Panchgani
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| ?Panchgani Maharashtra • India | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Area • Elevation | • 1,293 m (4,242 ft) |
| District(s) | Satara |
| Population | 13,280 (2001) |
Coordinates: Panchgani is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Contents |
[edit] History
Panchgani was 'discovered,' by the British, as a location for a summer resort and a Superintendent ,Mr. John Chesson, was placed in charge of the new Hill Station in the 1860s.He is credited for planting plant species from around the world in Panchgani. Silver oaks and Ponsettieas are some of the alien plants that have flourished in Panchgani
[edit] Geography
Panchgani is located at [1]. It has an average elevation of 1293 metres (4242 feet).
The city is located amidst five small hills, from which it derives its name (panch in the local Marathi language means five). All these 5 hills are topped by a volcanic plateau which is the second highest in Asia after the Tibetan plateau. These plateaus are known in the local term as "Table Land". These plateau's are part of the Deccan Plateau and were raised by the pressure between the earth plates. Because of this it is also an area of high seismic activity with epicenter near Koynanagar which is famous of the Koynanagar dam and hydroelectric power plant. It is located about 265 km from Mumbai and has breathtaking valleys, winding rivers, scenic mountains and scattered hamlets.
Nestled in the sahyadri mountain ranges in Maharashtra, Running along the Krishna River, is Panchgani. It is about a 2 hour drive away from the nearby Pune city. Panchgani is a small town and plays home to some large plateaux. Panchgani is a thirty minute drive from another sister hill station Mahabaleshwar.
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India census,[2] Panchgani had a population of 13,280. Males constitute 57% of the population and females 43%. Panchgani has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 87%, and female literacy is 75%. In Panchgani, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
[edit] Tourist Attractions
Sydney Point This point is situated on a small hillock facing the Krishna Valley .From here one can see the the glittering waters of the Dhom Dam and Pandavgad and Mandhardeo are also easily seen.
Table Land Situated around 60 mts high ,this flat large expanse of laterite rock is the second longest mountain plateau in asia.There are some spacious caves that can be seen from here and one of them is Devil's Kitchen.
Parsi Point This windy road situated on the way to Mahableshwar overlooks the Krishna valley and the blue mirror like waters of the Dhom Dam.
Devil's Kitchen The Devil's Kitchen situated to the south of tableland, is also a place of mythological interest. It is believed that the Pandavas stayed here for a while and used this place to cook their food. There are some legends regarding this, though most of them appear to be mere tall tales. Some people claim that Pandvgadh Caves ( near Wai ) are also built by them and bear their name.
[edit] Culture
It attracts many tourists throughout the year, and many Mumbaikars visit it as a weekend escape. Some go further, opening resorts which they themselves own, but rent out during certain seasons. There is a Ganesh Temple at Wai, which is located close by. The temperature in Panchgani is around 16C during the winter and can soar up to 35C during the summer. There are many elite boarding schools in Panchgani and it has been used as a location to film a number of Bollywood movies.
A tuberculosis sanitorium was set up in Panchgani in pre-independence days by Dr. Billimoria, who later was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956. Panchgani grew in popularity as a convelescent center.
The main attractions are : Table land, Parsi point, Sydney point. [1]Panchgani now faces immense environmental pressures due to commercial activities, opening of illegal hotels, vehicles and temperature inversion (due to humidity) from various new dams built to store water in the vicinity.
[edit] Schools
Panchgani is known for the boarding schools. Boarding schools have been a staple fixture in Panchgani since the late 1800s. The schools in Panchgani not only attact student from the nearby Mumbai and Pune area but from around the world. In recent years the number of schools have mushroomed to over thirty.
ANJUMAN-E-ISLAM Tel No :40315
ANJUMAN-E-ISLAM (S. S. C), Tel No :40249
ARAM VIDYALAYA Tel No :40492
BATHE S M Tel No :40205
BILLIMORIA HIGH SCHOOL Tel No :40314 / 40910
BHARATI VIDYAPEETH ACADEMY Tel No :40582-40583
CAMBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL Tel No :40519
CODESH Tel No :40668
DAWN ACADEMY Tel No :40390-40412
MARATHAVADA GURUKUL HOSTEL Tel No :40010
GODEVLI EDUCATION SOCIETY Tel No :40224
HAPPY HOURS Tel No :40386/40086
HILL RANGE Tel No :40332
KIMMINS HIGH SCHOOL Tel No :40324
MAHATMA LAXMANDAS Tel No :40591
MAHATMA PHULE VIDYAMANDIR Tel No :40377
MAHATMA PHULE VIDYA JR. COLLEGE Tel No :40677
NEW ERA HIGH SCHOOL Tel No :40246
OAKS HIGH SCHOOL Tel No : 40395
PINEWOODS HIGH SCHOOL Tel No : 40900-40901-40902-40290-40570-40590-40903-40904-40905
SANJEEWAN VIDYALAYA Tel No :40307-40308
SCHOLERS FOUNDATION Tel No :40399
SHALOM INTERNATIONAL Tel No Tel No :40201
SILVER DALE HIGH SCHOOL Tel No :40638
SWEET MEMORIERS Tel No :403996,40496,40596
ST. JOSEPHS CONVENT Tel No : 40323
ST. PETER'S BOYS SCHOOL Tel No : 40313
S. T. PAUL'S HOSTEL Tel No :40454
ST.XAVIER'S HIGH SCHOOL
TENDER CARE Tel No :40095-40096
VIDYA NIKETAN HIGH SCHOOL Tel No :40591
[edit] External links
- Panchgani travel guide from Wikitravel
[edit] References
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Panchgani
- ^ Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns. (Provisional). Census Commission of India. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.
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