Since so many days, I have one item in my wishlist and that is a bike ride to Mahabaleshwar on my Activa I.
It was like one of my dream came true when we decided to go.
On Saturday morning, we started from Pune by 5.30 and reached to Parasi Point pachagani by 10 o’clock after 3-4 halts.
Pleasant weather
Parsi point
I do not have words to describe beauty of view of Krishna river from this point.There is one view point is built to have a look. It is like dangling. A small fun can be felt. You can have ‘Ranmeva’ (Raw mango, Carrot , Tamrine), Lime water and ice-cream at this places. Actually,you can see they are foung at every spot in Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar.
After this point we checked in into our hotel, got freshened up and started exploring Mahabaleshwar.
First day, we went to Mahabaleshwar and Panchganga temple situated in old Mahabaleshwar.
View from Parsi Point
Panchganga Temple
At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Panch Ganga Temple is a holy site situated near Mahabaleshwar Temple at Old Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra.
The Panch Ganga Temple is constructed at the confluence of five rivers, Krishna, Venna, Savitri, Koyna and Gayatri. All the rivers come out from the mouth of a statue of a cow in this temple, thus the place being called Panchganga Mandir.
The temple was constructed by Raja Singhandeo, the Yadava ruler of Devgiri in the 13th Century. In the 16th and 17th Centuries, Raja Chandarao More of Jaoli and the Maratha ruler Shivaji improved upon its structure on a large scale.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and has a beautiful idol of him. The legend behind the temple is closely linked to Savitri’s curse on the Trimurtis, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who flow here as Koyna, Krishna and Venna rivers. It is a major religious site and is thronged by devotees throughout the year.
Panchaganga temple
Mahabaleshwar Temple
At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Mahabaleshwar Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in the Old Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular Mahabaleshwar tourist places.
Mahabaleshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. The temple was built by Chandarao More in 16th century and is a model of the Hemadant architectural style of South India. The Mahabaleshwar hills have been named after Lord Mahabali, whose name stands a symbol of strength.
The temple is enclosed by a 5 feet wall and is divided into two areas, inner room and outer room. The sanctum sanctorum has Shiva linga made of black stone, which is 500 years old swayambhu lingam. This self-originated lingam is in the shape of Rudraksha and is called Mahalingam.
The trishul of Lord Shiva along with his Damru, Rudraksha and one bed has been preserved in this temple and these are around 300 years old. Legend has it that the bed used to be crumpled in the morning, indicating Shiva’s presence during the night at the temple. The temple also houses a square shaped raised platform. According to the legend, the Maratha ruler, Shivaji weighed his mother Jijabai in gold at this platform and then gave away the gold in charity. Atibaleshwar temple is another old temple located next to the Mahabaleshwar Temple.
Kate’s Point / Needle hole point / elephant head point
At a distance of 7 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Kate’s Point and Elephant’s Head Point are the most picturesque viewpoints of Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is among the best places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.
Kate’s Point area has 3 points in total; they are Kate’s Point, Echo Point and Needle Hole Point or Elephant’s Head Point. Kate’s Point is named after the then British governor Sir John Malcolm’s daughter. The original name of the point is Nake Khind and is situated at an altitude of 1290 m. Dhom dam as well as peaks of Kamalgadh, Pandavgadh and Mandardeo can be seen from Kate’s Point.
Elephant’s Head Point or Needle Hole Point is another popular vantage point in Mahabaleshwar, situated next to the Kate’s Point. The overhanging cliffs of this point are similar to the head of an elephant and its trunk. Thus the point got its name as the Elephant’s Head Point. One can see a natural rock formation with a hole in between, thus giving the name Needle Hole. Kate’s Point and Needle Hole Point are often confused with Elephant Head Point which is near Lodwick Point. From this point, tourist can also get a view of the Sahyadri mountain range.
After watching these points, we returned to our hotel as there were no street lights and road are not at all good.
Second day we started with Wilson point.
Wilson point :
At a distance of 2 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Wilson Point is the highest point in Mahabaleshwar. Situated at an altitude of 1439 m, Wilson Point is also known as Sunrise Point and one can experience the beautiful sunrise from this point.
The original name of the point is Sindola Hill. This point is named after Sir Leslie Wilson, the Governor of Bombay province from 1923 to 1926. Wilson Point is a vast plateau with three watching towers, each at different spot. These towers provide mesmerizing vista of Mahabaleshwar and surrounding area. However, Wilson point is the only point in Mahabaleshwar where both sunrise and sunset can be seen.
We felt so hungry and did not have tea even to catch sunrise. We went towards Main market of Mahabaleshwar.
Near Bus stand, we found one tapari, they were serving very tasty Poha and Idali with garam garam Chai. They just made our day. J
We proceeded to remaining and most famous part of Mahabaleshwar i.e. Aurther Seat Point.
We can many point while travelling to Aurther seat point. They are :
Elphinstone point
Elephinstone point is the best place in Mahabaleshwar. At a distance of 10 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand and 5 km from Old Mahabaleshwar, Elphinstone Point is one of the famous viewpoints situated atop a hill near Arthur Seat Point in Mahabaleshwar.
Elphinstone Point discovered in 1830 by Dr. Murray and has an old mansion in its vicinity. The viewpoint got its name from Mount Stuart Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay Presidency. The mansion now lies in ruins and local authorities are planning to demolish to erect a picnic shed in its place for tourists.
Elphinstone Point is one of the highest points in Mahabaleshwar overlooking the two valleys, with rivers Koyna on the left and Savitri on the right. The lofty cliff commands a panoramic view of the Pratapgarh Fort, Koyna Valley and nearby plains. One can also admire the ravine, which lies between Elphinstone Point and Arthur Seat Point.You can see Pratapgad from this point shown as below:
Scenic view
Savitri Point
At a distance of 1 km from Arthur Seat, 2 km from Eliphinstone Point and 12 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Savitri Point is a popular vantage point in Mahabaleshwar town of Maharashtra. It is one of the top places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.
Popularly called as Suicide Point, Savitri Point is situated between Eliphinstone Point and Arthur Seat Point. This place is known as the originating point of the beautiful Savitri River. Savitri Point is situated atop a hill, from where visitors can get an uninterrupted view of Savitri River and its valley. The point itself is surrounded by dense flora, which serves as a perfect backdrop for photography. Owing to its spectacular beauty, this point is frequented by both tourists and locals year-round.
Timings: 6 AM – 6 PM
Arthur Seat Point
At a distance of 13 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand and 7 km from Old Mahabaleshwar, Arthur Seat Point is the most popular viewpoint in Mahabaleshwar and among the top places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.
Arthur Seat Point is located at a height of 1340 m and is surrounded by the deep Savitri gorge on one side and a lush green plateau on the other side. Popularly called as Queen of the Points, Arthur Seat Point has been named after Sir Arthur Mallet who was the first man to build a house at this point. Arthur Seat is the only point that clearly shows the geological contrast between the Konkan and the Deccan territories.
Arthur Seat Point area has 6 points in total, Arthur’s Seat Point, Echo Point, Hunter Point, Tiger Spring Point, Window Point and Malcom Point. The barren deep Savitri valley on the left and lush green Jor valley on the right extends a mesmerizing view to the seat. Moving step by step deep down, one finds the window point right below the seat and the Tiger Spring which is the source of Savitri River. Window Point is the first point, situated below the Arthur Seat.
From Arthur Seat Point one can get mesmerizing view of the Mahabaleshwar Range including Pratapgad, Koleshwar, Raireshwar and Chandragad. It is one of the most popular viewpoints for its dramatic grand canyon like views. Arthur Seat is famous for floating of light objects. If one can throw light things like cold drink cap in the valley, it comes up again due to air pressure.
From the parking visitors need to do 30 min walk to reach the view point. The trek is an easy one with stone steps for most of the way. There are lot of vendors throughout the route.
Timings: 6 AM – 6 PM
As sun was too much hot, we returned to our hotel to have lunch and one power knap.
Table Land point
By 3.30 pm, we decided to go towards Panchgani side to visit TableLand point.
At a distance of 2 km from Panchgani and 20 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Table Land is the highest point in Panchgani and is situated at an elevation of 4550 feet above sea level. This is one of the best tourist places to visit in Panchgani.
Table Land is a vast expanse of flat laterite rock surrounded by hills hence the name Table Land. This volcanic plateau is Asia’s second longest mountain plateau after Tibetan plateau. This place offers an aerial view of the entire Panchgani and nearby valleys.
These naturally flattened hills are a good attraction for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The place also has several activities like horse riding, merry go rounds, mini trains, food stalls and a couple of game counters. Owing to is elevation, the place also offers an aerial view of the Rajpuri Caves and Devil’s Kitchen.
Table Land is a popular Bollywood shooting spot. Many movies like Raja Hindustani, Mela, Taare Jameen Par, and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam are shot at this place. It is just walkable from the main Panchgani Market, but even though there is a proper motorable road, it is a steep climb. It is better to drive up to the Table Land, where there is ample place to park the vehicles.
Like this way, our second day ended here.
Next morning , we started return journey and reached home safely with beautiful memories of Mesmerizing Mahabaleshwar.
Glimpse of Mahabaleshwar
It was like one of my dream came true when we decided to go.
On Saturday morning, we started from Pune by 5.30 and reached to Parasi Point pachagani by 10 o’clock after 3-4 halts.
Pleasant weather
Parsi point
I do not have words to describe beauty of view of Krishna river from this point.There is one view point is built to have a look. It is like dangling. A small fun can be felt. You can have ‘Ranmeva’ (Raw mango, Carrot , Tamrine), Lime water and ice-cream at this places. Actually,you can see they are foung at every spot in Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar.
After this point we checked in into our hotel, got freshened up and started exploring Mahabaleshwar.
First day, we went to Mahabaleshwar and Panchganga temple situated in old Mahabaleshwar.
View from Parsi Point
Panchganga Temple
At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Panch Ganga Temple is a holy site situated near Mahabaleshwar Temple at Old Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra.
The Panch Ganga Temple is constructed at the confluence of five rivers, Krishna, Venna, Savitri, Koyna and Gayatri. All the rivers come out from the mouth of a statue of a cow in this temple, thus the place being called Panchganga Mandir.
The temple was constructed by Raja Singhandeo, the Yadava ruler of Devgiri in the 13th Century. In the 16th and 17th Centuries, Raja Chandarao More of Jaoli and the Maratha ruler Shivaji improved upon its structure on a large scale.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and has a beautiful idol of him. The legend behind the temple is closely linked to Savitri’s curse on the Trimurtis, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who flow here as Koyna, Krishna and Venna rivers. It is a major religious site and is thronged by devotees throughout the year.
Panchaganga temple
Mahabaleshwar Temple
At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Mahabaleshwar Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in the Old Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular Mahabaleshwar tourist places.
Mahabaleshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. The temple was built by Chandarao More in 16th century and is a model of the Hemadant architectural style of South India. The Mahabaleshwar hills have been named after Lord Mahabali, whose name stands a symbol of strength.
The temple is enclosed by a 5 feet wall and is divided into two areas, inner room and outer room. The sanctum sanctorum has Shiva linga made of black stone, which is 500 years old swayambhu lingam. This self-originated lingam is in the shape of Rudraksha and is called Mahalingam.
The trishul of Lord Shiva along with his Damru, Rudraksha and one bed has been preserved in this temple and these are around 300 years old. Legend has it that the bed used to be crumpled in the morning, indicating Shiva’s presence during the night at the temple. The temple also houses a square shaped raised platform. According to the legend, the Maratha ruler, Shivaji weighed his mother Jijabai in gold at this platform and then gave away the gold in charity. Atibaleshwar temple is another old temple located next to the Mahabaleshwar Temple.
Kate’s Point / Needle hole point / elephant head point
At a distance of 7 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Kate’s Point and Elephant’s Head Point are the most picturesque viewpoints of Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is among the best places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.
Kate’s Point area has 3 points in total; they are Kate’s Point, Echo Point and Needle Hole Point or Elephant’s Head Point. Kate’s Point is named after the then British governor Sir John Malcolm’s daughter. The original name of the point is Nake Khind and is situated at an altitude of 1290 m. Dhom dam as well as peaks of Kamalgadh, Pandavgadh and Mandardeo can be seen from Kate’s Point.
Elephant’s Head Point or Needle Hole Point is another popular vantage point in Mahabaleshwar, situated next to the Kate’s Point. The overhanging cliffs of this point are similar to the head of an elephant and its trunk. Thus the point got its name as the Elephant’s Head Point. One can see a natural rock formation with a hole in between, thus giving the name Needle Hole. Kate’s Point and Needle Hole Point are often confused with Elephant Head Point which is near Lodwick Point. From this point, tourist can also get a view of the Sahyadri mountain range.
After watching these points, we returned to our hotel as there were no street lights and road are not at all good.
Second day we started with Wilson point.
Wilson point :
At a distance of 2 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Wilson Point is the highest point in Mahabaleshwar. Situated at an altitude of 1439 m, Wilson Point is also known as Sunrise Point and one can experience the beautiful sunrise from this point.
The original name of the point is Sindola Hill. This point is named after Sir Leslie Wilson, the Governor of Bombay province from 1923 to 1926. Wilson Point is a vast plateau with three watching towers, each at different spot. These towers provide mesmerizing vista of Mahabaleshwar and surrounding area. However, Wilson point is the only point in Mahabaleshwar where both sunrise and sunset can be seen.
We felt so hungry and did not have tea even to catch sunrise. We went towards Main market of Mahabaleshwar.
Near Bus stand, we found one tapari, they were serving very tasty Poha and Idali with garam garam Chai. They just made our day. J
We proceeded to remaining and most famous part of Mahabaleshwar i.e. Aurther Seat Point.
We can many point while travelling to Aurther seat point. They are :
Elphinstone point
Elephinstone point is the best place in Mahabaleshwar. At a distance of 10 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand and 5 km from Old Mahabaleshwar, Elphinstone Point is one of the famous viewpoints situated atop a hill near Arthur Seat Point in Mahabaleshwar.
Elphinstone Point discovered in 1830 by Dr. Murray and has an old mansion in its vicinity. The viewpoint got its name from Mount Stuart Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay Presidency. The mansion now lies in ruins and local authorities are planning to demolish to erect a picnic shed in its place for tourists.
Elphinstone Point is one of the highest points in Mahabaleshwar overlooking the two valleys, with rivers Koyna on the left and Savitri on the right. The lofty cliff commands a panoramic view of the Pratapgarh Fort, Koyna Valley and nearby plains. One can also admire the ravine, which lies between Elphinstone Point and Arthur Seat Point.You can see Pratapgad from this point shown as below:
Scenic view
Savitri Point
At a distance of 1 km from Arthur Seat, 2 km from Eliphinstone Point and 12 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Savitri Point is a popular vantage point in Mahabaleshwar town of Maharashtra. It is one of the top places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.
Popularly called as Suicide Point, Savitri Point is situated between Eliphinstone Point and Arthur Seat Point. This place is known as the originating point of the beautiful Savitri River. Savitri Point is situated atop a hill, from where visitors can get an uninterrupted view of Savitri River and its valley. The point itself is surrounded by dense flora, which serves as a perfect backdrop for photography. Owing to its spectacular beauty, this point is frequented by both tourists and locals year-round.
Timings: 6 AM – 6 PM
Arthur Seat Point
At a distance of 13 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand and 7 km from Old Mahabaleshwar, Arthur Seat Point is the most popular viewpoint in Mahabaleshwar and among the top places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.
Arthur Seat Point is located at a height of 1340 m and is surrounded by the deep Savitri gorge on one side and a lush green plateau on the other side. Popularly called as Queen of the Points, Arthur Seat Point has been named after Sir Arthur Mallet who was the first man to build a house at this point. Arthur Seat is the only point that clearly shows the geological contrast between the Konkan and the Deccan territories.
Arthur Seat Point area has 6 points in total, Arthur’s Seat Point, Echo Point, Hunter Point, Tiger Spring Point, Window Point and Malcom Point. The barren deep Savitri valley on the left and lush green Jor valley on the right extends a mesmerizing view to the seat. Moving step by step deep down, one finds the window point right below the seat and the Tiger Spring which is the source of Savitri River. Window Point is the first point, situated below the Arthur Seat.
From Arthur Seat Point one can get mesmerizing view of the Mahabaleshwar Range including Pratapgad, Koleshwar, Raireshwar and Chandragad. It is one of the most popular viewpoints for its dramatic grand canyon like views. Arthur Seat is famous for floating of light objects. If one can throw light things like cold drink cap in the valley, it comes up again due to air pressure.
From the parking visitors need to do 30 min walk to reach the view point. The trek is an easy one with stone steps for most of the way. There are lot of vendors throughout the route.
Timings: 6 AM – 6 PM
As sun was too much hot, we returned to our hotel to have lunch and one power knap.
Table Land point
By 3.30 pm, we decided to go towards Panchgani side to visit TableLand point.
At a distance of 2 km from Panchgani and 20 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Table Land is the highest point in Panchgani and is situated at an elevation of 4550 feet above sea level. This is one of the best tourist places to visit in Panchgani.
Table Land is a vast expanse of flat laterite rock surrounded by hills hence the name Table Land. This volcanic plateau is Asia’s second longest mountain plateau after Tibetan plateau. This place offers an aerial view of the entire Panchgani and nearby valleys.
These naturally flattened hills are a good attraction for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The place also has several activities like horse riding, merry go rounds, mini trains, food stalls and a couple of game counters. Owing to is elevation, the place also offers an aerial view of the Rajpuri Caves and Devil’s Kitchen.
Table Land is a popular Bollywood shooting spot. Many movies like Raja Hindustani, Mela, Taare Jameen Par, and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam are shot at this place. It is just walkable from the main Panchgani Market, but even though there is a proper motorable road, it is a steep climb. It is better to drive up to the Table Land, where there is ample place to park the vehicles.
Like this way, our second day ended here.
Next morning , we started return journey and reached home safely with beautiful memories of Mesmerizing Mahabaleshwar.
Glimpse of Mahabaleshwar
Comments
Post a Comment