Mahabaleshwar’s Hidden Wonders | Krishna River Origin to Venna Lake | Maharashtra #geotraveller

Maharashtra Chitrapatam resembles a small mountainous region, but this area is merely a hill station. If you begin searching for the story among these mountains, it is like the cradle of countless lives. Especially, there are areas where the Krishna River flows through the mountains. Ancient temples such as Panchaganga and Krishnabai still remind us of the ancient human belief in regarding water as a goddess. There are also wonderful viewpoints from the Sahyadri hills. Once upon a time, the kings came to these mountains. Then the British came. Today, travelers like us are also arriving. People have changed. Time has changed. But these mountains still tell the same story. The story of water, the story of stones, the story of kings, and the story of Sahyadri. Mahabaleshwar is a representation of the story of Sahyadri from one end to the other. Hi friends, I finished the Satara video in Maharashtra and started off from the farmhouse in Englawala towards Mahabaleshwar. Before watching the video, I have a small request. Many people are watching without subscribing. That's why my view count only stops after going a little. It is not so easy to travel around Maharashtra during the monsoon. So if you like and subscribe, it will be very helpful for the channel. Mahabaleshwar is approximately 60 kilometers from Satara. There is a main highway. But after 20 kilometers, Google Maps showed me a village. There is a very narrow road. Mahabaleshwar is on a large board. I asked the locals why it was beneficial to move ahead a little. When I asked, they said the main highway had suffered a landslide and was completely blocked. They told me not to exit the highway. Another person came and told me that it was a landslide and that it would be difficult to proceed. When I saw this road, I saw the village at ground level. If you start from there, the uphill section is a narrow road. Look at the view from here. It is full of waterfalls. Waterfalls are everywhere. There are windmills on the top. You can see the clouds. We are almost at the summit. You can see the back of the city from here. We have to go up. We have to come to this location. The valley is very beautiful. We have to go up. The lake is also very beautiful. This is the highlight of Maharashtra. You should visit Mahabaleshwar at least once. We are going near the windmills. You can see the transformer here. The windmill is turned off. When it rotates, the magnetic system will be on top. In the middle, all the wires come together and connect to the step-up transformer. The AC current that comes from here goes out through this. This is the main one. It's running. Did you hear the sound? When the wind comes from any direction, it rotates in that direction. This is the generator. There are magnetic coils in it. There are some places along the way to Mahabaleshwar. I closed my eyes like that. I think it's due to human travel on this road. Nature remains in its original form. I stayed there and enjoyed the nature. I arrived in Mahabaleshwar in the afternoon. I started by having food. I visited the Panchaganga and Mahabaleshwar temples. Mahabaleshwar is approximately 1,400 meters above sea level. It is an important region in the Sahyadri mountain range. Because it is such a high elevation in the west. Rainwater flows into rivers. Due to the peak monsoon season, the environment is filled with fog. After a while, I reached the Mahabaleshwar Temple. In the history of Mahabaleshwar, the period of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj holds great significance. In the 17th century, the Mahabaleshwar region was expanded along the Sahyadri mountain range. This enhanced the significance of the Mahabaleshwar region. The mountains here were usually suitable for protection. Dense forests, deep valleys, narrow paths. All of these turned this region into a military base. There is a story behind the name of this region. According to the local Puranic tradition, this region was named Mahabaleshwar due to the story of Mahabali. In this story, it is believed that Lord Shiva chose to reside here permanently. That is why it was so important for the ancient temple here. Here at the Mahabaleshwar Temple, along with the Shivalingam, there are traditions associated with the Trishulam, Damarkam, Rudraksha, and others. Such Puranic stories are not equivalent to historical evidence. They should be regarded solely as spiritual traditions associated with this region. Coming out of the temple, I am going to the Krishnabai Temple, which now begins at Krishnanadhi. It's not raining, but it's not normal either. Even if you want to go to the temple, it's raining. If it's a tourist destination, there's no need to mention it. As it is a very ancient temple, it is under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India. Local traditions concerning this temple trace its history back to a very ancient era. It was very interesting to see this temple as a construction site. This is unlike the southern Indian temples with their large domes and expansive pavilions. It shows the simple yet powerful action of the Sahyadri region, built by Nalarayu. The Nalarayu is prominent in the construction of the temple. The stone used in the construction of the ancient temple in Mahabaleshwar appears to have blended with the natural mountains surrounding the temple. The sturdy stone pillars in the construction of this temple, the use of less binding materials such as gold, You can see the characteristics of the construction method that firmly holds the stones. A particularly distinctive feature of this temple is the stone dome. Water enters through this structure shaped like a cow's face. This water is used as a symbol of the sanctification of the Krishna River. The architecture here is not merely for decoration. It was used to display the water flow in the form of a sacred structure. The water from here flows into the well and becomes the Krishna River. To understand the Krishnabai Temple, you should also understand the journey of the Krishna River. The Krishna River, which originates in the Sahyadri region in Mahabaleshwar, Later, it crosses the vast regions of South India. As the river grows, many rivers join it. In the end, it develops into a major river system. The small waterway we see here can be regarded as the beginning of a long journey. There is a temple in Panchikanga, a little way from the Krishnabai temple. There is a sacred water tradition associated with Krishna, Venna, Koyana, Savitri, and Gayatri among the five sacred rivers. Here too, the construction is very appealing. It is believed that sacred water flows from this structure in the shape of a snake. Due to the sacredness of the snake in the Hindu tradition, The water flow can be seen as a special symbol of construction, depicted in the form of a snake. These waterways serve as the foundation for the five sacred rivers. The water from here flows into the well and becomes the Krishna River. Actually, the photo is prohibited, but since it's a photo, I'm taking it in the dark. According to Incredible India, in the 13th century during the reign of Yadavaraju Singhavadev, There is a Chartrika tradition associated with the construction of this temple. On another official page, in 1215, Yadavaraju Singh built the Panchikanga Temple. That is, the tradition of sacred water in this region is very ancient. Now Mahabaleshwar is a famous tourist destination. This region was recognized as a sacred place hundreds of years ago. Then I came out of there and went to Mall Road in Mahabaleshwar village. This is like a moving sidewalk. There are many shops and hotels for tourists here. It is raining heavily. This is our starting point. It is raining heavily. There are many places in Mahabaleshwar that I haven't told you about yet. Among them, there is a place called Lodwik Point and Elephant Head Point. I'm going to see them now. As usual, the air is thick with smoke. This is Lodwik Point. It is full of fog. There is nothing to see here. I can see only those white reflections. It is 10 in the morning. It is not raining today. I can see Lodwik Point. It won't be good if it's clear. Even if it rains and the wind blows, it will be fine as long as it is clear. There is another place like this. It is called Elephant Face Point. Let's go there and see. We can see it from any perspective. The rainforest is like this. It is covered with greenery and trees. This is a famous rainforest in Maharashtra. If you start from Kerala, you won't be able to reach Gujarat. You will get to see Mumbai. It is raining during the monsoon season. But the atmosphere is not normal. Try traveling during this monsoon season in the Western Ghats. It will be excellent. Locations, landscapes, waterfalls, foggy weather conditions, rainforests. It will be excellent. If you go to the right from here, you can reach Elephant Head Point. If you go to the left, you can reach Lodwik Point. First, we are going to Lodwik Point on the left. What we saw earlier was merely a perspective. This is the actual Lodwik Point. But there is too much fog. It is impossible to see anything. This region was named after General Peter Lodwik. In 1824, he was appointed as the first European official in this region. After his death, a monument was erected here. That monument is the main attraction at Lodwik Point. Now we are returning to Elephant Head Point. Due to excessive fog, it is impossible to see inside. The main reason for the name Elephant Head Point is the natural rock formation here. Due to excessive fog, it is impossible to see inside. It is not clear to see inside. It is very beautiful here. Due to excessive fog, it is impossible to see inside. We cannot hear the sound of the waterfall. We are doing our best. If the fog clears, we'll have excellent views from here. It is very beautiful here. It is the top viewpoint of Mahabaleshwar. The fog has cleared. See the location. The fog has cleared. From a distance, the top of the hill resembles an elephant's head and tail. This is not the shape of an elephant. Due to the influence of the weather, rain, wind, and prolonged rock erosion, the shape of the hill has changed. From the Elephant Head Point, we can see the vast expanse of the Sahyadri Mountains. On clear days, we can see the green hills, green mountain ridges, and the Sahyadri landscape stretching into the distant mountains and clouds. During the monsoon, this region becomes even more beautiful. With the increase of vegetation on the mountains, the clouds, fog, and scenery are completely transformed. Finally, we are going to Vennalai in Mahabaleshwar. This is not an ordinary fun. In the 19th century, it was invented to address water issues in Mahabaleshwar. According to the Mahabaleshwar Institute, it was invented by Sri Appasaheb Maharaj, a member of the Satara Raj family. It was established in 1842. Mahabaleshwar is a high mountainous region, so it is necessary to use water when rainfall is heavy. It is not so easy to use water. That's why this well was built to store water. With the construction of Vennasaras, it was also developed as a well that can be used for water supply in the surrounding areas. Over time, it has become a major tourist destination for water enthusiasts. Finally, the journey to Mahabaleshwar began on the way to Rayagad Fort. We are on our way to Rayagad Fort. On the way to Rayagad Fort, after 10 km from Mahabaleshwar, the fog cleared. That's why we can see the valley from here. We can see the valley from here. If you look at the location, all the waterfalls along the way are waterfalls. It is a very steep road. We can see the valley only after the fog clears. Mahabaleshwar is extremely high. It is impossible to see the valley from above this season. The fog is in that range. Since we're heading to Rayagad Fort, let's check if there are any good spots along the way. The locations along the route showcase how magnificent the Maharashtra Ghats roads are during the rainy season. The waterfalls along the way make our journey more enjoyable. For the first time, I felt as though I were seeing a new world. We arrived at Rayagad in the evening. Rayagad Fort is located on the mountain. I have already made a video about Rayagad Fort. Go and watch it. If you like the video, please like and subscribe. If possible, a comment will encourage you to make such videos. See you in the next video. Thank you for watching.