What a Beautiful World

God's creation of this beautiful world is spellbounding. There is so much to see and discover ; the ferns, the flowers, the fields, the beautiful skies in all its hues and colours..... I could go on and on.....

If you come across any publication who needs a place to be covered to promote it, do let me know. 

My Panchgani Diary

My   PANCHGANI   Diary

THE IDEA - The rolling hills and silver oaks invited us to visit them at Panchgani. We had heard a lot about the breathtaking view from every corner of Panchgani and were intrigued. So finally, we decided to make the trip in December 2009. Yes! My mother and I are just back from the cozy town of Panchgani.

THE PLACE - Panchgani is around 21 kms (30 mins) before the other more popular and populated sister hill station, Mahabaleshwar. It is in the state of Maharashtra, India and an ideal place for a quick getaway. The travel agents tried very hard persuading us to go to Mahabaleshwar instead but we were firm on our decision.

http://www.indiatravels.org/panchgani.htm tells us About Panchgani


Panchgani earned fame when John Chessen, a British Warrant Officer founded it in 1854 and formulated it with a grant from the Governer of Bombay. He chose the place to experiment and to create it into a European-style health resort. The ancient building, Parsi cottages and exquisite boarding schools tucked away into the hills make a splendid sight. The hill station is located at an altitude of 1334 metres above sea level. It's a delight walking along the wooded walkways and the lush trees and vegetation. One can even have a glimpse of the Krishna as it meanders through small hamlets and valleys.

Panchgani has the Krishna River that meanders through its farms, ravines and hamlets on one side and the coastal plain on the other, which has a mystic charm about it. The whole area is covered with lush greenery. There are several scenic spots and well laid out paths, which are ideal for trekking.


Moving around town can be via hired cabs, or even horses and bicycles. On foot, one can experience the wonders of nature and breathe the fresh mountain air.

HOW DID WE GO THERE - So we booked our bus tickets from Mumbai to Panchgani bus stand. That’s what I kept asking for as I had booked our stay at Hotel Summer Palace which was close to the bus stand and shopping area. The bus tickets were around Rs. 400 /- per seat in a Volvo AC bus. It seems that all buses plying to and fro to Panchgani/Mahabaleshwar are AC ones; they don’t run semi-AC buses any more.

Room tariff for our super deluxe double bedroom at the Hotel Summer Palace was around Rs 650/- per day.

OUR JOURNEY - We set out on a sultry Friday night from Mumbai by the 10:30 pm bus. There was a halt at around 12 midnight at the swanking Food Plaza along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Most of us got down, used the washroom, and grabbed a bite and a cup of coffee.

Once done, the bus set off on its 6 hour journey to Panchgani where we arrived at 6 am. It was pitch dark and freezing cold. As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were surrounded by taxi drivers wanting to drive us down to the hotel. Drive!!! Are the hotels so far away?!! These are the thoughts which might come to the minds of my readers.

You see I had done a lot of research before booking our room. There are several hotels in Panchgani. Some are 2.5 km away from the Market. Some are at a walk of 15 mins away (without being loaded down with luggage and bags!!!).

WHERE WE STAYED  - I asked them for directions to our hotel and we were told that it was within walkable distance down the road. I had already enquired at the Front Desk before booking and was informed that it was around 2 mins away from where the bus stops. So we were prepared for a little walk. We hoisted up our bags and moved ahead, trying our best to get our bearings and did realize that the bus had dropped us off on the main market street and had carried on straight ahead to Mahabaleshwar.

We asked for directions at a roadside tea stall where the owner was brewing steaming hot tea. Since it was all dark, the landmark given to us was the streetlamp and Mala’s outlet and we turned right from there down a sloping road and were soon at our hotel. We were met by a closed door and sleepy hotel staff wrapped up in their blankets; one of which got up and handed us the room key. Once we got there, we put down our bags and stretched out our tired selves on the warm, cozy and comfortable bed and were soon fast asleep.

I T I N E R A R Y

DAY 1 :
We were woken up at 8:30 am by the doorbell. It was a kind staff member informing us that hot water would be available only till 10 am. So we went about our ablutions and called room service for breakfast consisting of buttered toast, scrambled eggs and tea. The bill totaled Rs 300 for 3 days breakfast.

Now that we were fully awake (as my mother said later, the 2 hrs sleep did us good!!), we drew aside the window curtain and took in the beautiful view of the hills covered in mist right outside our picture window. The considerate hotel manager had given us a room on the topmost floor. There were 2 schools in front of the hotel. Panchgani is known for its vast number of prestigious boarding schools.

The sun was shining brightly but I noticed a lot of people walking around wrapped in shawls or cardigans. The hotel was in a quiet lane.

Once done with breakfast, we moved out of our hotel and walked up to the top of the slope, to the Main Road/market street/shopping area. We decided to walk around the place and discover its nooks and crannies. We saw the well-known Vidya Niketan Co-educational School just opposite our lane. This is where we met our bus, 3 days later, back to Mumbai.

Now that we were at the market street, we decided to walk up and down. We walked up first, in the direction, towards the place we stepped off the bus from Mumbai. The shops were open and there were plenty of shops. Oh my!!

WHERE TO SHOP - We saw a shop selling pure honey , fruit punches, chana (white chickpea), juices, squashes, sweets, groceries, hardware, home essentials, stores, vegetable market, fresh stock etc. etc. There was even a Cottage Industries Emporium selling hand crafted Kashmiri items and clothing where we shopped in the evening, at the circle where the bus stops. A husband and wife run the shop which deals in silks, pashmina’s, silk embroideries, shawls, carpets, leather goods, wood carving, jewellery, paper machie, dress materials. It is situated on the Main Road. Cell: 09890590546, 02168-241722. The owner, Mr. Tariq was very helpful when my mother bought a whole lot of cardigans and shawls for herself and her sisters. He also has a wonderful stock of Indian wear and men’s pullovers, winter jackets etc. along with Kashmiri handicrafts. And, if I may say so, he serves very nice tea to selective customers. This being my mother’s declaration!!

As we walked down the Main Road or market road, we came across a garden, a Mapro factory outlet and passed by the lane leading to Hotel Prospect, IL Palazzo. I had visited the website of these 2 hotels and was keen on seeing them for real.

Hotel Prospect was the first hotel in Panchgani, built in 1912, run by a Parsi family. It is a good 15 mins walk away from the Main Road, secluded inside a quiet, winding lane. We stepped through the huge, wrought iron gates kept wide open onto the flower lined driveway. We met the jovial elderly gentlemen owning the hotel along the way. He was on a short mid morning walk and welcomed us in and asked us to explore the property. We did peep in but didn’t go upto the office as all the details were on their website.

It was lunchtime soon and we were hungry walking around. The mountain air added to it all. There is a shopping centre close to the post office which has around 3 or 4 restaurants. Lunch was at the canopy covered courtyard of the Red Sea restaurant (pix at the end of post).

As soon as we stepped out of this open air restaurant, we came across an old man selling slippers in various colours for Rs 100 each. I bought 3 pairs in mauve, pink and dark blue. They were so comfortable to wear. I request all my readers to patronize this old man who makes the slippers at home.

We had a short nap after lunch.

WHAT TO SEE - Our hotel manager told us that a sight seeing tour of Panchgani tourist spots would cost us Rs 350 and take around 3 hours, beginning at 3 pm.

Sights to see in Panchgani courtesy Wikipedia -
Sydney Point: This point is situated on a hillock facing the Krishna Valley. One can see from here the glittering waters of the Dhom Dam, and Pāndavgad and Mandhārdeo.


Table Land: This flat large expanse of laterite rock is the second longest mountain plateau in Asia. Some spacious caves including the “Devil's Kitchen” are visible from here.

Parsi Point: This scenic point is situated on the way to Mahabaleshwar, and overlooks the Krishna valley and the blue shiny waters of the Dhom Dam.

Devil's Kitchen: Situated at the south of the table land, the Devil's Kitchen has a mythology associated with it: It is believed that the Pāndavas of the Mahābhārat epic had stayed here for a while. Pāndavgad Caves (near Wāi) are also said to be built by them then

So we met the cabbie below at around 3 pm which took us first to Sydney Point, close to Hotel Ravine. There is a breathtaking view of the surrounding hills and the Krishna river flowing in between, at the foot of the hills.

The next stop was the Tableland which is the second highest plateau in Asia, the highest being the Tibetan plateau. The Tableland has a circumference of 6 ½ km and takes around an hour to cover by the horse buggy/carriage or by foot. We did it by foot to where the horses take the tourists to view the surrounding landscape. The tableland is at a walkable distance of 20 – 30 mins from the Main Road, past Mr. Tariq’s shop, up the slope towards the St. Joseph’s school.

The last stop was Parsi Point and then back to our room till we stepped out for dinner and a little shopping at the Mala’s outlet close to our lane. They sell the most amazing fresh jams, squashes, syrups, fruit chews, cordials etc.

The shop on Main Road selling honey, also stocks cashews, chikki, and the most tasty and delightful chocolate-walnut fudge (Rs 120 for a 250 gm box). I recommend all to try it. We did buy some strawberry and choco-walnut fudge in Mahabaleshwar but it wasn’t as nice as this.

DAY 2:

Oh, we can go visit there too !! - We decided to make a day trip to Mahabaleshwar considering it being a short distance of 21 kms or 30 mins away by bus. We made all the enquiries the previous day. The bus depot is on the Main Road and Mr. Tariq advised us to take the “green luxury” bus which passes by every hour through Panchgani on the way to Mahabaleshwar. The tickets are Rs. 18 per person.

So, soon after a hearty breakfast, we set off to the bus depot and waited for the “green” bus! We discovered that there are local State Transport “red” buses every 15 mins to Mahabaleshwar but opted to take the green bus as I suffer from hill road sickness.

The bus came around 11:20 am and after a short halt of 5 mins, set off. We arrived at the Mahabaleshwar bus depot at around noon. The bus depot is opposite the petrol station. We have been to Mahabaleshwar twice before and are familiar with the place. So we strolled down the market place and shopping area lined with shops crowded with tourists and touristy things. It is a highly populated and busy place. We did visit all the shops though as the colourful, attractive displays pulled us in. Lunch was at Nukkad Restaurant close to the church.

TIP: They do have a washroom in the premises which was a welcome relief.

Dessert was at Strawberry Den in the market place which dishes out the most amazing Strawberry and Cream for Rs 60. It has loads of strawberries, cream and ice-cream. This is the most popular place.

TRAVEL TIPS - My advice to all fellow travel sickness passengers who suffer from this discomfort would be to have lunch as soon as you get to Mahabaleshwar, i.e. if you are traveling up from Panchgani and have to return in a few hours. You can do your shopping after lunch, the walk and after lunch duration helps digestion and you will be able to make the journey back by bus.

We arrived at 12 noon but I made the mistake of having lunch around 1:30 and we were done by 2:15. We had already seen everything and visited all the shops; did our shopping. There was nothing much left to do after lunch and we would have to while away our time for atleast 2 hrs. before I could hop onto a bus. That was too much time to kill. We did walk around for around half an hour but how much more?! So we returned to the bus depot to see if I could make it back by bus. There was a ST bus about to leave and we stepped in. I felt squeamish as soon as I set foot in so I retreated. The “green” bus would come only after an hour, so we asked around for a taxi to Panchgani.

There is a taxi stand just outside the bus depot. We were already aware of the charges of Rs 350 to Panchgani/Mahabaleshwar, one way. We didn’t have a choice. My mother was tired already, I was feeling unwell and so we hopped into the cab and sped away to Panchgani. The cabbie did tell us that a trip to from Mahabaleshwar to Panchgani and back would cost us Rs 425. He dropped us outside our hotel in 25-30 mins.

We were exhausted and took a nice long nap till evening. Dinner was at the same restaurant.

DAY 3:

What else to see - Mr. Tariq had told us about Sherbaug and we had seen it advertised everywhere. He told us that it was a nature theme park and that we would find it quite interesting. So we set out soon after breakfast and decided to walk down to Sherbaug. We left the market road, past Hotel Ravine, Hotel Mount View, and Hotel Mount Castle etc. The entrance fee is Rs 300 per person and Rs 50 for a camera. The entrance has a jungle theme to it with an artificial blue stream of water continuously flowing. The entire park has a quaintness about it with winding pathways where people can walk in single file, through archways, past waterfalls, gardens, flower beds, horticultural spaces, all along guided by signpost saying “This Way Please”, otherwise one can just lose oneself in this labyrinth.

You suddenly cross a wooden bridge to come across an Art Gallery where Mr. Tariq has his other shop. It was a surprise for us too. I did buy a Kashmiri embroidered short tunic in white from there. There is a restaurant close by; food cooked by local housewives and served by students in a village style ambience.

Next to this is the dinosaur cave and the cave of ghosts. I cannot describe any of this as we didn’t venture in.

We did stop for a chilled glass of “Maaza” and then carried on. Too soon we reached the exit and left the theme park walking past a blue stream of flowing water.

We walked back to our favourite restaurant for lunch at around 2 pm and then a short nap at the hotel till evening tea.

Dinner was light and ended with a glass of hot chocolate.

THE RETURN JOURNEY  –

We had to meet the bus back to Mumbai outside the Vidya Niketan School at 9:30 am. The bus begins at Mahabaleshwar.

TIP :  I had my breakfast around 8:30 am and we boarded the bus at 10 am which was a wise decision since I was the only lady who was not “sick” in the bus. The other passengers had boarded the bus at Mahabaleshwar and a little out of Panchgani the bus had to stop for all the “sick” passengers. I faced the same ordeal on the 2 earlier occasions when we were traveling down from Mahabaleshwar.

We were back home by 4:30 am.

My mother and I were both heartbroken when we left Panchgani and wanted to linger on and on. There is a kind of calm and peace still there, free from tourists (of course we made the trip just before the season time begins around Dec 20th). Unlike Mahabaleshwar where one has to travel to be with nature, Panchgani offers the regular tourist a chance to be with nature anywhere in the town itself.


WHERE TO STAY  : -

For Hotels – more information at www.mahabaleshwar.com

We stayed at Hotel Summer Palace, Tel: 02168 – 240523, 240538. Pictures of the room we were in can be viewed here - http://www.panchgani-sheeshmahel.com/
Hotel Gitanjali - http://www.hotelgitanjali.com/
Hotel Prospect - http://www.prospect-hotel.com/
Hotel IL Palazzo - http://www.ilpalazzo.co.in/
All hotels in Panchgani - http://www.panchganihotels.com/
WHAT TO SEE : -

Sherbaug - for information and pix - http://www.sherbaug.com/ ,


WHAT TO BUY  : -

For jams, jellies, syrups, strawberry chews, etc. visit  MALA’s - http://www.malasfruit.com/
MAPRO's - http://www.maprofoods.com/

Pretty Panchgani

I finally managed to attach pix taken when I was in Panchgani. I recommend it to anyone who would like to get away from the urban jungle !!!!

The pictures are in the "My Panchgani Diary" post.

My Panchgani Diary

SILVER PANCHGANI -

My Panchgani Diary

The rolling hills and silver oaks invited us to visit them at Panchgani. We had heard a lot about the breathtaking view from every corner of Panchgani and were intrigued. So finally, we decided to make the trip in December 2009. Yes! My mother and I are just back from the cozy town of Panchgani.

Panchgani is around 21 kms (30 mins) before the other more popular and populated sister hill station, Mahabaleshwar. It is in the state of Maharashtra, India and an ideal place for a quick getaway. The travel agents tried very hard persuading us to go to Mahabaleshwar instead but we were firm on our decision.

So we booked our bus tickets from Mumbai to Panchgani bus stand. That’s what I kept asking for as I had booked our stay at Hotel Summer Palace which was close to the bus stand and shopping area. The bus tickets were around Rs. 400 /- per seat in a Volvo AC bus. It seems that all buses plying to and fro to Panchgani/Mahabaleshwar are AC ones; they don’t run semi-AC buses any more.

Room tariff for our super deluxe double bedroom at the Hotel Summer Palace was around Rs 650/- per day.

We set out on a sultry Friday night from Mumbai by the 10:30 pm bus. There was a halt at around 12 midnight at the swanking Food Plaza along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Most of us got down, used the washroom, and grabbed a bite and a cup of coffee.

Once done, the bus set off on its 6 hour journey to Panchgani where we arrived at 6 am. It was pitch dark and freezing cold. As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were surrounded by taxi drivers wanting to drive us down to the hotel. Drive!!! Are the hotels so far away?!! These are the thoughts which might come to the minds of my readers.

You see I had done a lot of research before booking our room. There are several hotels in Panchgani. Some are 2.5 km away from the Market. Some are at a walk of 15 mins away (without being loaded down with luggage and bags!!!).

I asked them for directions to our hotel and we were told that it was within walkable distance down the road. I had already enquired at the Front Desk before booking and was informed that it was around 2 mins away from where the bus stops. So we were prepared for a little walk. We hoisted up our bags and moved ahead, trying our best to get our bearings and did realize that the bus had dropped us off on the main market street and had carried on straight ahead to Mahabaleshwar.

We asked for directions at a roadside tea stall where the owner was brewing steaming hot tea. Since it was all dark, the landmark given to us was the streetlamp and Mala’s outlet and we turned right from there down a sloping road and were soon at our hotel. We were met by a closed door and sleepy hotel staff wrapped up in their blankets; one of which got up and handed us the room key. Once we got there, we put down our bags and stretched out our tired selves on the warm, cozy and comfortable bed and were soon fast asleep.

Day 1 : We were woken up at 8:30 am by the doorbell. It was a kind staff member informing us that hot water would be available only till 10 am. So we went about our ablutions and called room service for breakfast consisting of buttered toast, scrambled eggs and tea. The bill totaled Rs 300 for 3 days breakfast.

Now that we were fully awake (as my mother said later, the 2 hrs sleep did us good!!), we drew aside the window curtain and took in the beautiful view of the hills covered in mist right outside our picture window. The considerate hotel manager had given us a room on the topmost floor. There were 2 schools in front of the hotel. Panchgani is known for its vast number of prestigious boarding schools.

The sun was shining brightly but I noticed a lot of people walking around wrapped in shawls or cardigans. The hotel was in a quiet lane.

Once done with breakfast, we moved out of our hotel and walked up to the top of the slope, to the Main Road/market street/shopping area. We decided to walk around the place and discover its nooks and crannies. We saw the well-known Vidya Niketan Co-educational School just opposite our lane. This is where we met our bus, 3 days later, back to Mumbai.

Now that we were at the market street, we decided to walk up and down. We walked up first, in the direction, towards the place we stepped off the bus from Mumbai. The shops were open and there were plenty of shops. Oh my!!

We saw a shop selling pure honey , fruit punches, chana (white chickpea), juices, squashes, sweets, groceries, hardware, home essentials, stores, vegetable market, fresh stock etc. etc. There was even a Cottage Industries Emporium selling hand crafted Kashmiri items and clothing where we shopped in the evening, at the circle where the bus stops. A husband and wife run the shop which deals in silks, pashmina’s, silk embroideries, shawls, carpets, leather goods, wood carving, jewellery, paper machie, dress materials. It is situated on the Main Road. Cell: 09890590546, 02168-241722. The owner, Mr. Tariq was very helpful when my mother bought a whole lot of cardigans and shawls for herself and her sisters. He also has a wonderful stock of Indian wear and men’s pullovers, winter jackets etc. along with Kashmiri handicrafts. And, if I may say so, he serves very nice tea to selective customers. This being my mother’s declaration!!

As we walked down the Main Road or market road, we came across a garden, a Mapro factory outlet and passed by the lane leading to Hotel Prospect, IL Palazzo. I had visited the website of these 2 hotels and was keen on seeing them for real. Hotel Prospect was the first hotel in Panchgani, built in 1912, run by a Parsi family. It is a good 15 mins walk away from the Main Road, secluded inside a quiet, winding lane. We stepped through the huge, wrought iron gates kept wide open onto the flower lined driveway. We met the jovial elderly gentlemen owning the hotel along the way. He was on a short mid morning walk and welcomed us in and asked us to explore the property. We did peep in but didn’t go upto the office as all the details were on their website.

It was lunchtime soon and we were hungry walking around. The mountain air added to it all. There is a shopping centre close to the post office which has around 3 or 4 restaurants. Lunch was at the canopy covered courtyard of the Red Sea restaurant (pix at the end of post).

As soon as we stepped out of this open air restaurant, we came across an old man selling slippers in various colours for Rs 100 each. I bought 3 pairs in mauve, pink and dark blue. They were so comfortable to wear. I request all my readers to patronize this old man who makes the slippers at home.

We had a short nap after lunch. Our hotel manager told us that a sight seeing tour of Panchgani tourist spots would cost us Rs 350 and take around 3 hours, beginning at 3 pm..

So we met the cabbie below at around 3 pm which took us first to Sydney Point, close to Hotel Ravine. There is a breathtaking view of the surrounding hills and the Krishna river flowing in between, at the foot of the hills.

The next stop was the Tableland which is the second highest plateau in Asia, the highest being the Tibetan plateau. The Tableland has a circumference of 6 ½ km and takes around an hour to cover by the horse buggy/carriage or by foot. We did it by foot to where the horses take the tourists to view the surrounding landscape. The tableland is at a walkable distance of 20 – 30 mins from the Main Road, past Mr. Tariq’s shop, up the slope towards the St. Joseph’s school.

The next stop was Parsi Point and then back to our room till we stepped out for dinner and a little shopping at the Mala’s outlet close to our lane. They sell the most amazing fresh jams, squashes, syrups, fruit chews, cordials etc.

The shop selling honey, also stocks cashews, chikki, and the most tasty and delightful chocolate-walnut fudge (Rs 120 for a 250 gm box). I recommend all to try it. We did buy some strawberry and choco-walnut fudge in Mahabaleshwar but it wasn’t as nice as this.

Day 2: We decided to make a day trip to Mahabaleshwar considering it being a short distance of 21 kms or 30 mins away by bus. We made all the enquiries the previous day. The bus depot is on the Main Road and Mr. Tariq advised us to take the “green luxury” bus which passes by every hour through Panchgani on the way to Mahabaleshwar. The tickets are Rs. 18 per person.

So, soon after a hearty breakfast, we set off to the bus depot and waited for the “green” bus! We discovered that there are local State Transport “red” buses every 15 mins to Mahabaleshwar but opted to take the green bus as I suffer from hill road sickness.

The bus came around 11:20 am and after a short halt of 5 mins, set off. We arrived at the Mahabaleshwar bus depot at around noon. The bus depot is opposite the petrol station. We have been to Mahabaleshwar twice before and are familiar with the place. So we strolled down the market place and shopping area lined with shops crowded with tourists and touristy things. It is a highly populated and busy place. We did visit all the shops though as the colourful, attractive displays pulled us in. Lunch was at Nukkad Restaurant close to the church.
Tip: They do have a washroom in the premises which was a welcome relief.

Dessert was at Strawberry Den in the market place which dishes out the most amazing Strawberry and Cream for Rs 60. It has loads of strawberries, cream and ice-cream. This is the most popular place.

My advice to all fellow travel sickness passengers who suffer from this discomfort would be to have lunch as soon as you get to Mahabaleshwar, i.e. if you are traveling up from Panchgani and have to return in a few hours. You can do your shopping after lunch, the walk and after lunch duration helps digestion and you will be able to make the journey back by bus.

We arrived at 12 noon but I made the mistake of having lunch around 1:30 and we were done by 2:15. We had already seen everything and visited all the shops; did our shopping. There was nothing much left to do after lunch and we would have to while away our time for atleast 2 hrs. before I could hop onto a bus. That was too much time to kill. We did walk around for around half an hour but how much more?! So we returned to the bus depot to see if I could make it back by bus. There was a ST bus about to leave and we stepped in. I felt squeamish as soon as I set foot in so I retreated. The “green” bus would come only after an hour, so we asked around for a taxi to Panchgani. There is a taxi stand just outside the bus depot. We were already aware of the charges of Rs 350 to Panchgani/Mahabaleshwar, one way. We didn’t have a choice. My mother was tired already, I was feeling unwell and so we hopped into the cab and sped away to Panchgani. The cabbie did tell us that a trip to from Mahabaleshwar to Panchgani and back would cost us Rs 425. He dropped us outside our hotel in 25-30 mins. We were exhausted and took a nice long nap till evening. Dinner was at the same restaurant.

Day 3: Mr. Tariq had told us about Sherbaug and we had seen it advertised everywhere. He told us that it was a nature theme park and that we would find it quite interesting. So we set out soon after breakfast and decided to walk down to Sherbaug. We left the market road, past Hotel Ravine, Hotel Mount View, and Hotel Mount Castle etc. The entrance fee is Rs 300 per person and Rs 50 for a camera. The entrance has a jungle theme to it with an artificial blue stream of water continuously flowing. The entire park has a quaintness about it with winding pathways where people can walk in single file, through archways, past waterfalls, gardens, flower beds, horticultural spaces, all along guided by signpost saying “This Way Please”, otherwise one can just lose oneself in this labyrinth. You suddenly cross a wooden bridge to come across an Art Gallery where Mr. Tariq has his other shop. It was a surprise for us too. I did buy a Kashmiri embroidered short tunic in white from there. There is a restaurant close by; food cooked by local housewives and served by students in a village style ambience. Next to this is the dinosaur cave and the cave of ghosts. I cannot describe any of this as we didn’t venture in. We did stop for a chilled glass of “Maaza” and then carried on. Too soon we reached the exit and left the theme park walking past a blue stream of flowing water. We walked back to our favourite restaurant for lunch at around 2 pm and then a short nap at the hotel till evening tea.

Dinner was light and ended with a glass of hot chocolate.

We had to meet the bus back to Mumbai outside the Vidya Niketan School at 9:30 am. The bus begins at Mahabaleshwar. I had my breakfast around 8:30 am and we boarded the bus at 10 am which was a wise decision since I was the only lady who was not “sick” in the bus. The other passengers had boarded the bus at Mahabaleshwar and a little out of Panchgani the bus had to stop for all the “sick” passengers. I faced the same ordeal on the 2 earlier occasions when we were traveling down from Mahabaleshwar.

We were back home by 4:30 am.

My mother and I were both heartbroken when we left Panchgani and wanted to linger on and on. There is a kind of calm and peace still there, free from tourists (of course we made the trip just before the season time begins around Dec 20th). Unlike Mahabaleshwar where one has to travel to be with nature, Panchgani offers the regular tourist a chance to be with nature anywhere in the town itself.


HOTELS - http://www.mahabaleshwar.com/
Hotel Summer Palace, Tel: 02168 – 240523, 240538 – Entrance view, our room pix – For other information - http://www.panchgani-sheeshmahel.com/
SHERBAUG pix - http://www.sherbaug.com/sherbaug/sherbaugintro/ , http://www.sherbaug.com/sherbaug/sherbaugliving/
MALA’s - http://www.malasfruit.com/

Captivating Kerala

CAPTIVATING KERALA

Kerala – God’s own Country. A most sought after holiday destination for Indians and foreigners alike. Though small, this south Indian state boasts of all the necessary things to attract any earnest tourist. There may be so many others who have already made it their home!

J and I were looking out for a honeymoon destination and we zeroed in on Kerala because we had heard so much about it. He wanted to visit Munnar and I have always dreamed of cruising down the backwaters. The Kerala Tourism Department’s green coconut palm-swaying logo beckoned. It brought about visions of tall, swaying coconut trees, blue backwaters, sandy beaches, lush green hills, blue-green sea. Putting aside the clichéd “Ayurvedic treatment packages” marketed all over, I wanted to know more about “Enchanting Kerala”. I was soon listing hotels, tour packages, train schedules, houseboat tariffs, sightseeing spots, how to get from one place to another, the best package deal, etc. etc. Whew!!! But it all added to the excitement.

Keeping our budget in mind, I contacted everyone possible who could give me the information I was looking for. Of course, I did get a good package deal from the manager of Hotel Aiswarya, Ernakulum but opted to make the trip on our own, this time .

Departure dates were around the end of September when the monsoons were gradually withdrawing and we would get to experience the green freshness after the rains. The date was fixed and the train tickets booked to our first halt, Trivandrum and onwards to our first destination, Kovalam. The journey took about 17 hours; we arrived at Trivandrum Railway Terminus around 8 in the morning. After a hot cup of coffee at the station, we stepped out looking around for transportation to Kovalam where we were booked to stay at Swagath Holiday Resorts for two days.

We took an auto rickshaw (a three wheeler) to Kovalam, a 30 minute drive away and soon we were on our way down the curving driveway towards the beautiful white façade of our hotel and pulled up in front of the high portico in front. Offloading our bags, we stepped into immense but cozy lobby and were greeted at the reception by the gracious hotel Manager with a warm welcome and shown to our Row House overlooking the lovely blue swimming pool. Keen swimmers will understand how elated my husband was at the sight of this wonders of wonders, right outside the room. What luxury!!! I liked the landscaping at Swagath which was exceptionally nice, especially the area near the row houses, at the back of the hotel, near the swimming pool.

The journey had been long and so after a nice, relaxing bath and wholesome breakfast at the
in-house restaurant in a quiet corner of the hotel, we stepped out to discover Kovalam and the golden sands of nearby Hawa beach. We were surprised to find the beach clean of debris and the water clear. The tourists were flocking towards the other beach as the hotels were clustered there, so we had the wide expanse to ourselves. The weather was warm but pleasant, cool water lapped at our feet in gentle waves. Watching the white surf lashing gently against the rocks towards the extreme right made a picture perfect scene. We spent as much time as we could and then walked back up for lunch at a little place near the Hotel Leela Kempinski. After lunch it was siesta time!!!!! A cool, cozy, spacious row house beckoned.

Our hotel Manager told us that Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees. There are 2 beaches here, the Hawa beach and the Lighthouse beach. True to its name, there is a lighthouse at the far end of the crescent shaped beach. There is a little sloping pathway leading to the beach. We spent the evening window-shopping at the little shops around the entrance to the beach. These little places sell a wide variety of handicrafts from every part of India and a lot of local produce too. The Kashmiri handicrafts, stoles, scarves, paintings etc. drew a lot of tourists in. Walking along the beach was a little difficult as there were several tourists mingling around but that adds to the fun of it all. We noticed plenty of hotels and restaurants along the beach serving fresh seafood in grilled and baked form. We walked down right to the far end, near the lighthouse and found a little tea stall run by an old couple and tasted the most delicious cup of tea ever.

Warm sunshine filtering in through the slats in our bedside window woke us up the next morning. Soon after a lap in the swimming pool in front of our room and a hearty breakfast of eggs and toast, it was the Lighthouse beach again.

The long row of hotels built right on the beach was a sight to behold. And what lucky people; they had the waves practically lapping the steps leading up to each individual hotel. I immediately pulled my hubby into one of the smaller ones which had some tables set up in the porch and sat down for a hot cup of tea. The experience has left me with memories which will remain for a very long time. What bliss!!! Sipping on a steamy cup of elaichi flavoured tea, watching the waves come in, the fishermen pulling in a large net with fresh catch, tourists walking up and down, jumping and playing in the sea !

Our hotel Manager told us that Kanyakumari which is at the southernmost tip of the country wasn’t too far away. This place was earlier known as Cape Comorin. The name of this place has been christened after the virgin goddess – Kanyakumari Amman. The black stone image of Kanyakumari in the sanctum of the temple is an enchanting one. Of particular significance is the glittering nose ring that is visible from a distance.

The nearest airport is about 87 kilometers away from Kanyakumari, located in Trivandrum (Kerala State). There are two railway junctions, one is the Kanyakumari Junction and the other is the Nagarcoil Junction.

We took a 9 am bus from Trivandrum to Kanyakumari and were there by lunch time. Hungry and earning for a rice plate with fish curry, we found a local eatery opposite the bus stop which was a clean and decent place to eat; the prices were reasonable too and the food was finger – licking good!!

As for Kanyakumari, it was beautiful. True to what I had heard, the waters from the three oceans merged and mingled together. We went right down to the water and dipped our feet in. We walked past little stalls selling a wide display of different, colourful products for daily use and a lot of things to hold the tourists’ attention.

We also viewed the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial. This is where Swami Vivekananda is said to have sat in deep meditation. We wandered around and came across the Gandhi Memorial built on the spot where the urn containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing before immersion. Resembling central Indian Hindu temples in form, the memorial was so designed that on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (October 2), the first rays of the sun fall on the exact place where the ashes of the father of the nation were kept. The place was as peaceful as one would want it to be.

We took a late afternoon bus (there was one at 2 pm to Trivandrum apparently but we missed that) and were in Trivandrum early evening. We visited our favourite dining place and then tired out from the day’s excursion, retired to our warm, cozy room.

Plans for the next day after breakfast was a round trip by three-wheeler around Trivandrum for a small amount. We visited the local fish aquarium among other things. We also managed to squeeze in a local backwater trip on a little country boat, sipping fresh coconut juice, taking in the cool blue waters.

We wished we could have stayed on for a few more days but we had to move on to the next stop on our itinerary, Allapuzha.

The next stop on our itinerary was Allapuzha aka Alleppy and the excitement of spending a day on a houseboat which we had hired for a reasonable amount, was increasing by the minute. But we had no idea how to get to Alleppy so we spoke to our kind hotel manager who gave us a splendid offer of a chauffer driven non AC Tata Indigo to Alleppy, 12 hours stay on a houseboat in Alleppy and drive down to Munnar (the next stop) and thereafter take us to Ernakulum Railway Terminus for our train back to Mumbai. After some negotiation, we came to a decision. The package tour sounded worth the amount and left early the next day for Alleppy. We arrived there around 11 and stepped onto the rocking boat. Our car and driver would wait overnight for us at the parking lot till our return the next day.

The houseboat manager greeted us on arrival and led us to the houseboat. I was taken aback at the huge size and exterior. It was a lovely houseboat with double room facilities. It takes great skill and meticulousness to construct these giant Houseboats, generally 60 – 70 feet in length and a width of 15 feet. These houseboats are traditionally known as Kettuvalams, which means a boat made by tying together pieces of wood. Kettu means tied with ropes, and vallam means boat - Malayalam language). Not a single nail is used in the making of a ketuvallam. Jackwood planks are joined together with coir rope and then coated with black resin made from boiled cashew nut shells. The roof covering is made of bamboo poles and palm leaves.

Kettuvallams or Houseboats are country boats that were used in the early days for transportation of goods from the isolated interior villages to the towns. With the advent of roads, bridges and ferry services, the Kettuvallams gradually were seldom used. Now with the huge inflow of tourists, these kettuvallams are back again as a major tourist attraction. A ride on a Kettuvallam is a fabulous way to explore the fascinating beauty of the backwaters. The houseboats are furnished with all the amenities for the inflow of tourists, with a cozy, spacious living room, dining area, well furnished bedrooms with clean, attached bathrooms, one or two bath attached bedrooms and a kitchenette. Every houseboat is manned by a crew - usually a cook, a Captain, and an Oarsman.

The backwaters mainly covers the four districts of the state - Kollam, Alleppey aka Alappuzha, Kottayam and Kochi aka Cochin. The largest backwater body, the Vembanad lake flows through Alleppey and Kottayam districts and opens out into the sea at the Kochi Port.

Our houseboat had an arch framing the entrance which we stepped through and stepped down into the little living room, dotted all over with cane furniture and a huge dining table, television, and recliners on either side hugging the sides of the houseboat. We were given a tour of the houseboat after we set down our bags in the cozy bedroom with attached bathroom. We peeped into the large kitchen and met the cook who was busy preparing lunch for us. After the guided tour, we spent the rest of our time in the living room. The breeze was cool, the blue waters expansive, small waves forming little ripples, lapping the sides of the houseboat. Our houseboat wound through the labyrinth of backwaters, in and out. Tall coconut trees lined the banks, swaying in the breeze. This is the essence and heart of Kerala, the coconut trees. We learned that coconut, the mainstay and livelihood of the Keralites, can be put to a lot of use.
The coconut palm is grown for its many culinary and non-culinary uses; virtually every part of the coconut palm is used.

The coconut has a smooth greenish covering. The outer shell is a fibrous husk one to two inches. The inner shell is brown and hard. When the coconut is still young it contains a large amount of fluid or juice. The edible portion is located on the inner surface which is filled with coconut water, a highly nutritious food source, containing sugar, fiber, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It is used as a refreshing drink throughout the humid tropics and is also used in isotonic sports drinks.
When the coconuts mature, most fluid is absorbed and its flesh thickens and hardens.

The coconut also provides oil for cooking and making margarine. The thick, hardened, white, fleshy part is edible and used fresh or dried in cooking. The fiber from the husk of the coconut known as coir is used to make ropes, mats, brushes etc. It is also used extensively in for making potting compost. Coir is also used for making mattresses at Kerala, in India. Coconut leaves are used for making brooms, baskets and roofing materials or reed mats in India. The stiff leaf midribs can be used to make cooking skewers, kindling arrows, or are bound into bundles, brooms and brushes. In India, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the woven coconut leaves are used as 'Pandals' (temporary sheds) for wedding functions. Coconut trunks are used for building small bridges; as the trunks are straight, strong, and hardy and have a high salt resistance. Coconut trunks are also used in constructing houses. Coconuts are offered by Hindus during religious worship. Irrespective of their religious affiliation, fishermen of India often offer coconuts to the rivers and seas in the hope of a bountiful catch.

Cruising along, we passed by lots of smaller and bigger houseboats gliding along peacefully in those pristine clear, blue waters.

Suddenly we heard what sounded like singing which came closer and closer. Looking out to find the source of the “singing” we were surprised to find a man in a little country boat with some wares. It seems that since the local people rarely move out of their houses, the market comes to their doorstep making it very convenient for the womenfolk to do their “shopping”. The boatman was calling out, his voice rippling across the backwaters, making it sound like “singing”.

Soon we were jolted back to reality by our cook calling us for lunch and we sat down at the dining table laden with the most delightful food. The cook had prepared dishes from the local cuisine. The soft breeze, the ambience and the delicious food, did wonders for our appetite. We halted for an hour for lunch under a canopy of swaying coconut trees, shaded by their huge branches. The weather turned cool in the afternoon and we soaked in the luxury in the breezy living room on the comfortable recliners till we were gently woken up for tea! We had fallen asleep, lulled into a deep slumber to the swaying of the houseboat, the movement of the water and the lovely breeze!!!

As we cruised along, we watched the fading sunlight and the sun setting over the waters. Just before it turned dark, the houseboat was moored outside the owner’s house. Dinner was as wholesome as lunch and far more delicious! We started out early the next day and were slowly brought in around 9:30 pm. A day on the houseboat had passed so quickly and it was over so soon. What a lovely experience it was! We thanked the staff for their hospitality and stepped off the boat promising ourselves to return soon for another trip along the famous blue backwaters of Kerala.

Our car and driver were waiting and soon we on our way to Munnar, a town covered with extensive tea plantations, set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district. Most of the tea plantations have now been taken over by the Tata Tea Company. This is also the natural habitat of half the world's population of the almost extinct rare mountain goat or Nilgiri Tahr.

We by some picturesque landscape along the way; through cardamom trees, rubber plantations, pepper plantations, rolling hills, winding roads, shady trees, cute country houses.

Finally we were at Munnar and checked into our hotel, Misha Holiday Home. It was sunny when we left Alleppy but it started drizzling on the way to Munnar; it was pouring when we arrived. Since Munnar is located at a height above sea level, it was freezing and we were glad we brought along some warm woolies. Our room was warm and toasty. It was evening when we arrived and we were hungry by dinner time. Room service was the best option as we just couldn’t bring ourselves to leave the warmth of our room.

We set out early next day for an early morning walk in the early morning sunshine. Breakfast was essentially South Indian fare comprising of dosa and idli. Munnar is a small place but there are plenty of tourist spots on the outskirts.

Our driver knew his way about Munnar like the palm of his hand. We drove to the expansive Rajamalai sanctuary, kept our cameras for safekeeping with the security guard (as per rules) and hopped onto the sanctuary mini bus for a short climb to the top. We passed by several waterfalls but the biggest was the one just before our bus halted at the entry point. From there, it was a long walk along a winding path, with bright flowers lining the path accompanied by small bushes.

We were eagerly looking out for the Tahr and finally our patience paid off with a far glimpse. The view more than made up for it with lush green surroundings and the cool wind. Everything was picture perfect; perfect weather with a little sunshine and clouds. But we did have to leave finally and return to our mini bus for the downward descent. After this we visited the Tea Museum and learned all about tea making and tea making machines; bought a few packets of flavoured tea too.

Soon it was time for lunch and I was keen on tasting the locally prepared fish curry, rice and buttermilk. It was so delicious that I polished off the entire dish. My hubby opted for the local biryani; I say local because it was prepared a little differently with succulent light flavours.

Our next stop was the Mattapetty Dam where we walked back and forth enjoying the reflection of the crystal clear, still blue- green water in the blue sky above.

Soon it was time to return home and catch our train back from Ernakulam Railway Terminus.

We had just been to God’s Own Country.

Package information - Contact Mr. K. K., Manager, Hotel Aiswarya (mrkkaiswarya@yahoo.com)
Hotel information –
Swagath Holiday Resorts (Kovalam) - http://www.swagathresorts.com/

Tariff in 2006 – Rs 800 for a non AC Double room
Misha Holiday Home (Munnar) – anish_mnr@yahoo.co.in

Tariff in 2006 – Rs 700 for Standard Double room.
Driver (from Swagath Holiday Resorts) – Mr. Jayachandran - 09847125478

Houseboat information –
For the houseboat we stayed at – contact – Prasanth Nelson – 09847945772
http://www.keralagreenery.org/houseboats
http://www.thehouseboatskerala.com/
http://www.atdcalleppey.com/houseboats
http://www.munnar.com/glimpses