Pune Destination Guide

If you've been to Mumbai and Delhi, you probably expect every Indian city to be as busy and as reckless. And then you arrive at Pune - a small charming city, filled with two-wheelers, quieter crowds and leafy avenues. The army cantonment area has a more refined setup, and a more formally laid out infrastructure. Pune is the 'new age' nucleic modern Indian city, rising through to cinch better deals with global heavy-weights. The economic boom is significant and the technological advancements, prolific. All of these are indications that Pune has come of Age - regrouping to meet international standards while society witnesses the rise of modern suburbia!

Connoisseurs of food, lovers of ethnic flavours, and music buffs can revel in the offerings of Pune. The Cantonment area offers pubs and nightclubs to those who like bright lights. Rock shows and musical concerts from Western groups happen all around the year. Summer brings with it recurrent beauty pageants and rain dances.

Our Pune destination guide together with our tour suggestions will tell you all you need to know about the best places to visit in Pune. We also have some useful travel information for your India holiday. Let us guide you through incredible India with our local suggestions.

We recommend you check out the Pune travel information from fellow travellers on the RealTravel web site.

You can also check out all the local exciting things to see and do in these other great India destinations:

- Chennai
- Delhi & Agra
- Goa
- Jaipur
- Karnartaka
- Kerala
- Mumbai

Things to See & Do in Pune

Emergency Numbers
Police - 100
Fire - 101
Ambulance - 102
Police Control Room - 2612 2880

Hopsitals
Jehangir Hospital - 2605 0550
KEM Hospital - 2612 5600
Ruby Hall Clinic - 2612 3391
Sassoon Hospital - 2612 8000

Ambulance Service
Ruby Hall Clinic - 2612 3391
Coloumbus - 2553 1146 / 2553 2630
Sai Ambulance - 2695 9308 / 2695 9208
Shivsena Rugnavahika - 2612 4848
YCM - 2742 3456

MTDC Tourist Office
Central Building, "I" Block, Pune 400 001
Tel: 668897, 669169
Telex: 145-697MTDC IN

MTDC Pune Railway station - 2668 9428
MTDC Local Sight seeing tours - 2444 0417 extn 257 or 255

Currency Exchange
The best place to change money by far is Thomas Cook, Thakkar House, off East St (between East St and M G road). It is open during normal business hours and on Saturday morning until 12.30 pm.

Watch mushy English films at any of the three theatres on Moledina Road – West End Cinema, Empire Cinema or Connaught Road. You can catch some Bollywood action at West End post noon. For those inclined to the more serious type films, visit the Film and Television Institute of India on Law College Road. This institute is also reputed for its illustrated alumni. Membership is required to watch movies here. Indian forms of dance, music and drama are performed at the Bal Gandharva Theatre on Jangli Maharaj Road and the Nehru Memorial Hall at the Cantonment. The Times of India gives you the schedules and listings in detail in their Pune Plus segment.

Sports buffs can hire tennis courts. Head for the WIE complex, Deccan Gymkhana or the Ladies Club to play badminton and table tennis. The Law College swimming club and the SP College swimming club issue a daily or monthly pass. Near Pune and easy to get to is the Panshet Dam. It offers water sports like wind surfing and kayaking, thanks to their new aquatic sports complex. Water scooters and speed boats can be driven in separate enclosures. Lodgings are limited nevertheless available.

MTDC offers a four hour conducted tour of the important tourist attractions in Pune. Tours leave daily at 8.00am and 3.00pm and tickets can be purchased at the MTDC offices and the railway stations counters.

Imamsultan Muhammad Shah Agakhan III built this marvellous palace with Italian arches in 1892. Agakhan IV bequeathed it to India in 1969. Following the Quit India Resolution, Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba Gandhi and other leaders were confined here for almost two years by the British. The main aspects of the life and occupation of Gandhi are displayed in an exhibition.
Open: 9.00am–5.30pm.

Osho Rajneesh, the founder of the Osho Commune, was one of the most well known self-declared gurus of India. He established an Ashram at 17, Koregaon Park. The Ashram arranges meditation courses that attract a large number of visitors to the Commune. Osho passed away in 1990, and there is a Samadhi in his memory in the Ashram.

Things to See and Do at the Commune
Saunter through the landscaped gardens that are open for public viewing both in the morning and evening. You could also pamper yourself at the beauty and massage parlour, sauna, swimming pool, and basketball and tennis courts.

The Peshwa rulers formerly reigned over the land from the Shaniwar Wada palace, which was constructed in 1736. In 1827 the fort was destroyed by a massive fire but the colossal walls have nonetheless remained intact.
Open: 8am–6.30pm.

These 18th century temples are carved from one enormous rock. A Nandi bull, a shrine to Shiva and massive pillars are the highlights of these temples. The Jangali Maharaj Temple which was built in honour of a Hindu monk is also situated close by.
Location: City centre, Shivaji Nagar, and Jangali Maharaj Road.

Atop a hill, in the southern suburbs you can find the 17th century Parvati temples. Old manuscripts, coins, weaponry and sketches of the Peshwa kings are displayed in the Parvati museum. You can also find temples dedicated to Kartikeya and Ganapati.

Atop a hillock beside Senapati Bapat Road lies the Chaturshrungi Temple. Throughout the Navaratri festival that occurs for nine days in October, this temple attracts devotees in thousands.

A personal collection of about 17000 artefacts of Indian origin accumulated by Shri Dinkar Gangadhar over 7 decades is displayed here. Split into 36 sections, the exhibits include carved doors of the palace, miniatures, antiques and a collection of musical instruments and lamps from the Maratha and Mughal eras.
Business hours: 8.30am–5.30pm.

The Gondwana and Shayadri area and other Maharashtrian tribal communities have their culture documented in this museum.
Location and business hours: Near Pune Railway station; 10am–5:00pm on weekdays.

Kesari Wada is home to the Kesari newspaper founded by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Among the many valuable documents found here is the first national flag of India which Madam Cama unfurled.

Each evening people swarm in here to enjoy a leisurely walk amid greenery and fresh air. A narrow little path from here leads you to Peshwe Park. The Pune Municipal Corporation runs a zoo here, filled with wild animals of different breeds. The boating and the elephant and toy-train rides are most inviting! The Peshwa Park also houses the Saras Baug Ganesh temple.

Along the right hand side banks of the river Mula Mutha lies the Bund Garden. It offers boating and a good jogging track. Built by Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy, it is today called Mahatma Gandhi Udyan. A bridge across the river leads to the Gandhi National Memorial.

This lake is an ornithologist’s delight as it attracts masses of migratory birds who visit this spot frequently. It is also the permanent habitat of numerous other birds.
Location: 12km out of main city area, branching out from the road leading to the National Defence Academy.

The Katraj Snake Park has a zoo in addition to an assortment of turtles, birds and reptiles.

A little zoo and a delightful array of tropical trees make up this garden.