India Tourism Development Corporation Ltd
(A Govt of India Undertaking)
Unit : Ashok Travels and Tours
Address: Shop No 1,
TRC Building, MTDC Holiday Resort,
Station Road
Aurangabad 431 005
Tel No: 0240 - 2331143
Fax : 0240 - 2346304
Email: attaub@sancharnet.in
Tour Itinerary
Ajanta Tour (Except Monday)
Fare - Rs 300/- per seat
Departure - 0830 hours
Arrival - 1730 hours
Places Covered - Ajanta Caves
Ellora and City Tour (Except Tuesday)
Fare - Rs 200/- per seat
Departure - 0930 hours
Arrival - 1730 hours
Places Covered - Daulatabad Fort, Ghrishneshwar Temple, Ellora Caves, Khultabad (Aurangzeb's Tomb) Bibi-ki-Maqbara and Panchakki
For Reservation Contact:
Ashok Travels and Tours
Address: Shop No 1,
TRC Building, MTDC Holiday Resort,
Station Road
Aurangabad 431 005
Tel No: 0240 - 2331143
Fax : 0240 - 2346304
or
India Tourism Office
Krishna Vilas Road
Station Road
Aurangabad 431 005
Ph - 0240 2331217
Showing posts with label maharashtra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maharashtra. Show all posts
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Hotel in Aurangabad
Budget Accomodation in Aurangabad
Shiv Shakti's Hotel Pushpak
(Lodging and Boarding)
Two minutes walk from the railway station
Near Railway Station,
Station Bhaji Mandi,
Behind RTO,
Aurabgabad 431005
Phone (O) : 0240 - 2324614, 6993385
(R) : 0240 - 2332713
Email: htpushpak@rediffmail.com
Contact Person:
Sanjay Kshirsagar
Mobile: 9823145113, 9422707675
24 hours check out time.
Shiv Shakti's Hotel Pushpak
(Lodging and Boarding)
Two minutes walk from the railway station
Near Railway Station,
Station Bhaji Mandi,
Behind RTO,
Aurabgabad 431005
Phone (O) : 0240 - 2324614, 6993385
(R) : 0240 - 2332713
Email: htpushpak@rediffmail.com
Contact Person:
Sanjay Kshirsagar
Mobile: 9823145113, 9422707675
24 hours check out time.
Aurangabad Tours and Travel
Bharat Tours and Travel
Address:
Hotel Ajanta Executive,
Near Railway Station
Aurangabad
Services Offered:
All Types of Tourist Taxis available
(Tata Sumo, Qulais, Indica, Tavera, Innova)
Ellora and City Tours
South and North UNdia Tours (AC and NOn AC)
Contact:
Rafique
9325215650
9372455931
Anjum
9326201316
Address:
Hotel Ajanta Executive,
Near Railway Station
Aurangabad
Services Offered:
All Types of Tourist Taxis available
(Tata Sumo, Qulais, Indica, Tavera, Innova)
Ellora and City Tours
South and North UNdia Tours (AC and NOn AC)
Contact:
Rafique
9325215650
9372455931
Anjum
9326201316
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Ajanta Ellora
We were looking for a quick weekend getaway and the place we zeroed-in on was Ajanta-Ellora. Having decided the place to visit, we booked train tickets to Aurangabad and landed there in the wee hours of a rather uncool Oct morning. It was 4.30 am and the sun was not yet out. We booked a room very near to the station and by 8.00 we were at the MTDC Office. This is the starting point for the tours to Ajanta and Ellora.
Our first tour was to the Ajanta Caves. A two hour’s drive brought us to Ajanta.
The Ajanta Caves are beautifully set on the inner curve of a mountain cliff overlooking a river. It resembles a horse shoe. The river wasn’t in its full glory but yet the setting was perfect. These caves were chiseled out by the Buddhist monks between 200 BC and 650 AD. The caves were hidden behind dense undergrowth and John Smith of the British Madras Regiment chanced upon them in 1819 during a hunting expedition.
Ajanta Caves number 30 in all and include “Viharas” and “Chaitya Gruhas”. The Viharas are flat roofed caves which were essentially the residences of the monks. They are of different sizes but all of them have a central hall and many small chambers. These chambers have stone beds and pillows and were the resting place of the monks. The Chaitya Gruhas on the other hand are “Stupas” i.e. they have a dome shaped roof. These are the prayer halls and house an image of the Buddha, most often seated in the “Dharmachakra Pravartana Mudra” (the teaching pose).
Since it was a guided tour, we were briefed by the guide on the history of each cave. Some of the caves were interesting one of them being Cave 1. It has elaborate carvings of scenes from the life of Gautam Buddha on the walls. Our guide explained to us the process of making of the murals. Right from the method of chiseling the rocky surface to the ingredients of the colors used for painting was described by the guide. He was quite good at his job.
After a look around at the caves, we headed for lunch at the MTDC Restaurant. It was time to get back to Aurangabad.
The guided tour to Ellora also included a visit to the Grishneshwar Temple, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and Panchaki. The first stop was the Grishneshwar Temple. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva in India.
The Daulatabad Fort is a majestic fortress built atop a rocky hillock. The fortress dates back to the 9th century when it was called as Devgiri. It was Md. Bin Tughlaq who gave it the present name – Daulatabad, the City of Wealth. Tughlaq had shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad for a small period of time.
The fortress is situated atop the hillock and is surrounded by a deep moat. Crocodiles and venomous snakes used to inhabit the moat in the earlier days. The fortress has multi level defenses, many layers of massive walls and paths which are like a maze. It is easy to get lost in this maze and no wonder it is named as “Bhool Bhulaiyya”. There is a massive ram headed metal canon atop a small tower inside the fortress. There is also a 30 meter high tower called “Chand Minar” inside the fortress. This was built by one of the Bahmani invaders to commemorate his conquest of the fortress.
Our next stop was Ellora Caves which are a group of 34 caves built in Buddhist, Hindu and Jain styles demonstrating the religious harmony that existed in India even in those days. Caves 1-12 are the Buddhist style caves and consist of Viharas and Chaitya Gruhas. The most popular Buddhist cave is Cave 10, also known as the “Vishwakarma Cave”. It has a multi storeyed entry and a central stupa. A huge statue of Buddha in the teaching pose is seated below the stupa. The roof of the cave is carved in such a way that it looks like wooden beams.
Caves 13-29 are the Hindu Caves and the most popular one is Cave 16, also known as the “Kailashnath Temple”. This temple is the masterpiece at Ellora. It is a huge structure, consisting of a multi storeyed temple with a huge courtyard which houses 2 gigantic “Dhwajastambhas”. There is also a massive Nandi in the courtyard. There are numerous other pillars, prayer halls and images of deities all around the complex. And all this has been carved out of a single rock. It took around a century to complete this temple complex.
Caves 30-34 are the Jain Caves and depict the Jain philosophy and tradition. These caves have exceptionally detailed carvings. The carvings of Mahavir are very aesthetic. The Jain Caves were the last ones that we visited and here ended our Ellora tour.
The next stop on the way back was Bibi-Ka-Maqbara or the 'Mini Taj'. It is a miniature version of the Taj Mahal, but it is not built entirely of marble. Only the first couple of layers are marble while the rest is white plaster. But none the less it is impressive. This wound up our visit to Aurangabad and we made arrangements to board the evening train to Hyderabad.
Our first tour was to the Ajanta Caves. A two hour’s drive brought us to Ajanta.
The Ajanta Caves are beautifully set on the inner curve of a mountain cliff overlooking a river. It resembles a horse shoe. The river wasn’t in its full glory but yet the setting was perfect. These caves were chiseled out by the Buddhist monks between 200 BC and 650 AD. The caves were hidden behind dense undergrowth and John Smith of the British Madras Regiment chanced upon them in 1819 during a hunting expedition.
Ajanta Caves number 30 in all and include “Viharas” and “Chaitya Gruhas”. The Viharas are flat roofed caves which were essentially the residences of the monks. They are of different sizes but all of them have a central hall and many small chambers. These chambers have stone beds and pillows and were the resting place of the monks. The Chaitya Gruhas on the other hand are “Stupas” i.e. they have a dome shaped roof. These are the prayer halls and house an image of the Buddha, most often seated in the “Dharmachakra Pravartana Mudra” (the teaching pose).
Since it was a guided tour, we were briefed by the guide on the history of each cave. Some of the caves were interesting one of them being Cave 1. It has elaborate carvings of scenes from the life of Gautam Buddha on the walls. Our guide explained to us the process of making of the murals. Right from the method of chiseling the rocky surface to the ingredients of the colors used for painting was described by the guide. He was quite good at his job.
After a look around at the caves, we headed for lunch at the MTDC Restaurant. It was time to get back to Aurangabad.
The guided tour to Ellora also included a visit to the Grishneshwar Temple, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara, and Panchaki. The first stop was the Grishneshwar Temple. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva in India.
The Daulatabad Fort is a majestic fortress built atop a rocky hillock. The fortress dates back to the 9th century when it was called as Devgiri. It was Md. Bin Tughlaq who gave it the present name – Daulatabad, the City of Wealth. Tughlaq had shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad for a small period of time.
The fortress is situated atop the hillock and is surrounded by a deep moat. Crocodiles and venomous snakes used to inhabit the moat in the earlier days. The fortress has multi level defenses, many layers of massive walls and paths which are like a maze. It is easy to get lost in this maze and no wonder it is named as “Bhool Bhulaiyya”. There is a massive ram headed metal canon atop a small tower inside the fortress. There is also a 30 meter high tower called “Chand Minar” inside the fortress. This was built by one of the Bahmani invaders to commemorate his conquest of the fortress.
Our next stop was Ellora Caves which are a group of 34 caves built in Buddhist, Hindu and Jain styles demonstrating the religious harmony that existed in India even in those days. Caves 1-12 are the Buddhist style caves and consist of Viharas and Chaitya Gruhas. The most popular Buddhist cave is Cave 10, also known as the “Vishwakarma Cave”. It has a multi storeyed entry and a central stupa. A huge statue of Buddha in the teaching pose is seated below the stupa. The roof of the cave is carved in such a way that it looks like wooden beams.
Caves 13-29 are the Hindu Caves and the most popular one is Cave 16, also known as the “Kailashnath Temple”. This temple is the masterpiece at Ellora. It is a huge structure, consisting of a multi storeyed temple with a huge courtyard which houses 2 gigantic “Dhwajastambhas”. There is also a massive Nandi in the courtyard. There are numerous other pillars, prayer halls and images of deities all around the complex. And all this has been carved out of a single rock. It took around a century to complete this temple complex.
Caves 30-34 are the Jain Caves and depict the Jain philosophy and tradition. These caves have exceptionally detailed carvings. The carvings of Mahavir are very aesthetic. The Jain Caves were the last ones that we visited and here ended our Ellora tour.
The next stop on the way back was Bibi-Ka-Maqbara or the 'Mini Taj'. It is a miniature version of the Taj Mahal, but it is not built entirely of marble. Only the first couple of layers are marble while the rest is white plaster. But none the less it is impressive. This wound up our visit to Aurangabad and we made arrangements to board the evening train to Hyderabad.
Tadoba
Tadoba National Park is the oldest national park in Maharashtra and since 1993, a Project Tiger Reserve. It is also referred to as "The Jewel of Vidharba". The park lies about 45 km. north of the industrial town of Chandrapur and covers an area of approx. 116 sq. km. The drive from Chandrapur to Tadoba was rejuvenating. It had rained for the last couple of days and there was green tree cover on both sides of the well laid black tar road. The pleasant jungle smell with a multitude of butterflies fluttering around was a sight I will always remember.
At the entrance gate of the Reserve, we saw a family of elephants (dad, mom and a baby elephant) chained by their legs to trees throwing dust on themselves. The guide informed us that these elephants were used during the animal census and occasionally for safari.
The Tadoba forest type is classified as South Indian Dry Deciduous forest. The terrain is undulating with panoramic views of hills, lakes and meadows. The Tadoba lake is situated more or less in the middle of the park. Our dormitory was located near the lake.
Tadoba is famous for its 'Gaur' or wild ox and crocodiles. As its main carnivore, the park supports tigers, leopards, sloth bears, 'Doles' or wild dogs and hyenas. We were lucky enough to spot two tigers and a leopard. Other animals that are commonly seen are the 'Nilgai', 'Sambar', spotted deer or 'Cheetal', wild boar, mongoose, civet cat and langurs. And we spotted all of these except the civet cat. Troops of langurs would greet us everywhere we went. They even paid a visit to our dorm in our absence and carried away our soap and candles. The spotted deer also can be seen near the tourist area. There was a Nilgai called 'Raju' who had made his home near the guest house. He was found abandoned in the jungles when he was a young calf. He has grown up in human company and now does not venture out into the jungles.
The sloth bear is usually found in the hilly areas, behind the main tourist guest house, and deep inside the forest at 'Katezari'. 'Katezari' is a rocky area with innumerable bee hives. It is a favorite spot for the sloth bears. Unfortunately, we did not spot a single bear. Saw their foot marks though.
The Tiger population is around 25. And we saw a couple of them. On our return from the safari to the guest house in the afternoon, we were informed that a tiger had been spotted nearby. We rushed back to the said spot only to find five vehicles already there. And to add to our woes the tiger was sitting in a clump of bamboo. It was difficult to spot him properly. After spending some time there and unable to get a good view of the tiger we left. But our second sighting more than made up for this. It was evening time and we were returning back to the dorm. And at one of the turns, near a water hole was this beautiful tiger. He was sitting there and cleaning himself. The best part was that we were the only group in the jungle at that time and so we had the tiger all to ourselves. The tiger looked nonchalantly at us and continued his cleaning work. He was enjoying all the attention he was receiving and was not perturbed by the photo-clicking crowd of 9. After spending around 10 minutes we headed back reluctantly to the dorm. We would have loved to stay back but the guide was concerned as it was time to be out of the jungles. Sighting a Leopard is a rare chance, though the number of leopards is estimated to be around 30 in Tadoba. But we were lucky yet again. We caught a glimpse of a leopard as it retreated from a water hole into the thick bushes.
The park is also rich in bird and insect life. The birds we spotted were - the Crested Serpent Eagle, the Honey Buzzard, the Paradise Flycatcher, the Lesser Golden backed Woodpecker, the Wild Babblers or 'Seven Sisters', Kingfishers and Peacocks to name a few. The Paradise Flycatcher was the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. We also saw an array of butterfly species including Pansies, Monarch, Mormons and Swordtails. We also saw a 'mud-puddling' for the first time.
Among the reptiles, the top spot goes to the 'Mugger' or fresh water crocodile, which is found in substantial numbers in the lake. There was a board near the lake which said - "Swimming strictly prohibited. Survivors will be prosecuted". This was the first time we saw a crocodile from very close quarters. It was a female and she was guarding her newly hatched babies. We ventured a little too close to her and she was at us instantly with her jaws wide open. My heart was pounding with fear but I was thrilled too.
Tadoba had a Crocodile breeding farm, which was started in 1977. It was very successful and many lakes were stocked with crocs from this breeding farm. The farm was shut down in 1994 as the breeding centre had met its objectives. The guide showed us the ruins of the farm. All the breeding enclosures were covered with vines and it looked as though the jungle was out to reclaim that area.
Tadoba has extensive growth of bamboo thickets and the tigers find a perfect camouflage among them. The trees growing commonly in Tadoba are 'Teak' and 'Tendu' - the fruit of which is eaten by herbivores and humans. 'Mahuwa' is another important tree for the tribals and the bears. The 'Mahuwa' flowers are a source of liquor. The sloth bears love to eat this flower. The guide informed us that often they see intoxicated bears. Around the Tadoba Lake there were a large number of 'Jamun' trees. We had the sweetest of jamuns here.
After spending two days at Tadoba, we headed to Nagpur to catch a train back to Hyderabad.
How To Reach:
Nearest Town: Chandrapur - 45 kms
Railway Station: Chandrapur - 45 kms
Airport: Nagpur 205 km via Chandrapur
For accomodation inside the reserve, contact
Dy. Conservator of Forest
Tadoba National Park,
Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India
Tel. : 91-7172-3414
At the entrance gate of the Reserve, we saw a family of elephants (dad, mom and a baby elephant) chained by their legs to trees throwing dust on themselves. The guide informed us that these elephants were used during the animal census and occasionally for safari.
The Tadoba forest type is classified as South Indian Dry Deciduous forest. The terrain is undulating with panoramic views of hills, lakes and meadows. The Tadoba lake is situated more or less in the middle of the park. Our dormitory was located near the lake.
Tadoba is famous for its 'Gaur' or wild ox and crocodiles. As its main carnivore, the park supports tigers, leopards, sloth bears, 'Doles' or wild dogs and hyenas. We were lucky enough to spot two tigers and a leopard. Other animals that are commonly seen are the 'Nilgai', 'Sambar', spotted deer or 'Cheetal', wild boar, mongoose, civet cat and langurs. And we spotted all of these except the civet cat. Troops of langurs would greet us everywhere we went. They even paid a visit to our dorm in our absence and carried away our soap and candles. The spotted deer also can be seen near the tourist area. There was a Nilgai called 'Raju' who had made his home near the guest house. He was found abandoned in the jungles when he was a young calf. He has grown up in human company and now does not venture out into the jungles.
The sloth bear is usually found in the hilly areas, behind the main tourist guest house, and deep inside the forest at 'Katezari'. 'Katezari' is a rocky area with innumerable bee hives. It is a favorite spot for the sloth bears. Unfortunately, we did not spot a single bear. Saw their foot marks though.
The Tiger population is around 25. And we saw a couple of them. On our return from the safari to the guest house in the afternoon, we were informed that a tiger had been spotted nearby. We rushed back to the said spot only to find five vehicles already there. And to add to our woes the tiger was sitting in a clump of bamboo. It was difficult to spot him properly. After spending some time there and unable to get a good view of the tiger we left. But our second sighting more than made up for this. It was evening time and we were returning back to the dorm. And at one of the turns, near a water hole was this beautiful tiger. He was sitting there and cleaning himself. The best part was that we were the only group in the jungle at that time and so we had the tiger all to ourselves. The tiger looked nonchalantly at us and continued his cleaning work. He was enjoying all the attention he was receiving and was not perturbed by the photo-clicking crowd of 9. After spending around 10 minutes we headed back reluctantly to the dorm. We would have loved to stay back but the guide was concerned as it was time to be out of the jungles. Sighting a Leopard is a rare chance, though the number of leopards is estimated to be around 30 in Tadoba. But we were lucky yet again. We caught a glimpse of a leopard as it retreated from a water hole into the thick bushes.
The park is also rich in bird and insect life. The birds we spotted were - the Crested Serpent Eagle, the Honey Buzzard, the Paradise Flycatcher, the Lesser Golden backed Woodpecker, the Wild Babblers or 'Seven Sisters', Kingfishers and Peacocks to name a few. The Paradise Flycatcher was the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. We also saw an array of butterfly species including Pansies, Monarch, Mormons and Swordtails. We also saw a 'mud-puddling' for the first time.
Among the reptiles, the top spot goes to the 'Mugger' or fresh water crocodile, which is found in substantial numbers in the lake. There was a board near the lake which said - "Swimming strictly prohibited. Survivors will be prosecuted". This was the first time we saw a crocodile from very close quarters. It was a female and she was guarding her newly hatched babies. We ventured a little too close to her and she was at us instantly with her jaws wide open. My heart was pounding with fear but I was thrilled too.
Tadoba had a Crocodile breeding farm, which was started in 1977. It was very successful and many lakes were stocked with crocs from this breeding farm. The farm was shut down in 1994 as the breeding centre had met its objectives. The guide showed us the ruins of the farm. All the breeding enclosures were covered with vines and it looked as though the jungle was out to reclaim that area.
Tadoba has extensive growth of bamboo thickets and the tigers find a perfect camouflage among them. The trees growing commonly in Tadoba are 'Teak' and 'Tendu' - the fruit of which is eaten by herbivores and humans. 'Mahuwa' is another important tree for the tribals and the bears. The 'Mahuwa' flowers are a source of liquor. The sloth bears love to eat this flower. The guide informed us that often they see intoxicated bears. Around the Tadoba Lake there were a large number of 'Jamun' trees. We had the sweetest of jamuns here.
After spending two days at Tadoba, we headed to Nagpur to catch a train back to Hyderabad.
How To Reach:
Nearest Town: Chandrapur - 45 kms
Railway Station: Chandrapur - 45 kms
Airport: Nagpur 205 km via Chandrapur
For accomodation inside the reserve, contact
Dy. Conservator of Forest
Tadoba National Park,
Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India
Tel. : 91-7172-3414
Mahabaleshwar -Panchgani
We had made the travel and accomodation arrangements for a week's stay in Mahabaleshwar. We boarded the Mumbai - Mahabaleshwar Volvo Bus from Vashi at 12.00 midnight. It was around 5.30 am when we reached the Bus Station situated right in the center of the quaint little market of Mahabaleshwar. The walk to the hotel was just 5 minutes. It was quite dark and cold and people were still asleep.
After a short nap in our cozy little room and a tasty breakfast in the mini garden, we set out. The climate was pleasant and the journey was wonderful. Long beautiful roads with greenery all around greeted us all along our journey. We visited many "Points". Wilson Point, Marjorie Point, Arthur's Seat, Bombay Point, Lodwick Point and Elphiston Point to name a few. Wilson Point is the highest point at 4710 ft above sea level. The view was breathtaking. The Arthur's Seat also offered an amazing view. One could see the barren deep valley of Savitri on the left & shallow green valley on the right. There were some steps nearby and on descending these steps you come across a spring known as Tiger's spring, which is supposed to be the source of the river Savitri. There was an old man at this place, offering the visitors glasses of fresh cold water from the spring.
In the afternoon, we hired two horses and rode deep into the forest to the Chinaman Waterfall. The journey was one of a kind. This was the first time we were riding a horse and the experience was fun.
Venna Lake is another great attraction here. With its picture-postcard sight, boating facilities and stalls for games and snacks, this place is always busy. We went for a boat ride on the calm waters of Venna.
Evening was spent strolling around in the market. There were innumerable tiny shops stacked with different types of chikkis, jams, 'channas', cane walking sticks, straw hats etc. Fruits like strawberries, raspberries, goose berries & mulberries, vegetables like red potatoes, French beans, beets, carrots and radish could be seen everywhere. Almost all the shops were selling varieties of jams, jellies and fruit juices.
The next day we visited Panchgani. Panchgani derives its name from the five hills around it. At an altitude of 1334 m it is just 38 m below Mahabaleshwar which works out to around a 20 km. The main attraction at Panchgani was "Table Land". This flat large expanse of laterite rock is the second longest mountain plateau in Asia. You have the most amazing view of the vast plain below from here. There are some spacious caves that can be seen from here and one of them is Devil's Kitchen. It is believed that the Pandavas stayed here for a while.
We visited "Parsi Point", a windy road situated on the way to Mahabaleshwar which overlooks the Krishna valley and the blue mirror like waters of the Dhom Dam. There were many telescopes put up here, offering a view of the Pratapgad Fort.
The visit to the Pratapgad fort brought back all the history chapters to mind. Pratapgad is one of the most famous forts in the Maratha history. This fort stands 900 meters above sea level and is most well known for the encounter and decisive battle between Shivaji and the Bijapuri general Afzal Khan.
We also visited a strawberry farm on our way back to the hotel. After 4 days in this beautiful town we headed back to Mumbai by the evening bus.
Where we stayed:
Savoy Village
Next to Club,
Mahabaleshwar-412806
Phone:(02168)260310,61743
Its just a couple of minutes walk from the Bus Stand. Located right behind Hotel Rajesh.
After a short nap in our cozy little room and a tasty breakfast in the mini garden, we set out. The climate was pleasant and the journey was wonderful. Long beautiful roads with greenery all around greeted us all along our journey. We visited many "Points". Wilson Point, Marjorie Point, Arthur's Seat, Bombay Point, Lodwick Point and Elphiston Point to name a few. Wilson Point is the highest point at 4710 ft above sea level. The view was breathtaking. The Arthur's Seat also offered an amazing view. One could see the barren deep valley of Savitri on the left & shallow green valley on the right. There were some steps nearby and on descending these steps you come across a spring known as Tiger's spring, which is supposed to be the source of the river Savitri. There was an old man at this place, offering the visitors glasses of fresh cold water from the spring.
In the afternoon, we hired two horses and rode deep into the forest to the Chinaman Waterfall. The journey was one of a kind. This was the first time we were riding a horse and the experience was fun.
Venna Lake is another great attraction here. With its picture-postcard sight, boating facilities and stalls for games and snacks, this place is always busy. We went for a boat ride on the calm waters of Venna.
Evening was spent strolling around in the market. There were innumerable tiny shops stacked with different types of chikkis, jams, 'channas', cane walking sticks, straw hats etc. Fruits like strawberries, raspberries, goose berries & mulberries, vegetables like red potatoes, French beans, beets, carrots and radish could be seen everywhere. Almost all the shops were selling varieties of jams, jellies and fruit juices.
The next day we visited Panchgani. Panchgani derives its name from the five hills around it. At an altitude of 1334 m it is just 38 m below Mahabaleshwar which works out to around a 20 km. The main attraction at Panchgani was "Table Land". This flat large expanse of laterite rock is the second longest mountain plateau in Asia. You have the most amazing view of the vast plain below from here. There are some spacious caves that can be seen from here and one of them is Devil's Kitchen. It is believed that the Pandavas stayed here for a while.
We visited "Parsi Point", a windy road situated on the way to Mahabaleshwar which overlooks the Krishna valley and the blue mirror like waters of the Dhom Dam. There were many telescopes put up here, offering a view of the Pratapgad Fort.
The visit to the Pratapgad fort brought back all the history chapters to mind. Pratapgad is one of the most famous forts in the Maratha history. This fort stands 900 meters above sea level and is most well known for the encounter and decisive battle between Shivaji and the Bijapuri general Afzal Khan.
We also visited a strawberry farm on our way back to the hotel. After 4 days in this beautiful town we headed back to Mumbai by the evening bus.
Where we stayed:
Savoy Village
Next to Club,
Mahabaleshwar-412806
Phone:(02168)260310,61743
Its just a couple of minutes walk from the Bus Stand. Located right behind Hotel Rajesh.
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