The undulating geography of the State of Maharashtra with the Western ghats ambulating parallel to the coast line has bequeathed high hills, table top lands and great beaches. Some of these hills are 2000 meters above sea level, thus the hill stations have a temperature difference of more than 20 degrees centigrade from the sweaty heat of the beach towns and cities, especially Mumbai. The Mumbai folk move to the hill stations of Lonawala and Khandala at the drop of a hat to shake of the big city blues and cool off in the pollution free zones. Many of these hill stations are the legacy of the British who established Cantonments during the Raj.
Chikhaldara.500 miles from Mumbai and just about 70 miles from Amravati, nestled in the SatpuraRanges is the hill station of Chikhaldara. The name is believed to be the distorted form of Keechakadara associated with the legendry killing of Keechak. The place is the only coffee growing region of Maharashtra and you can walk or go for a drive through the scenic plantations. The Melghat Tiger Reserve, just a few miles away, offers a glimpse of tigers, panthers, bears and a wide variety of birds in their natural habitat. The other few places worth a visit are the Narnala and Gaavilgad forts, SemadohLake, PanditNehruBotanical Gardens and the TribalMuseums. It is probably the least developed of the hill stations but the most relaxing.
Bhandardhara.The hill station of Bhandardhara is located in the Nashik District of Maharashtra. Less than 70 miles from Nashik Airport Bhandardara is a fascinating place which offers equal opportunities to those asking for a place of relaxation and for those wanting to sweat out trekking the hills. The place lacks the infrastructure and amenities of other prominent hill stations like Lonawala, Khandala but is packed to the brim with activities. The Arthur Lake and Wilson Dam has some boating and angling activities; Mount Kalsubai, the highest peak of Maharashtra about 1750 meters is the trekkers’ paradise; the Randha Falls would be a white water rafting challenge and the religious would head for a millennium old Amriteshwar Temple or the peaceful environs of AgastiRishi Ashram. The choice is wide, find your excuse.
Amboli.The Amboli Hill Station, just 40 miles from Belgaum is located on the fringes of the Sahyadri Hills. This is the last of the hills of the ghats before they slowly roll over to the plains of the Konkan coast line. The hill station is just about 700 meters above sea level and is generally not very crowded. The juxtaposition of the coastal region with the softly rolling hills lends an out of the world charm to the hill station of Amboli and especially at the Sea View Point. The sunset when the red ball fades into the Arabian Sea is the culminating point of any visit to the place. The angling enthusiasts would love the natural settings at HiranyaKeshi and family picnics can be organized at NagattaFalls.
Jawahar Hill Station. The district of Thane to the North East of Mumbai offers a unique hill station of Jawahar. A distance of 125 miles from Mumbai, the hill station is closer to Nahsik though. The area was a major tribal kingdom of Maharashtra. You can get the feel of the tribal life by visiting few protected tribal villages of the region and those with nimble fingers can learn a trade or two. DadaraKopraFalls, Hanuman Point, Warli and the Palace of the Tribal King Jai Vilas are a few of the interesting places worth a visit.
Lonawala and Khandala. The most visited hill stations of Maharashtra are midway between Mumbai and Pune. An hour’s comfy and pleasant drive on the Pune – Mumbai highway would fetch you to the twin hill station of Lonawala and Khandala. Both the places have scenic water falls, health resorts, yoga centers, trekking routes and pleasant getaways. The beauty of these hill stations has been now marred with unplanned construction activities. The place which offered a solace to the bruised minds and tired heels is today a realtors’ paradise.
Matheran. A hill station with a difference; where you reach with the minimum carbon quotient but maximum sweat quotient. The toy train or a bus or a private taxi gets you to a walking point. The journey ahead is a trek over the jungle trail, now converted into a road, to the Matheran hill. Do not be alarmed; horses and man drawn coaches are available for hire, if you want to save the sweat for other activities. The place has many picturesque spots with suggestive names like the Porcupine Point, Hart Point and LouisePoint. The PantherCaves, PaymasterPark and CharlotteLake also beckon for a look.
Mahabaleshwar. The place which has earned a niche in the history books with Pratapgarh Fort where the famous Aurangzeb – Shivaji battle took shape has off late become the favorite hill station for Maharashtra. The crowding of Lonawala and Khandala has been a boon for this religious destination at a height of 1375 meters. The picturesque views of the valley interspersed with sparkling waterfalls and open virgin tabletops are the hallmark of Mahabaleshwar. Mahabaleshwar is around four hours of drive from Mumbai.
Panchgani. The name Panchgani means Five Pearls and truly the place has a necklace of five hills around it. The place has the typical British Raj architecture with numerous colonial era structures. The Parsis have settled here in huge numbers with their grand old bungalows, many of them have later been converted to Parsi run boarding schools. The Krishna river valley offers scenic views of the ravines. The fairly clean walkways would remind you of the laid back era when time was not a casualty at the hands of myriad electronic gadgets. A suggestion, leave your cellphone and laptop at your Mumbai Five Star, horrified!! Just give it a try.
The list does not end here, few other notable hill stations of Maharashtra are Koyna, SwapnagandhaValley (near Goa), Panhala, Igatpuri and Saputara with healthy air and loads of relaxation. The ghats give you an open invitation, pick a suitable hill top and develop a new hill station with your name to it; a truth of tomorrow if not today.
