Heaven in the Hills. Review on Mahabaleshwar

If the hustle and bustle of city life has got to you, if you're feeling blue or looking for an ideal place to romance, let me prescribe a stress buster cum magical cure cum local Switzerland....MAHABALESHWAR!!!

This quaint little hill station is a 6 hour drive away from Mumbai and believe it or not, even a short trip to this green heaven can help you beat your blues and do WONDERS for your soul. You'll come back feeling relaxed, refreshed and very much alive!

You know you're almost at Mahableshwar when you first cross through Panchgani. (Its a lush green hill town that's dotted with old world cottages and young boys and girls giggling and licking pink ice cream cones. If you look at the cottages carefully, you'll realize that not all of them are homes and most of them are schools!)

A short drive and a few kilometeres away, you'll notice that the air you're breathing getting crisper and cleaner! You might even go ''achoo'' as you're nose may have never breathed air so pure! Suddenly you're eyes will be in for a treat! You'll see a silver mirror glistening in the sun and reflecting the blue skies with puffy, white clouds. That, my friend, is the Mahabaleshwar lake and you'll see innumerable hawkers all around. Some will be vending baby radishes and carrots. (And dont be a snoot and shoo the hawkers away unless you want to miss out of the juiciest, freshest, sweetest carrots and radishes in the world!) Others will come with mulberry and corn and plump and sweet strawberries! Take my advice and be a sport and try them all! And if its evening, go for a boat/horse ride and then stop by the food stalls and try their corn pattices and corn frankies with the homemade tomato sauce! And the homemade strawberry ice-cream here is a MUST HAVE!)

Further up the road, the Mahabaleshwar hill town begins and while driving alone you'll know what makes it more scenic and picturesque than its close cousin Panchgani. Vast expanses of valleys, trees with blossoms, red and green strawberry patches, crystal clear blue skies and the sounds of songbirds chirping will make you wonder whether you've booked yourself for a holiday in a hill town or in Heaven!

One of the places I stayed in as a child was Frederick's. This resort has a breathtaking view of the valleys and Mahabaleshwar lake. I still remember how the sounds of nature....the wind blowing, the crickets humming and the birds singing was more prominent than any human or machine-made sound! The Lord's Country Club (near Baghdad Point) a little further away from the main town is also quite an awesome place. You wish you can be left here to read and relax and laze and unwind for endless days.

There are hotels and resorts of various budgets that you can find here. If you're on a low budget holiday, try the government run MTDC. They have their own cafeteria which has reasonable and decent tasting food. If you're ready to splurge, the Strawberry Country Resort is quite a nice place. And if you're looking for an old world, British in India kind of holiday, then Frederick's is definitely the place. If you're a large group, then pre-check the newspapers and look out for a farmhouse or a bunglow that you could hire. They come equipped with comfortable bedding and all the basic necessities.

The Mahabaleshwar market is quite the place to go to if you want to do some shopping and have a bit of fun. There are the 7up-7down stalls etc where you bet money and play other games. You could also shop for quilts, handmade chappals, chikki, leather products, channa (gram) and walking sticks. And ofcourse, HONEY! You get some of the purest and sweetest honey here. And the most delicious STRAWBERRY JAM!

MAPRO'S (On the road connecting to Panchgani) is a place where you MUST HALT. You can actually see the jam making process here and buy jams and syrups and sweets at concessional rates. They also have an beautiful garden where you can spend your evenings applying complimentary mehendi or watching the roses bloom in their rose garden or savor some delicious ice-creams in the garden ice cream parlor.

My advice to you, is stay away from all the points that the local guides co-erce you into visiting. The view from there is all the same. Instead, take a trip down to Tapola or Mini-Kashmir. Its a beautiful road that meanders thorugh the hills and takes you to a hidden lake that's nestled in between the mountains. You can go boating here or try the water scooter rides.

If you're in a mood for history, Pratapgad is a nearby Maratha fort and you can visit it during the day.

The best time to visit Mahabaleshwar is....ANYTIME! It will help soar your spirits or find you the inner peace you're looking for whenever you need to. You can go with your family or with your friends or even on a honeymoon!

The climate is very plesant in summers and very, very cold in winters so carry your woollies. During the monsoon, its beautiful and rainy but be careful while driving as the roads get slippery. If you're in no mood to drive, try the ST or private volvos, they are quite comfortable.

Last of all, DONT FORGET YOUR CAMERA BECAUSE THIS IS ONE HOLIDAY YOU'LL WANT TO CAPTURE EVERY MOMENT AND MEMORY OF!