Welcome to the pulsating city of Pune in Maharashtra. Pune boasts of being the bastion of the all-powerful Maratha Empire. The land forts and the sea forts stand in testimony of the glory of Raja Shivaji till date. Historically speaking Pune was handed over to the Peshwa family, whose Maratha power rose to be a major political force. In 1818, Pune was taken over by the East India Company. Though the capital city of Maharashtra, Mumbai is attracts larger number of tourists, Pune is a popular tourist destination being the cultural capital of Maharashtra. Now, Pune has even gained fame as an important commercial and educational centre as well.

Most of the places to see and visit in Pune may not have been very famous, but that should not deter the tourists from visiting them. They have their own qualities that can be experienced only after seeing them. Most of the places to see in Pune are related to the Marathas, who at one point of time controlled much of the north and western India and challenged the might of Mughal Empire as well as that of British.

In the Maratha Kingdom, Pune was the centre of power and all the places around Pune reflect the might and glory of Marathas. Sinhagad, a hilltop fort, is the epitome of the bravery and cleverness of Maratha warriors. Raigad Fort was the place closely associated with the life and times of Shivaji, an icon of Maratha pride. Bhimashankar is a place known as much for its religious importance as for its natural surroundings. Jejuri has one of the most important temples in Maharashtra situated on a hilltop.

Pune may not be a cosmopolitan city as its upstart cousin on the coast, Mumbai, but it is a pleasant getaway for all those who want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Pune has a calm atmosphere, non-confronting people, and is certainly much more relaxed and peaceful than Mumbai. If you consider Maharashtra as a Marathi speaking state of India, then Pune can undoubtedly be called its capital, with its glorious past and high concentration of Marathi speaking people.

In the recent times the city of Pune became famous for being home to the Osho Commune International. The ashram attracts a large number of people to Pune from around the world to practice Osho's new-age meditation techniques. Pune is also an internationally renowned educational centre, being home to many institutions of repute like Film and Television Institute of India, Armed Forces Medical College, National Defence Academy and Symbiosis Educational Society.

HISTORY

Pune was early home of great Maratha warrior Shivaji and became the Maratha capital in 1750. For a brief period, Pune was under the control of Nizam of Hyderabad and later came under the British rule in 1817. The British tried to develop Pune as the summer capital of Maharashtra and a military cantonment. Today, Pune has lost much of its grandeur of Maratha period but the places around here are quite rich in heritage and natural beauty.

City Info

Altitude: 560 m above the sea level
Area: 146.11 sq. km
Climate: The climate of Pune is warm-humid with mean temperature 28-30o C in the summer and winters. Monsoon is prevalent from June to September.
Rainfall: N/A
Clothing: Summer - Light Cotton clothing. Winter - Light Wollens
Best Season: Throughout the year
Languages Spoken: Marathi, Hindi, English
Population: 1,566,651

Places of Interest

Agakhan Palace: One of the major tourist attractions in Pune is the Agakhan Palace. The claim to fame of the Agakhan Palace is the fact that the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi along with his wife Karturba Gandhi and Mahadeobhai Desai were imprisoned here in the year 1942, while participating in the "Quit India Movement". Amongst the must visit spots here are the marble memorials of Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadeobahi Desai who had breathed their last here.

Osho Commune International: The controversial ashram of Osho (also known as Rajnish) is located in Koregaon Park. It is a lush green 24-acre commune, described as the "spiritual Disneyland for disaffected First World yuppies" by the Wall Street Journal. A number of programs with special emphasis on new-age meditation are conducted here. This place is worth more than a visit in Pune.

Shaniwar Wada: Shaniwar Wada Palace is places to be seen in Pune. Balaji Rao (the grandfather of the last Peshwa) built it in 1736. Today, only the massive outer wall of the Palace is left as the rest of it was burnt down in 1827. During its glorious days, the palace used to be the multi-storey home of mighty Peshwas. The main entrance to this place is through iron-spiked Delhi Gate. The nearby street was used to punish people by getting them crushed by elephants.

Raja Denkar Kelkar Museum: Creation of the passionate efforts of a single person, Dr. D.G.Kelkar, the museum has a vast collection of unique and peculiar exhibits. The collection is eclectic and exceptional. In a pleasant change from the other well-known museums of India, the Raja Denkar Kelkar museum exhibits the diversity of India's culture in a subtle and delightful way. The elephant-shaped foot scrubber, a brass scorpion that reveals a secret lock and eight images of Lord Ganesha carved on a bean make it a place to see in Pune.

Pataleshwar Cave Temple: A marvelous respite from the bustle in Pune, Pataleshwar Cave Temple is quite elegant and exudes spirituality. Adding to the tranquility and beauty of the site is the circular stone gazebo (Nandi mapandapam) standing by the entrance of this small underground temple, which is a must visit place for the tourists to Pune.

Raj Bhavan: Raj Bhavan or the Government's House was built in the year 1866 and housed the government of Bombay Presidency during the colonial times in the summers. The building was impressively designed by James Trubshawe and is situated in Ganeshkhind. It is must visit place for all the tourists in Pune.

Saras Baug: A popular place in evenings in Pune, you can visit the sprawling green lawns and the famous Ganesh Temple constructed by Madhavrao Peshwa.

Kasturba Samadhi: Kasturba Samadhi is located near the Aga Khan Palace, now Gandhi National Museum. Kasturba was the wife of Mahatma Gandhi. She died at Aga Khan Palace, which was used to imprison Gandhi by the British. The samadhi contains the ashes of Kasturba.

Film and Television Institute of India: Situated in the Law College Street, Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) of Pune is one of the most prominent film schools in Asia. The institute has trained a good number of famed actors, directors, and technicians for the Hindi Film Industry. This place is worth visiting in Pune.

Sassoon Hospital: This is a Gothic-style building built in 1867. It is located near the railway station of Pune and a popular tourist attraction.

St Mary's Church: Located to the south of Sasoon Hospital (1825) in Pune, the St. Mary's church was consecrated by Bishop Heber, who toured the region in the 1830's.

Synagogue: The synagogue is located to the southwest of Sasoon Hospital and was built in 1867 by Sir David Sasoon. Also known as Lal Dewal, it has an attractive red building with coloured windows and a 90-ft tower to the north of the entrance. The tomb of Sir David Sassoon is located in the centre of the cemetery. This place is a must see in Pune.

Empress Garden: Empress Garden is located to the north of St Patrick's Cathedral. The place with a fine collection of tropical trees and a small zoo is a must visit in Pune.

How to get there

By Air

Flights available to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore and Ahmedabad from Pune Airport itself. Mumbai is the nearest International Airport to Pune.

By Rail

Pune is linked with Mumbai (170 km), Nasik (209 km), Aurangabad (230 km), Chennai (1,088 km), Delhi and other major cities of India. From Mumbai there are regular trains. The Shatabdi also operates from Mumbai to Pune. Another convenient train is the Deccan Queen. Other trains from Mumbai to Pune are Pragati Express and Indrayani Express.

By Road

The excellent road network connects Pune with most of the important cities in Maharashtra and India. The Mumbai-Pune Express Highway offers a safe and fast access between Mumbai and Pune. Pune is also well connected with Goa, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Shirdi, Bangalore, Indore, Hyderabad and Aurangabad through road.