Panchgani to Mahabaleshwar is 20 kms. Area: Vast green plateau of about 150 sq. Height: 4500 feet above sea level. Climate: Never too hot because of the heights. Never too cold bacause of the nearness to the arabian sea. Duration of higher temperature is short. Seasons: October, Diwali & X'mas holidays & summer. Hotels are open round the year even during the rainy seasons. The jungle of Mahabalesh
war 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
SOME FACINATING INFORMATION:
Mahabaleshwar was established as a health resort in 1829 AD. It was a jail for chinese & malay convicts from 1834 to 1864. The capacity of the jail was 120 prisoners. These prisoners introduced cultivation of red potatoes, strawberries & waeving of cane & bamboo baskets. Many of the prisoners stayed at Mahabaleshwar after they were released
Short History
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. Novelties of Mahabaleshwar
An evergreen vast plateau with long beautiful roads, horse rides & foot paths along forest. Honey & chikki, channas, waling sticks. Fruits like strawberries, raspberries , goose berries & muberries. Vegetables like red potatoes, french beans, beets, salad, carrots, raddishes. Boating in Venna lake. Recreations
Sir B. Petit library. Hindu Gynkhana. The Mahableshwar Club. Parsi Gymkhana. Horse Riding. Photography. Walking. Bird watching. Study of Botony.