A Foggy Weekend at Mahabaleshwar

This in one post that has been long overdue as this particular doctor’s visit to Mahabaleshwar was undertaken sometime in August. My brother and I suddenly came up with the idea of getting out for the weekend and in less than 24 hours we were driving out towards Mahabaleshwar. Yes, I have been here before and there’s already a post about this quaint hill station, but our experience this time was totally unexpected and absolutely awesome! Quite a few firsts for me this time….

To begin with, it was my first experience of driving along the Expressway and having my car tyre go BLAM! Avoiding the cars zipping by, we slowly maneuvered to the side of the road and looked around for someone who could fix the damage. You might say we were lucky to stop right outside some kind on industrial site where two employees were chatting right by the gate. Seeing we were in a spot, they rushed to our aid and after checking the most definitely deceased tyre, asked us if we had a spare. We did, but that one was almost flat itself. Still, it managed to get us to the Food Mall 7 kms away.

That’s where I first got to see how a car tyre is fixed. I know nothing about cars so I can’t really explain it well enough, but I was fascinated by that machine that pops out the tyre and then fits one on again…with a little popping sound.

Having got the car back in action, we continued the long drive towards Mahabaleshwar. There’s something about the place we quite like. It’s changed since the years it functioned as the summer getaway for the British, but it has still managed to hold on to its old world charm. Driving past the busy little town of Panchgani, we stopped at Mapro gardens for lunch. Mum, who was visiting Mahabaleshwar for the first time quite liked the place although she found it a little chilly. We feasted on pizzas and some potato soup, clicked a few pictures, purchased an armful of Mapro products and then continued our journey. Oh, and this was about the first time I didn’t click any pictures along the way…which is why I’m having to make do with the squiggles and doodles that are gracing this particular write-up. But don’t worry, my trusty camera did find some use later.

The weather got cooler as we entered Mahabaleshwar. To our surprise, almost all the houses and buildings were covered from roof to floor with sheets of plastic, palm leaves and cane mats. 

The Town Square

Seemed a little eerie at first….until we turned into the lane leading to the MTDC Resort. The entire tree-lined lane was hidden by a dense fog…the first I’d ever seen or experienced. It was just around 2 in the afternoon, but as dark as after sundown already.

We first catch sight of the fog

At once, we jumped out of the car to see what a fog felt like. Mum stayed put in the car and it was quite a task to get her to step out. You see, mum watches too much of those creepy crime shows so she now expects murderers and villains everywhere. She kept urging us to get back in the car before, I quote, ‘someone steps out of the fog, murders us and throws us by the side of the road.’

Driving out at night

The rooms at MTDC were wonderfully large, but miserably damp and musty. Apparently, that’s the reason why everyone here covers their homes with plastic during the monsoons. It’s to keep the fog from entering the houses and ruining the walls and the furniture. So, for around four long months the houses stay covered. Hubby and I like peace and quiet, so we booked two cottages away from the reception and dining area. Everything looked like a scene straight out of a Bollywood-style horror flick.

Towards our cottage

Our cottage.

Mum, with her over-imaginative mind bundled herself up into bed and kept her ears out for any suspicious sound that broke through the cold and silence. When we stepped out to explore Bombay Point which was the closest to where we were staying, we were thrilled to find it absolutely deserted. The last time I’d been there, it was crowded and loud. Tourists chatted loudly; horses trotted about with children on their backs, food stalls were doing great business. Today, it was like the ghost towns we read about in old westerns. The fog was so dense; we couldn't see more than a few meters ahead of us. Every little sound was magnified in the eerie silence and, (this time I had to agree with mum) the sounds seemed to get closer and closer. Mum, bro and I huddled up together in the gazebo while my adventurous husband decided to explore and click some snaps. I was secretly quite relieved when he returned and we drove back into town.

Under the Gazebo

Again, the streets were almost deserted, although some tourists ambled around and made their purchases at the few shops that were open for business. Having not much to do, we drove down to Old Mahabaleshwar and sat awhile at the ancient Panchganga Temple where the stones under your feet are always cool even in the hot Indian summers. Since it began to rain just as we stepped out, we stopped at a tea stall and sipped on some steaming hot tea and coffee.

Chai

I sat watching a senior gentleman dressed in kurta-pajama, vest, scarf and skull cap as he took a small bunch of tourists around the temple complex and told them about its history and architecture. I had to smile. ‘Here is a beautiful and simple example of the ‘unity in diversity’ we talk about in India’, I said to myself.

Early the next morning, bro and I went for a nice, hour long Ayurvedic massage while mum stayed back with the assurance that her brave son-in-law was asleep in the adjoining cottage and would rush to her rescue in the event that some murderous villain decided to attack her. After breakfast at the Resort cafe, we decided to brave the fog and drive around to see what we could of some of the popular points.

Exploring Mahabaleshwar on foot

Driving through the fog was an entirely surreal experience especially because it held an element of risk and danger. Where we could admire the valleys far below, this time all we could see was fog, fog and fog for as far as the eyes could see. It was so cold, why; there was frost even on my brother’s eyelashes!

Jack Frost

Driving back towards Mumbai, we stopped once again at Mapro Gardens for a bite and then sat chatting about how wonderful the fog was. Mum was the happiest to get out of Mahabaleshwar even though (as she admitted much later) she did enjoy the trip. She’s more of a summer creature and prefers the sun and crowds of noisy people for company. We asked her if she’d like to visit the place in December. Her answer was silence accompanied by a stern glare in our direction.

The rest of us are keen to return during the next monsoon season for we had great fun and enjoyed our selves tremendously. 

Pics by Misha & Akshay