Trip to Mahabaleshwar, Pune

A hill station located 100 kms away from Pune. It has got around 14 points for tourists to visit and enjoy. you will find lot of yummy strawberry's around this place and lot of hills around. Krishna river, which serves Maharashtra and Andhra originates here. This place has got a historic Mahabaleshwar temple (a must watch, but didn't watch :( ). Before i visited, i read in web that it is a summer capital. But after visiting this station in core summer, i seriously disagree the statement. Left one is the picture i got in web before visit and right one is the picture i took during visit.

Then visited Pratap Gad, the place where afzal khan was slayed by Chatrapathi Shivaji. This place is a sort of relief to me out of whole trip after travelling Mahabaleshwar under burning sun.

April 30th 2008 - I was said that bus will be reaching secunderabad at 7 PM. Seems, i am the only punctual person around. Bus was very late and it left hyd at 10 PM.

5/1/08 8 AM - bloody bus dropped me at Pune (The horrible travels i am referring to is kesineni travels, mark it as a final alternative for your travel any time).

8:15 AM - i reached my home, beautiful and safe pune, took me in 15 minutes. Nischal (My brothers child, 2 years). I am surprised to see him talking more and more.

9 Am - Siva and Srinu reached my place with a tavera.

9:15AM- we started at viman nagar

10:30 AM - Had Maharastra special Pav Bhajji at Home for Pav Bhajji. This Pav Bhajji was great, but smirn off sucks at that time in hot summer

12 PM: we reached Mahabaleshwar, Siva boasted a lot about parachutes and beaches in Mahabaleshwar. But to my surprise, we could not find anything more than dry hills there.

1 Pm: we stopped at Macro garden where lot of strawberry's were found. we purchased strawberry milk shake and mixed fruit jam and left that family garden.

2 Pm - we were taken to few points where we can see dry hills from the top. that was a good view.

2:30 Pm- we were taken to other point, where we can see dry hill again, but this time a little of krishna dam covered.

2:45 - monkey point, few monkeys and again hills.

3:15 Pm - again hills. this really frustrated me. Mahabaleshwar has got around 14 points, around 10 points has got similar scenic view.

we thought that this is not a right choice for summer.

we thought of moving to Pratap Gad and then watch Sun set point and leave this Mahabaleswar. Sun slowly stepped down for that day and we had good journey to Pratap gad. we reached Pratap gad at 6:00 PM. we have decided to take a guide to this historic place.

Guide started with entrance and explained about Maharaj Shivaji starting with assasination of Afzal Khan. He has show us the place where Afzal Khan was slayed by Shivaji. Ofcourse that place is not open to visit now because Govt has stopped visitors to that place keeping in mind that communal differences, that may arouse.

We have shown lot of interest in listening to history lecture by this old guide. Later we saw Bhavani Mandir, where Saaligrama of Shiva and Sword of his senapathy can be found. We stood surprised to see the weapons used to break stones after hearing that fact that those weapons weigh 40 Kilo's.

Later we saw punishment point and Shivaji's Idol. we came to know that Britishers destroyed maximum part of the fort after assasination of Shivaji, which is sucking.

Seenu boasted a lot of Maharaja's and stood there thinking himself as Maharaj for some place in his previous janam.

Siva , seenu and me. we reached pune at around 10 PM. This is our last photograph after have good long day under sun.