MaharashtraImage Credit Source: Getty Images
There are many historical places in India which are famous for their rich heritage, culture and architecture. Some of those beautiful tourist places will now get global identity and can also see an increase in tourism. Recently, UNESCO included 7 amazing natural sites in India in its tental list of world heritage sites. Which is a matter of pride for the country. 62 to 69 places in India joined the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. One of which is also the names of Panchgani and Deccan Traps of Mahabaleshwar.
These are two very beautiful hill stations located in Satara district of Maharashtra, which are part of the Deccan Trap. It is made of lava emanating from the old volcano. Both these places are known for their green valleys, cold winds and panoramic scenes among tourists. Mahabaleshwar was very popular since the British period, here he used to go for rest during the summer season. At the same time, Mahabaleshwar is located 20 km from Panchgani.
Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar Deccan Traps of Maharashtra
How to make Deccan Traps?
It was made up of a huge, bumpy high ground that was made from the cliff after the melted lava settled. Its history is associated with 6.6 million years Purana and volcanic eruptions. When the lava erupted, it spread in millions of square kilometers. Lava came out of the volcanic explosions and cooled down again and again in layers like a ladder. Over time, layers became thick for several hundred kilometers. After the lava dried, the process of weather and rivers, erosion made valleys and rocks.
Punch
The Panchgani Hill Station was discovered by the British. This beautiful place is 20 km from Mahabaleshwar, 108 km from Pune and 250 km from Mumbai. In the decade in 1860, an English superintendent named John Chasses was appointed. He planted many species of western world in Panchgani. Silver oak and poincetia are more special in this. Mahabaleshar preferred to live in the British summer, but during the monsoon there was no weather living there. At this time, the weather of Panchgani was right, so he used to live here during the monsoon. John Chasson was appointed to find a suitable place. He surveyed the hills in this place with the help of Rustomji Dubash and chose places around five villages and Panchgani in the last. There are many famous places to visit in Panchgani. It includes table land, Sydney Point, Parsi Point, Dhom Dam, Rajpuri Caves, Lingamana Waterfall, Mapro Garden, Kates Point and Pratapgarh Fort. This place is a great tracking spot.
How to reach
Panchgani has no airport of its own. If you want to go here, then Lohgaon of Pune is an international airport. From here you can take a taxi or bus for Panchgani. This airport is about 101 km from Panchgani. The nearest here is Pune railway station. Where superfast and express trains come from Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Bikaner, Thiruvananthapuram, Coimbatore, Mysore, Karaikal, Lucknow, New Delhi, Jaipur etc. From here you can take a taxi or bus for Panchgani. If you want to go by road trip, then Panchgani falls on the way from Pune to Mahabaleshwar. It takes about 2 hours to leave from Pune to Panchgani. Similarly, to reach Panchgani, you can reach Pune railway station bus or taxi from here. Panchgani is about 120 km from Pune Junction railway station. You can reach Panchgani directly by NH48 from Pune.
Mahabaleshwar
Mahabaleshwar is known for his beauty, adorable view and calm environment. It is a beautiful hill station. The Krishna river starts from here, so this place is considered to be a pilgrimage center. People reach here from far and wide for the Panchganga temple. Krishna, Koyna, Gayatri, Savitri, Vanna, Saraswati, and Bhagirathi, the flow of these 7 rivers begins from here. The water of these rivers comes out of the statue of Gaumukh, which is the main attraction of this temple. There is a temple named Krishnabai, near the Panchganga temple. The Krishna river is worshiped here. Apart from this, beautiful places like Monkey Point, Arthur seat point, Venna Lake, Wilson Point, Pratapgarh Fort and Needal Hole Point or Elephant Point can be explore here. In all these places, it is reached by tracking.
How to reach Mahabaleshwar?
Pune Airport is about 130 km away. After reaching, you can take a bus or taxi for Mahabaleshwar. There is a small railway station called Vathar nearby, which is about 63 km away, where only a few trains like Sahyadri, Koyna and Maharashtra Express stop. This is about 60 km from Mahabaleshwar. Bus service is available here by private and state transport from Pune, Mumbai, Sangli, Kolhapur, Satara, Panchgani and Nashik.
Delhi to Mahabaleshwar
If you are planning to go from Delhi to Mahabaleshwar, then you can go from here to Pune and then from there to Mahabaleshwar. Apart from this, you can go to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Mumbai and then Mahabaleshwar by taking flights from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and then by bus or taxi.
If you talk about the train and bus, then some direct trains are available from Delhi to Pune. Pune Duronto Express which runs between Hazrat Nizamuddin and Pune Junction. Goa Express This train goes from Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station to Pune Junction. This train also goes to Satara railway station. Which is about 60 to 70 km from Mahabaleshwar. After reaching here, you can take a taxi or bus to reach Mahabaleshwar. Jhelum Express goes from vegetable market to Pune.
Koyna wildlife sanctuary
Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar are already part of the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. Which is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Koyna, Kandati and Solashi rivers flow through here. It comes in the southern part of the North and Chandauli National Park Sanctuary of Sahyadri Tiger Sanctuary. Animals like Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, dull bear and sambar deer can be seen here. This sanctuary is very large, so it requires at least 3 days to roam. Vasota Fort, Thoushar Waterfall, Kas Plateau and Sivasagar Lake are one of the most famous tourist places here. The Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary is open from 7 am to 6 pm.
Bus and taxi can be reached from Pune to Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. It has Kolhapur railway station near it. Which is about 60 to 65 kilometers from here. After reaching Kolhapur station, take a taxi or bus from here. You can book tickets online here. Here, a person’s 1500 to 2500 rupees for jeep safari, Rs 200 for nature walk and 1000 to 1500 rupees for bot safari.
The historic Sivasagar built by Koyna Dam is surrounded by Lake. Here the entry is low, but it takes different money to use safari and camera. Also, it includes Vasota Fort inside it. If you talk about walking here, then there is a green atmosphere during June to September monsoon and the weather is pleasant here between October to February in the winter month.