Lonavala is a town and a hill station Municipal Council nestled in Pune district in the Maharashtra state of India. It is situated 64 km away from the city of Pune and 96 kilometres from the city of Mumbai. Lonavala is known for its production of the hard candy chikki. Apart from this, Lonavala is popular as a tourist destination. It offers a wide array of pristine woods and valleys, cascading waterfalls, historic caves, and picturesque views. The tourism of Lonavala attracts nature admirers and photographers from various parts of the world.
Etymology of Lonavla
The term Lonavla is derived from the Sanskrit word "lonavli". Lonavli refers to the many caves like Karla Caves, Bhaja Caves and Bedsa that are close to Lonavla.
History of Lonavla
According to history, present day Lonavla was a part of the Yadava dynasty. It is said that later the region was kept by the Mughals for an extended period. Then in 1871, the Lonavla and Khandala hill stations were discovered by Lord Elphinstone, who was the Governor of Bombay Presidency at the time.
Demography of Lonavla
According to the census report of 2001, Lonavla had a population of 55,652 of which males were 54% and females were 46%. As per the report of same year, the hill station had an average literacy rate of 75%, which is higher than the national average of 59.5%: Male literacy was 81% and female was 69%. 11% of the population in Lonavla was under 6 years of age.
Education in Lonavla
This hill station has a number of educational institutions to instill knowledge amongst its students. Some of the major educational institutes in Lonavla include the Cathedral Vidya School, Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies, Institute for Future Education Entrepreneurship and Leadership, Kohinoor Business School-Kohinoor Global Campus, Auxilium Convent School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ryewood International School etc.
Attractions of Lonavla
There are various places of interest in Lonavla including Rajmachi, Ryewood Park & Shivaji Udyan, Lonavla Lake, Karla Caves, Lohagad Fort, Valvan Dam, Duke`s Nose, Tiger`s Leap, Lion Point, Tungarli Lake and Dam, Shooting Point and Wax Museum just to name a handful.
Rajmachi: It is a small village nestled in the rugged mountains of Sahyadri in India. It offers beautiful view of Shivaji`s famous fort, Rajmachi and the surrounding valley. Rajmachi Fort is a popular trekking destination.
Ryewood Park & Shivaji Udyan: This is an extensive garden situated in Lonavla. A lot of ground and tall trees adorn this place. The park is also known for housing an old Shiva temple.
Lonavla Lake: This Lake is known for providing stunning views of nature. However, one can skip visiting this lake during winter as during this time the lake dries up.
Karla Caves: Karla Caves are the group of rock - cut caves that are located in the mountain ranges of Lonavala. The caves are known for their historic significance. In the ancient times, the caves used to be one of the important centers of spiritual growth and education.
Duke`s Nose: Duke`s Nose, another spot of attraction, stands 12 km from Lonavla. It is named after Duke Wellington, who had a pointed nose resembling the cliff. It is also known as `Nagfani`. Duke`s Nose offers a panoramic view of Khandala and the Bhor Ghat.
Lohagad Fort: This fort is also known for its historic significance. Also known as Iron Fort, it was once a formidable battle-station of Shivaji. From this fort, one can also enjoy the scenic beauty of the surrounding hills and hamlets.
Connectivity to Lonavla
Lonavla is well-connected by train. It can be easily accessed by road and train from both Mumbai and Pune which are its nearest cities. Lonavla does not have an airport so tourists can avail the nearest commercial airports including Pune International Airport and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.