| Soaring peaks, breathtaking valleys. Lush
flora. Cool, crisp mountain air. This is Mahabaleshwar,
Maharashtra’s most popular hill station, and once the summer capital of
the Bombay Presidency during the British Raj. |
| Mahabaleshwar means ‘God of Great Power’
in Sanskrit. Indeed, the place is great and bountiful, rewarding the
visitor with a mix of old-world charm, natural beauty and modernity. |
| A tour of Mahabaleshwar town and the surrounding
countryside would take at least a couple of days as there is much to see and
experience. The town bazaar is called Malcolm Peth after the then British
Governor of Bombay, Sir John Malcolm. It lies at the heart of
Mahableshwar with its hotels, shops, restaurants, outlying bungalows,
government offices, and jostling crowds. |
| Mahabaleshwar has proper, motorable roads to every
point worth visiting. So one could tour the place by car, jeep, or even
horseback. There are many buildings and sites that take one back to the days of
the Raj. There’s Mount Malcolm, the one-time residence of Governor
Malcolm; Moraji Castle, where Mahatma Gandhi lived during 1945; and the
Mahabaleshwar Club. |
| As short drive from town is the beautiful Venna Lake,
where one can go boating, fishing, and pony riding. Or indulge oneself at the
entertainment center with its numerous food and game stalls. Near the lake,
further down the road on the way to neighbouring Panchgani, are the great
strawberry fields. |
| Mahabaleshwar is known for its numerous sightseeing
points, each providing a unique perspective of the majestic hill range. En
route to Babington Point is Dhom dam, which is a good place to take a break. Or
one could visit Old Mahabaleshwar and the famous Panchganga Mandir, which is
said to contain the springs of five rivers: Koyna, Venna, Savitri, Gayatri and
the sacred Krishna River. There’s also the Mahabaleshwar Mandir, revered
for its Swayambhu Lingam |
| Mahableshwar is a great holiday destination
throughout the year, except for the monsoon months. During the late-June
to mid-September period, torrential rains virtually shutdown this hill station,
so travel is not advised at this time. |
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| Mount Malcolm : |
| Built in 1829, this was one of the famous buildings
of its time. |
| Holy Cross Church : |
| The stained glass windows of this old Roman Catholic
Church still retain their beauty. |
| Mahabaleshwar Club : |
| Built in 1881, the Mahabaleshwar Club offers a
peaceful retreat for those wanting to get away from it all. The Club
offers many recreational facilities, including a badminton court and a mini
golf course. Facilities are available to everyone at a very low
fee. For those who prefer the quiet outdoors, there is a jogging track
encircling the premises, edged with beautiful rose bushes. The Club also
offers a clear view of Venna Lake below. Every year, Christmas is
celebrated here with much fervour and pomp by the club members. |
| Pratapgad Fort : |
| About 24 km. away from Mahabaleshwar lies Pratapgad,
the pride of the Maratha Empire. Built in 1656, it is a maze of ponds,
chambers and long dark walkways, some of which lead to trap doors that open to
a 100 meter fall! It was here that Afzal Khan, the mighty general of
Bijapur, met his untimely death at the hands of Shivaji. Since Pratapgad
lies slightly off the road to Mahabaleshwar, a visit to this historic monument
is recommended in all travel itineraries |
| Mahabaleshwar has many points offering great views of
flat-topped ghats, dense forests and lush green valleys. Lodwick Point,
towering almost 1,240 meters above sea level, is one of the most visited Points
and holds a monument in memory of General Lodwick Arthur’s Seat is well
liked too for its great view of the Jor Valley. About a kilometer away
lies Tiger’s Spring, and if you venture further down you’ll come to
a ledge named The window – a point that’s famous for its
mesmerizing view. |
| There are many locations offering pleasant views of
the plains below: Wilson Point, Carnac Point, Helen’s Point, Elphinstone
Point, Babington Point, Bombay Point, Falkland Point, and Kate Point are all
well known |
| There are pleasant waterfalls also worth visiting,
such as Chinaman’s Falls, Dhobi Falls and Lingmala Falls, the latter
being the most impressive, cascading amost 600 ft from a cliff! |
| Another tourist attraction is the Sangam, or the
confluence of the five rivers that flow over the Deccan Plateau. There
are many old temples too, which become the focus of attention during the
festive season, |
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| Location : |
| Mahabaleshwar is situated 1,372 meters above sea
level in the Western Ghats, in Satara District of Maharashtra State, in India. |
| Languages spoken : |
| Marathi, Hindi and English. |
| Climate and clothing: |
| The climate is pleasant throughout the year, but the
best time to visit is between October and June. Temperatures range from
16°C to 20°C in summer and can fall as low as 5°C in
winter. Cottons and light woolens are recommended attire. |
| Shopping and food : |
| Mahabaleshwar is famous for its fruit products,
Strawberries, honey, Jams, crushes and chikki (a sweet made from jaggery and an
assortment of nuts) are a favourite buy-and so is handcrafted leather footwear. |
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| Panchgani |
| About 19 km, from Mahableshwar lies the hill station
of Panchgani. It is surrounded on all sides by hills (“Panch”
= 5, “Gani” = hills) and is very popular with tourist owing to its
close proximity to Mahabaleshwar. Panchgani is known for its resident
boarding schools and its strawberry and raspberry farms. Visitors to
Mahabaleshwar almost always come to Panchgani to make the most of their holiday
in the hills.. |
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The nearest airport is Pune, 120 km.
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| Nearest railhead is Wathar, but Pune is considered to
be more convenient. |
| Mumbai-Mahabaleshwar via Mahad, 247 km. State Transport buses ply regularly
between Pune-Mahabaleshwar and Mumbai-Mahabaleshwar.
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