Matheran

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Matheran ( Marathi: माथेरान Mātherān ) is a mountain village ( hill station) in Maharashtra, India, founded by British colonial rulers. Because of its location on a small table mountain at an altitude of about 700 meters above sea level, the climate is much cooler than in the 30 km ( straight line ) away Mumbai. Even today, enjoy Indian weekend getaways from Mumbai, Pune and other major cities near the refreshing climate.

Car-free resort

Matheran is a car- free resort and was from the Indian Environment and Forest Ministry to "eco - sensitive region ," explains. The absence of motorized vehicles of any kind not only the air is emission-free - so lacking in Matheran and the vehicle noise, what is striking in India, where in particular horn signals belong to the traffic noise.

Nature

The plateau is completely covered with forest, so that otherwise very hot summer days can be spent in the shade. At the edge, there are 38 undeveloped lookouts with spectacular views of the other hills in the area.

History

The Table Mountain, located on the Materan belongs geologically to the remains of the Deccan Traps. The Deccan Trapp is an extinct volcano and is next to the Chicxulub crater in the Gulf of Mexico, suspected on the Yucatán Peninsula for the great extinction at the Cretaceous - Tertiary boundary, in which the dinosaurs became extinct also.

Matheran was discovered by Hugh Poyntz Malet, the then district collector of Thane district in May 1850. Lord Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay, justified the development of their future hill station. During the British colonial rule to Matheran became a popular resort, because many Europeans sought here to escape the summer heat.

Transport links

Matheran is connected to the narrow-gauge railway Matheran Hill Railway to Neral. 1907 this railway was inaugurated. Neral is located at the foot of Table Mountain and has a station on the main line Pune - Mumbai. On the main line also runs the train from Mumbai.

In addition to the 20-km long narrow gauge railway there is also a 10 km long road link to Neral, which overcomes the height difference a little faster.