Hundreds and thousands of trees dotting the mountains and valleys, form the reception committee when summer comes a visiting. The leaves smother the heat and chase it away on a light breeze. Myriads of flowers in numerous hues sway in its wake. A legion of birds and butterflies ride it. As you take a long quiet walk in the forest, it swishes around you. But it doesn't really feel like a summer breeze. So what would you term it?

A large part of the day from November to February belongs to the mist. The nippy, early-afternoon breeze attempts to drive you indoors. The sun, ineffective through the day finally retreats below the horizon. The stars overhead seems to be reflecting the bonfires across the villages and mountain side. Young and old people alike, snuggle up in light woolens. It's winter in Matheran. Best described in words like 'cosy', 'lazy' and 'sleeping late'.

The southwest monsoon brings with it sheets of rain, the likes of which you'd seldom have experienced. The relentless drumming of the rain on the roof, the smell of wet earth, the omnipresent mist, the ambushed drenching you get as you unwittingly pass under a tree… these are the special performances that nature enacts to make your stay truly memorable.