With a legacy that spans over six decades, Hotel Mala’s has an interesting history. In the year 1950 the proprietor and founder of Hotel Mala’s, Sk Asghar Ebrahim Mala, arrived in Panchgani to find that the parcel of land he had inherited was an isolated agricultural field, with some even warning him of tiger sightings. His entrepreneurial spirit and support from a few friends gave impetus to his desire to establish a home away from home for people visiting Panchgani. What started out as a one-room tenement that was let out to paying guests, grew into a flourishing business. The doors were opened to the students of Panchgani’s boarding schools, and in the summer vacation, to families who began coming to stay at the hotel seeking a break from their busy city lives. Many, hearing of the famed healing qualities of Panchgani’s clean, crisp air headed to this charming hill station for a spell of rejuvenation and recuperation. In the early ‘60s the Indian Army sought out the hotel as accommodation for young soldiers stationed in Panchgani for training and slowly, more rooms were added to accommodate the growing demand. In the meanwhile, Mr. Mala and his wife Khadija were running out of ideas for what to serve at breakfast. They began making small quantities of fresh fruit jam at home to serve to their guests and before they knew it, the delicious jam had become a hot favorite and production began to expand. Today, Mala’s Jam is a Panchgani institution and a breakfast at Hotel Mala’s isn’t complete without a generous dollop of it on your toast.