Kanakeshwar
Shree Kshetra Kanakeshwar( श्री क्षेत्र कनकेश्वर ), on the Konkan coast near Alibag, is a popular place, famous for its cool climate and the old temple of Lord Shiva. The temple is situated on a small hill near the village of Mapgaon which is almost 12 km from Alibag. The hill is almost 1200 feet high and one has to climb 700 - 750 steps to reach the temple.
In the mid of the hill one can see "Nagobacha Tappa" (a Place of Snakes) and the famous step called "Devachi Payari" named because, it is said, God himself stepped here after the construction of the temple and the steps. The temple of Kanakeshwar is very beautiful; it is a Hoysala style structure built in 1764. A water tank, called a "Pushkarni", has water almost throughout the year.
The hill and the surroundings are good to visit. One can see the hilly region and the forest on the hill. The other places to see near Kanakeshwar are the Maruti Temple, Gaymandi (Sculpture of a Cow), Temple of Devi Putrabai, Gaymukh and the plateau of Vyaghreshwar (a small temple of Lord Shiva), etc.
Kanakeshwar is a place to feel the jungle and silence of the jungle and hills. If you want to see the beauty of the Arabian sea and the fort of Khanderi as well as the entire hilly region, then Kanakeshwar is the place to visit and rest for 2–3 days.
Kanekeshwar hill supports a variety of flora and fauna, Fauna consists of variety of birds , and reptiles, It has been observed to a good breeding place for raptor birds.
Shri Kanakeshwar ( देव श्री कनकेश्वर ) is also family god/ KuulaDaiwat (कुलदैवत ) of Date/ Datye family.
How to reach
Though the Shree Kshetra Kanakeshwar is on a hill near Mapgaon village, and has main proper foot-way starting from the village, one can reach there through recently constructed foot-way from village Zirdpada which is on the way to Mandwa.
One can reach village Mapgaon either by -
Road
From Mumbai, one can reach Mapgaon by traveling on the Mumbai-Goa highway (NH-66) till Wadkhal (or Vadkhal) and taking the right fork from Wadkhal to continue on (NH-166A)– the left fork being the road to Goa. At Karlekhind, one need to take right turn to reach Mapgaon.
Regular bus ply between Mumbai to Mapgaon, Alibag to Mapgaon.