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In Summer |
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April to May |
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October to November |
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At
1,372 meters above sea level, in the
heart of Sahyadri Hills in Satara District
- Mahabaleshwar is one of the most spectacular
and the largest of Maharashtra's hill-stations.
The name 'Mahabaleshwar' is derived
from a temple of Lord Mahadev and three
Sanskrit words, "Maha" (great),
"Bal" (power) and "Ishwar"
(God). But, some say that the name 'Mahabaleshwar',
which simply means very mighty God,
seems to have a mythological past. Mahabaleshwar
is famous for its scenic beauty and
the splendid views of the valleys and
the sea, which is quite visible in clear
days pony rides on the lanes of Mahabaleshwar,
are quite thrilling.
Mahabaleshwar is known for the different
kind of berries it produces, such as
strawberries, gooseberries and raspberries.
You can not only buy these from here,
but also get jams, preserves and marmalades
that are simply out of this world. The
bazaar here is very popular for its
leather goods and tribal trinkets. These
exotic pieces can be taken for friends
as souvenirs or gifts. |
| History
of Mahabaleshwar |
In
the early 14th century, the Moguls ruled
Mahabaleshwar but in the later half
of the century a Brahmin dynasty took
control of it. In the 15th Century Mahabaleshwar
was won by Muslim Kings of Bijapur and
Ahmednagar but by the 16th century the
Maratha family of Chandarao More was
ruling over it. Finally, in the 17th
century Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj decided
to show his resistance to foreign rule
and for this he trained a large army
and captured it. After him the Peshwas
ruled till the year 1819, after which
Mahabaleshwar came to be included in
the territory of the Raja of Satara.
One name that invariably finds mention
in any conversation about the history
of Mahabaleshwar is Colonel Lodwick,
who later in his life became a General.
He brought a lot of focus to the hill
station, which is why a monument was
named after him in Mahabaleshwar. |
| Major
Attractions in Mahabaleshwar |
There
are so many major attractions, which
draws the attention of tourists in Mahabaleshwar.
Few of them are -
The
Old Mahabaleshwar Temple -
It is one of the important landmarks
in the hill resort. The presiding deity
of the temple Lord Mahabali lends its
name to the hill resort. The main temple
has two apartments, the inner room,
which is the God chamber and the outer
room which is the central hall. The
temple is dedicate to Lord Shiva and
enshrines a 'lingam'. The Hill resort
of Mahabaleshwar is named after the
presiding deity of this temple, Lord
Mahabali, which is also why it is considered
a major landmark of Mahabaleshwar.
Viewpoints - There
are a number of popular viewpoints,
which offer scenic views of the green
valley and hills. These include Elphinstone
Point, Babington Point, Kate's Point,
and Bombay Point. Arthur's Seat, a spectacular
viewpoint, located 12 km from Mahabaleshwar,
looks out over a precipitous drop of
600 metres.
Waterfalls
- A tour to Mahabaleshwar can
possibly not be called complete without
a trip to the cascading waterfalls,
such as the Lingmala waterfall (6km),
Dhobi waterfall (3km) and Chinaman's
waterfall (2.5km).
Pratapgad
Fort - The historic Pratapgad
Fort (24 km) was built by the Maratha
chieftain Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1656,
to control the rebellious rulers of
the nearby Javali Basin. According to
legend, Shivaji was blessed with a shining
sword at the temple of Goddess Bhawani
located here. It is also the site of
the famous battle between Shivaji and
Afzal Khan, ruler of the Bijapur Sultanate.
Venna Lake - There
is also the Venna Lake, which is 2.5
km long and offers fishing and boating
facilities to tourists, is also popular
with holidaymakers to Mahabaleshwar.
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| How to reach |
Mahabaleshwar
can easily access through air, train
or bus.
By Air: Nearest airport
is Pune at 120-km.
By Rail: Nearest railway
station is Wathar at 62-km, but Pune
is the convenient railway station at
120-km.
By Road: From Bombay
via Pune, Mahabaleshwar is 290-km and
via Mahad it is 247-km. The State Transport
buses ply from Bombay and Pune to Mahabaleshwar.
MTDC operates daily bus services except
during the monsoon, between Bombay-Mahabaleshwar-Bombay.
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| So,
what are you waiting for...!!
Just pack your bags and Get going for
the most adventurous vacation of your
lifetime in Western India with us. |
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