| When Mumbai overpowers and
Pune offers no refuge, when beaches fail to beckon and the heart yearns for greener
pastures, head for the evergreen hill resorts of Lonavala and Khandala. These twin resorts
may be playing the same hackneyed tune, but their timeless appeal always bowls you over.
Lonavala commands an exalted position on
the western slopes of the Sahyadris, at a height of 625 m and Khandala is a little lower.
The picturesque drive winding around the Western Ghats and the equally splendid train
journey weaving through at least twenty tunnels cut into the basaltic rock is an
experience of a lifetime. As you drink in the crisp air and feast your eyes on the
scenery, let your mind wander away to the surrounding mountains and the plains spread out
to the edge of the horizon. For miles around, you see green hills, deep valleys, dense
forests, lakes and cascading waterfalls.
Dotted along the hillside are the famous
caves and forts of Shivaji's Maratha kingdom. Deep valleys and a thick forest surround the
imposing Rajmachi Fort. Other equally impressive forts are the Manoranjan Fort,
Shrivardhan fort, Visapur Fort, Lohagad Fort and the Tunga Fort with arsenals and
guardhouses.
A special attraction here is the three
ancient Chaitya Caves dating back 2000 years that were Buddhist prayer halls. Built on a
grand scale and splendid in architectural execution, the Karla Caves were a monsoon
retreat for Buddhist monks. The smaller Bhaja Caves are built so that the rays of the
setting sun gilds the dark interiors and brings to life the carved gods and goddesses. The
Bedsa Caves are close to the Mumbai Pune Road near Kamshet.
Placid water bodies and silver cascades add
their charm to Lonavala-Khandala. Walk around the Pavna Lake, Lonavala Lake, Tungarli
Lake, Valvan Lake on the Valvan Dam and Bushi Lake. From the beautiful Kune Falls the
water crashes down 100m to a pool below, a sight visible from the Khandala Ghat. Tiger's
Leap is curiously shaped cliff - a sheer 650 m drop into the valley.
The days will just slip by before you know
it, walking, pony riding, browsing through Lonavala's bazaars and feasting on delicious
sweet peanut and dry fruit chikki and jams. So head off for these perennial hill stations,
and discover that bliss is lurking right in your own backyard! |
