Varsoli is adjacent to Alibaug and an important village in Ashtagara from Aangre Era. The scenic beach here always attracts tourists. On the way to this coast, there is an ancient Shiv Temple on the left side, the temple of Beleshwar.

The History –

This temple dates back to around 1111 AD. The land of the temple premises was owned by Kanhoji Angre. Later this place went to the British government, in the year 1864 the British government gave this place to the Raul family here. Currently, the temple is maintained by the same Raul family.

The Temple –

The structure of this temple appears to be similar to many ancient temples in the Alibaug area. From the outside, it looks like a quadrangular house, but inside there is a small dome at the core, and a hall with carved pillars in front.

The temple is completely made of stone with a layer of lime. The wooden pillars of the temple auditorium and its carvings are the first to confirm its antiquity. The entrance to the temple is very small compared to the temple. That is, while entering the temple, one has to bend down and go inside. The walls, about 2 feet in width, bear testimony to the solid construction. In the year 1927, the floor tiles were installed in the assembly hall of the temple. There is a small mandap of Nandi in front of the temple and there are two lamps on the side. Adjacent to the Nandimandap was a very ancient banyan tree but a large portion of it fell during the 2020 storm.

The Inscriptions & Historical Ruins-

An ancient historical inscription is found on the right side of the temple. This inscription must be read and preserved carefully. Nearby, the stones of a large lamp stand are lying neglected. Adjacent to the temple is the road leading to the sea. On the other side of the road there are two small Deepmalas and an old Pushkarini in neglected condition. The water is now polluted. It is necessary to conserve all these areas and all the ancient ruins.

We visit the beach of Varsoli many times, but don’t forget to visit this historic temple on the way.