Malshej Ghat - The Perfect Green Valley

Located at about 150 km from the concrete jungle of Mumbai

, lies a small mountain pass called the Malshej Ghat. Located in the Western Ghats, Malshej Ghat lies in the Pune district of Maharashtra.

During monsoons all the roads lead to Malshej Ghat. The best time to visit is between August and September during which the hills are clothed in a carpet of all shades of greens. The cool weather and beautiful vistas of Malshej Ghat makes this a very popular weekend getaway. The hills are dotted with numerous waterfalls making Malshej Ghat one of the most crowded destinations near Mumbai.

Situated at an altitude of 3500 ft, Malshej Ghat holds a special place for hikers, trekkers and adventure lovers.

Harishchandragad, a 4671 feet tall peak, is one of the favourite trekking trails. The hill fort on the hill is worth a visit. Near the fort is a temple dedicated to Shiva, Vithobha and Ganesh. Very close to the fort is a cave called the Kedareshwar Cave which has a Shivlinga.

About 40 km from Malshej Ghat is the Shivneri Fort, the birthplace of the Chathrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. This hill has a series of Buddhist Caves dating back to the 3rd century.

The nearest airport is in Mumbai, 150 km away. The nearest railhead is Kalyan. Numerous private buses and state buses ply to Malshej Ghat from Mumbai and Pune.

Pimpalgaon-Joga Dam is a long bund, which blocks the Pushpavati River that springs out of Malshej Ghat and creates a lake in the monsoons. This place is a bird watcher's paradise. Several species of birds including the alpine swift, purple moorhen, pitta, quail, whistling thrush, green pigeon, and pied crested cuckoo have been spotted here. This place also holds another unique factor. This is where the most exotic migratory flamingos choose it as their monsoon abode.

The temples honouring Lord Ganesha at Lenyadri Vinayak temple and Girijatmaj Ganpati are approximately 35 km away from Malshej Ghat and are situated on top of a hill. This place is one of the eight designated Ganapati shrines.

There are not many hotels in Malshej Ghat. MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) has been involved in the development and maintenance of Malshej Ghat. The MTDC run hotel, Flamingo Resort is the best place to stay when in Malshej Ghat.

During the onset of monsoons, one gets to see the peculiar behaviour of the birds here. Most of the birds that nest among the cliffs of the Western Ghats get killed by the passing vehicles. Heavy rain and dense fog often result in the birds getting disoriented and they fly towards the lights of the vehicles and instead fly straight into the cliff faces leading to their deaths.

by: Rashmii

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