Travel destination in India, Mahabaleshwar

 

General Information about MAHABALESHWAR


Mahabaleshwar :
Area : 150 sq km.
Language : Hindi, English and Marathi.
Altitude : 1430 metres.
State : Maharashtra.
STD Code : 412 8806.
About Mahabaleshwar

Maharaja Pratapsinha of Satara (1818 to 1839) engineered a scheme to develop M'war as a health resort. sir John Malcolum, the first governer to visit Mahabaleshwar in 1828, established M'war in 1829. Sir Charles Malet, the first resident in Pune darbar of the Peshwas in 1791 happens to be the first european to step on this plateau.

The jungle of Mahabaleshwar is thick & produces many commercial as well as medicinal trees & plants. The wild life is limited to foxes, jackals, & wild boars. Deers & bisons are found in the brahma aranya area. Panthers are rare. The famous bird in the urdu poetry, Bulbul is found everywhere in the plateau. The weather of Mahabaleshwar & healthy & contains an ideal of 20% oxygen which is often agumented in foggy weather of late summers & early monsoon, when the pleateau is covered by thick mist. The water contains a meager percentage of iron which helps to increase hemoglobin in the blood.

CLIMATE

It has a pleasant climate throughout the year. In summers, temperatures range between 16 and 20 degrees celcuis and in winters it falls even further.

PLACES OF ATTRACTION IN MAHABALESHWAR

Mount Malcolm : It used to be the most famous building in the olden days. It was built in 1829 with magnificent architectural skills. Unfortunately, it has lost a lot of its old charm now.

Catholic Church : A visit to the old Roman Catholic Holy Cross church is worth a detour. Although the church is practically falling apart, its stained-glass windows are still a sight to behold. This deserted church is now looked after by a Hindu family.

Mahabaleshwar Club : The club was built in 1881 and is still flourishing and well-maintained. Only members of the club can stay here. It is very popular for its well-tended roses and lovely jogging track. Christmas is grandly celebrated by loyal members every year. Fortunately, one facility is open to visitors; who can use the golf-course whenever they feel like it.

Morarji Castle : Also worth a look is this old structure. Mahatma Gandhi once lived here in 1945.

Pratapgad Fort : This is 24 kms. away from Mahabaleshwar. The fort was built in 1656 by Moropant Trimbak Pingle under the command of the Maratha ruler Shivaji. It was here that the mighty General of Bijapur, Afzal Khan, was killed by Shivaji. The fort has a great view.

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