Mahabaleshwar - Part 1

Just back from Mahabaleshwar yesternight. Was supposed to come back today, but dad had some criminal to let loose on the city streets, so had to rush back home. Still it was three days well spent. Need to recuperate after a break. Hence a day off work


Actually it was my first visit to Mahabaleshwar. Then again, I have not travelled Maharashtra as much as I should have, esp the forts and places of cooler climes. So, in spite of being overrun by tourists, honeymooners and the ubiquitious Gujju crowd, Mahabaleshwar(MB) was a pleasant surprise.


Now, I will skip the first day description, coz mom by some great stroke of genius managed to delete all the Day One pics and hence I can't figure out what exactly was it that we did that day. That calls for resounding applause (not me forgetting, you silly, mom deleting). Mom, though far superior to my dad in terms of being adept at using gadgets, still needs lots of instructing like any adult of her age does. How she managed to reach the Erase button and by-pass the default "No Erase" choice, is beyond me. But anyway, I was kidding about the forgetting part. I remember, coz having reached MB late, there was only one place that we visited, Venna Lake.


Venna Lake is quite beautiful, if you ignore the mounds and mounds of mud that has been poured along the east side (I am looking at the map now and it seems to suggest that this heap basically cuts the lake from the Venna river). I smell some big commerical activity going on there to build shops and eateries, so as to milk the lake more than ever (already it causes constant traffic jams along that road). It is quite nice to sit on the hill along the banks and watch the sun set in the green canopy beyond the lake. There is also a bridleway that along the lake periphery, which adds to the charm


Post-dusk was a stroll through MB market, which was packed with shoppers. Extremely crowded and busy. Of course, lots of fudge, chikki, jelly, strawberry shops. But, why are there so many chappal shops in MB, esp Kolhapuri chappals. Do people wear out their footwear trekking in MB? If so, I didn't see many of those. So, what it is with so many shoe-dukans? And why Kolhapuri? Why not Mahabaleshwari?