The origin of the Ganapatipule temple and some other structures near it are associated with various legends. 

The most popular legend is the one associated with a Brahmin named Balbhatji Bhide. It is held that during the time of the Mughal reign (about 1600 years before), there was a jungle at the foot of the hill where there were many ‘Kewara’ plants. This hill is the one which is presently just behind the Ganapatipule temple. Here there was a Brahmin named Balbhatji Bhide, who was the renter of the village during the Mughal period. Once Bhide encountered a major personal problem. He decided to give up food and water till he was relieved of his problems. He went into a jungle which had many Kevada trees for doing penance and worshipping. One night he had a vision in which Lord Ganesh appeared and told him that the Lord had himself come to Aagargule (Ganesh Gule) to fulfill the wishes of his devotees. He told Bhide that the hill was his 'nirakar' ... More

The origin of the Ganapatipule temple and some other structures near it are associated with various legends. 

The most popular legend is the one associated with a Brahmin named Balbhatji Bhide. It is held that during the time of the Mughal reign (about 1600 years before), there was a jungle at the foot of the hill where there were many ‘Kewara’ plants. This hill is the one which is presently just behind the Ganapatipule temple. Here there was a Brahmin named Balbhatji Bhide, who was the renter of the village during the Mughal period. Once Bhide encountered a major personal problem. He decided to give up food and water till he was relieved of his problems. He went into a jungle which had many Kevada trees for doing penance and worshipping. One night he had a vision in which Lord Ganesh appeared and told him that the Lord had himself come to Aagargule (Ganesh Gule) to fulfill the wishes of his devotees. He told Bhide that the hill was his 'nirakar' form and he should continue to worship so that he could be relieved of all his difficulties. It so happened that at the same time, one of his cows was not giving milk. His cowherd, who was keeping a close watch on her, observed that the milk used to flow from the cow's udder on a particular place every day. The cowherd narrated the incident to Bhide, who cleared up that place and discovered an idol of Lord Ganesh which he had seen in his vision. He built a shrine there and placed the idol at the spot where the cow gave milk. It is the same spot where the idol of the God is placed at present. Thus the Ganapatipule temple came into being.

Another local folklore has it, that Lord Ganesha moved from his original abode called Gule to Pule and settled there after taking an offense of the remark made by a woman. Hence the city got its name Ganpatipule.

It is also held that Ganpatipule got its name from two words - "Ganapati" or the Lord of "Ganas" and 'Pule' which means sand dune. Thus based on its location near the sea shore this may be very apt.

A story is associated with the installation of the small shrine of Morya Deo just outside of the main gate of the Ganapatipule temple. The legend is that, near Ganpatipule, there is a place known as Malgund, where a man maned Bhandari used to ply a passenger ship to and fro from various ports along the coastline. On one such trip when the ship was entering the Tiwari port, it was caught in a cyclone. The place of landing became invisible and the sea became so rough that the ship was about to sink. All the passengers were full of fear. It is then that Bhandari, on the advice of a passenger named Shri Bapat, asked the passengers to start chanting prayers to Lord Ganesh. It is said that the Lord heard their prayers and the ship safely landed near the sands in front of the Ganapatipule temple. On the advice of Shri Bapat, Bhandari built a small temple with a dome which is known as Morya Deo as a gesture of showing his gratefulness to the Lord. He also installed two lamp pillars near it. He donated a piece of land at Malgund for meeting the expenses involved in carrying out the daily rituals of this shrine. This arrangement continues even today, and the worship of the Lord continues to be performed by the descendants of Shri Bapat.