PUNE
Pop:2.8 million Tel Area Code: 0212
Shivaji, the great Maratha leader, was raised in Pune, which was granted to his grandfather in 1599. Later it became the seat of power for the Brahmin Peshwa family until 1817 when it fell to the British and became their alternative capital during the monsoon. The city has a rather more pleasant climate than muggy Mumbai.
With fast (but Full) express commuter trains connecting Pune to Mumbai in less than four hours, many people who can't afford the sky-high prices of accommodation inn Mumbai commute daily between the two cities. As a result, the big-city influence has rubbed off on Pune, and fashion shops and fast-food outlets are constantly springing up. Pune boasts a prestigious university (styling itself as the `Oxford of the East'0, and is a mahjor industrial centre.
For many western visitors, the city's major attraction is the Osho Commune International, better known as the ashram of Bhagwan Rajneesh.
Orientation
The city is at the confluence of the Mutha and Mula rivers. The majority of hotels and restaurants are near the railway station, though there are a few close to the main bus terminal, Swargate, near Nehru Stadium.
Mahatma Gandhi Rd (MG Rd) is the city' s main street and is lined with banks, hotels, restaurants and hundreds of shoe shops. South-west of here, the streets narrow and take on the atmosphere of a traditional bazaar-town.
Information
The MTDC tourist office (ph 626867) stocks a colourful map of Pune (Rs 5) but nothing else. The tourist information counter at the railway station sells tickets for the MTDC's city and Mahabaleshwar bus tours. The monthly Tourist Guide of Pune (Rs 20), available in bookshops, is useless for what's-on information, but lists up-to-date hotel and transport prices, timetables and telephone number.
For fast foreign exchange service head to Thomas Cook (ph. 648188), 13 Thacker House, 2418 G Thimmaya Rd (between East St and MG Rd). It's open from 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday. The GPO on Connaught Rd is open from 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday.
The best bookshop is Manneys Booksellers, Clover Centre, 7 Moledian Rd (near the junction with MG Rd);it's open from 9am to 1pm and from 4 to 8 pm daily except Sunday . The Word Bookshop, downstairs at the Kumar Plaza in MG Rd, is also very good.
FotoFast, opposite the Hotel Aurora Towers on MG Rd, does one-hour film processing for Rs 30 plus Rs 3.25 per print.
Osho Commune International
Bhagwan Rajneesh's famous ashram (ph. 628562; fax 624181) is at 17 Koregaon Park, in a leafy northern suburb of Pune. Styling itself as a `spiritual health club', it has continued to prosper since the Bhagwan's death in 1990 and attract thousands of visitors each year. Facilities include a swimming pool, Sauna, tennis and basketball courts, massage and beauty parlour, bistro, bookshop and a five ha Zen garden (once a stinking swamp) known as Osho Teerth, open to the public from 6 to 9am and 7 to 10pm daily.
The commune's `Multiversity' runs a plethora of (expensive) courses in traditional meditation as well as New Age techniques. Those wishing to meditate at the commune must fill out an application form (commune must two passport photographs), prove HIV negative to an on-the-spot test given at the centre (Rs 125) and purchase three tunics (two maroon and on white). Meditation is then Rs 50 per day and you can come and go as you please. You must also arrange your own accommodation, outside the ashram.
Casual visitors can take a 45-minute video presentation and `tour' (Rs 60) of the commune at 10.30am and 2.30pm daily. It's mainly an introduction at the ashram, but it's also worhtwhile just to see hundreds of disaffected maroon-clad yuppies being individuals together. It's advisable to book ahead.
Raja Kelkar Museum
This fascinating museum is one of Pune's real delights. The exhibits are the personal collection of Shri Dinkar Gangadhar (aka Kaka Kelkar) who died in 1990. Among the 17,000 or so artworks and curios he collected over 70 years are Peshwa and other miniatures, a coat of armour made of fish scales, a bizarre collection of musical instruments, carved doors and windows, hookah pipes, strange locks, oil limps and a superb collection of betel-nut cutters, adorned brass footscrubbers, carved wooden noodle makers and hairdrying combs.
The `museum is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm daily; entry is Rs 5 for Indians and Rs 30 for foreigners. To get the most from your visit, ask one of the knowledgeable attendants to show you around. The MTDC's city tour visits the museum briefly.
Shaniwar Wada
The ruins of this imposing, fortress-like palace stand in the old part of the city where the narrow and winding streets form a veritable maze. Built in 1736, the palace if the Peshwa rulers burnt down in 1828, but the massive walls still remain. Today there is a unkempt two hectare garden inside and signs proclaiming which rooms used to stand where. The palace is entered through sturdy doors studded with spikes designed through sturdy doors enemy elephants from leaning too heavily against the entrance. In a near by street the Peshwa rulers used to execute offenders by having elephants trample them to death. Open daily from 8am to 6.30pm; entry is Rs2.
Pataleshvara Temple
Just across the river on Jangali Maharaj Rd is the wonderful rock-cut Pataleshvara Temple (aka Panchalesvara Cave), a small 8th century temple similar in style to the much grander rock temple at Elephanta but never completed. More importantly, it's an active temple. IN front of the excavation is a circular Nandi mandapam. Adjacent is the Jangali Maharaj (`Lord of the Jungle') temple, dedicated to a Hindu ascetic who died here in 1818.
Tribal Museum
Just south of the railway line and east of the railway station, this excellent museum (ph. 669471) documents the cultures of Maharashtran tribal communities, particularly those from the Sahyadri and Gondwana regions. It is open weekdays from 10am to 5pm. City but tours do not call here.
Gardens
The Empress Botanical Gardens have fine tropical trees and a small zoo nearby. The moated Saras Baug Ganesh Temple is in Peshwa Park and has dozens of food stalls at night. The Bund Gardens, on the banks of the river, are a popular place for an evening stroll. The bridge here crosses the river to Yerwada and the Gandhi National Memorial.
Parvarti Hill & Temple
The Parvati Temple is on the southern outskirts of the town on a hilltop. There's a good view from the top, where the last Peshwa ruler is said to have stood and watched whilst his troops suffered defeat at the hands of the British at Kirkee.
Gandhi National Memorial
Across the river in Yerwada is the fine memorial set in 6.5 ha of gardens. Built by Imamsultan Muhammad Sha Agakhan III in 1892, it was the Aga Khan's palace until 1956 after which it became a school. In 1969 it was donated to India by the Aga Khan IV.
After Mahatma Gandhi delivered his momentous Quit India resolution in Bombay in 1942, the British interned him and other leaders of India's independence movement here for nearly two years. Both Kasturba Gandhi, the Mahatma's wife, and Mahadoebhai Desai, his secretary for 35 years, died here during this period of imprisonment. Their ashes are kept in memorial tombs (samadhis) in the gardens.
A photographic exhibition details some of the highlights of Gandhi's long career, but it is the simple personal effects (including a pair of sandals and a thermos) and the personal tragedies of the Mahatma during this period that leave the deepest impression. Film buffs will recognise the building from the movie Gandhi.
The memorial is open from 9am to 5.45pm daily; entry is Rs 2. The city tour stops her for around 30 minutes.
Organised Tours
Bus tours of Pune leave from the railway station at 8am and 3pm daily take four hours and cost Rs 60. They cover all the main sights in a breathless rush. Book at the MTDC kiosk in the railway station's main hall.
Festivals
While Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated all over India, the festival is most extravagant at Mumbai and, in more recent years, at Pune. Traditionally a household affair, it was converted into a public celebration a century ago when the freedom fighter, Lokmanaya Tilak, used iut to unite the masses for the freedom struggle. Ganesh (or Ganpati as he's often affectionately called) is, after all, the remover of obstacles.
At the end of the 11day festival, plaster and clay images of Ganesh, some of them six meters high, are taken from homes and street mandals (shrines) and carried in huge processions to be immersed in water. In Mumbai this is done at Chowpatty Beach, in Pune it's done by the river.
The procession of Ganesh is the climax of the very popular Pune Festival- classical dance and music concerts, folkdance, a village festival including bullock cart races and wrestling. The opening ceremony features some of the country's best musicians and dancers, and is usually held around late Aug/early Sept, at which time Pune becomes very crowded.
Places to stay - bottom end
Most of the cheapies close to the railway station are fleapits, but there are some in the area known as
Wilson Gardens, directly opposite the station and behind the National Hotel, which are OK. There are good retiring rooms at the railway station.
Hotel Homeland( ph. 627158) Wilson Gardens, is a clean and efficient place in a bib old house. Some rooms have TV and air-con Rooms range from Rs195/260 to Rs 375/445, all with attached bath. There's hot water in the morning and a small restaurant.
Hotel Alankar (ph. 620484), also in Wilson Gardens, has uninspiring doubles for Rs 250 with attached bath
Hotel Lodge (ph. 622024), nearby, has rooms for Rs 100/135 or Rs 205/275 with attached bath
The National Hotel (ph. 625054), 14 Sassoon Rd, opposite the railway station, is the best choice in this range. Bha'I-run, it is a beautiful old mansion with verandahs and high ceilings (though some of the rooms have no windows). There are singles with common bath for Rs 100 and single/double/ triple/quad rooms with attached bath or cottages for Rs 200/270/320/370. Breakfast is available if ordered in advance; there's hot water in the morning only.
Hotel Shalimar (ph. 629191), around the corner in Connaught Rd, has endless numbers of singles/doubles with attached bath for Rs 180/210. Extras can bunk down on a mattress in the room for Rs. 50.
Grand Hotel (ph. 668728), at the quieter end of MG Rd, is a crumbling old place on private grounds. Singles (beds separated by partition walls) cost Rs 70 with common bath. The double rooms with attached bath are better and go for Rs 220. The hotel has its own beer bar, patio and restaurant.
The MTDC Hotel Saras (ph. 430499) is handy if you want to be near Swargate bus terminal for an early morning getaway. It has decent singles/doubles starting at Rs 200/250.
Places to Stay-middle
Hotel Gulmohr(ph.622773), 15a/1 Connaught Rd, at the bottom of this range, is within easy walking distance of the railway station. Rooms start at Rs 230/350 or at Rs 450/650 with air-con , some with a small balcony. There's hot water 24 hours a day, and a bar.
Hotel Ashirwad (ph. 628585), 16 Connaughts Rd, is also close to the station and offers spacious rooms with balcony from Rs 495/600 or Rs 700/850 with air-con. Rooms have direct-dial phone and Star TV. There's a restaurant with good vegetarian food but no bar.
Hotel Amir (ph. 621841), next door at No 15, us seemingly modeled on a prison cellblock and some are shabby and dark. Facilities include a bar, restaurants (veg and non-veg), coffee shop and a dreary shopping arcade. Rooms cost from Rs 795/1045, all with air-con.
Hotel Woodland (ph. 626161) is five minutes walk from the station, off Sadhiu Vaswani Circle, and has a range of will-maintained rooms from Rs 750/850. There's an attached `multi- cuisine vegetarian restaurant' and the hotel also offers complimentary airport transfers.
Hotel Sunderban (ph. 624949 fax 623535), 19 Koregaon Park, next door to the ashram, is beautifully kept and the best place to stay if you're visiting Osho or just wanting to soak up the New Age vibes. If a compulsory HIV test and maroon garb don't appeal, you could always meditate in the hotel's will tended gardens. There are a wide variety of rooms available from US$13.
Places to Stay- top end
Hotel Saga Plaza (ph 622622; fax 622633), 1 Bund Garden Rd, off Moledian Rd, has air-con rooms from Rs 1600/1900-2100/2600. Facilities include a bar, coffee shop, specialty restaurant, small swimming pool and bookshop.
Hotel Aurora Towers (ph 631818; fax 631826), 9 Moledina Rd at the junction of MG Rd, is also fully air-conditioned and has standard rooms for Rs 15500/1850 and deluxe doubles for Rs 2450; suites start at Rs 3295. Facilities include a shopping arcade, rooftop swimming pool with views over the city, bar, two restaurants and a 24-hour coffee shop.
Hotel Blue Diamond (ph. 625555; fax 627755), Koregaon Rd, is a five star hotel just 10 minutes walk from the Osho ashram. Rooms start from Rs 2200/2500.
Hotel Executive Asoks (ph 59617; fax 57391) at 5 University Rd, Sivajinagar, is similarly priced, and handy to the university and colleges west of the city.
Places to Eat
Sagar Restaurant, on the corner of Sassoon and Connaught Rds, is a big, clean place serving vegetarian meals from Rs 25. You can get toast and tea here for breakfast.
Hotel Neelam and Hotel Preetam, next door, are more intimate and offer reasonably priced veg and non-veg Indian and part western dishes. The Preetam also serves cold beer.
The Sidewalk cafes just south of the GPO are a good place to go in the evening for a cheap meal. They offer a variety of foods and could drinks.
Siddarths vegetarian restaurant, on the south side of Moledina Rd towards MG Rd, serves a variety of Punjabi and Chinese dishes and fresh juices on its open terrace.
The Place;
Touche The Sizzler, just down the street, is a two tier ari-con restaurant which specialises in sizzlers but also offers Indian, tandoori and continental dishes (Rs 70 to 100). The homemade orange marmalade ice cream (Rs 45) is delicious!
The part open-air Kabir's opposite, offers cheaper Indian, Mughlai and tandoori dishes, as well as vegetarian pizzas and burgers. Both The Place and Kabir's serve cold beer.
The Coffee House, also of Moledina Rd, is a trendy hangout and definitely the place to be seen.
Cafetarium, in the atrium of the Sunder Plaza on MG Rd, is another spot for coffee and even a plate of pasta or a burger. It's open from 11am to 11pm.
Snowball, nearby does a brisk trade in ice cream, milkshakes and juices.
Kohinoor Restaurant, a little further south on MG Rd, is always busy at lunchtime, serving thalis for Rs 18 and a range of other delicious veg meals.
Cosmic Enterprises German Bakery (a place you'll end up sooner or later if you're visiting Osho) is good for a fruit lassi (try the papaya), a half- decent cappuccion, and delicious pastries (oh yes, and lots of hugs!).
Zen Restaurant is right behind- just the ticket after a ling day of zazen. There's always an interesting international crowd of Osho sanyasins at these places.
Getting There & Away
Air The Indian Airlines office (ph. 140 or 141)is at 39 Dr B Ambedkar Rd, the main road to Mumbai. Air India (ph. 628190) is at 4 Hermeskunj Mangaldas Rd. NEPC Airlines' contact number is ph. 625932.
Indian Airlines flies daily to Delhi (US$ 165), and four times weekly to Bangalore (US$ 115) and Chinnai(US$ 140). NEPC flies to Bangalore (US$ 123) and Chennai (US$ 163) three times a week, and has two to three flights daily Mumbai (US$ 70).
Bus: Pune has three bus terminals; the Pune railway station terminal for points south including Goa, Belgaum, Kolhapur, Mahabaleswar and Punchgani; the Shrvaji Nagar terminal for points north and north-east-Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Lonavla and Nasik; and the Swargate terminal for Sinhagad, Bangalore, Mangalore and Mumbai.
The MSRTC buses ten to be pretty rough and most travellers prefer to use the railway systerm. There are also plenty of private deluxe buses to most nearby centres but beware of going through agents as you may find yourself dumped on a regular MSRTC bus, Try Bright Star Tours & Travels (ph. 629666), Sadhu Waswani Square (the office is not signpossted - it's insided the petrol station).
Train: Pune is one of the Deccan's most important railway stations and all express and booking hall is to the left of the station as you face the entrance. For enquiries call 626575.
The Deccan Aueen and Pragati Express are fast commuter trains to Mumbai and are heavily subscribed. Other expresses and mail trains to Mumbai take four to five hours.
If you're heading for Matheran, the only express train, which stops at Neral, is the Sahyadri Express, which leaves at 7.35am. See the Matheran section for further detials.
Taxi: Long - distance share taxis (ph.629657) (four passengers) connect Pune with Dadar in Mumbai around the clock. They leave from the taxi stand in front of Pune railway station and cost Rs 185 per person for the four-hour trip. A similar service operates from Shivaji Nagar railway station to Nasik (Rs 180) and Aurangabad (Rs 220); call 323060 for bookings.
Getting Around
The Airport : The airport is eight km north-east of the city. Indian Airline operates and airport bus which departs from Hotel Amir and costs Rs 20 one way. An auto - richshaw will cost Rs 35; a taxi , Rs 50.
Bus: Local bises are relatively uncrowded. The bus you are most likely to use is the No. 4, which runs from the bus terminal at Pune railway station to Swargate via the Shivaji Nagar terminal. The Marathi number `4' looks like an `8' with a gap at the top.
Auto - Rickshaws: Auto - rickshaws are plentiful and the best option for most trips around town. Official rates arte around Rs4 per km (or around 4 times the rate shown on the out - of- date meters), but in most cases you'll need to negotiate a fare before you set off on you trip.
Bicycle: Many of Pune's students get around by bicycle but be warned - Pune has some of the most maniacal drivers in India. Bikes con be rented from most of the bicycle shops around town or from the stall near the entrance to the National Hotel. |
