On a High in Panchgani

My earliest memories of Panchgani had a foreboding air to them. Back in the day, Panchgani was used as a ruse by distraught parents to get their incorrigible children in line. A mecca for boarding schools, most kids from Bombay were terrified of being packed off to Panchgani. Two kids (who were rather infamous for their defiance of parental authority) from my childhood apartment building were sent to boarding schools in Panchgani. When they came back — they were nothing like the kids they used to be. That left quite an indelible impression on me. Years later, we visited Panchgani and I was taken by surprise by the bird’s-eye views and wide expanse of the Western Ghats. Panchgani ceased to be a place of my childhood fear and became a place I wanted to visit again — quite possibly even settle in.

Last August, after spending a night in Lonavala, we drove through a scenic route to reach the picturesque hill station of Panchgani (click here for the post). As we inched closer to the main town, we passed by a plethora of residential schools (a rather nice term for a boarding school). It did trigger some of my childhood queasiness, but the views made up for those fraught memories. We were nearing lunch time and chose to visit the first viewing point: Harrison’s Folly.

Harrison’s Folly

A herd of goats pass by us.

A small signage pointed towards a flat piece of land. The derelict, dirt path didn’t seem to have an end in sight and we kept driving until we saw other cars parked. The wind was surprisingly strong and our car had done a fantastic job of shielding us from it — before we stepped out. It’s wise to avoid sitting at the edge of the cliff (neither of us are in the picture below) because even a small slip or a gush of wind can send you toppling below. The herding dogs, who had given us a warm welcome, were nowhere to be seen.

A loner and his thoughts.

A bird’s-eye view at Harrison’s Folly.

I’m not sure why this vantage point got the name, ‘Harrison’s Folly’. There are some interesting stories circulating on the internet about the origin of the name of this point. There weren’t any credible sources and who cares about folklore when the breathtaking views are the main reason to spend a moment here. On a clear day, you’d be able to see the village of Wai and Panchgani along with cascading peaks of the Western Ghats in the distance. Dhom Dam, the main water reservoir for the villages and hill towns, steals the show — no matter where you chance upon it. In the monsoon, the clouds play hide-and-seek with the water reservoir and there are many times when the view is just a smudge of grey.

The edge of the cliff.

Moments before the clouds descended on Harrison’s Folly.

Fog starts to cover the vehicle.

Face readers are a new addition to the long list of tourist attractions of Panchgani. It’s hard to escape them or know where they’re hiding. You might be trying to get a much-needed moment of calm or find answers to the inner turmoil of a latent existential crisis. And there they are — popping out of nowhere — trying to hoodwink you into believing that they have the answers to only what the passage of time can reveal. Unsolicited advice is worse than bad advice. We had our fair share of skirmishes with them and most of them were charlatans. However, the face reader at Harrison’s Folly was surprisingly accurate in his predictions. I wonder if it had something to do with the fresh air and those enchanting views.

A herding dog seeing to it that the red monster (and its passengers) is at a safe distance from the herd.

The wind can get quite scary in the monsoon and we thought it was wiser to exit the plateau before it started raining. Visibility decreases considerably with rain and fog.

Tate’s Point

Another striking view of Dhom Dam sandwiched between the hills.

Tate’s Point is also on the outskirts of the main town and is best accessed before entering Panchgani. We made a quick stop here, on the way back to Mumbai, because we had skipped it after visiting Harrison’s Folly.

Lunch at Rainforest Restaurant

The parking lot opposite the restaurant.

The view from Rainforest Restaurant.

We were pretty famished after the long drive and were scouting for restaurants to eat lunch when we came across, ‘Rainforest Restaurant’. Parking is pretty hard to find in Panchgani and walking might be a better option in the main market area. Thankfully, there’s a parking lot just opposite the restaurant. The food was particularly good but couldn’t top the views it boasted off. Clouds began to descend on the hills by late afternoon. I don’t remember seeing a sight like this before and couldn’t get enough of the natural beauty we were surrounded by.

Panchgani

Spooky roads of Panchgani.

As an expat, I was frequently asked if India ever got cold. I’d have to constantly remind my curious (rather ill-informed) questioners about the mighty Himalayas of the north. However, I had completely forgotten about the countless hill stations (of lower altitude), peppered across India (including the hotter southern region), that were a creation of the British Raj. In summer, these hill towns offered our erstwhile colonisers respite from the heat of the plains and also doubled as a sanatorium for wounded soldiers. Remnants of the past are hard to escape even today.

Empty roads are quite a rare sight to witness.

Panchgani lies in the western state of Maharashtra, about 244 km from Mumbai, and is roughly 1,334m (4,376 ft) above sea level. Panchgani’s eclectic history is not very different from other hill towns. Lord John Chesson, in the 1860s, found a perfect spot for a hill town nestled between five villages — earning it the name: Panchgani (or land between five villages). He was assisted by Rustomji Dubash, a Parsi, who could have been responsible for the Parsi influence in Panchgani.

Roads taken over by the fog.

Parsis (or followers of the Zoroastrian faith) fled from Persia (Iran) to escape religious persecution after the Arab conquest. They sought asylum in (medieval) India and were granted refuge by a local Hindu King, Jadi Rana, in the western region of Princely India (now the state of Gujarat). They have contributed significantly to business, science, arts, and the development of India over the years. Their numbers are slowly dwindling and Panchgani is one of the few places to experience authentic Parsi cuisine and homestays.

Additional reading: The last of the Zoroastrians by Shaun Walker (theguardian.com)

The room with the view.

Piping hot pakoras and ginger tea.

Our hotel was tucked far away from the main tourist buzz. It was nestled on the lower reaches of a hill and offered a clear view of Dhom Dam and the rolling hills. The rain occasionally played spoilsport and stopped us from enjoying the view from the balcony. However, a cup of hot tea and pakoras made up for the forced confinement. We decided to spend the rest of the evening indoors and watch the clouds take over the view. Besides, it would have been tricky driving when the fog covered the dimly lit roads at night.

Waking up to this view and sounds.

The clouds play a game of hide-and-seek with us.

A close-up view of Dhom Dam.

By early morning, the clouds were slowly retreating from their stronghold of the lake. By breakfast, we could see clear views of blue and green around us.

Sydney Point

A doggo enjoys the view.

The chilly morning breeze could put any furball to sleep.

Sydney Point can be accessed by car or an easy hike to the top. We reached early in the morning and had the place practically to ourselves. We were lucky to have a relatively clear sighting of the Krishna Valley and gentle slopes of the Sahyadris. It can get quite windy on the top and our rain jackets came handy to beat the morning chill.

We saw kites fly over the hills and struggle as the wind got stronger in intensity. I could have stayed here forever and watch nature at its best.

St.Peter’s School

St. Peter’s School

I don’t usually fall prey to tourist traps and I’m not one to succumb to blind adulation. However, the pandemic and the forced exile that it brought along with it, made me have a slight change of heart. After all, this was our first trip in India after nearly 7 years. Queen has been one of my favourite bands and their songs were my anthems as a young adult female — struggling to find a place in the predominantly male field of Physics. I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve tried to hit the high notes of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, or tried dum ba beying to ‘Under Pressure’, and literally tried to ‘(I want to) Break Free’ from what was expected from me.

That’s why, I couldn’t resist visiting the place where young Farrokh Balsara (or Freddy Mercury) started his journey in music at St. Peter’s School. Who would’ve thought that a quaint hill town, in India, would give birth to one of the most iconic singers in music.

Additional reading: ‘Freddie Mercury was a prodigy’: Rock star’s Panchgani school bandmates remember ‘Bucky’ by Anvar Ali Khan (Scroll.in)

Panchgani Market

Stuck in time?

The narrow roads of the main market were brimming with honking cars and pedestrians lost in a trance of their thoughts. We found a vacant spot to park our car and walked to the tourist hub of the market. We picked up some chikki (a sticky type of nougat mixed with a variety of nuts), trail mix, and strawberry fudge from Dhananjay’s outlet. There are many tourist souvenir shops to browse through. However, we’ve made a conscious decision (or at least try) to avoid buying souvenirs. After shifting multiple homes over the years we’ve realised: they’re the hardest things to give away and there are hardly any takers.

Meher Cafe

Meher Cafe

Bun Maska and coffee.

We were pretty stuffed after our buffet breakfast at the hotel and had little room for anything else. However, Meher Cafe was so close to the market and we couldn’t resist dropping in. It reminded us of the the Irani Cafes (most of which have shut) that lined the walking trail from Marine Lines Station to VT (now CST) Station in Bombay (Mumbai). It was where we first met and these cafes were the perfect setting for cheap college dates. It was too early for lunch and we decided to get high on nostalgia and try the iconic bun maska (quite literally bread and butter).

Additional reading: Irani Cafes in Mumbai: From Bun Maska to Keema Pao and Old World Charm by Meher Mirza (food.NDTV.com)

Bhilar Waterfalls

A panoramic view of Bhilar Waterfalls.

A close-up of Bhilar Waterfalls.

We spotted Bhilar Waterfalls (along with some persistent face readers) on the way to Mahableshwar. The rainy season is perfect for waterfall viewing and the green background made a striking backdrop to the gushing water in the forefront.

Lunch at Rustam’s Strawberry Inn

Main entrance

Having a car makes moving around all the more easy in this idyllic hill town. I’m not sure how local transport works, although, I vaguely remember seeing some State Transport buses. We drove past this Inn on our way to the neighbouring hill town: Mahableshwar. We decided to have lunch at Rustom’s before heading further as we weren’t sure how long the drive would take.

Berry Pulao and Farcha

Caramel Custard

After returning to India, from Kuwait, Basil spent his early childhood at the Parsi Colony in Mahim, Bombay. He has fond memories of those days and never loses an opportunity to narrate stories from the past. It also explains his fondness (and knowledge) for Parsi cuisine. Oddly enough, many confuse him to be a Parsi, even though he has no other link to the community. I didn’t have any Parsi friends until university. I was introduced to berry pulao and patra ni machi (fish cooked in banana leaf) and became a fan after one bite. We hadn’t tasted Parsi cuisine for nearly seven years and couldn’t contain our excitement. Thankfully, Rustom’s didn’t disappoint and the caramel custard brought back fond memories of my mum’s favourite desert preparation.

Additional Reading: From Iran to India: the story of Mumbai’s iconic berry pulao by Roxanne Bamboat (cntraveller.in)

Parsi Point

A board pointing to Parsi Point.

Parsi Point is a homage to the significant contribution that the community has made to Panchgani. It’s one of the most stunning vantage points in this hill town.

A clearing through the woods.

Breathtaking beauty

Over a decade back when we visited Parsi Point, I remember being taken by its pristine beauty. This was a place that I could retire in. No wonder Panchgani is one of the preferred retirement hubs for city slickers who want to leave their corporate jobs and the chaos of Mumbai behind. Back then, I too was trapped in a lifeless job, and couldn’t have been unhappier. It was the first time the hills called out to me and since then I’ve always been on a lookout for places that could be our ‘forever home’. Parsi Point hadn’t changed in all these years. It was was I who had changed.