Matheran Hill Station

Matheran

Matheran is an important hill station of Maharashtra, as it is the nearest to Mumbai and Pune. This high mountain station 800 is located in the district of Maharashtra Alibagh.

Matheran Hill Station

Matheran is a hill station and a municipal council in Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station in Karjat Tahsil and is also the smallest hill station in India. Located in the Western Ghats range at an elevation of about 800 meters (2,625 feet) above sea level. It is located about 90 km from Mumbai, and 120 km from Pune. Matheran's proximity to many metropolitan cities make it a weekend getaway for urban residents. The name Matheran means "forest on the forehead" (mountain).
Matheran is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. It is one of the few places in the world where vehicles are not allowed, which makes the place different from others. Matheran takes you over a hundred years back in time when there were no vehicles.
Because vehicles being banned in Matheran, the place is quite peaceful despite the thousands of visitors coming to visit throughout the year.
There are lots of viewpoints that offer spectacular views of the surrounding hills and valleys. Matheran has a reasonably dense forest cover.
There are around 38 designated observation points in Matheran, including the Panorama Point which offers a 360 degree view of the surroundings and the city Neral. From this point, the view of sunset and sunrise is breathtaking. The Louisa Point offers crystal clear view of the Prabal Fort. The other points are the One Tree Hill Point, Hart Point, Monkey Point, Porcupine Point, Rambagh Point, and more.

History

Matheran was discovered by Hugh Poyntz Malet, the then district collector of Thane district in May 1850. Lord Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay laid the foundations of the development as a future hill station. The British developed Matheran as a popular resort to beat the heat of summer in the region.
Matheran is connected to the town of Neral which lies at the base of the hills. A paved road connects Neral to Dasturi Naka which is 9 km (5.6 miles) from Matheran. In order to maintain the uniqueness of Matheran, vehicles are not allowed beyond this point. The other mode of transport is a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge narrow gauge railway, which links the town of Neral. Neral also has a broad gauge station which is on the Mumbai-Pune route busy. Neral is well connected by rail with Karjat is the nearest intersection. The Matheran Hill Railway was built in 1907 by Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy and covers a distance of 20 km (12 miles), over large areas of forest land. The Matheran Hill Railway, also known as Matheran Light Railway (MLR) was inspected by World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the last week of October 2009. However, when the results were announced officially by UNESCO in August 2010, the Matheran Light Railway could not reach listed as World Heritage. While other hill railways of India like Darjeeling Railway The Kangra Valley Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway are already in the list.

Louisa Point
In the floods of July 2005, about 70% of the rail lines were damaged and did not reopen until April 2007 after repairs at a cost of Rs 2 to 2.5 million rupees.
Matheran has been declared an area ecosensitive by the Ministry of Environment and the Union can be called a Health Sanatorium in itself. The only form of automobile allowed in Matheran is an ambulance operated by the Municipality. Private cars are not allowed. Within Matheran transport facilities available are horses and hand carts.
Matheran has been included by the Union Environment Ministry as an eco-sensitive region and is connected to the closest town of Neral by a narrow gauge railway, operating since 1907. As no vehicles are allowed in Matheran, one has to drive up Dasturi Point, 11 km ahead of Matheran, from where you can reach the main bazaar either by foot or horseback.
Matheran lies in an elevated position, enjoys a cooler climate and less humid which makes it very popular during the summer months. Temperatures range from 32 ° C (90 ° F) to 16 ° C (61 ° F). Matheran has a huge number of plants and herbs. The city also has a large monkey population, including Bonnet Macaques and Hanuman langurs. The nearby Lake Charlotte is the main drinking water source of Matheran.
Languages ​​spoken include Marathi, Hindi and English. There are a lot of Parsi bungalows. Beautiful old British-style architecture is preserved in Matheran. The roads are not paved and are red laterite earth. There are many "points" (viewpoints) in Matheran which give a panoramic view of the plains below. On clear nights the lights of Mumbai are said to be visible.
Please Note: On the Train Neral to Matheran: According to the most recent (October 2011): This station is closed for four months in Monsoon .. at least in 2011 it was closed from July to October: (So if you are planning to take a train ride during these four months, it is best to call a hotel in Matheran and check.

Getting to Matheran

Matheran Ghat
Matheran is located about 100 km from Mumbai and 120 km from Pune. It is located on the railway line busy Mumbai-Pune and the nearest railway station is at Neral, approximately 11 km from Matheran. From Neral, one can hire a taxi (70 rupees for a shared cab, 300 for the whole car) to the entrance of Matheran. From the taxi rank in Matheran, one can walk to the city center or rent a horse (250-300 rupees per horse).
From the October 11, 2008 the bus service has started up Dasturi Park from Neral and Karjat. A new train service has Matheran Dasuri match the price of Rs 35 per seat.

Transport
The nearest airport is in Mumbai which is far from Matheran about 100 km. Station Matheran has a narrow gauge railway in the city center. The old Matheran Hill Railway offers several daily trains to Neral - it takes several hours for only a distance of 8 km, but it is an adventure by train. In Neral you will have to switch to Mumbai commuter train that is being directly CST station in Mumbai CST-Karjat route. Matheran is also very well connected by road to Mumbai and Pune. Matheran can be reached from Mumbai via Navi Mumbai and Panvel. Right after you get up Dastiru Naka, which is the last stop until which allows vehicles and about 1.5 miles or 2.3 kilometers away from the town center. Up to this point, you can also hire a taxi directly from Mumbai.
Rail
Matheran Hill Railway is one of six mountain railways in India.
Matheran is connected by toy train to the main railway track at the intersection Neral. Neral Junction is well connected by local trains from CST CST-Karjat route. Click to get the rail map and timetable subarban. If traveling by long distance trains should alight at Karjat Junction. Many trains on Pune-Mumbai route can serve the tourists coming from Pune side. The journey is a visual delight for tourists with a series of scenes to enjoy. The climb starts shortly after Hardar Hills and reaches Jamnapatti station, where it appears that road and rail have almost come together. It starts here, though to meet again a little further beyond the steep slope of Bhekra Kund. Horseshoe Boarding Mountain near Barry is a fascinating scene to watch. The route runs a mile before it enters into the lone tunnel on the way. Upon exiting the tunnel, the line zig zags sharply backwards and forward twice. Thereafter, the train crosses the Panorama Point and the Simpson Tank to reach straight to the Matheran Bazaar. The trip meter 2 'starts from Neral. There are 4 services in one day (one additional service on weekends). Trains depart before noon Neral Matheran and return at night. The train covers a maximum of 12 miles an hour, allowing passengers time to enjoy the beauty of the surroundings. Currently available on this route without reservation. Tickets are issued 45 minutes before the start of the trip. Thanks to good crowds, there is always a long line and let you get the first time, do not wait an hour and get the ticket. Worth the walk. Route covered Neral - Hardal Hill - Jammapatti Station - Bhekra Station - Mount Barry-Panorama Point - Simpson Point - Matheran Bazaar.
Walk
A road inside the Matheran Town
Matheran is popular among trekkers. Dasturi gate (Mathern car park) is approximately 8 km from Neral output and beautiful landscapes can be seen in Neral. Currents flow through the farms. You can follow the road or walk through the countryside along the river and take the trail used by residents .. They are not direction signs along the track, so you have to take addresses of residents, or hike along the way.
The trail crosses farms, streams, railway track at several points to add to the stunning scenery. Hikers can relax and enjoy a snack midway Janmapatti rail station where the road and track meet. There are a few restaurants by residents. Second leg of the trek is difficult than the first as the path gets steeper. Following the road should get to the door Dasturi after which you have to take the unpaved road to Matheran Bazaar. All trails in Matheran are well marked and should not be difficult to move.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, [4] Matheran had a population of 5,139. Males constitute 58% of the population and females 42%. Matheran has an average rate of 71%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 75% and female literacy is 66%. In Matheran, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Other attractions

Mount Berry: Mount Berry is a popular tourist destination that is located 5 + km from Matheran. It offers a bird's eye view of Neral. The main attraction is the slow train that chugs up the hill amidst the pristine natural beauty. Matheran peak is visible from here.
Charlotte Lake: Also called Sharlott Lake, Charlotte Lake is one of the most picturesque places in Matheran. On the right side of the lake, is the ancient Temple Pisarnath. The two picnic spots Louisa point and Echo point are located on the left side of the lake.
Best time to visit this place is monsoon. Tourists can enjoy the panoramic view of the waterfalls.
Viewpoints: There are around 38 different lookout points in Matheran, from where tourists can view the amazing beautiful valley. The spectacular view of the valley remains in the memory of the tourists for a long time.
Valley Crossing: An adventure activity like Valley crossing by a rope can be experienced at Honey (Moon) Point. Although it seems risky, there are security measures in place.

Places of interest

There are a total of 28 points, 2 lakes, 2 parks, 4 major worship places and a racecourse to visit inside Matheran. If you want to see all of them, then you may need 2-3 days on your feet. One can get around on foot or horseback, but it is recommended to move your feet to have the best view of nature. If you are a horse may not be able to pass the desired time points. All points' gives a unique view and you can not miss them.There leisurly many walking trails. Points of view;
Alexander Pt
Pt Rambag
Little Chowk Pt
Great Chowk Pt
One Tree Hill Pt
Belvedere Pt
Olympia Hippodrome
Lords Pt
Charlotte Lake
Pisharnath Mahadev Mandir
Celia Pt (actually a water fall mouth)
Echo Pt
Porcupine Pt (Sun Set Pt)
Panorama Point (Sun Rise Pt)
Pt Khandala
Madhavji Garden & Point
The Matheran railway station
Louisa Point
Mayra Point