A Journey through Time in Matheran

Matheran is a small hill station in Maharashtra, India, which is completely free of motor vehicles. I took a toy train ride with beautiful views of the hills and valleys, and walked through the dense forests to reach the top. The town is known for its colonial era bungalows, and a stroll through its streets made me feel like I had traveled back in time. I learned that Matheran was declared an eco-sensitive zone by the Indian government in 2003, and measures are being taken to maintain its natural beauty. I compared my experience here with other car-free destinations I’ve visited in India like Lakkidi, Kerala and Mawlynnong, Meghalaya and found it distinctly charming.