A trip to Mahabaleshwar?

I decided to go to Mahabaleshwar during these deepavali holidays, this time. Visiting an hill-station always brings a worse feel of déjà vu, as the uphill / downhill roads, the pathways, the lush-green mountains, lake with boating, riding on a horse’s back – all seems to be similar. I knew one cannot escape these in a hill-station. I doubt, can there be a hill-station without all these mentioned here.

Initially, I thought I would be taking rest in the chill climate in a hill-station that too during Deepavali holidays and planned for a 3-day-rest. However, what happened to otherwise.

I never felt the chillness in Mahabaleshwar though it was November in a hill station. The place was warm enough and I had a tough time climbing up hill roads (though I walked a little). The taxi association had fixed rate for stipulated places of visit which I feel is exorbitant fares.

The place, Panchganga (five rivers converge in a single spot) is a place worth-seeing. All these five rivers join in a single place and they enter a statue of a cow from its rear and come out as a single stream through the cow’s mouth. How could they have drilled a through hole in the statue in those days? One must need a CNC machine for such a job nowadays. The other question is where all the water goes that come from cow’s mouth. This stream of water falls in a tank like structure.

Pratapgarh Fort is another place one should see. Construction had been the major source of employment in those days and no doubt, Indian construction must have had their own style of civil-engineering which they failed to record. This is pretty obvious because the fort built before 400 years is still intact whereas the steps built 40 years ago to climb the fort is in a dilapidated condition. They climb that during earthquake, the mountains have caved in. Of course, it is unfortunate.

Panchgani is another spot to be seen. Invariably, in all hill stations, the nature is abused by the cine-shooting group and Panchgani is exception to this. I am surprised; these spots become famous because of the cine-shoots. “Palanket” of Raja Hindustani is no Palanket but Panchgani only. The table points (as they look like tables) are another spot to look at. Strawberries are available plenty here.

If I did not mention about the hotel I stayed, I am doing injustice to it. It is not a promotion blog but genuinely i enjoyed the stay. Pratap Heritage is the resort I stayed and I had a nice stay. The hospitality is too good and the food is pretty good. The variety they had was astonishing. Khila khilake maarte hain. Only problem is, if you drop at 6 am in the morning, you should be prepared to wait in the lounge till 9 am to occupy your room.

My holidays went on well and the only complaint is it was not cool as I expected. Perhaps, is it the sign of global-warming?