My TripAdvisor Review No.649: Mahabaleshwar Temple.

Ancient Shiva Temple.

This is the main temple in the temple complex of Old Mahabaleshwar. Lord Shiva is the presiding deity. As you enter you have to cross a huge seated Nandi Bull facing into the inner sanctum. The sanctum sanctorum houses Shiva’s bed, looking like a crumpled bedsheet, his damru (drum) and his trishul (fork). You are not allowed to linger very long as there is always a lone queue of people waiting for darshan; you may pay your respects, light an agarbatti, collect prasad from the pujari and carry on. You can make a formal donation at the donation booth near the exit, and you will receive more prasad and holy ash in a self-addressed envelope later by post.

According to the ancient legend there were two demons, Mahabal and Atibal, who were killed by Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu respectively. Both the demons requested that they be immortalised by building temples commemorating them, and two temples came into being. This temple, dedicated to Mahabal is called Mahabaleshwar, and the Atibaleshwar Temple is the smaller one located about 200 meters from this one. This temple is more than 800 years old and rebuilt in Hemadpanti style.

After paying our respects at the temple we did a parikrama (circumambulation) around it and admired the architecture and beautiful scenery with a lot of greenery around it. Photography is prohibited inside but we took some nice pictures outside.

Date of experience: December 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.648: Rahi Shivsagar Restaurant, Mahabaleshwar.

Vegetarian Multi Cuisine Restaurant.

Rahi Shivsagar is actually a 2-in-1 restaurant, Rahi and Shivsagar, located close to the Ambedkar statue in Mahabaleshwar market. Shivsagar section is a vegetarian restaurant serving all types of thali meals from different regions of India including Gujarati, Maharashtrian, South Indian, Punjabi and Special (with a sweet dish). They also serve a variety of snacks and breakfast dishes like dosa, idli and wadas. Rahi section serves the strawberry milkshakes and ice-creams.

I ordered a Gujarati Thali and it was quite tasty and filling. It had 3 chapatis, a dry sabji, a gravy potato dish, a lentil gravy, sweet dal, rasam, rice, papad and a sweet kheer dish. My wife had a special pav bhaji.

Later we ordered a strawberry milkshake from Rahi section of the restaurant. We had to pay separately for both the sections. Prices were on the higher side. Service was OK.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.647: Elephant's Head Point, Mahabaleshwar.

Two Elephant’s Heads in Mahabaleshwar At Different Locations.

There are actually two places in Mahabaleshwar associated with Elephant’s heads.

The first one is near Lodwick Point and beyond it. You have to walk about 250 meters from the monument dedicated to General Peter Lodwick on a narrow ridge to an overhanging rock which looks like an elephant’s head. Standing on the head of the elephant you get a spectacular view of the valley below. The overhanging rock looks like the head of an elephant when observed from Lodwick’s memorial. The 250 meter walk is a spine tingling experience in itself.

The second elephant’s head can be seen as you approach Kate’s Point, which is near Nakinda and Avakali, overlooking the Dhom Lake. The gap between the elephant’s trunk and the head looks like a needle-hole from the distance, hence it is also sometimes called the Needle Hole Point.

Date of experience: December 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.396: Wilson's Cafe, Mahabaleshwar.

Good Dinner Buffet.

Wilson’s Cafe is the main restaurant in ‘Saj On The Mountain’ resort, which is located about 7 km before Mahabaleshwar, on the Panchgani Mahabaleshwar Road. It is an open air café and serves buffet as well as ala-carte meals for breakfast and dinner.

We were staying at the resort and decided to go for the all day dining option, which includes breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner at a discounted rate. It is a pure vegetarian restaurant.

They say that one should eat breakfast like a king. I started with a small glass of fresh pineapple juice and ended with 2 glasses of butterscotch milkshake. In between I had 2 parathas with dahi, 2 palak idlis, 1 wada, 1 masala dosa, some upma and poha and some fruit and sprouts to start with. All the items were very nutritious and tasty.

Lunch was in a separate restaurant called ‘Fasal’ where we were served a sumptuous Gujarathi thali.

Buffet dinner was served at Wilson’s Café again. We started with Vg Manchow Soup with fried noodles. Then we had Veg Fried Rice with garlic flavored gravy, honey chilly potato, sprouts, salad, a Florentine potato pasta, tikis, dahi wada and Burritos. I did not have the conventional subji-roti though it was there. We followed it up with some sweet dishes like chocolate ice-cream, goju sweet and a khajur rabdi. I got full till I was bursting at the seams. Not good for the diabetics, but one can’t resist the temptation of good food.

Service was very good and there were about three or four waiters ready to serve with a second helping. Price is on the higher side if you are only here for a single meal, or ala-carte, but more affordable for us since we had joined the all-day dining plan. They have a different menu every day.

We enjoyed the meal and ate till we could hardly walk after the meal.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.395: Babington Point, Mahabaleshwar. Jungle Point.

Babington Point used to be a beautiful view point, and I remember walking up to it and enjoying the beautiful view of Koyna Valley from here many years back, but not anymore. The view was obstructed by overgrown trees and bushes and we could see nothing of the valley below. Even the beautiful garden in the centre was overgrown and unkempt, and looked more like a jungle.

This place gets very few visitors. Located only about 2.5 km from the Mahabaleshwar market, it is at best a walking destination to visit on an early morning or evening walk. The green cover is very good and the area has got an aura of peace and serenity about it.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.393: Saayali Restaurant, Mahabaleshwar. Gujarathi Thali Buffet Meal.

We had dined at Saayali earlier and tried out their ala-carte dishes which we had enjoyed. This time we decided to have their vegetarian Gujarathi Thali which they serve in the main dining hall in Shreyas Hotel itself. The parking lot is common for both the restaurant and hotel.

The pricing of the thali was a bit confusing. They charge ₹350 for the thali, irrespective of whether it is a limited or unlimited thali. Then the manager clarified that the limited thali can be shared by two persons, whereas the unlimited thali is meant for only one person, but he can eat as much as he wants. In the limited thali, additional servings of any item would be charged extra. We decided to go for the limited edition and found it to be quite sufficient for the two of us, both senior citizens.

The home style vegetarian food was very tasty and healthy. For starters they served mix pakoras and a tumbler of chaas. For mains there was paneer masala, tendli dry and aloo rasswala, along with masoor kathol, dal fry and sweet Gujarathi dal. There were four chapattis, papad, salad, pickle and steamed rice, followed by a very sweet gulab jamun.

We enjoyed the traditional style Gujarathi thali. People with large appetites should go for the unlimited version of the thali. Non vegetarian food can be had at the stand alone Saayali next door, in the same compound.

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My TriAdvisor Review No.392: Fasal Farm To Thali. Best Thali Meal.

‘Fasal Farm To Thali’ is the speciality restaurant in ‘Saj On The Mountain’ resort, which is located about 7 km before Mahabaleshwar, on the Panchgani Mahabaleshwar Road. They serve an excellent Gujarati Thali buffet meal, only at lunchtime, between 12.30 to 3 pm.

We were staying at the resort and had a very good meal in which they started with mini samosa and paneer cheese rolls, green salad, pickle, papad and chutney. This was followed by bhindi bhaji and a mix vegetable dish and paneer Lahori, two dals, masala puris, phulka rotis, steam rice, tomato rice and two sweet dishes, sevai kheer and chum-chum. Initial servings are small, but we could ask for a refill of any item which we liked. We also had nice kullhad (cup) of masala chaas to drink.

Service was very good and there were about three or four waiters ready to fill up our empty katories, with the different items. Price is on the higher side if you are only here for lunch, but more affordable for us since we had joined the all-day dining plan. They have a different menu every day.

We enjoyed the meal and ate till we could hardly walk after the meal.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.391: Wok On Wheels, Mahabaleshwar. Good For Breakfast And Fast Food.

As the name implies ‘Wok On Wheels’ is a mobile food stall, stationed just opposite JK Motels on the Panchgani Mahabaleshwar Road just after Metgutad village.

On one of my morning walks I picked up a couple of wada-pavs, at ₹10 each, and tea in a thermos. They also serve Maska Pav, Misal Pav, Bhurji Pav, Maggi noodles. and Poha in the morning, and some Chinese dishes like Fried Rice and Hakka Noodles for lunch or dinner. They don’t provide tables and chairs as it is located on the main road, so you either gobble it standing there, or carry a parcel.

The food is freshly prepared and very cheap compared to the regular restaurants.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.390: Garden Ice Cream Restaurant, Mahabaleshwar. Not Only Ice Creams.

Garden Ice Cream Restaurant is located near Lingmala, about 2 km before Mahabaleshwar on the Panchgani Road. It has very picturesque surroundings with strawberry gardens and the Venna River on the other side.

This was the second time we stopped here, once before for their corn patties and this time for their strawberry ice cream, with preserved strawberries picked from their own farms. We enjoyed both the items, and were surprised to learn that they serve regular meals and snacks as well, both veg and non veg. The owner Mr. Kasam even offered to prepare Chicken Dum Biryani for us for dinner, made to order, if we could muster up a group of about 5 or 6 biryani lovers.

It is a good place to stop for a quick snack, ice-cream, milk shake or even a regular meal.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.389: Delight Foods, Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani Road. Good Food, Good Ambience.

We stopped at Delight Foods, next to JK Motels in Metgutad, about 8 km before reaching Mahabaleshwar, to have lunch. The restaurant looked attractive from outside with good ambience, and two colourful model elephants to welcome us. There is sufficient parking space besides the restaurant, even though it is on the main Panchgani Mahabaleshwar road. The restaurant was neat and clean and the service was courteous. They serve veg as well as non-veg food. Though it was around 12 noon and a bit early for lunch, we were welcomed in.

We ordered ‘Dingri Mutter Do Pyaza’ (Mushroom Peas in Onion gravy) and Tawa Chapattis. As tandoor was not working they could not serve roti or naan. The vegetable dish was quite tasty, though a bit oily, and the chappattis were hot and fresh. We finished the meal with vegetable raitha. Prices were reasonable.

This restaurant is a good place to stop on the way to Mahabaleshwar from Panchgani or vice versa. Maybe next time we will try out their non vegetarian dishes.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.388: Atibaleshwar Temple, Mahabaleshwar. Small Shiva Temple at Old Mahabaleshwar.

This is a small Shiva temple which is often overlooked by most tourists who visit the temple complex at Old Mahabaleshwar. As we walked up to the Panchganga Temple, where the five rivers originate, the Atibaleshwar temple was on the left hand side, about 200 metres before reaching the Panchgaga mandir. We saw that there was a narrow passageway between the wayside shops and then there was a large Nandi bull at the entrance to this temple. The main Mahabaleshwar temple is on the right hand side. Both these temples were supposed to have been originally built 2500 years ago, but the Atibaleshwar temple still has the original structure.

According to the ancient legend there were two demons, Mahabal and Atibal, who were killed by Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu respectively. Both the demons requested that they be immortalised by building temples commemorating them and hence these two temples came into being.

However, most of the devotees who visit the temple complex skip the Atibaleshwar temple with the beautiful Nandi bull. Hence one gets a feel of peace and calm on visiting this temple and can worship the deity at their own pace without any hurry.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.387: Lingmala Falls, Panchgani. Beautiful Waterfalls Between Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar.

The beautiful Lingmala waterfalls, which is hidden away between two hills, is about 16 km from Panchgani, and about 7 km before you reach Mahabaleshwar. There is a sharp left U-turn about 1 km from Saj Mountain Resort leading to the falls, through Lingmala village. It can also be accessed from the Satara Mahabaleshwar Road, but the road is one-way, being very narrow and winding through dense forest. Entry is from Panchgani side and exit from Satara side. You can park your vehicle outside the Forest Office (Satara Van Vibhag) and buy your ticket (₹20) to enter the ‘Lingmala Nature Trail’. Gates are open from 8 am to 5.30 pm, parking is free.

The falls start at the head of the Venna Valley, with water overflowing from the Venna Lake. There is paved track, which is very well maintained by the Satara Van Vibhag (Forest Department), leading down to the falls. There are benches to sit and rest for a while, if you get tired climbing back.

There are two parts of the falls. The left track leads to the minor falls nearby, where the falling water forms a pool where one can take a dip. Be careful of the underwater rocks, though. The right track leads to the view point, about a 10 minutes uphill walk, from where one can view the main falls as it plunges about 500 feet down into the Venna valley below, forming the Venna River.

The Lingmala Falls are best visited after the start of the monsoons and between July to October. Then one can see and feel the force of nature in all its glory. During the summer months the flow reduces to a trickle, but one can still enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool formed near the minor falls.

The falls can also be seen from a distance if you do not have the time to spare (about an hour and a half) to walk down, and back up, the Lingmala Nature Trail. About 8 km from Mahabaleshwar, get down at Metgutad village and walk down to the edge of the ridge about 500 metres. You will get a long shot view of the main waterfall showering down into the valley below.

However, even at other times of the year it is a good place to visit, just to experience the walk through the forests on the Lingmala Nature Trail. We saw monkeys, squirrels, bulbuls, sunbirds, butterflies and other small creatures while walking down the trail. If you are lucky you may see the Giant Malabar squirrel which is quite common in Mahabaleshwar.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.386: Babbington Point, Mahabaleshwar. More of a Picnic Spot Than a View Point.

We went for the view but were sorely disappointed. The view was obstructed by overgrown trees and bushes and we could see nothing of the valley below. Even the beautiful garden in the centre was overgrown and unkempt.

This place gets very few visitors, but we saw some senior citizens enjoying a picnic with their beer and picnic baskets. It is also a good place for a long walk if you are putting up nearby on the Tapola Road and up to the market, since it is only about 2.5 km from the Mahabaleshwar market. The green cover is very good and the area has got an aura of peace and serenity about it.

Babbington Point used to be a very good point, and I remember walking up to it and enjoying the beautiful view of Koyna Valley from here many years back, but not anymore. The Mahabaleshwar Hill Council needs to clean up their act and at least maintain the little garden at the centre so that it becomes more attractive to the tourists.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.385: Parsi Point, Panchgani. Good View of Krishna Valley.

Parsi Point is en route from Panchgani to Mahabaleshwar, just 2 km after Panchgani town ST Stand. We stopped here for some time to admire the lovely scenery of the Krishna River and Dhom Dam below in the Krishna Valley. There was a carpet of greenery and some light purple flowers all the way down the hillside amidst the eucalyptus and silver oak trees.

We parked at the side of the road itself and paid a nominal parking fee. One has to be careful as there is a lot of high speed traffic to and from Mahabaleshwar. There are many stalls serving snacks like wada-pao and pakoras, as well as tea, coffee and cold drinks. One can simply enjoy the beautiful scenery of the valley, or gaze through a telescope for a small fee. The keeper of the telescope will give you a virtual guided tour of temples and houses in the villages below or on the hills on the other side. One can easily see the Kamalgad Fort on the opposite hillside.

It is worthwhile to stop here for a while, relax on one of the benches, and enjoy the scenery and the strong breeze which tries to blow you away.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.384: Saj On the Mountain, Mahabaleshwar. Good Self Contained Resort For Vegetarian Foodies.

Saj On The Mountain has recently become affiliated with Club Mahindra Holidays. It is located about 1 km after Metgutad village on the Panchgani Mahabaleshwar Road, and about 7 km before entering Mahabaleshwar hill station market.

We stayed here recently for 4 days and found it to be a decent place to have a relaxed vacation. The check in was quick and we were given a choice between two rooms. I must say that there is a wide disparity between the type of rooms, though all of them are reasonably well furnished and have all the basic amenities for a luxurious stay. The main difference is in the kind of sit-outs they offer. The first room we saw had a stone bench between two rows of rooms, while the second one had a small enclosure with a swinging sofa under the trees. Needless to say we chose the latter. Some other rooms did not have any sit-out, while the first floor rooms had a small private balcony.

The main attraction was the good variety of vegetarian food available, though the fare was priced on the high side. There was buffet as well as ala-carte. Breakfast was the best with a variety of fresh fruit, sprouts, idli, dosa, wada, puri bhaji, paratha, croissants, buns, toast, tea, coffee, milk shake and fruit juice available. At lunch we were served a sumptuous Gujarati Thali which was very delicious and filling. Dinner buffet again had a lot of variety, starting with a choice of soups, salads, pickles, North Indian vegetables, curries, dals, breads and a selection of Continental and Oriental dishes as well. Breakfast and dinner was served in the open ‘Wilson’s Café’ at the poolside, and for lunch we had to dine at the restaurant ‘Fasal’ for the thali meal. There was a separate bar for drinks and mocktails named ‘Darwin’.

For recreation there was the ‘Fun Zone’ for kids, a badminton court, a swimming pool, a play pen for toddlers, and watch towers in the gardens below the parking lot. Swimming pool was closed on one of the days for cleaning. The parking lot could accommodate about 12 cars with additional space near the main road.

The service was very good with House Keeping inquiring to find out the most convenient times to clean our room every day. Restaurant service was excellent as well. Though it is best to go by your own car from Pune or Mumbai, taxis for sight-seeing the points in Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani can be easily arranged by the travel desk.

All in all we had a very relaxed holiday and would not mind visiting again.

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Room Tip: Ask for a room with a good sit-out if you enjoy the open fresh air of the hill station.

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• Stayed: September 2018, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.346: Kapaleshwar Temple, Nashik.

Rare Shiva Temple Without a Nandi.

This is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located opposite Ramkund and Ganga Ghat on the River Godavari in Nashik. It is situated at a higher level from the street and we had to climb a steep flight of steps to enter.

The uniqueness of this temple is that it has no Nandi bull statue as you enter, as in other Shiva temples. Legend has it that Lord Shiva accidentally killed a cow, whereupon Nandi asked him to take a bath in Ramkund and perform penance to atone his sin. This is probably the reason for the absence of a Nandi idol.

The temple has a solid stone structure and an aura of divinity around it, and it is worth a visit. It also is an important pilgrimage spot in the Nashik temple circuit. It is generally more crowded on Mondays, the weekly darshan day for Lord Shiva. Photography is not allowed inside the sanctum.

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