Mum, myself and Mahabaleshwar

On 10 March mum and I left NZ for Mumbai, India, where we spent a day before travelling by private car to Mahabaleshwar around 6 hours away.  There we had a local guide, Dittah, a university student who grew up in Mahabaleshwar, who showed us all the places Jessie talked about in her letter home.

I have inserted pictures along with text from Jessie's letter:

"The journey here is a very long one...[after a refreshing cup of tea at Wathai] we drove 38 miles uphill..."

""Whenever daylight appeared we roused up from our sleepy condition, and enjoyed looking on the plains below us and the hills around us..."

"When we reached Panchgani, men followed us selling strawberries and flowers..."

Roadside strawberry stall at Panchgani

"We were glad to reach our destination...where we were warmly welcomed by one of the American missionaries, who invited us to have breakfast with her in the next bungalow [Norheim]"

Unfortunately we were not permitted to photograph "Norheim" but it is almost identical to "Ilona" and only around 30 metres away, situated on the same driveway.

"We are staying at a nice little bungalow (Ilona) which belongs to some of the members of our mission.  It is situated high up in the pretty jungle trees, and from the verandah one of the prettiest views in Mahabaleshwar can be seen..."

Ilona bungalow (Norheim to the right through the trees)

Sleeping quarters - since renovated

Main dining/lounge area, kitchen at rear, bedroom areas x 4 off to sides, utility rooms off to left side

 

Small cottages next to Ilona bungalow

"About a minute's walk from the bungalow brings us to a point where we can see the lake..."

The path Jessie talks about, overgrown, but just a minute's walk to:

Where Jessie sat and enjoyed the view out over Venna Lake

"The soil is very red here, and the red roads shaded by the green trees seem to invite us out for long walks..."

"The sunsets here are magnificent, and we generally arrive at some high point to view them from.  After the sun has set we linger to see the afterglow."

Sunset at Lodwick Point

"While visiting Old Mahabaleshwar one evening - a village about two and a half miles from here, we looked into two large temples..."

Old Mahabaleshwar, taken from 'new' Mahabaleshwar

Pathway to Old Mahabaleshwar market and the two temples

"The Fountain Hotel is occupied this summer entirely by missionaries, and there twice a week at 5 pm Mr Lowe conducts a bible reading..."

Front entrance of Fountain Hotel

Entrance foyer/atrium of Fountain Hotel, usually has glass ceiling

The dining hall at the Fountain Hotel with rooms above

We were unable to visit the now privately owned bungalow that the Lowe's stayed in, "Bonne Vue" which is some distance away (10-15 minutes walk) from "Ilona".  Our guide phoned and asked permission, but this was denied.

The Fountain Hotel is currently being renovated, so our plans to lunch there, look around, and ask regarding any pictures/chattels from Jessie's time were thwarted.

On the whole incredibly satisfying to have seen with our own eyes what Jessie described in her letter, and to have 'walked where she walked'.