“Two roads diverged in a wood and I… 

I took the one, less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference…”

                                                                                                          – Robert Frost

I think nothing defines Matheran (Forest on forehead), more aptly than the tercet composed by renowned American poet Robert Frost. Matheran is a small hill-station town, a mere 3-4 hours drive from Mumbai in the Raigad District. Over the years, Matheran has emerged rather ‘touristy’, with more than hundreds of Mumbai, Pune citizens flocking to this tiny little place every weekend. Matheran has most famously earned itself the sobriquet of being ‘Asia’s first and only auto mobile free station.’ While that is true, I have hardly ever had the fascination for visiting Matheran, when everyone else thought of a quick getaway to the same place. It was again rather with a very heavy heart, that I agreed with @srinistuff to visit the place.

But as the sane and wise say- “Travellers travel to experience”, I embraced the opportunity too and what I discovered is something that will be etched in my memory for a long time… the undulating hilltop… covered in shades of brown, barren, thirsty, lost, the incredible steep drops, the panaromic vistas, the bullying monkeys, the strong heartstrings pullers (read the world-famous renowned horses), the old world charm of Britishers… presenting Matheran to you from the lens of yours truly…..

The road less travelled, makes for a scenic walk

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The rustle of leaves beneath my feet

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The famous toy train runs between Neral and Matheran

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My heavenly abode- The Barr House

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Kissing a good-bye to the mountains

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Catch up with some leisure reading

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Special Note: This trip to Matheran was an impromptu weekend getaway. A special thanks to the Neemrana Group’s The Verandah in the Forest for their warm hospitality and complimentary 2-day stay. The Verandah in the Forest is acclaimed as the second house to be built on the isolated Western Ghats, by the Britisher Captain Barr. Now, with every facility in place, it is reputed to be second to none!

A note on Neemrana Properties- All Neemrana properties are ‘non–hotel’ Hotels, as they were originally built for other purposes. All efforts have been made to maintain the old charm of The Verandah in the Forest while ensuring the basic comforts that have come to be associated with the changes in lifestyle since the 19th century. Neemrana offers guests a unique opportunity to lounge like never before.