Kurang

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Kurang is a small village in the Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra (India), which is a coastal district on the Arabian Sea. The landmass on the western part of Maharashtra along the Arabian Sea, sandwiched between the sea and a mountain range named Sahyadri, is known as Konkan. Kurang is situated at the foothills of Sahyadri mountains. A seasonal river named 'Naveri' runs through the hilly landscape.

With its evergreen vegetation and hilly landscape, it is pristine in the months of monsoon and after. Kurang has a small population because the majority of the people there have migrated to Mumbai, an industrial town. However, their attachment to their native place brings them back every summer and during the Ganapati festivals.

Public transport to Kurang is from Lanja, a tehsil town and from Rajapur, another tehsil in the vicinity. Six State Transport (ST) of Maharashtra buses ply during the day. One can avail auto rickshaws and other private vehicles like the jeep for that purpose. Kolhapur city is just about 60 Kilometers and can be approached by Anuskura Ghat section which lies in another village in the vicinity. Ratnagiri city is about 70 kilometers from the village and a regular State Transport bus ply between the village and city.

Drive way from mumbai is on National Highway 17 (NH17) till Lanja town and a left turn from Watul village takes you on state highway towards Kurang. Vilavade is the nearest railway station on Konkan Railway router, from where one has to take a private vehicle for another 19km journey towards kurang.

Agriculture and related businesses are prominent with the residents. Horticulture is catching up. This region can grow good quality Alphanso Mangos and cashewnuts. Good quality teakwood is also planted en mass.

Legend says that the village was inhibited by family of Kadam's (Village heads / Patil in Marathi) eight generations back during the rule of King Sambhaji (Son of Chattrapati Shivaji), this family has grown into four big houses, and majority of them are residing in Mumbai now.

There are two primary schools in the village; for secondary school, children have to walk about five kilometers in a neighboring village. Education is in Marathi language.

Electricity, telephones, and piped drinking water are the few developments in last 10-15 years. A few grocery shops are there to serve the needs of the locals. Cellphone network is not available.

The language spoken here is Marathi, though some can understand Hindi and English.

As with a typical Indian village, there are goddesses, Kurangadevi and Dev Rameshwar, as village deities. Kurangadevi is ritualy consulted on every major aspect. Rameshwar Temple has as a major event, a fair, in the month of February on the day of Shivratri.

Major festivals are Ganapati Utsav, Dahikala, Holi or Shimga, Navratra, Diwali, and Shivaratri; Ganapati Utsav is biggest of all of them. People visit their native village during Ganapati festival and is celebrated with gusto. Other major festival is Holi and is known better as Shimga locally.

Ratnagiri District Sahyadri Mountain Range