Shopping at Natural Nirvana

Mahabaleswara

Pop: 10,600 Area Code: 02168

Mahabaleswara, located about 250km southeast of Mumbai, is a popular hill station, at an altitude of 1370m (4520 ft). It is in the Sahyadri range, the source of the holy Krishna River, one of India’s seven holy rivers.

Mahabaleswara was the summer capital during the British rule.

There are some pleasant walks and some excellent views in the area. The sea is visible from here on a clear day. October to May are good months to visit. During the monsoon, the rains are heavy and many of the hotels and shops are closed (mid-June to mid-Sept).

Information
There is a Tourist Information Center at Kedar Complex, Station Rd. The MTDC has conducted tours that last four hours. Tours can be booked at the MTDC Hotel Holiday Resort.

Maharashtra Tourism (MTDC) has a tour (Rs 50) of Mahabaleswara, Panchgani, and Pratapgarh Fort. It is booked at the MTDC Holiday Resort.
You can get a decent map, which shows some interesting walks and most of the hotels. You can get a map of the area from Treacher & Co in the main bazaar.

There is a bicycle shop at the end of the bazaar (Rs 5 per hour).

What to Do
The main activity here is taking walks around the area. There are nice waterfalls, such as Dhobi’s, Lingmala, and Chinaman’s Falls.

Some viewpoints in the area are Wilson’s Point, Babington, Elphinstone, Kate’s and Bombay Point. At Authur’s Seat (12km) there is a steep drop of 600m and there is a great view from there.

Mahatma Gandhi lived at Morarji Castle in 1945. There are some old, interesting buildings, such as Christ Church with its beautiful stained glass window, Sir BD Petit Library, and Mount Malcolm, which was the Government House.
There are boating facilities on Veena Lake (3km).
Temples

The Mahabaleswara Temple, dedicated to Lord Siva, houses one of the twelve important Siva Jyotirlingas. There is a room in the temple containing a bed which each morning is said to show signs of having been slept in, although the doors are locked.

Beside the famous Mahabaleswara Temple is the Atibaleswara Temple. There are several old temples dating back to the 13th century near the old village, about 5km from the main post office. In the old town there are three temples—the Krishnabai, Rama, and Hanuman temples. Panch-ganga is said to have five holy rivers flowing from it, including the Krishna River.

Where to Stay and Eat
Room prices go up during the high season from mid-April to mid-June and from November to January. Prices can be more than double during the high season. Many of the hotels are closed during the monsoon.
Hotel Parijat (60196) 85 Main Rd, has clean rooms for Rs 200 to 300 during the off-season.
Hotel Saraswati, Mari Peth, has rooms with hot water for Rs 125/150. During the high season the rooms are Rs 350.
Sai Niwas (60549), 338 Koli Alley, has clean rooms for Rs 200/250. Some rooms have balconies. It is a good budget choice.
Hotel Prity Sangam (60437), Murray Peth Rd, near the school, has clean rooms for Rs 600 during the off-season and Rs 1100 during the season. A good value.
Rama Regency (60397) has rooms for Rs 450 during the off-season and over Rs 1200 during the season.
Kalpana Excellency (60419), on Murray Peth Rd, has comfortable rooms for Rs 500 in the off-season (Rs 1400 during season).
Ripon (60291), opposite IOC Holiday Home, is a family-run place with a lake view. Rooms are Rs 450 during the low season and Rs 600 in the high season.
Grand Hotel (60322), Woodlawn Rd, is a decent, mid-range place with a verandah and a nice garden.
Dreamland (60228; fax 60063), behind the bus stand, is a mid-range place with rooms for Rs 800/1000. It has a pool, a nice garden, and a very good outdoors vegetarian restaurant.
MTDC Holiday Resort (60318; fax 60300) has a wide range of reasonably priced rooms as well as a dorm and large cottages. Rooms range from Rs 250 to Rs 850. It has dorm beds for Rs 75. You can book rooms for this hotel at the MTDC office (202-6713) in Mumbai.
Fountain Hotel (60227; fax 60137; Mumbai 367-7182), opposite Koyna Valley, near the downtown, is a good-sized, mid-range place with a vegetarian restaurant. Comfortable rooms range from Rs 1000 to Rs 2200.
Brightland Holiday Village (60353), Nakhinda Village, has a pool and is the best place in town. It is 4km from city center.
Hotel Anarkali (60336; fax 61166), Kasam Sajan Rd, has good rooms for Rs 1500/2100.
Hotel Panorama (60404; fax 61234), near the bus stand, has rooms ranging from Rs 800 to Rs 2000 during the off-season. It has a restaurant serving South Indian food and pizzas.

Where to Eat
Shreyas is a vegetarian restaurant by the bus stand.
Hotel Dreamland, behind the bus stand, has an excellent outdoors vegetarian restaurant serving Indian and Mexican food.
Meghdoot, Dr Sabane Rd, serves good Indian, Mughlai, Chinese, and Gujarati food.
Veena Restaurant, at the Holiday Resorts, is a good place.
Imperial Stores, at the end of Sabane Rd, serves pizza and Western food.

Travel
The nearest airport and major railway station are in Pune, 122km away.

From Mumbai, the MSRTC luxury bus (7 hr, Rs 125, 7 am) departs Mumbai Central bus stand. It should be booked in advance in Mumbai at the MTDC office, CDO Hutment, Madame Cama Road. The MTDC deluxe bus departs to Mumbai at 3 pm.

There are regular buses between Pune and Mahabaleswara (3½ hr, Rs 25), and buses to Kolhapur (7 hr, three daily) and Satara (1 hr, three daily). There are many private bus companies in the bazaar with buses going to places within Maharashtra and Goa.

Vegetarian Fast Food Options

World Vegetarian Restaurants Guide

Amazing Colon Cleaning Program

Our own Vegetarian, Vegan, Alternative & Spiritual Sales Shop

Please Help Support This Site and buy our own USA Vegetarian Restaurants Book

Please check out our Natural Nirvana Store, which we started to help pay for the maintenance of this Website. Natural Nirvana is dedicated to selling vegetarian, spiritual and alternative products. We sell only animal-friendly and cruelty-free clothing, gifts, health foods, books and beauty products.

!! DVD Kurma Great Vegetarian Dsihes Cooking Videos Set for just $49. Individually each video costs $14.95.for a savings of over $100

24 Devotional DVD Set for just $99 Individually each video cost $14.95 for a savings of over $200

Fantastic Natural Herbs from the Amazons
(Best source of natural herbs in the world)

Infomation on Partnering with John Easterling &Amazon Herb formulas
Make a steady Income distruibuting natural herb products

Amazon Herbs Articles

Good News from the Amazon An interview with John Easterling

Interview with Sherrill Sellman

Journey to Porveneer
by Kosa Ely

How the Amazon Rainforest
Can Improve Our Relationships
By “Amazon John” Easterling

Returning to our Roots The Evolution of Environmental Consciousness
by Kosa Ely

CamuC Serum
Nature’s Ultimate Recipe for Glowing, Youthful Looking Skin

VEGAN BAGS
Hemp Bags
Vegetarian & Animal Rights Message Bag
Hemp Backpacks
Indian Quilted & Embroidered Bags
Ecolution Bags
Splaff Bags

CLOTHES
Vegetarian T-Shirts
Animal Rights T-Shirts
Vedic Gods T-Shirts
Hemp Gloves
Vegan Message Hats
Animal Rights Beanies
Hemp Hats
Vegetarian Message Hats
Indian Men Clothing
Indian Women Clothing
Scarves
Indian design Stoles
Indian Sarongs
Sacred Threads Tops
S. T. Dresses
S. T. Pants
Sacred Threads Children Clothing

Bedding & Pillows (beautiful)
Indian Bedspreads
Indian Design Quilts
Indian Design Pillows

FOOD
Raw Foods
Vegan Foods

AYURVEDIC MEDICINES
Ayurvedic Medicines
Neem Products
Ayurvedic Books
Herbal Vedic
NeemAura
AyurvedicSupplements
Ayurvedic Incense
Organic South Neem
Ayurvedic Soaps
Ayurveda Toothpaste
Ayurveda Massage Oil

VEGAN HEALTH
Vegan Vitamins
Vegan Herbal Remedies
Massage Oils
Sport Supplements
Vegan Protein
First Aid Products
Cold Medicines
Olbas
Well-In-Hand
Skin & Blemish
Herbal Salves & Balms

VEGAN BODY CARE
Vegan Soaps
Vegan Shampoos
Vegan Hair Spays
Vegan Toothpaste
Tongue Cleaners
Neti Pots
Vegan Perfumes
Vegan Sun Care
Lip Balm
Contact Len Cleaner
Skin Treatments
Men's Products
Dental Floss
Natural Mouthwashes
Vegan Hair Removal System

INCENSE & OILS
Incenses
Essential Oil
Vegan Candles

VEGAN BELTS & WALLETS
Vegan Wallets
Hemp Belts
Vegan Belts
Hemp Guitar Straps

VEGETARIAN & VEGAN BOOKS
Vegan Books
Vegetarian Books
Vegan Cookbooks
Vegetarian Cookbooks
Restaurant Cookbooks
Raw Food Book

VEG COSMETIC
Eyeshadows & Liners
Nail Polish
Blush
Lip Stick
Mascara
Powders
Nail Polish

VEDIC & SPIRITUAL
Mandala Publishers
OM Jewelry
Krishna Photos
Radha & Krishna Dolls

JEWELRY
Anklets
OM Jewelry
Nose Rings & Studs
Toe Rings
Astrological Gems
Earrings
Pendants
Silver Tulasi Beads
Neckbeads
Necklaces
Silver Jewelry
Gold Jewelry

BUTTONS STICKER
Animal Rights Buttons
Vegan Patch
Jam Bands Stickers
Jam Band Stickers (20 stickers for $5)

SPIRITUAL BOOKS
All Books
Holy Places
Vedic Scriptures
Mandala Publishing
Art Books
Kurma Cook Books
Bhagavat Gita
Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Children
Srimad Bhagvatam
Spiritual Biography
Vedic Coloring Books

SPIRITUAL MUCIC
Bhajans
S. Prabhupada Bhajans
Kirtana
New Age
Musical Instruments
Spiritual Lessons
Audio Vedic Books

VEGETARIAN VIDEO
Vegetarian Cooking
Vegetarian

SPIRTUAL VIDEO
Devotional Movies
Interactive CDs
Vedic Puppet Shows
Vedic Art & Culture
Indian Music Lessons
Bhativedanta Swami Prabhupada

Spiritual Photos & Art
Krishna Posters
Krishna Pictures
Vedic Gods Photos
Vedic Gods Posters

OTHER PRODUCTS
Putumayo World Music
Pet Products
Outdoor Neem
Air Garcia T-shirt

Bob Marley Reggae
Hats
Shirts
Key Chains
License Plates
Scarves
Books