A soul-satisfying retreat

Driving in the city, as most of you will agree, is a pain. So it’s a surprise even for us when we find ourselves asking the driver to sit in the backseat while we get behind the wheels. Maybe it’s the beautiful winding roads or Lucky Ali’s melodious voice singing Kitni Haseen Zindagi Hai Yeh... on the radio or maybe just the excitement of being on the road and heading to a lesser-known destination. Because that’s where we are headed. The hill station of Jawhar is just a little over three hours drive from Mumbai and about 80 kilometres from Nashik. It’s also called the Mahabaleshwar of Thane, and we can’t wait to find out if it lives up to the title.

A sight worth sighting

Halfway down the many steps leading down to Dabhosa Waterfalls, our first sightseeing spot after settling in our resort, we encounter four men making their way back. “It’s better you turn back. Your legs will hurt like hell on the way up,” they tell us. We dither a bit, after all, it’s not like we are regular trekkers. A few broken steps that make us hold on to the protruding rocks on the sides of the mountain almost make us want to turn back, but then, we head on. And when we finally reach the end of the steps, we know it’s been worth it.

Cascading down almost 300 feet, Dabhosa is one of the highest waterfalls situated near Mumbai. It’s almost 4 pm and the sun is high up in the sky, making the water sparkle like diamonds. A couple of clicks and we find ourselves a comfortable spot on the rocks, and settle down with our feet in the cool water for some time, but very soon it’s time to reluctantly make our way back up. Yes, the leg muscles scream blue murder but given a choice, we would do it all over again!

Checking out the points

The wide expanse of Jawhar lies in front of us in all its glory. We’re at Hanuman Point, where according to folklore, Hanuman rested while on his way to meet Bharat, Lord Ram’s brother. There is a spectacular view of the valley below and we can even see Jai Vilas Palace, which is our next destination.

Hundreds of cashew trees give us company as we walk towards the Palace which was built by Raja Yashwant Rao Mukane in 1940. We admire the palace from outside before heading inside for a small fee. Inside, we step into the past as we find portraits of the Mukane family, the royal bedroom with some furniture and even a piano and the children’s nursery with a rocking horse. Photography is not allowed, but the guard tells us that several movies have been shot here. “Have you seen Great Grand Masti? They shot it here,” he says. We haven’t but we can imagine why filmmakers would love this beautiful location. Khadkhad Dam is next and we stop there for a while to admire the scenic beauty.

Every hill station has a Sunset Point; this one is no exception. It’s almost 6 pm and we drive down to the spot to watch the blazing sun turn a deep orange and finally settle behind the mountains. The cool breeze that has accompanied us all day turns chilly and we head back to the warmth of the resort.

Walk to remember

The view of the Jai Sagar Lake from our balcony has been tempting us to explore the area and we head out early next morning for a short walk to the water body. The smell of the deodar trees and the lush greenery is a sight for sore eyes and we spend some time walking along the lake and admiring the view. The early morning walk has invigorated us, but it’s time to leave Jawhar to its sleepy charm and head back.

It’s hard to believe that this quaint little town is just a few hours away from the hustle and bustle of the city. And we leave, knowing that we will be back again. Monsoon, maybe?

You might also like to visit…

If you have some time on hand as we did, you can head to Soma Vine Village in Nashik, just under two hours away via the Jawhar-Nashik Highway. With 25 acres of lush greenery and a view of the Gangapur dam, unwind with glasses of wine and some delicious food in their multi-cuisine restaurant Sufiana. And if you want to know some more about the art of making and drinking wine, then we recommend the wine tour and tasting session.