Day 146: 24th Feb ’22: All India Road Trip: Maharashtra: Panchgani
So far:
28 States, 5 Union Territories | Distance Covered: 23,559 km.
Previous stops: Arambol, Panjim, Gokarna | Next stops: Mumbai, Aurangabad, Bijapur.
We left Arambol early morning and after 10 km we crossed over into Maharashtra, the 28th and the final state before we head back to Bengaluru by mid-March.What a journey it has been so far!! Phew!! After some 330 odd kilometres reached Devrai Art Village in Panchgani.The art village is a shared dream of Mandakini Mathur, a filmmaker, teacher, writer and poet, and Suresh Pungati, an art teacher and an award-winning Adivasi artist from the Madia tribe. Under their stewardship, three ‘Dhokra’ artists from the Naxalite affected Gadchiroli region found a safe space in Panchgani and started work under a Ficus tree at Devrai, in October 2008. Soon, master craftsmen from the Chhattisgarh region also joined in. Devrai Art Village was born.
We learnt more about the beautiful Dhokra art in the beautiful hill station of Panchgani.
We explored and learnt about Panchgani as well.
About Panchgani
The name Panchgani in a real sense signifies five hills. Panchgani is 4242.1 ft above sea level.
Panchgani offers activities like Paragliding, trekking, water surfing. Dhom Dam is another picturesque watercourse where sports clubs arrange scooter boats, speed boats or motorboat rides. One can enjoy the beauty of waterfalls in Panchgani.
There are sports centres in Panchgani that could arrange camping, jeep safaris around Panchgani, horse safaris and paragliding. Paragliding is one of the most popular sporting activities in Panchgani.
Interesting Places to see
- Table Land: The five hills surrounding Panchgani near Mahabaleshwar are topped by a volcanic plateau, which is the second-highest in Asia after the Tibetan plateau. These plateaus, alternatively known as “tableland.” Adventure and photography enthusiasts come here, especially during the rainy months for spectacular views and the amazing outdoors. Many Bollywood movies have been filmed on Table Land. Panchgani is also famous for Strawberry cultivation, renowned Public Schools, Mapro Mala Jams.
- Pratapgad fort: Pratapgad Fort is a mountain fort built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The fort is at a distance of 24 KM from the hill station of Mahabaleshwar. The fort holds a sturdy view of coastal Konkan. The Bhavani Temple and Afzal Khan’s tomb are other places of interest. It is believed that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja was blessed with a shining sword at the temple of Goddess Bhavani here. The historic battle between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Afzal Khan, the commander of the Bijapur Sultanate took place at Pratapgad.
- Kaas lake and Plateau: The Kaas Plateau is 25 KM west of Satara and is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. It is a biodiversity hotspot known for various types of seasonal wildflowers blooming and numerous species of endemic butterflies annually during August and September. The plateau is situated at an altitude of 3,937 ft and is approximately 10 square kilometres in area. Kaas has more than 850 different species of flowering plants. These include orchids, shrubs such as the Karvy, and carnivorous plants such as Drosera Indica. It is on high hill plateaus, and grasslands turn into a ‘valley of flowers’ during the rainy season, particularly from August to early October. Kaas Plateau has more than 150 or more types of flowers, shrubs and grasses. The orchids bloom here for a period of 3–4 weeks during this season. Kaas Lake (built 100 years ago) is a perennial source of Water supply for the western part of Satara city.
- Sydney Point: At a distance of 2 KM from the Panchgani bus stand, Sydney Point is one of the famous viewpoints in Panchgani hill station in the Satara district of Maharashtra. Sydney Point is on a hill that faces Krishna valley. It was named after Sir Sydney Beckwarth, Commander in Chief, who succeeded Sir John Malcolm as Bombay’s Governor in 1830. Sydney Point is famous for providing charming views of Krishna valley, Dhom Dam, Kamalgad Fort and the city of Wai. The hillock also offers beautiful views of the hill ranges of Pandavgad and Mandhardeo.
- Mahabaleshwar: This pretty hill station, 19 kms from Panchgani, is often referred to as the queen of hill stations in Maharashtra. It is one of the popular places to visit near Kolhapur, Pune Mumbai. It offers a panoramic view of the plains with the imposing sloppy peaks and surrounding woods. Mahabaleshwar constitutes three villages – Malcolm Peth, Old Mahabaleshwar and some parts of the Shindola village. Arthur’s Seat, Lingmala Waterfall, Pratapgad Fort etc.
- Parsi Point: Lying on the route towards Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Parsi Point happens to be a well-known viewpoint in India. This picturesque viewpoint offers visitors a truly breathtaking panoramic view of the clear waters of Dhom Dam and the charm of Krishna Valley. Surrounded by lofty, green mountains on all sides, this spot is indeed a sight to remember for a lifetime. This place can refresh tired travellers and rejuvenate them from within by bursting all the stress and anxiety of everyday life.
After spending a beautiful day we drove to Pune.
