Sunday, January 17, 2016

Panchgani, Maharashtra, India


Panchgani

 

  • Destination: Maharashtra, Satara
Panchgani is a vibrant hill station located in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It is situated 48 km away from its district headquarters. Panchgani, basically means the place of five hills. This pictersque hill resort is located at an altitude of 1,334 metres. It is an exotic destination and its beauty multiplies with the backdrop of spectacular hilly terrains on one side and coastal plains at the other side. This town had been once used by the British officials as their summer resort.
The Panchgani hill station is popularly known for its unpolluted aroma and it is believed that the oxygen content in atmosphere is more here as compared to other regions. The ambience of this place is very cool and tranquil.
Panchgani was founded in 1854 by Sir John Chesson. It had been taken over as the best place for army retirees. The area was originally spread over five villages namely Dhandeghar, Khingar, Amral, Godavli and Taighat. In an attempt to build up a new township, the then Superintendent invited all kinds of workmen including building contractors, tailors and other professionals to construct and frame the entire township from scratch.
The place allocated for the Indian workmen was called Gaothan and it exists below the bazaar area even today also. Sir Chesson himself is buried in the St Peter’s Church graveyard, which he had helped construct. It is well known that dynasties of Mauryas, Chalukyas, Bahmani and Rashtrakutas once ruled over this region. Then, the Adil Shahi dynasty and the Marathas along with Peshwas and then Satavahanas also enjoyed their stay over a period of time at this very place. Later, it was conquered by the Mughals and then the British, almost all had left their footprints and historical facts at Panchgani.
After the advent of British, the attractive hill station became famous for its boarding schools as most of these schools were set up here in the early 19th century. This place is now renowned for its international quality education. It is also the preferred residential address for Parsis. Panchgani is also famous for its strawberry farms. Apart from trekking and hiking, one can also enjoy paragliding, as it is the most popular sport among tourists and adventure lovers who comes to this paradise.

Major Attractions

Sydney Point
Table Land
Parsi Point
Devil’s Kitchen
Mapro Garden
Kamalgad Fort
Rajpuri Caves
Serbaug
Lord Karthikeya Temple

Fast Facts

Taluka: Wai District: Satara
State: Maharashtra Languages: Marathi, Hindi, English
Best Time to Visit: All Seasons Weather: 10°C to 35°C (Max.)
STD Code: 02168 Pin Code: 412805

How to Reach

By Air

Pune Airport is the nearest one, 109 km away and is well connected to major cities of India and abroad.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is at Satara, which is just 52 km away. It lies on the Mumbai-Madgaon rail route and is well connected to all the major cities of India.

By Road

MSRTC and various private travels operate regular buses that ply to Panchgani from the major cities of state. The best way to reach here in less time is by your own means of transportation like car or private taxis.

Distance from Nearby Cities

Mahabaleshwar – 20 km
Pune – 98 km
Kolhapur – 171 km
Mumbai – 244 km
Panjim – 373 km

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