Panchgani was discovered in the 1860s during the British rule. Like most paces in India, during the British rule, the scenic Panchgani served as a summer resort. John Chesson, a superintendent during that time was in charge of this beautiful valley. Panchgani which is till date flourished with trees such as silver oak and poinsettia owes credit to this British officer for planting them extensively in the entire region.
During that era, the British were looking for a suitable retirement place for their officers and John Chesson was deputed for the same. With the company of a Mr. Rustomji Dubash, he surveyed most of the hills in this region. The nameless area was called Panchgani after its location among five villages, namely Dhandeghar, Godavli, Amral, Khingar, and Taighat. Chesson took various steps to develop the infrastructure of the place and encouraged many professionals such as building contractors, tailors, butchers, washer men, and vegetable vendors to settle in Panchgani.
Panchgani is surrounded by five hills from the Sahyadri mountain ranges. Located in Satara district in the state of Maharashtra; Wai, Bavdhan & Nagewadi dam, lies in the east of Panchgani; whereas at the west lies, Gureghar; Khingar & Rajpuri at the south and Dhom Dam in the north. Dhom Dam is made from the river Krishna that flows nearby.
The five hills that surround Panchgani are topped by volcanic plateaus. The plateaus are also known as table land which is the second highest plateau in Asia followed by the Tibetan plateau. These plateaus were raised owing to pressure between the layers of the earth. With Koynanagar as its epicenter, the place has encountered high seismic activity. At Koynanagar, a hydroelectric power plant and the Koynanagar damn has been built.
Panchgani has become a tourist attraction. The place is been visited by tourists throughout the year because of its climate. It also experiences very high rainfall between June and February. The rest three months are relatively dry. With its picturesque landscapes, cool climate, lush green environment it has caught the attention of many. It is also the most common destination for shooting films and a host of adventurous activities, such as para gliding and kite surfing.
Panchgani is also well known for the reputed schools. There are more than 40 schools in this small town. The inception of the first school dates back in the 19th century, during the British rule. The Kimmins School was the first one that started in the 1890’s for European children. Kimmins was separated to form a boys school in 1902 named The European Boys High School, which is presently known as St. Peter’s High School. Kimmins is an exclusive girl’s school on the other hand. In 1890, the St. Joseph’s Convent Girls High School was also started by a group of nuns. These three schools are the oldest and still into existence. They impart the best education that is affiliated to the Cambridge University. The success and standards maintained in these schools have encouraged others to venture in this area. New Era School is currently the biggest school in Panchgani.
Panchgani has a rich history and as time passes by we wonder if commercialization takes the charm away from it. As of now it is still not caught by this environmental havoc.