About Kanakaditya Temple, Kasheli

As the name suggests, Kankaditya is a temple of Suryadev or the Sun God. It offers a calming atmosphere as soon as we enter the premises. The idol of Suryanarayan intricately carved in black stone is nearly 800 years old. Also, the 850-year-old copperplate (Tamrapat) book, delicately woven together, displaying a wonderful piece of ancient art and skill, with text carved on it carry the written evidence that this temple is indeed ancient. This ‘Daanpatra’ is from 1191 AD. This temple and artifacts there keep visitors awestruck with the craftsmanship and architectural expertise of our ancestors.

As soon as you enter the temple you come across an ambience decorated in lateritic rock. When you enter from the east you cannot miss the majestic ‘Sabhamandap’ or meeting square. In the premises you can see beautifully carved idols of other gods and goddesses. Wooden pillars carry carvings of flowers, creepers, designs and images of various Gods. Amongst them are Shadanan, Varun, Krishna, Vayu, Agni Narayan astride a male sheep. Along with these there are carved scenes such as the churning of the ocean which is a mythological incident during the Kurma Avatar phase of Lord Vishnu. At the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum there is a huge wooden idol of Lord Vishnu reclining on the Serpent God Sheshnag. Beside it is Garuda the Eagle God and Goddess Lakshmi. Above it are the idols of the Dashavatar, or the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. Inside the temple there is the idol of Kanakdas. It is beautifully carved in black stone and has a silver chariot carrying it.

There's a legend about this temple that a long time back a boatman decided to travel south from Gujarat. Since he worshiped Lord Aditya, he decided to carry an idol along with him. When he reached Kasheli, the boat halted without a reason. He knew he was not stuck due to a rock but could not reason out its cause. He thought that perhaps the Lord wanted him to leave him behind, hence placed the idol in a rock cut cave along the cliff of Kasheli village and sailed on further. Simultaneously,  a local woman called Kanak, an ardent devotee of the Lord Aditya dreamt of this idol being placed in the cave. With the help of the villagers, she resurrected this beautiful temple which is called Kanakaditya Temple.The cave where this idol was found came to be known as “Devachi Kholi (God’s Room).

Surrounded by the serene ocean scenery of Devghali, Sri Kanakaditya Temple offers a peaceful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The temple's proximity to the Arabian Sea provides a picturesque setting, making it an ideal spot for those seeking moments of tranquility and spiritual connection.

Rath Saptami is celebrated here for five days from Magh Shuddha Saptami to Magh Shuddha Ekadashi. On Magh Shuddha Shashti, Mahakali Devi of Adivare comes to Kasheli in palanquin at around 11 o’clock in the night. Next day, in the morning of Ratha Saptami, the festival begins with Mahapuja. Mahakali Devi stays in Kanakaditya temple for four days. The temple comes alive during the Rath Festival, where a magnificent silver chariot is paraded in religious processions, adding to the cultural richness of the site.