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dhaval patel
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7:02 PM on April 15, 2008
Naveen's Answer
Panchgani, the town in the midst of five hills, is an eternally beautiful hill station, a favourite escape clause for the Mumbai-weary. Panchgani is perennially fresh and inviting; its bracing climate complements the verdant surroundings. Flanked by tableland and craggy cliffs, Panchgani is 1334 m; just 38 m lower than Mahabaleshwar.
The drive up to the town winds past red roofed hamlets and a patchwork quilt of neatly laid out fields and orchards. As the road meanders uphill, the vegetation becomes greener and denser, the tree canopy widens and bird sounds are magnified. And then finally, you arrive at a neat, colonial-style town, with a birds' eye view of emerald green coastal plains on one side and the River Krishna on the other.
Panchgani is the archetypal British-in-India hill station, with grand old bungalows and buildings with the Raj stamped all over. The town is known for its English style boarding schools and old Parsi houses that front the forests.
While in Panchgani, hike across to the Rajpuri caves in the temple of Swami Kartikeya or to Kamalgad Fort. A trip to Panchgani is complete only after a visit to the famous Pratapgad Fort, 24 km from Mahabaleshwar. The fort, built in 1656 by Shivaji, witnessed the momentous confrontation between the Maratha rebel and Afzal Khan. Nearby are the temple of Goddess Bhavani and the dargah of Afzal Khan.
A genteel place, Panchgani doesn't really pander to commercial tastes, as does Mahabaleshwar. Here, holiday pastimes include walking, riding on one of the numerous ponies that canter around town, or simply unwinding at home in the cool of the veranda or drinking tea on the lawns. And if you feel energetic, amble down to the bazaar to shop for very reasonably priced shoes and slippers, preserves and squashes made from fresh strawberries and raspberries
Answered at
6:06 PM on April 21, 2008
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