Pune
Pune is located in Maharashtra, India. It is the second largest city in the state and is considered the state’s cultural capital. The most outstanding aspect of Pune and its people is the sound balance they have maintained between modernity and their age-old rich culture and tradition. Now you probably know why they call it the ‘Cultural Capital of Maharashtra’ as well as ‘The Oxford of the East.’
Pune contains the headquarters of an administrative division officially known as the Pune division. The city houses a large number of student population which makes for a lively nightlife and vibrant atmosphere, the Film and Television Institute of India being the most famous.
Pune has a glorious history of nearly 1600 years. The Pataleshwar caves (Near JM Road) from 5th century are an evidence for Pune’s old settlements. It also has some fantastic restaurants, good museums and is well known for its surrounding hill forts which offer panoramic bird’s-eye views.
This city now counts amongst the most developed cities of India, thanks to the much more open-minded people unlike what it used to be - very traditional and conservative. One can easily visit places of interest in Pune by hiring autorickshaw, private taxis or by taking buses.
Places of interest
Osho Commune
One of the major attractions of the city is Osho Commune International, an ashram set up by Rajneesh Osho for teaching meditation. With the arrival of the Osho, Pune earned international recognition. Thousands of people from more that 100 countries visit the resort every year. The resort presents a perfect ambience for meditation and introspection. Osho Teerth, a beautiful garden is an important place on the itinerary of Pune visitors. It is a major contribution to the environment of westside Pune. It has also the won the award of ‘Pune’s Pride.’ The city also serves as the base from where people visit the Shirdi temple, known for housing the samadhi temple of Sri Sai Baba.
Shindyanchi Chhatri
One of the greatest architectural beauties of the city is the Shindyanchi Chhatri, situated in Wanowrie. It is a memorial dedicated to the great soldier, Mahadji Shinde. The memorial complex also consists of a temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, which was built by Mahadji himself, in the year 1794. He left for the holy abode the same year and in 1965, Madhavrao Sindhia got the entire complex built, along with the samadhi (memorial). The major attraction of the Shinde Chatri is its exquisite architecture, reflecting the style used in Rajasthan, India. Even years after its construction, the memorial retains its architectural designs and beauty and seems to be totally unaffected by time.
Other places of interest:
Aga Khan Palace or Gandhi National Memorial
The climate here is moderate through most part of the day; the nights are significantly cooler than most other parts in this region owing to its high altitude.
Know more about Pune - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pune
Hotels at Pune - http://www.pune.org.uk/hotels/5-star-hotels.html
