Strawberry Flavoured Mahabaleshwar

Hill Station made up of Tourist Points, Valleys, Strawberries, strawberry products and Venna Lake.

It is the best Hill station for budget Honeymooners or for those who have money but less time & also a perfect gateway to relax your muscles on weekends.

Synonym for Mahabaleshwar is Strawberry but there are lot more things attached to it Eg. Carrots, Red Radish, Chikki, Chana, Sweet Corn, Corn Bhel & Pattice, Golas & Milk Juices, Chats, Raspberry, Jelly Chocolates & Crushes, Chappal / Sandals, Wooden items, Video game centers.

It is flooded by tourist on weekends, most of the tourists are from Mumbai,Pune,Raigad & Satara District.
Mahabaleshwar has a very small market with single Rd named Main Rd.

Lodge:
We stayed at Hotel Parijat Rs.800 / Night + 10 % tax (Rs.880/night at peak season so you can get good offer at off season).Flooring -Marbonite, the toilet was clean, Extra bed Rs.100 / night. Except Room service & TV there is no other facility available in the Lodge. In the morning we got Hot turbid water but was replaced with Clear Hot water on complain.

Hotel Parijat Addr:-85,Dr.Sabne Rd. Tele:- (02168) 260196 / 261396
Mobile :-Saroj Sheth – 9860687988 Ramesh Sheth :-9421115724
Directions:-Go straight from the start of the market take left near the Mahabaleshwar Police Station then you will see Rama Lodge take right & few mtr away is Hotel Parijat.

Restaurant (Pure Veg):
1.Sonu Regency :Good & Reasonable Punjabi food
2.Hotel President :Good food
3.Poonam Hotel :Good food
4.Hotel Hariyalee & many more restaurants

Food
Carrot :-Rs.10-15 per bunch
Red Radish :-Rs.10 per bunch
Near Hotel Ponaam. Or ANYWHERE in MAHABALESHWAR
Roasted Sweet corn Rs.10
Corn Bhel (Amul butter) Rs.20

Rangela Gola center opp. to Hotel President.
Golas Rs.10
Milk Juice Most of them are Rs.20 others are Rs.25/30 (eg.Mango)

Chikkis. (Rs/Kg ) You have to purchase min. 250Gms
Chocolate -120, Coconut-100 ,Eliche Crush-120,Til-100,Strawberry-120,Groundnut Crush-100 Groundnut -80,Kaju-280,Kesar Kaju-360,Kaju Crush-360,Dry Fruit-320,Badam Pista-400,Chara-80

Soft Chikkis
Mango,Anjir,Kaju,Gullkand,Chocolate,Strawbery,Orange,Dry Fruit,Mix,Pineapple ( Rs. 30 – 40 per 100 Gms.)

Channa’s
Garlic,Tomato,Masala,Regular,Lemon Rs. 35- 40 per 250 Gms

Jelly Chocolates:- 5 Flavours(Pineapple , Orange , Black currant , Raw Mango ,Strawberry ) Rs.15 per 250 gms.
Though the MRP is Rs.30 .around 40-42 pieces per 250 Gms.You can get 500 Gms for Rs.30.

There are 3 Major Confectioners
I.Mapro :
There are many Mapro Sales counter which offer 10 % off on MRP. & a small syrup bottle on purchase of Rs.500 & above.

There are no. of Sales counter in market which offer 10% off on MRP.
Few to be named
1.Komit Stores at the start of Mahabaleshwar market.
2.Near Mahabaleshwar Police Station
3.One at the end of the market.
4.and Many more.

I.Mapro has recently launched Pulpy Fruit Chews named FALERO in 2 flavours
1.Strawberry in 2 packs ( 300 Gms MRP.99 offer price Rs. 89 ,80-85 units of fruit chews) another in 1 Kg pack
2.Kachi Kairi launched on 24/01/09 as told by the salesman in 1 Kg pack only MRP Rs.270,Offer Price Rs.243. he told us that it contains around 260 units of fruit chews. Both taste great.

Addr:-122,Shendurjane,Wai-412805.
Regd Office:-Kushal kunj,Chesson Rd,Panchgani – 412805.
www.maprofoods.com Email:- mapro@vsnl.cpm
Phone No. (02167) 222111

II.Mala’s (1958)
Factory :- Bhose P.O.Box 73,Panchgani
Email:- feedback@malafruit.com
Customer Care :- (02168-240672)

III.Manama’s-They give you 20 % off on MRP.

Tourist Points:
Tour 1,2 & 3 which is Mahabaleshwar Darshan can be completed in one day.
Tour 1,2,3 each costs Rs.355 (3 * 355 = 1065 ) for 4 Persons
There are around 750 taxis few old fiats, Altos & Santro,more of old Omni vans,Indicas.

MAHABALESHWAR PROPER TAXI BUISNESS ASSOCIATION
Addr.:Datta Mandir Taxi Stand,Opp S.T. Stand,M’bwer-412806. Phone (02168) 260931.

Make all transactions at the office itself bypass the Driver. You can book a day before in advance by paying some amount.

Our cabbie started with Tour No.3
1.WilsonPt.


2.1 Savyambhu Ganesh Temple.
2.2 Plato Pt.:-
Go straight from the left side of Ganesh Temple then take a right (to the left is King’s Chair) & then first left to Reach Plato Pt.There are no sign board at the top, so this directions will help.
2.3 King’s Chair :-
Go straight from the left side of Ganesh Temple then take a left & find the road as I didn’t go to the Pt.

3.Lingamala Falls:- (Near Lingmala Forest Dept. Resthouse)
Directions:-You go nearly 60 steps downstairs take a right then you are into dense forestation enjoy the coolness, there is a bridge on your left side take snaps, follow the same path a little bit steep road to the Lingmala Fall, it is seen from the edge, the valley view is also great, if the same road is continued you reach to another spot which you can see from the Lingamala fall.

En-route Venna Lake our cabbie took us to Strawberry Garden.
Strawberry :-Takes 3 months to give first Strawbeery,then each plant continues to give 10-15 Strawberries on alternate days for next 6 months. Green Peas was also planted. Variety of flowers also planted by the farmer.

Outside the Garden at Ice Cream outlet,2 Scoops of Strawberry Ice-Cream Rs.30 ,Strawberry Fudge-Rs.50-60

4.Venna Lake:- Main tourist attraction of Mahabaleshwar.
Get sun kissed in the Queue for an hour to get the tickets for your near ones. It may take more than an hour in the evening during weekends. Note the time ones you start boating. You can see Hanuman Temple on the other side of the Lake.
2 options are available Rowing Boat or Peddle Boat.
Next to Venna Lake is Horse Riding.

Boat 30 Mins 60 Mins Capacity
Rowing Rs.150 Rs.300 7 including Kids
Paddle Rs.400 6 including Kids

We paid Rs.40 extra to the boatman for 30 mins.
There are 75 Peddle & 46 Rowing boats in Venna lake as told by the boatman, I counted 50 (both).Few Peddle boats have rooftop, so go for that in day time.

Tour No. 2.
5. Kate’s Point ,Echo Pt & Elephant Head.
At Kate’s Pt.enjoy the scenery. We didn’t saw the Elephant Head, but you must go for it. Beware of the Monkeys as they snatch whatever they see.

Tour No. 1.
6. There are 4 Temples
6.1 Mahabaleshwar Temple at your right side as you enter the road to the temple complex.
Big Nandi inside the temple complex, then you enter the temple Kalbhairav Temple on your left & Shiva temple on right can be seen while you are standing in the Queue for your turn to the blessings inside the main Temple.

6.2 Aati Mahabaleshwar Temple:-A small temple complex no rush at this temple

6.3 Panchgani Temple:-
Five Rivers meet at this point Gayatri,Savitiri,Venna,Koyna & Krishna. You can drink the sacred water. Rush can be experienced for drinking the sacred water.

6.4 Lord Shiva Temple
Note:-Photography prohibited inside Panchganga & Mahabaleshwar Temple

7.1 Manjorie Point (Ht.1291.74 m Dist 9.8 Km) near Eliphinstone Pt. overlooking Savitri Valley. It is a road touch Pt.
7.2 Monkey Pt. 3 moneys of Gandhiji ,it is few mtrs away from Manjorie & also a road touch Pt.
7.3 Savitri Pt: It also near Monkey Pt.

There are 2 ways to enter this Tourist Point, if you take the right side path you reach the Aurther seat & then head to other points & come back by other way or Vice versa.
8.1 Aurther Seat:- can be identified easily
8.2 Window Pt. 8.3 Tiger Spring 8.4 Hunting Pt. 8.5 Malcum Pt.
8.6 Echo Pt.

By paying Rs.3 to the Telescope owner, you can see the Statue of Shivaji Maharaj which on Pratapgadh,also at another location you can see the Monkey Pt through Telescope.

9. Then we headed to see the Sunset, though the Sunset Pt (Mumbai Pt) was different & near to it is Lodwick Pt.

Tourist Points Skipped by us :- King’s Chair, Elephant Head, Castle Rock, Needle Hole,Elphinstone (Lower & Upper), Savitri,Sunset (Mumbai) Pt. & Lodwick Pt.

Tour No.4 (Panchgani Darshan) (Rs.425 for 4 person)
1.Parsi Pt.
2.Table Land (Caves)
3.Bhilar Waterfall (only Monsoon)
4.Free visit to Mala’s Factory

Tour No. 5. (Pratapgadh Darshan) (Rs.560 for 4 person)
Pratapgadh Fort
1.Shree Bhavani Mata Temple
2.Pratap Garden
3.Shree Shivaji Maharaj Statue
4.Kadelot Pt. (Punishment)
5.Tomb of Afzal Khan

Tour No.6 (Tapola Darshan) (Rs.580 for 4 person)
1.Shooting Spot
2.Shiv-Sagar Darshan
3.Water Sports
4.Triveni Sangam
5.Bamnoli Pt.

Tour No.7 (Panchgani / Wai Darshan) (Rs.610 for 4 person)
1.Sydney Pt.
2.Shree Ganesh Temple
3.Shree Kashi Vishveshwar Temple

Travel Tips :
1. Mahabaleshwar Rd Passenger Tax Rs.15 per Head for 7 Days.
2.Buy Tourist Map (Rs.20) from the Taxi Stand
3.The rate of Strawberry is Rs.40-45 per 500gm on if there are more tourists it may toch Rs.60 / 500Gms
4.Checkout time is 9.00 A.M at most of the lodges in Mahabaleshwar
5. Other Activities: Go-Carting, Paragliding Horse Riding, etc.
5.If you are driving your own car then don’t break the lane to avoid traffic jams especially on weekends.