Queen of the Deccan, Oxford of the East, and cultural capital of Maharashtra, Pune is a city with a future that promises to be as interesting as its history.
Long-standing bastion of the Maratha empire and home to the legendary Raja Shivaji, the Pune district is marked by magnificent land and forts, testimony to its glorious past.
After Shivaji, the early 18th century saw the emergence of the Peshwas, a Maratha family that grew from being ministers at the court into a major political power over the next few decades. However, after the battle of Panipat in 1761, the Maratha empire began to decline and in 1818, Pune was taken over by the British East India Company.
Today, Pune is the centre of traditional Marathi culture, in which education, arts and crafts, and theatre are given pride of place.
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Shopping
Pune is a shopaholic’s paradise. The shopping areas in Pune stocks an eclectic collection of wares-from traditional Kolhapuri Chappals to electronic goods.
The shopping areas in Pune reflect the booming economy of the city. The shopping areas in Pune are thriving due to the emergence (and continuance) of the city as a major industrial zone. Pune is the base of the world’s largest two wheeler manufacturing company-Bajaj Auto. Other automobile majors that have set up base in the city include the likes of Tata Motors and Force Motors. This ‘old sector’ business concerns provide mass employment; which in turn provides an economic incentive to the establishment of budget shopping areas in Pune.
Pune has also seen substantial investments in the Information Technology (IT) sector. Many Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies have set up servicing centers in Pune city. This investments has led to the rise in disposable income among the Information Technology professionals working in Pune. This economic rise has helped the emergence of premium shopping malls and classy top notch shopping areas in Pune
The shopping areas in Pune caters to a wide economic swathe of people; you can find the item of your choice available in the price of your choice in Pune!
- MG Road: A variety of items could be purchased at MG Road. Shoes, clothing, pans and other items are available here.
- Tulsi Baug: Tulsi Baug is located on Bajirao Road. This market is popular with the middle classes for its reasonably priced garments and shoes.
Food:
Traditional Cuisine:
In food, as in all else, Pune believes in tradition. All-time Maharashtrian favourites include Puran Poli (a paratha stuffed with jaggery and dal), Aamti (masala dal), and Alu chi Vadi (steamed arbi leaves, fried in an unusual sweet and spicy masala). Also popular are the wholesome Pithla Bhakri, Varan Bhat, Matki Ki Usal and Thali Pith.
Summer Special:
Mangoes, in all their range of colour, flavour and recipe!! From tangy green through flamboyant orange to delicate pink, the summer in Pune flaunts the fruit in a glorious splash of vibrant colour. May is the best time of year for the famed Alphonso, but other succulent varieties are available through most of the summer and early monsoon. And although the ultimate Maharashtrian dessert amras is best made from the pulp of fresh mangoes, there are others that are available throughout the year – mango barfi, amrakhand (mango yogurt), mango poli, aam papad. the list goes on.
The Kayani Bakery:
Probably one of the best-known bakeries in the country. Their range of biscuits includes Brazil Nut and Ginger, but what they are really famous for is the Shrewsberry variety. They bake two lots of Shrewsberry biscuits in a day, once in the late afternoon and once at around dawn. Both lots are sold out within a few minutes. If you’re looking for further testimony to the quality of these biscuits, the queue outside the bakery in the small hours of the morning says it all.
Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale:
Few tourists leave Pune without a sizable parcel of bhakarwadis from Chitale Bandhu. This shop is also popular for its fresh shrikhand, pedhas and modaks.
Laxmi Narayan Chiwda:
While the Chitales also make a great chiwda, the real specialists are the Laxmi Narayan Chiwda people. Laxmi Narayan Chiwda is now available across the globe, but Pune is where it comes from.
The Pune Food Festival:
Held during the summer, the Pune Food Festival presents varieties of food from all over India.
How To Reach
Air:
Pune Airport is an international airport at Lohegaon, operated by the Airports Authority of India. It shares its runways with the neighbouring Indian Air Force base. In addition to domestic flights to all major Indian cities, this airport serves international direct flights to Dubai (operated by Air India Express) and to Frankfurt (operated by Lufthansa).
Rail:
Local trains (EMUs) connect Pune to the industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad and the hill station of Lonavala, while daily express trains connect Pune to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Nagpur, Kanpur, Howrah, Jammu Tawi, Chennai, Bangalore, Goa, Varanasi, Patna, and Jamshedpur.
Road:
Pune is well-connected to other cities by Indian highways and state highways. National Highway 4 (NH 4) connects it to Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolhapur. NH 9 to Hyderabad, and NH 50 to Nashik. State highways connect it to Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, and Alandi.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India’s first six-lane high-speed expressway, was built in 2002, and has reduced travel time between Pune and Mumbai to almost two hours. A ring road is being planned for the convenience of heavy traffic.
Entertainment
Entertainment in Pune can be of various types-starting from going out for the latest Bollywood movie hits, it can be window-shopping in the big shopping malls of the city and even small walks down the beautiful parks. Entertainment in Pune also takes into account the various possibilities of sports and recreation that the tourists love to indulge in while on a tour to this beautiful city. There are also a lot of places which you can go sightseeing to and, added to all these, there is also an active nightlife that will keep you rocking even hours after the city has fallen asleep.
Cinema in Pune:
Entertainment in Pune is also at its peak at all times of the year. Lovers of art and culture find cinema in Pune to be forever at its best.
Sports and Recreation in Pune:
Among the many options for Sports and Recreation in Pune are the Amusement Parks. Very popular among locals and tourists is Splash Mountain Water Park at Ashok Mall Bund on Garden road.