Panchgani hills are always an amazing sight – hundreds of thousands of spectators visit this place to witness the magical beauty of nature. But, this year, there is one more reason to visit the lovely hills of Panchgani. And that’s the blossoming of Neelakurinji flowers.
Panchgani is blessed with a rich variety of flora and fauna, but it is best known for Neelakurinji. The breathtaking slopes of the hills get blanketed by these purple-blue wild-flowers, adding yet more alluring charm to the sounds and sights of Panchgani. Visitors to Panchgani in the coming months can enjoy this marvelous sight, which is bound to leave an everlasting memory about this fascinating hill station, which is nestled in the middle of 5 hills in the Sahyadri mountain ranges.
Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana), belonging to the genus ‘Strobilanthes’ is a shrub that grows abundantly in the Panchgani area. The genus has about 300 species, of which at least 46 can be found in India. The flowers are light blue in the early phase of blooming and turn purplish blue when mature.
The purplish blue flowers of Neelakurinji blossom in profusion, once in 12 years.
Blossoming after 12 years.
Although the blossoming cycle of Neelakurinji ranges from 1-16 years; since 1800, it has been flowering once in every 12 years. The flowering season starts somewhere between August and November and peaks in late September or early October. What triggers the massive flowering in every 12 years is not known. The mass flowering once in 12 years and the subsequent death of the shrubs is the subject of folklore in the hills of Panchgani.
The Neelakurinji flower and the associated mountainous landscape where it blooms were used in classical Tamil literature as a symbol for the union of lovers. The famous poetic fragment from the Kuruntokai “Red Earth and Pouring Rain” also has a reference to this flower.
With these flowers blossoming in huge quantities, there will be rock bees and common hill bees visiting the place in large numbers, which means that immense quantities of honey will be available. It is believed that the honey collected from the Neelakurinji blossoms is the sweetest.
While in Panchgani, you can make yourself comfortable at the Hotel Ravine. It is equipped with all modern amenities and has elegantly furnished rooms, offering an enchanting view of the lush green hills and valleys of Panchgani, now carpeted in purple with Neelakurinji blooms. The hotel offers 2 person rooms, 4 person rooms specially designed for families with kids and Executive Suites complete with bathtub for those who want a super-luxurious experience!
For people in Panchgani, the blooming of Neelakurinji is a reminder of their lives having passed another twelve years. For those from far off places, it is a rare opportunity to witness the lovely flowers covering the hills in a blanket of blue. The next flowering could be in the year 2018, next in 2030 and so on. That’s why; right NOW is the perfect time to be in Panchgani. Plan your visit to this holiday destination soon, to capture the flowers picturesquely carpeting the entire hillside in purple blossoms.
Panchgani, a hill-station situated in the state of Maharashtra is a preferred option for spending summers, especially for people staying in nearby cities such as Pune and Mumbai, owing to the proximity. Ask a local guide about tourist places around Panchgani that must not be missed and he will certainly mention spots such as Table Land, Sydney Point, Devil’s Kitchen and Parsi Point. These are indeed a great sight, however there are some other locations too, which are equally spectacular and not yet discovered by many. Every week We will list a Place which is not so famous but is a must visit if you are an offtrack traveler. We are covering off-track places that are not that well known yet offer breathtaking views for those who love such places. We will add one new place every week to Tourist places around Panchgani –
Off-Track Place number 1.
The Krishnadevi Mandir:
Krishna devi mandir
One of the most serene and beautiful places in Panchgani, the Krishnadevi Mandir is a very beautiful rock temple. Marginalized due to the more popular Panchganga and Mahabaleshwar Temples, this temple is often overlooked in preference to the others. The Archaeological Survey of India has demarcated this as a protected monument. This means that the nearby areas cannot be commercially exploited, thus restricting all the shops and hawkers that crowd around the other temples. This has proved to be a boon in disguise as the vicinity of the temple remains uncluttered and retains its serenity.
Constructed 300 years ago, the name Krishnadevi was given in reference to the river Krishna. The temple offers an extremely beautiful view of the Krishna valley, below. This temple was built by a family of Brahmans known as Anagala who were based in Satara. The construction is given a theater-like appearance with one side having the temple and the other two sides enclosing the temple courtyard.
The North Side of the temple is the most important aspect of this Mandir. It has 5 orifices from which water flows out. These are said to be the origins of the Five Rivers; Krishna, Koyna, Yenna, Gayatri and Savitri. These rivers flow individually for a short span and then converge into one stream. The stream comes out of a cow’s mouth (Gaumukh). The cow is supposed to be one of the holiest animals in Hindu beliefs and hence it has been used as the symbol of origin for these rivers.
The combined stream is collected in a holy tank, which is used by worshippers to take a dip in. Two important rivers, Bhagirathi and Saraswati, also flow along the side of this tank and add to the sanctity of the place. The main water tank spills into another smaller tank, and the water then flows off to form the starting point of the various rivers that are the main source of water supply for the huge land mass and population in Maharashtra. Fortunately, remaining free from commercialization, not many people come here and it usually remains a clean and pure tank of water. (Hopefully you too will maintain its cleanliness by avoiding indulging in any bathing or swimming activities there).
This place is for people who enjoy silence, peace and calm. A few minutes of meditation or even just sitting in the enclosure for a few minutes will give you tremendous peace. Ensure that you take water and eatables, as you will not find anything in its vicinity. Trekking shoes should be ideally worn, especially in the rains as the rocky steps can become slippery to navigate.
Once again, we request you to maintain cleanliness and not litter the place with garbage, so that generations to come can enjoy this beautiful temple. The whole concept of monuments and temples revolves around treasuring the true gifts of nature, like water and rivers, by giving them the status of a God as they give life to the world. Hence, whatever belief systems you belong to, just for this wonderful philosophy we should try and treasure such monuments.
We hope you enjoy this exquisite place and that you will share your amazing memories with us through your photos and comments.
Off-Track Place number 2.
Menavali Wada:
Bol-bacchan shoot at Menavli wada
Menavali is a village in Wai. ‘Wada’ is a Marathi word which means mansion. Menavali Wada was constructed by Nana Fadnavis, a Maratha statesman belonging to the Peshwa era. It was created on the banks of the river Krishna in 1780’s. He built the royal mansion together with 2 temples, one devoted to Lord Shiva and the other to Lord Vishnu.
Formerly, simple stone steps sliding into a river, the ghats developed in a complex arrangement of terraces having independent areas for various activities like washing, bathing, filling water, conducting religious rites, etc. Temples were customarily made on ghats.
The Peshwa period saw excellent architectural arrangements of a Wada-like residence, ghat on a water body along with a temple. Menavali Wada is among those rare spots where such a combination is conserved intact.
Now under the care of Nana’s progeny, the Wada is in fairly good shape. You must see this colossal house which has all the trademarks of a classic Wada of ancient times. When you go down the steps and turn right, you can see a breath-taking sight of the mighty Pandavgad fort at a distance.
Numerous Bollywood movies have been filmed here. An ancient tree having a huge trunk and a platform built around it is present since the time the Wada was made. The tree was shown in Swades, a popular Bollywood movie. Other films that have shot certain scenes with this place as the backdrop include Gangajal, Bol Bachchan, etc. and the upcoming SRK starrer Chennai Express.
Whether you are a history buff, admirer of intricate monuments, religious person, etc. these places in and around Panchgani will capture your attention for sure.
Off-Track Place number 3.
Raireshwar for Maratha History Admirers:
Raireshwar temple
If you are patriotic, grew up on Shivaji tales and are looking for tourist places around Pune, then Raireshwar should be your first stop. It is a town in Bhor taluka of Pune. This place has a 16th century temple in which Shivaji took the crucial ‘Hindavi Swaraj’ vow at 16 years of age, which marked an important event in the history of Maharashtra.
Inside this shrine, you can see a large painting of Shivaji with his friends. Positioned between beautiful hills and forts, the temple is located on a plateau that blossoms with lovely flowers during monsoon, making it the ideal time for visiting. You can go camping too as the villagers help in lodging and food. Don’t forget to eat delicious bhakri with buttermilk, typical Maharashtrian fare.
You may also like to stopover at Jiva Mahale Ghoda Maidan, named after Jiva Mahale, a soldier serving in Shivaji’s army. He played a major role in defeating Afzal Khan and moreover considered to be an important reason why Shivaji could survive the battle. The ground seems to have turned into a horse training base since then.
Off-Track Place number 4.
Kamalgad:
kamalgadh fort Panchgani
It is a fort located in Wai. Owing to its altitude of over 4,500 feet above sea level, one can view a magnificent aerial sight of the Dhom dam, dense forests and lush green plant life. It is even believed to have an underground route to Pratapgad, a popular tourist destination.
Reaching Kamalgad is simple. Once you reach Wai, you can hire a car that will take you to a temple. From there, you need to trek for a short distance to reach the fort. A local folktale is attached to this spot. It appears that a wedding group mysteriously vanished from that place and was later transformed into 3 hills.
The largest hill known as ‘Navra’ which means husband, the smaller one called ‘Navri’ meaning wife and the third termed as ‘Karavali’ denoting the wife’s younger sister who stays for a few days at her sister’s matrimonial house after the wedding. The Ravine Hotel in Panchgani offers an exquisite view of all these hills.
Off-Track Place number 5. Wai – The Town of Temples:
Dholya Ganpati temple
Located on the banks of Krishna river which has 7 ghats, Wai is a city in the district of Satara in Maharashtra. The beautiful town has many temples dedicated to different Hindu deities. One of them is the Dholya Ganpati temple situated along the river. This prime temple was constructed by Raja Bhoja of the Shilahar Empire in 1762 to guard the city.
Carved out of monolith, the Ganpati idol was sanctified in 1769. The name Dholya (huge or fat in Marathi) signifies the massive size of the Ganpati idol, which is about 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The temple also has a spacious hall in the front.
Another temple that Ganpati devotees must visit in Wai is the Dhundi Vinayak Mandir. It is around 900 years old and was popular during the reign of Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. The temple is made from hard stone, whereas the self-created Ganpati statue is around 90cms tall. When a wedding takes place, the idol is worshiped first, before the other rituals.
Those living in Pune can conveniently drive down on any weekend to Wai since Pune to Satara takes less than 2 hours and another 1 hour to reach Wai. From Panchgani, you can reach this divine temple city in just 20 minutes.
Beautiful Mornings, Cool and Clam Breeze, Breath Taking Views, Hotel with Tennis Court
Fun in the Pool
Best Spa Treatments
Paragliding in Valley
Fly-Walk-Swim
@Panchgani…
Lush flora… Breathtaking valleys… Soaring peaks… If you want to experience all of these at one place, Panchgani is your destination! Its a pinnacle of greenery; the perfect blend of breathtaking nature with a mix of old-world charm and modernity. This scenic Maharashtra hill stationwas discovered by the British during the British Raj and was quite popular even among then, as a summer resort.
Panchgani is about 19 km from Mahabaleshwar and is closeted from all sides by 5 hills and this is the fact from which it derived its name Panch-gani; ‘Panch’ meaning five and ‘Gani’ meaning hills.
This place is also close to the cities, Mumbai and Pune. If you are planning to drive from Pune, you should reach Panchgani within 1 ½ to 2 hours. It is less than 100 KM from Pune. But, looking at the kilometer reading is really not required as you will anyway know you are nearing the place as the aroma of fresh strawberries start mesmerizing your special senses. The fresh strawberries of Panchgani are one of the reasons for the boost Mahabaleshwar tourism has witnessed continuously decades after decades.
Panchgani is centered on a sort of a strawberry concept. This place offers you plenty of options for strawberry products – jams, pulps, juices, extracts and concentrates are just few of them. That is why, it is also known as a haven for tourists hungry for strawberry delicacies.
And there’s more;
A volcanic plateau, popularly known as the Table Land, tops the five hills that surround Panchgani. This is the second highest plateau in Asia – the Tibetan plateau being the first one – and has been attracting tourists from all over the world. From here, one can have a clear view of some spacious caves including the ‘Devil’s Kitchen’.
Sydney Point, another tourist attraction at Panchgani, is situated on a hillock that faces the Krishna Valley. This is the best place to have a dazzling view of the clean glittering waters of the Pāndavgad Dhom Dam and Mandhārdeo.
Any description of Panchgani cannot be complete without the mention of the Parsi Point and the Devil’s Kitchen. Parsi Point situated on the way to Mahabaleshwar overlooks the blue shiny waters of the Dhom Dam and the Krishna valley.
Devil’s Kitchen holds a lot of importance in Hindu mythology. Situated at the south of the table land, the Devil’s Kitchen is believed to be the place where the Pāndavas of the Mahābhārat epic stayed for a while. Pāndavgad Caves are also believed to be built by them during their stay here.
Panchgani is also a hot favorite of those who love to indulge in adventure sports. In fact, Pune, which is very close to Panchgani, has become a renowned name for paragliding training and institutions across the world. This sports activity is open to all throughout the year, except during the monsoon. It offers joyous paragliding experience with all facilities for enthusiastic travelers. For trained individuals, Panchgani offers several paragliding sites with perfect lift and landing sites, thanks to the Western Ghats. That is why Panchgani is considered an unofficial headquarters of paragliding in Pune and Maharashtra.
While in Panchgani, one cannot miss the exclusive strawberry therapy at the Ravine hotel. Nothing can be more relaxing thanspa treatmentsat this 3-star hotel. You will come out looking better, feeling more relaxed and energetic like never before with its special rich cream body scrub and facial massage that has all the goodness of fresh strawberries.
Conclusion
Now, all this is too tempting to give a miss. So, get ready to enjoy the cool, crisp breeze of mountain air at Panchgani. Amidst the calm and serene topography of this hill station, you will forget all your stresses and tensions and get the real unwinding experience. No wonder, this place is called the Switzerland of Maharashtra.
