Indian Arrowroot or Chavar is an annual herb which can grow upto 50-100 cm high. The plant has perennial rhizomes with many hanging tubers. Oblong lance like leaves are up to half a meter long. Flowers occur in a spike 10-15 cm long, and are yellow or white. More prominent are the greenish white or pinkish white bracts. The yellow flowers, which possess a long peduncle, are borne on a central spike. The plant is native to India and is found mainly growing wild on the table land of the Mahabaleshwar plateau and neighbouring regions in forest areas with high annual rainfall. Hot moist conditions are essential requiring rainfall of upwards of 500 cm per annum characterises its natural habitat, though it may be grown on the banks of irrigation canals. Chavar is easily propagated by tuber cuttings, which are planted in raked soil at the beginning of the monsoon, frequently in arecanut plantations and on the banks of rivers and irrigation channels. It is often planted very densely to prevent soil erosion, in some areas up to 50 000 plants per hectare.
Mahabaleshwar is the summer capital of Maharashtra at located about 120 km southwest of Pune and 285 km from Mumbai. Mahabaleshwar is a vast plateau measuring 150 km2 bound by valleys on all sides reaching a height of 1,438 m at its highest peak above sea level, known as Wilson/Sunrise Point. Mahabaleshwar comprises three villages: Malcolm Peth, Old "Kshetra" Mahabaleshwar and part of the Shindola village.
Mahabaleshwar is the source of the Krishna River that flows across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The legendary source of the river is a spout from the mouth of a statue of a cow in the ancient temple of Mahadev in Old Mahabaleshwar. Legend has it that Krishna is Lord Vishnu himself as a result of a curse on the trimurtis by Savitri. Also, its tributaries Venna and Koyana are said to be Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma themselves. An interesting thing to notice is that 4 other rivers come out from the cow's mouth apart from Krishna and they all travel some distance before merging into Krishna. These rivers are the Koyana, Venna (Veni), Savitri, and Gayatri.
Today, Mahabaleshwar is a popular holiday resort and honeymoon spot, and an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. It is the site of Mahabaleshwar Temple. Many tourists visit nearby Panchgani. After the construction of a new highway, it is only a five-hour drive from Mumbai. Mahabaleshwar is also known for the honey and strawberries produced here. One can visit strawberry farms to enjoy the real flavour of the fruit. It is said that the climate of Mahabaleshwar is ideal for Strawberries and Mulberries. One can also get a taste of "Strawberries with Cream" or "Mulberries with Cream".
The Venna lake is one of the major tourist attractions of Mahabaleshwar. The lake is surrounded by trees on all sides. A late winter evening boat ride through the slight fog is well appreciated. Tourists can enjoy a boat ride over the lake or a horse ride next to the lake. A number of small eateries line the banks of the lake. The Mahabaleshwar city market and the S.T. bus stand is about 2KM from the lake and makes for a nice walk during the day. Most tour operators include the Venna lake in their tours. Most buses, private vehicles will stop at the Venna Lake on their way to Mahabaleshwar on request. With another popular and scenic hill resort Panchgani in close vicinity (about 20KM), most tourists often visit both places together. The 'Table-Land' phenomenon of nature at Panchgani is breath-taking. Mahabaleshwar is known for its "points", from which a person can stand and enjoy the entire scenery. There are more than 14 points in total, which provide unique view to the tourists.
Source - Wikipedia
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