Page 476 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

474  SOUTHWESTERN INDIA

Park in the north of the city. gardens, such as Empress
The flamboyant pop mystic, Botanical Gardens and Bund
or “sex guru” as he was Gardens. Pune is the centre
called, had a meteoric rise of Maratha culture, with a lively
in the West. Even after his tradition of theatre, classical
demise in 1990, his well- music and dance. It is also
appointed ashram continues an important university town
to attract devotees from and is home to the prestigious
Europe and America. government-run Film and
Housed in a traditional Television Institute of India and
Maratha house or wada, the National Film Archive of India.
is the charming privately
owned Raja Dinkar Kelkar Environs
Museum. On display is About 24 km (15 miles) south-
a collection of beautiful west is the National Defence
everyday objects such Academy, the training school
as pots, lamps, pens, ink for army, navy and air force
stands, nutcrackers, and cadets, at Khadakvasla. Further
The sprawling campus of Pune University other utilitarian items. southwest are the forts of
An interesting piece is a Rajgad and Sinhgad (the “Lion
6 Pune Maharashtrian Chitrakathi scroll Fort”). The latter is associated
painting, which was used in folk with Shivaji’s general, Tanaji
Pune district. 163 km (101 miles)
SE of Mumbai. * 3,124,500. theatre performances. Malusare. According to legend,
~ 12 km (7 miles) NE of city centre, The Tribal he tied strong
then , shuttle bus, taxi or auto. £ Museum, east of ropes to monitor
@ n Maharashtra Tourism, I Block, the railway station, lizards, made the
Central Bldg, (020) 2612 6867. showcases the creatures stick
_ Ganesha Chaturthi (Aug/Sep). state’s tribal cultures, to the fort walls
especially from with their adhesive
The fast-growing, industrial city the Sahyadri and A Warli painting from Raja foot pads, and
of Pune is situated on the Deccan Gondwana regions. Dinkar Kelkar Museum thus scaled the
Plateau, at the confluence of The Aga Khan walls and managed
the Mutha and Mula rivers, and Palace, across the Mula river to to capture the fort.
is bounded by the Sahyadris in the north of the city, is where
the west. Its pleasant climate and Mahatma Gandhi was E Osho International
prox imity to Mumbai made it the imprisoned by the British for Commune
perfect monsoon capital for two years; today, it is the Gandhi Tel (020) 6601 9999. Open daily. & 8
the British in the 19th cen tury. National Memorial. Gandhi’s E Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum
Then called Poona, it became an wife, Kasturba, died here, and 1378, Shukrawar Peth.
important administrative centre her ashes have been interred Tel (020) 2447 4466. Open daily.
and military cantonment. Even in a memorial in the gardens. Closed public hols. &
today, the Indian army’s Southern Other places of interest in the
Command is based here. city include St Mary’s Church, a E Tribal Museum
Pune was also the childhood fine garrison structure consecrated 28 Queen’s Garden, off Koregaon Rd.
home of the Maratha leader, in 1825; the rock-cut Pataleshwar Open Mon–Sat. Closed public hols.
Shivaji. From 1750 until 1817, it Cave Temple, dating from the E Aga Khan Palace
was the capital of the Maratha 8th century; the Parvati Temple Ahmednagar Rd. Tel (020) 2668
Confederacy and was ruled by perched on a hilltop; and fine 0250. Open daily. &
the Peshwas. The remains of their
Shaniwar Wada Palace is in the
old city. Built in 1736, the palace
was razed in a fire in 1828. Only
its outer walls and the main
entrance with large spikes,
designed to deter the enemy’s
elephants, survive. Further
south is Vishram Bagh Wada,
a beautiful Peshwa palace with
an elaborate wooden façade.
For many visitors, Pune is
synonymous with the famous
Osho International Commune
founded by Bhagwan Rajneesh
or Osho, and situated at Koregaon Vishram Bagh Wada, a Peshwa palace in the heart of the old city
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp700–701 and p715

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