Winding roads, a cool breeze at all times, vantage points offering breathtaking views of hills and valleys, plenty of strawberries to gorge on and a main street full of shops offering all kinds of curios and snacks. Doesn’t it sound exciting? Well, that’s Mahabaleshwar for you which along with Panchgani makes for a wonderful holiday or even just a weekend getaway.
Located about 120 kilometers southwest of Pune and 285 kilometers from Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar is a vast plateau measuring 150 kilometers, bound by valleys on all sides. It reaches a height of 1,439 meters at its highest peak above sea level, known as Wilson or Sunrise Point. Mahabaleshwar comprises three villages: Malcolm Peth, Old ‘Kshetra’ Mahabaleshwar and part of a village called Shindola. The hill station is the source of the Krishna River that flows across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The legendary source of the river is a spout from the mouth of a statue of a cow in the ancient temple of Mahadev in Old Mahabaleshwar.
According to a legend, Krishna is Lord Vishnu himself as a result of a curse on the ‘trimurti’ by Savitri. Also, its tributaries Venna and Koyana are said to be Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma themselves. An interesting thing to notice is that four other rivers come out from the cow’s mouth apart from Krishna and they all travel some distance before merging into Krishna. These are the Koyna, Venna, Savitri and Gayatri.
With its name derived from Sanskrit and meaning ‘god of great power’, Mahabaleshwar has lots to explore. Arthur’s Seat is one such interesting point from where you can get a view of Jor Valley. Another exotic location is Lodwick Point, located almost 1,240 meters above sea level. General Lodwick’s memory is preserved here in the form of a monument dedicated to him.
Kate’s Point gives visitors a view of the Dhom and Balakwadi dams. Close to it is the Needle Hole point where there is a natural hole in between its rock formation. Wilson Point, which is the highest point of the hill station, gets its name from Sir Leslie Wilson and is a favourite with tourists for splendid views of sunrise and sunset. The second-highest peak in Mahabaleshwar is Connaught Peak and gets its name from the Duke of Connaught.
Some of the other points that you must visit are Monkey Point, Carnac Point, Falkland Point, Helen’s Point, Elphinstone Point, Mumbai Point, Marjorie Point and Babbington Point. For boating you must head to the Venna Lake. During the monsoon, waterfalls such as Lingmala Falls and Dhobi Falls come alive, adding to the scenic splendour of the place. You can also spend your evenings loitering in the main bazaar and enjoy strawberry-flavoured ice-cream or fresh strawberries with whipped cream.
Pratapgad
Out of the 360 forts that bear testimony to the glory of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s, the Pratapgad Fort holds the most significant place in Maratha rule because it is from here that the history of this legendary emperor took a decisive course after he scored a victory against the mighty Afzal Khan, commander of the Bijapur Adilshahi forces. Also, the fort commands a spectacular view of the surroundings.
Located close to the hill station of Mahabaleshwar with an overview of the encirclement of mountain ranges and deep valleys, Pratapgad Fort made its way into history on November 10, 1659 with the meeting between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s and Afzal Khan. When the two warriors met, the tall and imposing Afzal Khan embraced Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s as a customary sign of friendship and then drew a hidden dagger to stab Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s in the back. Fortunately, the Maratha ruler was not harmed due to the iron armour that he had worn under his dress. In swift response, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s disemboweled Khan with a single stroke of his ‘waghnakhi’ (iron tiger claws) that he had worn on his hand and concealed with his finger rings. Afzal Khan was then beheaded by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s lieutenant, Sambhaji Kavji Kondhalkar.
After his burial, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s ordered for a ‘dargah’ to be built at Pratapgad Fort, which came to be known as ‘Afzal Buruj’. This tale of bravery apart, the fort in itself is interesting from an architectural point of view too. Described by locals as being ‘a fort within a fort’ since there are two parts to it, the lower fort, which is around 320 meters long and 110 meters wide, has been built on the southern and the eastern terraces and defended by towers and bastions 10 to 12 meters high at corners on the projecting spurs. The roughly square upper fort, which is 180 meters long on each side, was built upon the crest of the hill where the main proceedings and meetings were held.
The upper fort had several important buildings, including the famous temple of Mahadev located at the northwest of the fort. The royal ‘darbar’ used to be held right in front of this temple so that no one would tell a lie in this pious place. The fort is located at the extreme northwestern corner of Satara district and is at a height of 3,500 feet above sea level on a spur, which overlooks the road between the villages of Par and Kinesvar. This place has over the years become an important tourist spot because of its proximity to the hill station of Mahabaleshwar that is barely 24 kilometers away. Udayan Raje Bhosale, the heir of the Satara princely state and a descendant ofChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s, currently owns the fort, which is still inhabited by the descendant families of the original Maratha soldiers.
Kaas-Pathar
If ever you have wished to be surrounded by a bounty of colourful flowers and nothing else for quite a distance, the Kaas Plateau is where you should be. Just 25 kilometers from the bustling city lies this pristine and wonderfully unique ecosystem nestled in the Sahyadri Mountains. The metamorphosis that takes place here during the monsoon season is like witnessing Mother Nature unfolding a miracle for the world to be astounded with.
Known as the ‘Plateau of a Million Flowers’, Kaas has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the reason is quite clear – it is acknowledged as home to endemic life forms that are found nowhere else in the world! But what truly amazes, and presents a breathtakingly colourful picture, is the blossoming of thousands of flowers during the monsoon season when the plateau becomes covered with sheets and drapes of innumerable tiny flowering plants in a riot of yellows, pinks, blues, purples, and so on. The show that starts sometime late in July continues, changing dramatically, throughout August and into September.
The making of this very special place can be traced to the time when it was part of the Deccan Plateau which had 29 volcanic lava flows across 20 crore years. With every eruption, a new layer of lava flowed from the land’s fissures and spread horizontally over the already weathered older strata. When the flow of magma finally stopped, the action of many water streams and huge rivers began, eroding the flat land mass and forming deep valleys and gorges, thereby giving it its present form. With the arrival of the southwest monsoon clouds, the region receives up to 2,500 mm of rainfall in just about three months. The water that accumulates from this catchment finds its way into the Kaas Lake, which is the source of the river Urmodi. It is due to this life-giving rain that the thin layer of red soil suddenly erupts in a profusion of flowers.
Soon enough, the land is covered with the golden-hued Smithias and Sonkis. Not to be left behind are the carpets of pink, lavender and purple of the Balsams. Then there is the dazzling white from the blooms of Gend – Eriocaulon with their head-like flowers. In contrast is the peach of Murdania, which has spectacular sheen of gold dust on its petals. Adding to the colour purple is Seeta’s Tears or Utricularia, which have small bladders around their roots. Tiny insects, attracted to these bladders, get trapped, thus providing the plant with nitrogen and phosphorus. Taking this glamorous show forward is the universe of the ground orchids, including Habeneria digitata with its greenish-yellow flowers. Some of the other unique species found here include the Ceropegia, whose lantern-like appearance gives it its appropriate vernacular name of ‘Kandil Kharchudi’.
However, the story of Kaas would remain incomplete without a mention of the ubiquitous Pleocaulus ritchei, known in vernacular terms as ‘Topli Karvi (basket kept upside down). This plant flowers only once in its lifetime of eight years. And yet when it blossoms, it is a sight to behold with baskets of purple flowers swaying in the breeze. And with so many plants coming to life, the landscape also buzzes with bees, butterflies, insects and frogs for whom the plants provide yet another cycle of life.
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