Any excuse is good enough to take a break from the hectic city schedule and take to the hills.
Mahabaleshwar's history is chequered. The Maharaja of Satara envisaged that the place be developed as a health resort in 1829. It however, was the site of a jail for Chinese and Malay convicts from 1834 to 1864. They also introduced weaving of cane and bamboo baskets. Then later the British developed Mahabaleshwar as a hill station and many Europeans lived here.