I do not know what is there in Pune -is it a sink where people from outside only put their money and investment but do not get returns?
Why some children from outside who come to study here suffer?
Why some persons after coming to Pune lose their jobs?
Why some honourable and respectable people who come to Pune feel humiliated and belittled?
Are people changing?
Pune earlier called Puna or Poona, is situated on the Deccan Plateau, in the state of Maharashtra.It is situated at quite a height above sea level.In earlier times it was called Punya Nagari.
The range of hills or mountains in and around Pune, is called the Sahyadri hills which also form part of the Western Ghats.
Pune has for long been considered a pensioner’s paradise along with Dehradoon and Bangalore, because of its hill station like climate, greenery, rivers and hills.But it is becoming increasingly difficult for such old pensioners in the growing city with its ills.
In the past Pune was a city with wide roads as well as narrow winding roads, old and tall trees, rivers, green fields and little traffic.The visit to Pune University was interesting as it was surrounded by beautiful forest like areas.The city looks good with the Sahyadri hills around.
But it has grown and so also the traffic on the roads. Multistoried buildings block the views of the hills, rivers, fields and gardens.The nose is hit by the stench from slum areas and the garbage dumps.
From the top of the Parvati Hill, after climbing the several steps up the hill a panoramic view of the spreading Pune on all sides is memorable.
It also has the main temple, the museum, the Vishnu temple, the Chandrakeshava temple and the place where Nana Phadnavis, the guardian of the Peshwa -Sawai Madhavrao, breathed his last.
The Khadakvasla Dam and lake is beautiful and from the IAT(Institute of Armament Technology) it looks even better as there is a jetty with boats.People throng here for fresh cool breeze from the surface of the lake.Some vendors sell corn cobs roasted on fire during the misty monsoon rains from June to September.Other snacks available too.
Down the road below the dam one can go to the NDA(National Defence Academy).The main building is very imposing.The Amitabh Bachchan film Major Saab was shot here.
The Saras Baug Ganesh(Ganpati) temple and museum is situated in the midst of a small but lovely garden. Nearby is the Peshwa Zoo, having a variety of animals in a small area.The’chowpatty’ of Pune is just outside.Here one can get the line of stalls sellling Bhel puri, Pani Puri(Gol gappe), dosas, icecream, cold drinks, tea coconut water. A similar’chowpatty’ is near the Blue Nile restaurant in the Cantonment area.
Via Bajirao Road one can reach Laxmi Road in the evening when lights were up.It has lots of sarees, readymade garments and jewellers as well as other shops.
In one visit we bought the traditional saree worn by Maharashtrians.At Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwala we had a taste of the sweets like’modak’, ’mango burfi’ and salty snacks called’bakharwadi’.
We saw from outside the Vishrambaug wada, opposite Chitale sweets, near laxmi Road.It had some very imposing wooden windows.It used to be the resting place for the Peshwas of Pune.Presently it is converted into a post office and has some other government offices.
We had’darshan’ at the Dagdu Sheth Ganpati temple and were shown the Dutt temple, near which, during the Ganesh Utsav(festival) the Dagdu Sheth Halwai Ganpati Mandal establishes a beautiful pandal and image of Ganpati with different decorations every year.It is one of the greatest attractions for the public.The annual Pune Festival of culture, music, dance and drama is held at the same time.
While going on the tour we passed through Budhwar Peth near Dutt Mandir and saw a large number of csw’s. Further ahead we saw a good stone building at a place called the Mandai, which has the vegetable and fruit sellers.
This area is almost the centre of the old congested city of Pune divided into several peths like Somwar, Mangalwar, Budhwar, Raviwar, Shaniwar peths.Peth actually means market.During the Peshwa period it appears the market shifted to different areas according to the day of the week.
The area is dotted with many old type of buildings called’wadas’ which have a courtyard.One of these is the place where Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak lived and ran a newspaper’Kesari’ during the independence struggle.
There are a number of temples dotting the squares or’chowks’ and also the river banks.The Pune city has two rivers- the Mula and the Mutha and they meet near the city at the place called the Sangamwadi.
Due to the dams upstream there is hardly any water in the rivers.Only during the monsoons they are quite full.The rivers get all the sewage of the city and are full of rubbish and’kachra’.
Use of the sewage water of canals has been made in the Osho garden to develop a very good garden, near the Osho Ashram founded by Acharya Rajneesh in the Koregaon Park area, a very posh locality of modern Pune.
The Osho Ashram can also be visited for a short tour of about thirty minutes, on some days, after taking passes from the visitors centre.A number of foreigners stay inside and near the Ashram and as members, after taking a mandatory AIDS test and other formalities, they are admitted in to the meditation and other activities of the Ashram and wear characteristic purple/mauve robes.
Going past the Bund garden road and over a bridge to the left one sees a beautiful view of the natural beauty of Pune with the shimmering river waters, trees, greenery and bluish hills in the distance. On a small hill one can see the Tarakeshwar temple. To the right one goes to Nagar road(short for Ahmed nagar).
We visited the AGA Khan palace and saw the museum inside which had relics, photos etc connected with Mahatma Gandhi who was kept imprisoned here.There is a samadhi of the wife of Gandhiji- Kasturbha Gandhi, who died here.
From here we could see the modern development of Pune in the form of multistoried buildings and beautiful modern structures.
One of the days we visited the Kelkar museum to have a look at a collection of the things of the glorious pastof Pune.
There were many other places of tourist interest. One can choose according to one’s liking.
The Pataleshwar caves and nearby Jangli Maharaj(Shiva) temple; Shaniwar Wada-remains of the old fort and palace of the Peshwa’s( now being renovated);Bhandarkar Museum, Chatushringi Temple, Film & Television Institute,
If you are the one who is interested in historical forts then visit the Sinhagad fort-about24 kms from Pune, where Shivaji, the great Indian warrior king, lost his Lion or’Sinh’ General Tanaji, in the heroic capture of the fort by his Maratha forces, who used giant lizards to scale the steep cliffs and walls.
At the Panshet Dam enjoy boating and water sports in its lake. Another such place is Mulshi lake.
For the religious minded one of the eight Ganesh temples called the’Ashta vinayaks’ is quite near Pune at Theur, just twenty five kilometres.
Sant Gyaneshwar’s samadhi is at Alandi, just 30 kilometres-called the Dnyaneshwar Paduka temple.For the birthplace of Sant Tukaram, one can go to Dehu Road( 35 kms.)
Modern Pune is evolving into a modern city with large number of industries and industrial houses, software companies, educational institutions, research institutes, Cinema halls-the newest with four screens is City Pride on Satara Road, near Utsav Hotel;Star Hotels-like the Holiday Inn, Blue Diamond, the Pride Executive, Le Meridien etc.;Restaurants like the McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Dosa Diner, Vaishali, Crystal etc.Disco’s like the Banjara Hills(Chandni Chowk), Scream, Club Polaris etc.One can see the modern day youth and fashion here.
Travel to Pune is facilitated by an Airport, Railway station(junction of Central and South Central Railway) and road routes.
Pune is growing in real estate and real estate and linked businesses have made many many Puneities super super elites.It is trying to retain the traditional Maharashtrian culture but it is under great stress of modernity.
But change is the law of nature and the Queen of the Deccan is evolving and maturing, maybe even more beautiful than before.
But where there is beauty there is danger.
The digging of the ground is unearthing viruses and bacterial cysts and causing various illnesses.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for the citizens.