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Pune  Hill Stations Matheran |
Matheran |
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Matheran literally means ‘A Jungle on Top’. Discovered by Hugh Mallet, a British Officer and the then Collector of Thane in the year 1850, Matheran is the hill station that has the unique distinction of being one of the only few places in the world where any sort of vehicle is banned making it ideal for a peaceful and unpolluted visit. Only a few Emergency Vehicles are allowed at this spot. Developed by the British as a tourist spot, this hill station is located at a height of about 800 metres above sea level and spread over an area of about 8 sq. kms in the Sahyadri Hills. Matheran has now been declared as an eco-sensitive region by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) under the Government of India. Although this hill-station sees thousands of visitors throughout the year, the ideal time to enjoy the natural beauty of Matheran would be the post-monsoon months when there is lush greenery, with abundant waterfalls and cool, shady walks under a canopy of trees on roads that are not tarred but made of red laterite earth, make it an unforgettable experience for any visitor, be it a first timer or a regular one. Matheran’s proximity to cities such as Mumbai and Pune make it an ideal getaway for the working professional to unwind in a pollution-free environment. The only mode of transport available here is horseback or by a hand-pulled rickshaw. The only other means is on foot. Nothing to beat this old world charm and without any pollution too! Reaching Matheran is possible with the help of air, rail or road travel. The nearest airport would be Mumbai, about a 100 kms away or Pune, about a 120 kms away from Matheran. From Mumbai and Pune, or from anywhere else, one must travel upto Neral; a small town at the foot of the hills, which can be done by rail or road. From Neral, one can enjoy the journey upto Matheran in the famous ‘Toy Train’. This train is frequent in service, but may be cancelled due to landslides during the monsoon. Although the train stops at 3 stations only, namely; Juma Patti, Water Pipe and Aman Lodge, one should not be surprised to see both monkeys and hawkers hopping on and off the slowly chugging train at regular intervals. This train takes about 2 ½ hours to cover the 21 km distance from the foot of the hill to the main Market in Matheran. The famous One Kiss Tunnel is also on this rail-route. If one wishes to travel by road only, one can avail of State Transport buses from Mumbai or Pune or even private taxis or vehicles. The last stretch of the road is where the traveler must take the road from Neral to Dasturi Naka, which covers a distance of 7 km and is the last point upto which vehicles are allowed. There is a car park available at this point. Trekkers may however prefer to walk the entire distance from Neral to Matheran, which offers the best of nature’s bounty to the energetic traveler. Matheran has many old-style bungalows that have preserved the old world charm of the British era and the old style Parsi homes here can keep one captivated for hours. Most of these architectural delights are now considered heritage structures. Many hotels and resorts in Matheran make staying there both affordable and relaxing. All types of food and entertainment facilities are available at most places. The main market in Matheran is where one can buy the famous Matheran chikki, locally made honey, fudges and other eatables besides leather articles that include slippers and shoes, hats and a variety of keepsakes at good bargains. This market also has a garden at the center. The best part about Matheran are the different points that offer breath-taking views to the surrounding landscape and also serve as popular picnic spots or camps. With over 36 different points to explore, a stay at Matheran must extend beyond a day. Points such as Hart Point give a wonderful glimpse of faraway Mumbai at dusk with all its lights aglow. The picture perfect landscape, even at night, is enough to keep a visitor stay rooted to his spot until late. The main points in Matheran include Alexander Point located about a kilometer to the north of the Matheran Post Office on Madhavji Road. One can view places such as Garbut Point, Rambaug Point, Chowk Point, the Karjat Palasdari Lake, Borgaon Village and the towers of the Bhivpuri Power House. Charlotte Lake is the main and only source of water supply to Matheran and is located about 1 km from the main market and 2 kms from the Post Office. With surroundings filled with lush greenery, the Pisarnath Temple on the left and Echo Point and Louisa Point on the right, Charlotte Lake is simply breath-taking. However, this lake is strictly off-limits when it comes to boating, swimming or fishing as it is the only supplier of drinking water to the town. Chowk Point, located at the extreme southern end of Matheran, is about 4 kms away from the Post Office. From this point, one can see remnants of forts such as Vishalgad, Prabhal and the Karnala Fort near Panvel. Another famous point, One Tree Hill can be seen from here. The town of Karjat, Palasdari and Chowk Village can also be seen from here. Echo Point, as the name suggests, is the place where one enjoys echoes and natural landscapes and during the months of September and October delights the viewer with a wonderful waterfall in its vicinity. Garbut Point is the point where the sunrise is an awesome experience. One sees the sky and the earth come together in a harmony of colours at the horizon. Not to be missed for anything. Governor’s Hill is another lookout point between Mount Berry and Panorama Point Hart Point must be visited for the wonderful view of Mumbai city at dusk. Khandala Point, on M.G. Road, has Garbut Point in front of it and the Khandala Hills, Karjat town and the Bhivpuri Power House to the right. King George Point offers a beautiful view of the waterfall that is formed by the water overflowing from the Charlotte Lake. The unique feature of this waterfall is that the strong winds at this place stop the water from falling down and throw it back. This is a must visit if the visiting time is the monsoon. Louisa Point offers a face on view of the same waterfall that is seen from King George Point. This point is actually a plateau and enables one to enjoy the sights of the ruined forts of Prabhal and Vishalgad along with Echo Point, Lake Gardens, Chowk Point, Tent Hill, Panvel town and the lights of Mumbai City at night. To the right of this plateau, the point is shaped like a lion’s head and hence the place is also known as ‘Lion’s Head’. Malet Spring is known for its cool drinking water supply during the entire year. Monkey Point is so named after the large number of monkeys that once inhabited this point. About 3 kms away from the Post Office, this point is also used as an echo point. Mount Berry is one of the highest points in Matheran and gives a splendid view of the Toy Train that chugs up from Neral, the Water Pipe Station and a stunning aerial view of Neral town. One Tree Hill is famous for the solitary Jambhul tree that adorns the hill. One can view the Chowk village, the Mumbai-Pune Highway and Panvel town from here. Olympia Racecourse is another famous spot. Panorama Point is also known as the Sun-rise Point. It is the longest point in Matheran almost 6 kms away from the market. Giving a panoramic view of the entire countryside, it enables one to see Neral on the east and Panvel and points such as Sunset Point, Monkey Point, Maldunga Point and Hart Point on the west. If the weather is fine, one can even spot the Khandala and Bhimashankar hill ranges as well. Also visible from here are the Peb and Prabhal forts, Chanderi, the peaks of Mhas-mal and Navara-Navari. This point is also one of the main picnic spots in Matheran. Porcupine Point or Sun-set Point is about 4 kms away from the main market and offers a view of a dense forest nearby along with the view of Prabal fort. Rambaug Point gives a view of the Garbut Point, Karjat Town and Khandala Point.Other smaller points in Matheran that lie on the way to the major points mentioned above include the Coronation Point, Eleward Point, Pemastar Park, the Navaloji Lord Garden and Cathedral Rock.Maps are available to help tourists scout the area.All in all, Matheran is one tourist spot in Maharashtra that is worth a dekko anytime of the year and is highly recommended for a rejuvenating and relaxing experience for any age group.
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