Bus Ride to Mahabaleshwar a Hillstation on the western ghats of Maharashtra

Monday, November 10, 2014

If you have been reading my previous blogs, you would have known by now that I decide on treks at the last moment. So there is hardly any time left for planning. 

Reservation Tickets to Mahabaleshwar

Just two days in advance we decided to go visit Mahableshwar a hillstation on the western ghats of Maharashtra. As it was just the two of us, we decided to head off without asking people on social networking websites. Car would not be economical and hence we decided to travel by public transport.

We had decided to visit Pratapgad and the various points of Mahabaleshwar on Day One and Panchgani on Day Two. As per my google search results. 

This ain't the sunrise but the moon

As we were planning to travel by public transport, TIME would be a major concern for us. But we decided to go with the flow.

I checked out the timings of the State Transport buses by MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport) in the night to Mahabaleshwar, they were as follows 8:30 PM, 9:30 PM and 10:30 PM departing from Mumbai Central depot. There was also a bus to Mahableshwar departing from Borivali Bus Depot at 10:30 PM. 

Mahabaleshwar Bus Depot

But for Manohar to come all the way from Chembur would be a hassle. So we settled for Dadar as the pickup point as the bus from Mumbai Central would halt there to pickup passengers. 

Bus to Mahabaleshwar from Mumbai

As it was a six hour journey we were advised to do a reservation of our tickets. Else we would have to travel standing in case the bus was packed. in case unreserved then seats are on first come first serve basis in the bus. Being the last bus we didn't want to take any chances. Manohar got the booking done for the two of us at Chembur ST bus depot. 

Map

We met as decided at Dadar near the bridge as all buses that ply out of the city stop here for passengers. At 10:45 AM the bus arrived. This was not the typical Lal Dabba (Red bus). We sat on our seats and the bus took off.. After collecting the balance of the passengers at Vashi and Panvel the bus final headed to Mahabaleshwar. It was dark outside so we were not sure as to what route it would take. 

Bus Time table, but the bus frequency is as per season as confirmed by Inquiry Desk

The seats of the bus are not very comfortable but if you want to save on time and money then this is your best bet.

The ST bus drivers race on bumpy pothole tar roads as if they are racing on a Formula One circuit. The roller coaster ride is fun in the start but gets painful later as you are continuously swaying in the bus.All that I could hear was the sound of the engine and all that I could feel was the chilling wind that still managed to get to us even though the windows were shut. In spite of all this I still manged to get some sleep in the bus. Manohar was wide awake all the time.

White board showcasing information on the tour packages offered by the State Transport in Mahabaleshwar 

Most of the passengers were covered in woollen and wrapped in shawls. 

The bus does a couple of stops on the way. I woke up when we reached the Mahad depot at 3 AM. I looked out and I noticed the moon light that had lit up the land around. Finally the bus raced on the curvy roads of the ghats, for a change there was no over taking. It was a wonderful sight to see. The hills and valleys were lit up and the sight was extremely beautiful, Sadly the light was not enough to capture on my camera nor on my phone.

Tickets for Pratapgad Darshan and Mahabaleshwar Darhan

After we crossed the ghats, Mahabaleshwar had finally arrived. By the time we reached the depot, the time was 5:15 AM on my watch. 

It was so cold, I was literally shivering in my jumper. Rubbing my palms against each other was not helping me keep myself warm. There was no bonfire either so I had to do light exercises to generate some sweat, which helped me keep warm. 

Manohar and Me

There are private buses plying to Mahabaleshwar also. But a mere six hour journey would take us nine hours to reach, had we taken that option. As these buses spent around three hours in Mumbai collecting prospective passengers. Such a waste of time. 

The next way of travelling here is off course by personal vehicle.

A couple of sign boards at the bus depot helped us plan our day. Else we would have to rely on taxis here. Taxis are a expensive affair too. 

Wada Pav for breakfast at ST canteen in the Depot premises

There was a ST bus plying to Pratapgad at 9:30 AM only to return back at 1:30 PM. The same bus then doubles up as the Mahabaleshwar Darshan bus at 2:30 PM showing tourists around the various points in Mahabaleshwar. 

Remember the bookings for both the buses start at 8:00 AM sharp. So do book your tickets. As not standees are allowed in the bus

Now how do we kill time. As we had nothing to do for the next four hours. We decided to head out out of the depot and all that we saw were closed shops and hotel agents asking us if we want a place to stay or freshen up. 

Misal for breakfast at ST canteen in the Depot premises

We headed back to the Mahabaleshwar ST Depot. There is a ST Canteen in the Depot premises, which serves Wada Pav and Misal. Both of the dishes were wonderful. The canteen serves south indian snacks and scrambled eggs too. The timings being 7 AM on wards.

The Mahabaleshwar ST bus depot also houses bathrooms and restrooms (indian style). Manohar tried them, clean and decent. Just a headsup incase the need be.

Awaiting the bus to Pratapgad.

Matheran

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

If you want to be away from the noise and air pollution, then the best place to be in is Matheran.

Matheran is the only hill station which does not allow vehicles. So the air here is pure and totally unpolluted by toxic gases. The way to travel in Matheran is on horseback, on human carts and by walking. Walking is the best exercise known to man as it helps to keep one fit for a lifetime.

Nor are there any factories here to emit toxic gases from chimneys. What’s more? As there are no vehicles, there is no honking. The only sound you hear is that of people talking, horses neighing and galloping and birds chirping in the forests of Matheran.

Matheran is the smallest hill station in India and is located 2,625 feet above sea level on the Western Ghats at a distance of 90 km from Mumbai and 120 km from Pune. It is a weekend getaway for people living in Mumbai and Pune.

History states that Matheran was discovered by Hugh Poyntz Malet in 1850. It was later developed by the British as an escape from the summer heat. Matheran railway station was built by Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy at a cost of Rs. 16,000,000.00. It offers a beautiful view of the hill ranges around Matheran.

Matheran can be accessed from Neral railway station on the Central line, plying between CST and Karjat. From here we have the following travel options to reach Dasturi Naka located at an hour’s distance from Matheran market. The distance between the two is 2.5 km. For the train timings, please look up the railways site.

• Take a cab (Maruti Omni) to Matheran; it costs Rs. 60 per seat   and takes 30 minutes to reach Dasturi Naka. The capacity of the cab is 5 seats.
• Private vehicles are allowed up to Dasturi Naka. A separate parking charge is levied for parking two- and four-wheelers in Dasturi Naka.
• MSRTC mini buses ply between Neral to Matheran at a cost of Rs. 25 per seat.
• The mini train from Neral to Matheran market is available at a cost of Rs.25 for second class and Rs.210 for first class. It takes around two hours to reach Matheran Market. No stop at Dasturi Naka.
• Trek all the way up to Dasturi Naka; it takes around 3.5 to 4 hours to reach Dasturi Naka. Alternatively many trekkers also trek from Panvel to Matheran or from Karjat to Matheran. Trekking from Panvel and Karjat is like a haven for professional trekkers and not for those not used to trekking.

The entry fee to Matheran is Rs.25 which is collected at Dasturi Naka. From here starts the red mud terrain. It takes around an hour’s time by foot to reach Matheran Market. Alternatively horses and manually drawn carts are also available. The rates of horses and manually drawn carts are negotiable but can be quite steep during the peak seasons.

The peak seasons in Matheran run from April to May and November to January. Weekends attract huge crowds to Matheran.

There are many places to stay here, lodges, hotels and cottages. There is room for everyone from budgeted travelers to lavish spenders. Again the rates are negotiable and change as per the season.

There are hotels both near the market and in the interiors of Matheran too, in case you want to be undisturbed when you are with Mother Nature.

Matheran has around 30 points from where one can see an amazing view of the hill ranges in the vicinity. It also has a Race Course (Olympia), Panthers Cave and a few water tanks up here. These can be seen either on foot or on horseback.

Matheran has grown commercially over the years. As there are no factories and farms here, the only source of income here is through tourism.

The Valley Crossing at Honeymoon Point is a must but not for the weak hearted. There are many small valley crossings done at various other points too across Matheran.

At Matheran there are many bungalows owned by Parsis. They are in the middle of the forest. From the forest road they are so deep inside that you can’t even see the houses, thanks to the thick forest around them. Wow! Imagine staying right in the middle of the forest. Waking up every morning to the sound of the birds and seeing greenery all around you. What a life that would be. I wish I could have stayed in one just for a night. Please note: NO trespassing is allowed on private properties here.

There are many ruins of structures built in the early 19th century along with the houses of the locals which are also a must-see.

There are many villages here at the base of many points in Matheran. The view of them nestling in the hill ranges is amazing. Villages at Gabut Point, One Tree Hill and Maldunga Point are a must-see. The children from these villages travel all the way up to Matheran for their schooling. A trek every day, no wonder people in the villages are so fit.

Land Pollution is increasing around here. Discarded plastic bags and gutka packets are seen dumped around the countryside. A humble request to my readers is, please carry water or drink lemon or kokum sherbet here instead of aerated drinks in plastic bottles. Plastic bottles don’t decompose and pose a threat to nature. If we don’t take the initiative, no one will.

I enjoyed my trip both walking and horse riding in the forest. The sounds made by the horses’ hooves, the birds chirping in the forest and the funny sounds of the monkeys are very soothing to the ears.

The weather in the forest is so pleasant and cool. The thick forestation cuts out the heat in the forest and the breeze keeps one cool.

Matheran should definitely be on the agenda of any person who enjoys communing with Nature.