By Neha Kirpal
Recently, Maharashtra Tourism organised the Maha Paryatan Utsav 2025, under the guidance of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), in Mahabaleshwar. The event showcased the rich cultural, historical and natural heritage of the region, promoting Mahabaleshwar and the surrounding Satara district as a year-round tourism hub.
During the event, one got to explore the quaint twin towns of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Complete with old world charm, both hill stations are popular wedding destinations as well as weekend getaways for those living in bigger, metropolitan cities.
Most people associate Mahabaleshwar with strawberries. So, needless to say one of the first things to experience while here is a visit to a strawberry farm, where several kinds of strawberries, mulberries, raspberries and gooseberries are grown.
We went to one called Shreyas Farm, whose owner, Rajendra Dhebe, told us that his family has been farming here since 1959. That was the time when various varieties of these plants started coming from different countries, including Italy and the US. We also learnt that the planting season here is in September, and the fruiting happens about a month later in October. Mahabaleshwar is also known for honey bee farming, and a visit to one such farm is also worthwhile.
Mahabaleshwar has many old, British style cottages and bungalows, so another interesting thing to do while here is a heritage walk around the historic town. One of the prominent old properties here is Bohemia Bungalow, which was built in 1881. Though locked up with no residents living there, the house has an eclectic collection of vintage cars within its premises which belong to its owner, Pranlal Bhogilal, who is the country’s pioneer historic car collector and founded the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India.
The century old Morarji Gokuldas Hospital in Mahabaleshwar provides services absolutely free of cost. In 1914, its owner, Morarji Gokuldas donated the hospital building to the central government. In 2019, the building was completely renovated and restored. The fully equipped, well-maintained hospital now has an operation theatre, digital X-ray, sonography, 2D echo & all other modern laboratories and facilities. It is also the only rural hospital in the state which has an ICU.
An important pilgrim centre, old Mahabaleshwar has a number of temples. Some of the important ones are the Mahabaleshwar temple and the Atibaleshwar temple. Nearby, the Shri Panchaganga temple is where five rivers are said to have been born. However, the most spectacular temple here is the Krushnai temple, which has a 5,000 year old Shivalinga. From there, one also gets a lovely view of Shivaji Maharaj’s incomplete Fort, Kamalgad, located in the mountains across.
Some of the scenic spots in Panchgani include Sydney point, Table top and the Parsi point – all of which command stunning views of the valley around. A centre for education, Panchgani has over 50 schools, many of which are more than hundred years old. The town is also popular for being the site for a number of Bollywood film shootings. Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani are also great to shop for small local knickknacks and souvenirs to take back home. Apart from strawberries, jams, crushes, wines, chikki, fudge, chana and Kolhapuri chappals are some of the other things that the town is well known for.
Another of Panchgani’s hidden gems is the Devrai Art Village. Founded in 2008 as a non-profit initiative that works towards sustaining indigenous art, craft and livelihood, it is the birthplace of rock dhokra, the unique art of fusing stone and brass. Organic objects such as leaves and branches are directly cast onto beaten iron, to create beautiful decorative art as well as handcrafted jewellery. Terracotta, ceramic and other metals such as copper are also used and routinely experimented with by artists at Devrai’s work shed.
Overall, it was a memorable event that showcased the region in all its splendour, highlighting its many unique features.
