50. Another Trip to Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar is one of the nearest overnighter from Pune. This time, however, we booked a cottage in the MTDC resort online for a couple of days. It was cool in Pune so it was bound to be nippy in Mahabaleshwar, so we dug out our seldom used woollies and drove off in the early hours of last Friday.

The Kamat restaurant a little before Satara has become our favourite halt ever since I saw a Oriental White-eye nesting in a tree there. This time the Cosmos patches were all a rage.

Our next halt was at the Panchgani Table Land. Before we could start on our, by now familiar, tour of the plateau, we got waylaid by a soothsayer. He caught our fancy by telling Chetali’s and my characteristics and temperament fairly accurately. Being a Tarotist and also having delved in the other esoteric sciences I was quite impressed by this guy rattling of such accurate details by just looking at us. So I’m a little embarrassed to say we spent a major part of our time getting our palms read just for the heck of it. Rajeev was more circumspect, we got to know later, and told him off by saying he was happy with the present and not curious about the future.

The stars foretell a bright future! - our very gifted fortune teller.

The usual inhabitants – the Sykes Larks were there. We also saw the Tunnel-web spiders and I did my bit by enlightening a couple of other tourists about them so the next time they don’t feel like stepping on their web.

Sykes Lark, permanent resident of the plateau

The Tunnel-web spider. If you look intently you can see it sitting at the mouth of the tunnel waiting for its unsuspecting victim.

Wild flowers on the plateau. I'm sure if people and horses were not trampling on it perpetually it too would be covered by flowers like the Kaas Plateau.

While looking for a rest-room we got to know that the MTDC Panchgani has closed down. We drove on to the one in Mahabaleshwar and was pleasantly surprised to see the whole place spruced up and freshly painted. We were rather happy with our cottage too except for the leaky taps. After lunch at MTDC itself we saw a couple of “points”, viz. Laudwik and the Elephant head. Then we went strolling up and down the market buying roasted chickpeas, chappals, wooden handicrafts and the like.

Our Cottage

Panoramic capture of the room 

Our first visitor

Elephant head

The next day I woke up early to catch the birds while the others took their time getting started. This time it was all about the Giant Red Squirrels. I went right around the campus taking pictures of the Shekru, as they are called in Maharashtra. They are mostly found in the forests of peninsular India. We had seen them in Ganeshgudi, Karnataka too. One family had discovered a spotted deer and there was much excitement but I was mesmerized by this adorable creature.

Giant or Malabar Squirrel. (Ratufa Indica)

Äwww "want a bite of my fig?" Their diet mostly consists of fruits and nuts.

Giant Squirrel's nest. They like to nest atop tall, leafy trees.

When I reached back I saw a whole lot of them frolicking atop the tree overhanging our cottage! The tree had a couple of their nests too. 


PRATAPGARH FORT

The second day was reserved for a visit to the the famous Pratapgarh fort. Please read the details about this very important and interesting fort on Rajeev's post related to a special cover brought out by the Postal Deptt.

We could not climb right to the top this time. 

On reaching up we were immediately drawn to this buttermilk churner; climbing all those stairs on a bright, warm day can make you thirsty.

Afzal Burj

Afzal Khan"s grave which could be seen from Afzal Burj has perhaps been relocated.

You can see the serpentine wall of the fort to the top behind us, which we did not attempt.

Wonder how those tall Maratha soldiers entered such small spaces

Colourful chappals everywhere

Colourful berries and nuts which looked so attractive but forbidden when we are kids. So I make it a point to have some now.

TRADITIONAL VILLAGE

All along the route to the fort, you have these traditional village replicas. Good concept. Artisans have crafted these very life like statues of people and animals and they are exhibited in natural surroundings as they were in the time of Shivaji. They are really well crafted and displayed. We enjoyed going through one very near the fort which was maintained by Shri Chandrakant Utekar. 

The gate guarded by spear wielding guards

The ornate inside door

'Welcome!"

Farmer taking the wheel for repairs, his cart is behind. 

The archer

We thought we will hitch a ride

A shepherd or two!!

Vandana our guide, pointing to a contraption round the waist, in which the farmer sticks his sickle, not unlike a holster.

The village well and belle!

That one has some Great Dane blood for sure!

Relaxing!

The ride.

Don't miss the stone in the air

Copper utensils

Family time

The transformation!! 

Rajeev as the proud "Sipahsalar" chief of the garrison 

With Mr Chandrakant Utekar

We went to the Sunset Point in the evening but that has converted to Bombay Point meaning you can no more see the setting sun only food stalls. Well we did manage to have some excellent tea and corn pakodas. Our appetite thus whetted we went looking for corn cutlets in the market. We had corn frankies instead which were stuffed with corn pattice (as cutlets are called around here) - even better! It was not the strawberry season so could not have strawberry and cream. 

The next morning we checked out and as usual decided to have breakfast at the Mapro Garden some 10 kms on the way. Since we last came this place too has undergone a change. The Mapro products now have the central space. The breakfast was great as usual - minestrone soup and grilled sandwiches with fries. We collected a massive loaf of bread from their bakery weighing a kg.
On the way we also stopped at a nursery and bought some plants which shared the back seat with me and the woolens. 
We stopped at Wai, a small town, to buy some vegetables for the house. Havn't seen such fresh vegetables in a long time. Now it was the veggies, the plants, the woolens and me at the back. But we reached back feeling refreshed and happy from the short trip.

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