Mahabaleshwar Hill Station

Mahabaleshwar, Queen of all Hill Stations, is situated at an altitude of 1,372m in the heart of Sahyadri Hills in Satara District,Maharashtra. The hill station has a legendary past. The name 'Mahabaleshwar' is derived from a temple of Lord Mahadev and three Sanskrit words, "Maha" (great), "Bal" (power) and "Ishwar" (God). But, some say that the name 'Mahabaleshwar', which simply means very mighty God, seems to have a mythological past.

It was summer capital of Governor of the old Bombay Presidency The Britishers built various mansions, cottages and bungalows around the town, lending it a charming, sophistication. There are 30 valley viewpoints with panoramic vistas scattered around the hill station and their access roads make for shady, pleasant walks and treks.

Mahabaleshwar along with Panchgani makes the most popular hill resorts in the Maharashtra state of India. Far way from the madding crowds the hill resort makes an excellent holiday destination. The natural beauty of Mahabaleshwar attracts nature lovers, film directors, holidaymakers, peace seekers and adventurers alike. The heat and the dust of the plains give way to the cool breezes and the gorgeous greens of Mahabaleshwar. The hill resort of Mahabaleshwar derives its name from the God "Mahabali". There is a temple dedicated to Lord Mahabali namely the old Mahabaleshwar Temple.

Places to See                                                                                                                                         

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

Catholic Church:
A visit to the old Raman 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 166 by Moropant trimbak Pingle under the command of the Maratha rular Shivaji. It was here that the mighty General of Bijapur, Afjal Khan, was killed by Shivaji. The fort has a great view.

Excursion
Panchgani: Tucked away in Satara district, just 19 kms east of Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani is also amongst the most frequented hill resorts. The name is derived from the fact that it is located at the centre of five hills ("Panch" = five, "Gani" = hills). The place is well known for trekking and other adventure activities. Climb atop 'Table Land', a famous flat-mountain top, from where you can have a look at the vast plain below. The berry farms here are another tourist attraction.

Mahabaleshwar-History

In the early 14th century, Mahabaleshwar was ruled by the Moguls but in the later half of the century a Brahmin dynasty took control of it. In the 15th Century Mahabaleshwar was won by Muslim Kings of Bijapur and Ahmednagar but by the 16th century the Maratha family of Chandarao More was ruling over it. Finally, in the 17th
century Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj decided to show his resistance to foreign rule and for this he trained a large army and captured it. After him the Peshwas ruled till the year 1819, after which Mahabaleshwar came to be included in the territory of the Raja of Satara.
One name that invariably finds mention in any conversation about the history of Mahabaleshwar is Colonel Lodwick, who later in his life became a General. He brought a lot of focus to the hill station, which is why a monument was named after him in Mahabaleshwar.

Mahabaleshwar-Sites Nearby

Most holiday packages include a tour to Panchgani, Pratapgarh Fort, Tapola and Satara. Panchgani is situated 19km away from Mahabaleshwar, and is at an altitude of 1,334. It is another famous hill station in Maharashtra and derives its name of the five hills around it. At panchgani, one can visit the various viewpoints such as the, the Sidney point, Parsi point and the Graves Point. There are other places too worth a look, like the Cave's Kamlagad fort and Devil's kitchen. Another favorite spot, Pratapgarh Fort is at a distance of 24kms from Mahabaleshwar. It is the site where Shivaji won over General Afzal Khan. There the tourists can see Afazal khan's tomb and enjoy the picturesque beauty around them.Tapola, also known as 'mini Kashmir', is 25kms from Mahabaleshwar. It has a big lake with small islands and there tourists can take a boat and visit the various islands.At Satara one can take a tour of the Shivaji Maharaj Museum and the Wasota Fort and learning interesting facts about the Maratha era and see a collection of some really fine relics from history.

Do

There are many things to do in Mahableshwar. In your leisure time you can roam about the bazaar and do lots of shopping. You can also try your luck at the poker machines Tapola. About 50 KMs from Mahabaleshwar. Tourists can enjoy boating. There are many scenic view points and strawberry farms on the way.  edit
Boating. Visit lake Venna for a ride on paddle/ or rowing boat. You may ride boat on your own or, alternatively, you can hire one. It is a beautiful and scenic lake.

Horse Riding. Horse riding options are available at Venna lake. Usually, the horse trainer would walk along, and you can enjoy the easy paced ride. If you request the trainer, he can get you a ride at fast pace, with the horse running the circuit.

Trekking. There are many many trekking trails around the hills of Mahabaleshwar. Ask your hotel for the nearest trekking trail  edit
Watch Sunrise and Sunsets. Go to Wilson Point or Kate's Point to watch beautiful sunrises, and to Bombay Point or Elphinstone Point to see glowing sunsets.  edit
but the best time to visit Lingamala waterfalls is after the monsoons as the water dries uo during summer

Buy
The Bazaar is in the center of town and consists of a pedestrian-only street with shops selling everything from fancy locally-made walking sticks to snacks and the specialty of the region - roasted chickpea nuts. At the far end of the bazaar stands a Mahabaleshwar institution, Imperial Stores, owned and run by generations of the Irani family. Here you can get anything from videos to provisions to ice cream to beer.

Honey. There are a variety of local brands of honey available in the bazaar.

Leather Footwear. One can buy the famous Kolhapuri slippers, shoes and sandals in the bazaar.

Drink

Strawberry with cream. The most popular drink, available at most restaurants, is strawberry with cream.It is delicious mouthwatering avalanche of strawberry shake topped with superchilled strawberry icecream dazzled with chunks of strawberry fruit in its natural form & crowned with a splash of whipped cream garnished with strawberry piecces to make it a eyecatchy, irrestible combo of strawberry desert in it's best form.

Beer. Generally restaurants here do not serve liquor, except beer, but a few places close to the State Bus Stand, like Hotel Shreyas have it on menu. You can buy all the liquor you want from Imperial Stores.

How To Get There

By Road

From Bombay via Pune, Mahabaleshwar is 290-km and via Mahad it is 247-km. The State Transport buses ply from Bombay and Pune to Mahabaleshwar. MTDC operates daily bus services except during the monsoon, between Bombay-Mahabaleshwar-Bombay. Also sightseeing tours for Mahabaleshwar and Mahabaleshwar-Pratapgad Fort.

By Rail

Nearest railway station is Wathar at 62-km, but Pune is the convenient railway station at 120-km.

By Air

Nearest airport is Pune at 120-km.