Matheran’s unique charm

When the 250-seater Matheran toy train chugs its way at a dizzy height, it weaves an exotic world around it. There is no external noise — speeding bikes, buses and autos — as automobiles are totally banned in this biological hotspot. There is only the sound of trees, animals, birds, wind, the hoof sound of horses and echoes from the hill range.

Matheran, in Maharashtra, is nature’s architectural marvel, which springs a number of remarkable, eco-friendly economic activities.

Nestled in the picturesque Western Ghats mountain range at a height of 2,600 ft above sea level, the Matheran plateau spread over 7.2 km attracts a large number of tourists, adventure lovers, archaeologists and photographers for its natural beauty.

HORSE-DRAWN TRANSPORT

Way back in 2002, the Ministry of Environment and Forests had declared Matheran as an ecologically sensitive area, which covers 89 villages in and around it. The tourist season continues right through the year as the fragrance, smell, sound and weather here change everyday to attract people of different tastes.

The most thrilling is the rainy season, as rain recharges thousands of springs and rivers amid lush green hills soaring up vertically. Horses are the chief mode of transport here. There are 460 licensed horses.

Another 600 horses carry essential goods from Neral market to this plateau. Each horse earns an average of Rs 1,000 a day by providing a ride to tourists. During the peak tourist season, a horse earns more than Rs 2,000 a day. The charge is Rs 300 to Rs 700 for one to two hours depending upon the number of tourist points covered.

Chota Bhim — a lovely white pony with brown geometric shapes on its forehead — is popular among children. It earns Rs 1,500 a day by offering a ride to children. There are 94 hand-pulled rickshaws to pull tourists up to this magnificent plateau.

Local tribals pull carts full of groceries to Matheran, work in hotels, as guides to tourists, rear horses and do some agriculture and animal husbandry. Many educated locals have government jobs in cities. Local tribals collect scores of minor forest products such as honey, flowers, fruits, medicinal roots, barks and gums.

FLORA AND FAUNA

They can work as guides to trace giant squirrels, Pompadour pigeon, Nilgiri Wood pigeon, fly catchers, black bulbul, reptiles, lizards and valley of flowers. Hotels and restaurants always have a good business due to perennial tourist season. There is an exotic Shiva temple on the bank of a lake which attracts large number of pilgrims.

Matheran can be showcased as a model natural sector economy.

(The author is a Pune-based freelancer.)

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