Yesterday was my birthday! Calls and texts and flooded my phone. My friends arranged a surprise birthday party at midnight and needless to say it went on till 2 at night. Just when I thought I could get some sleep, my boyfriend called me at 3 in the night and asked me to dress up for he was coming to pick me up in an hour. I love my beauty sleep, honestly but I love my boyfriend more and thus I was all dressed up ready to go. Little did I know my boyfriend would surprise me with an impromptu trip to Mahabaleshwar.

A 3 hour drive away from Pune, I drifted off to sleep while he drove via NH4 with Porcupine Tree lined on our way and Coldplay playing in the car. Mahabaleshwar is a popular hill station in Satara district of Maharashtra. It used to be the Summer Capital of Bombay Presidency during the British Raj. A nature lover’s paradise, Mahabaleshwar greets its visitors with a bit of old-world charm, a pinch of modernity and a lot of cool crisp mountain air.

After a quick breakfast, we drove to Venna Lake and indulged ourselves in pony riding. Further down the road, we saw fields filled with strawberry and raspberry shrubs that were adding hints of color to the greenery. Lingmala Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls of Mahabaleshwar among the few others present there. The water cascades from a height of almost 600ft from a cliff.

After visiting the Arthur’s seat and hearing about the heart-wrenching story behind the naming of the point, we drove to Kate’s Point. It provides an amazing view of the two reservoirs, Balakwadi and Dhom. Needle Hole Point is quite near Kate’s Point. If you visit the place, you would see a natural rock formation with a hole in between. The Deccan traps viewed from this point looks like an elephant’s trunk. No wonder this place is also called the Elephant Point. After enjoying the breathtaking view from the Elephant Point, we had lunch. Next, we drove to the Holy Cross Church. The stained glass windows of the old Roman Catholic Charm had a different charm altogether. I have always found that churches are peaceful abodes.

Panchganga Mandir was the next stop in our itinerary. It contains the spring of five rivers: Koyna, Venna, Savitri, Gayatri and Krishna. This was of course followed by Mahabaleshwar Mandir which is famous for its Swayambhu Lingam. Our last stop was the majestic Pratapgad Fort, the pride of the Maratha Empire. It is a beautiful labyrinth of ponds, chambers and long dark walkways, some of which lead to traps doors that open to a 100 meter fall. The fort was built by Shivaji Maharaj.

My birthday ended with a romantic candle-night dinner in a quiet restaurant in Pune and it was the best birthday ever. I was pretty tired and fell asleep only to dream of soaring peaks and breathtaking valleys.