A picturesque hilly resort nestled in the lap of majestic mountain ranges of the Western Ghats, Mahabaleshwar boasts of an invigorating ambiance. At an altitude of 1372 meters, Mahabaleshwar offers panoramic view of the plains with the imposing sloppy peaks and surrounding woods. This prettiest hill station is often referred to as the queen of hill stations in Maharashtra.
Mahabaleswar became famous after the British discovered the magical charm and gorgeousness of its landscapes. Their innovative outlook made a drastic change to this sleepy terrain in to a most sought after tourist destination. This present day hill station has come in to existence in the year 1829-30 when it became the summer capital of erstwhile Bombay presidency.
In old records, Mahabaleshwar was known as Malcolm Peth and that is suggestive of the influence of the foreign hands in the development of this hilly resort. Apart from this its princely past is reflected in the colonial mansions and palatial buildings that remind the visitors about the richness of artistic caliber of the bygone generation.
As the base of five lovely rivers, the scenic beauty of this hill station presents awesome sceneries, which mesmerizes the spectators. Its unparallel beauty with the meandering cascades, marvelous streams, and charming peaks along with a rejuvenating climate enthralls all visitors. Literally the term Mahabaleswar means great power.
Mahabaleshwar offers visitors with a quite revitalizing ambiance where you can witness the delightful vistas of nature at its full bloom. If your passion is to enjoy the sizzles of nature in an unruffled environ, there is no better place than Mahabaleshwar.
History of Mahabaleshwar - People residing in this area are mainly shepherds and farmers. The word Mahableshwar has originated from the word Mamleshwar which means "God of Mavalas" who is none other than Lord Shiva.
Till 1209 AD this region was under the rule of Raja Bhoj-II from Shilaher Royal family. After 1209 A.D. the Emperor "Singham yadav "from Devagiri captured this region from Raja Bhoj-II after defeating him in war. His Vazir named "Hemadripant" built many Hemadpanti temples with beautiful architecture in this region. During 1220 to 1230 A.D.he built the Mahableshwar temple for the Mahadev Koli tribals. The Koli tribals had specific rights for this temple and the nearby Panchganga temples, and they were the administrators for the trust of the temples. After the fall of the Yadava's reign, shirke and the Moray royal family had the major rights on the temple trust. They repaired and developed these temples from time to time. During the reign of Raja Shivaji the temple was said to be ornamented with a golden top.
New Mahableshwar was set-up and developed by the British and the British representative 'Charles Malet' visited Mahableshwar for the first time. British monarchy were in search of a cool and pleasant surrounding for training their soldiers and Mahabaleshwar was the ideal choice.
In about 1824 A.D. commanding Officer General P. Lodwick visited this place after hearing about its beauty. A point has been named as "Lodwick Point" in his memory. In 1826 General Briggs built a cottage in Mahableshwar and requested the king of Satara to construct a road from Satara to Mahableshwar.
In 1827, the then Governor of Bombay Sir John Malcolm visited Mahableshwar and established a hospital for European soldiers. He appointed Dr.William for studying the weather and to report on the climate of Mahableshwar. When it was found that the climate in Mahableshwar is pleasant and favorable for patients he decided to set up a sanatorium and hill station at Mahableshwar. In this way it was the first hill station found by British rulers in Maharashtra. This new Mahableshwar was previously called 'Malcolm Peth" (Malcolm Ville). A residential complex was set-up for attracting tourists.
In 1830 A.D. Dr. Murray was superintendent of Mahableshwar. In 1834 a prison was built for holding 120 prisoners arrested in China. These prisoners were given the duty of cultivating vegetables and fruits for government officials. In 1864 this prison was shut down and the building was converted into Frayer Hall. The Faryer hall contains a large reading room and a library with a well chosen collection of books. The released prisoners preferred to settle in Mahableshwar.
