatipule, Maharashtra
Every September, elaborate festivals for the submersion of
Ganesha statues take place across Southern India. In this remote
coastal village on India’s west coast, Ganesh Chaturthi is taken
especially seriously, with a multi-day festival involving boat
trips along the Konkan coast. Part of the joy of Ganpatipule is the
rickety sleeper train from Mumbai to Ratnagiri, which traverses
valleys and canyons of lush tropical jungle. While you’re here,
visit the technicolour Sri Ganpatipule temple, home to a giant
stone Ganesha carving that has mythical origins and is just a
stone’s throw from the beach.