Mahabaleshwar is a small hill town and is a municipal council in Satara district in Maharashtra. It is a part of the Western Ghats range and is one of the handful of evergreen forests in India. Founded and largely developed by the British, the town was their summer capital in the Bombay province during the era of the British, popularly the British Raj.

Located to the southwest of Pune 120 km away and 285 km from Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar is actually a huge plateau and is bounded by the valleys on all sides. The town basically comprises of three villages, namely Old “Kshetra” Mahabaleshwar, Malcolm Peth, and a certain part of the Shindola village. There is an ancient temple of lord Shiva in Old Mahabaleshwar. This temple is highly revered by the locals, & is said to be the source of five major rivers, namely: Koyna, Gayatrai, Venna, Savatri, and Krishna. There is a legend that because of the curse by Savitri on the trimurtis, it is the Hindu lord Vishnu himself, who flows across Maharashtra, Karnataka, and two other states in the form of the river Krishna.

Tourism is huge in Mahabaleshwar, and today there exists a huge range of hotels in the town, including the humble cheap hotels, the best­bargain 3 Star hotels in Mahabaleshwar, and the amenities­rich luxury hotels. It is one of the most popular holiday resorts and honeymoon destinations in the nation. Plus, it is also an important pilgrimage site for the Hindus. Even though, modernization has spread its tentacles in the region, Mahabaleshwar is still is a town that oozes its old world charm and the natural beauty. There’re a couple of interesting places to visit in the town and many rewarding opportunities to relish.

Image Credit : ixigo.com

Sightseeing and spending a tranquil holiday away from the noises of typical city are the two prime reasons for tourists to head to the town. However, with the advent of modernization and being stuffed by hordes of tourist finding tranquillity here, at times can become difficult. Besides, modernization also has it downfalls. There are about 25 lookout points in the town. The most popular ones include: Babington Point, Lingamala Falls, Bombay Point (Sunset Point), Kate’s Point, Arthur’s Seat, Wilson Point, Elephant’s head Point and Lodwick Point. Many of these are founded by the British governors, therefore named after them. Each lookout point is a must visit and offers magnificent panoramic views of hills and valley. Arthur’s Seat is one fine point in the town to look out at the whole region. It is the place where British officer Sir Arthur Malet sat and gazed at the Savatri River, the river where he lost his family in a tragic ferry accident. There is one more interesting point in the town that is called the Needle Hole Point. The place has a natural rock formation with a hole. Hence, giving it the name. Besides, the place is also known for the views of the Deccan traps that it offers. From this point the traps look like an elephant’s trunk.

Coming to accommodations part, finding a hotel that suits one’s stay need and budget is an easy affair. Irrespective of the purpose of visit or whether one is travelling solo or in a group, the hotels in the town ensure that each guest is content with the offered services and amenities. Evershine ­ A Keys Resort, Hotel Blue Heaven Mahabaleshwar, Hotel Saket Plaza, Evershine ­ A Keys Resort, Saj Resort, Hotel Citrus Chambers, and Hotel Rama Executive are some of the most popular hotels that one can choose for a content stay when in the town.

Author Bio

This article has been written by Dimpy Roy, she is an travel writer working with an Online Travel Guide and helps travellers to plan their trip across India.

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