Tuesday, July 19

Top 7 Tourist Places to Visit in Pune - Updated 2022 with Photos

Top 7 Tourist Places to Visit in Pune

Pune is a sprawling city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. It was once the base of the Peshwas (prime ministers) of the Maratha Empire, which lasted from 1674 to 1818. It's known for the grand Aga Khan Palace, built in 1892 and now a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, whose ashes are preserved in the garden. The 8th-century Pataleshwar Cave Temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. 

Shaniwar Wada Palace, Parvati Hill, Aga Khan Palace, Vetal Tekdi, Pashan Lake, Shinde Chhatri, Peacock Bay, Osho Ashram, Khadakwasla Dam, Empress Garden, Rajmachi, Mulshi Lake and Dam, David Synagogue, Dagdusheth Halwai Temple, Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, National Defence Academy, Adlabs Imagica and many more.

You can find a long list that follows and varies as per the choice of the person looking and the one who is recommending. But there is one thing we can agree on, and that is how Pune is the perfect place to spend your time and enjoy it all. Surrounded by many mesmerizing attractions, the city of Pune is no less attracted to many coming from outside, sometimes from even as close Mumbai to enjoy their weekends.

Amongst the most famous of tourist places in Pune, there are some, that just stand out clearly from the rest. Be it the Shaniwar Wada Palace that has seen some of the most intense and prosperous times in the history of the area, or be it the heights of the Parvati and Vetal hills in the region, offering mesmerizing views of the areas around. So the next time you are in Pune for whichever reasons, these are the places you should definitely be hitting.
 

1.Shaniwar Wada Palace 

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Shaniwar Wada a 13 storey palace of Peshwas was built by Bajirao-I, in the year 1736.It was head quarter of the Peshwas and it symbolizes Pune’s culture.The structure was built giving security the highest priority. The main entrance is known as ‘Delhi Darwaja’ & others have names like Ganesh, Mastani, Jambhal, Khidki. The statue of Bajirao-i on horse in front of Shniwarwada. In side one can see Ganesh Mahal, Rang Mahal, Aarsa Mahal, Hasti_Dant Mahal, Diwan Khana and fountain. A light and music show is conducted every day showing history of Peshwas.

The palace was the seat of Peshwa power and later was destroyed by a fire in 1828. All that remails are the walls that fortified this palace, with sturdy doors, studded with spikers for added protection.

 2. Aga Khan Palace

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Yet another amazing landmark and one of the famous places to visit in Pune with friends is the Aga Khan Palace which was built by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III in 1892. In the history of India, this palace placed itself on a prominent space as one of the biggest landmarks in India. As an act of charity, the palace existed and the Sultan who built it wanted to help the poor in the region. 

The mighty monument is an important part of Pune tourism and is also considered to be a sparkling jewel in Indian history which had a close connection with the Indian freedom movement since it served as a prison for Mahatma Gandhi and his wife, his secretary, and Sarojini Naidu. Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai, the secretary died in this palace.

Archaeological Survey of India declared the palace as a monument of national importance in the year 2003. Aga Khan, the brilliant mind behind the birth of this majestic monument donated the palace to the Indian people as a mark of respect to Gandhi and his philosophy in 1969 and currently, the palace holds itself the vast collection of memories and it is a memorial on Gandhi where his ashes were kept. In the later years, the prominence of the palace started diminishing and the authorities neglected the importance of the monument and thus was becoming unattended as well. 

The palace is exactly situated about 2 kilometers away from Bund Garden in Yerwada on Pune Nagar Road. The palace presents Utalian arches and a huge lawn at the front and it houses five falls. The total area in which the palace is situated in 19 acres including the lawn and other spaces. 

Aga Khan Palace is one of the important places in Pune to visit which is an important archive as well that showcases the number of photos and portraits of the life of Mahatma Gandhi and other important figures of the Indian freedom struggle. It acts as the headquarters of the Gandhi National Memorial Society.

Entry timings: You can visit the palace on all days from 09:00 am to 05:30 pm.

Entry fee: For Indian nationals, the entry fee is INR 5, whereas for foreign nationals it is INR 100.

Location: Pune Nagar Road, Kalyani Nagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411014.

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3. Dagdusheth Halwai Temple 

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A famous Ganesha temple in Pune is Shreemath Dagdusheth Halwai Temple which is a major attraction in Maharashtra. The temple is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. The annual ten-day celebrations named Ganeshotsav is the main festival conducted at the temple when celebrities and ministers arrive to pay tribute to the Lord. The main idol is insured for a sum of Rs.10 million and it is one of the very famous places in Pune and one of the amazing places to visit in Pune with family.

Dagadusheth Halwai was the founder of the temple who was a trader, businessman and a sweet maker. He was from Karnataka and settled in Pune long ago. But his son died due to an epidemic and afterwards he and his wife fell into steep depression and to heal themselves, they were advised to build a Ganesh temple by their Guru Shri Madhavnath Maharaj.

The construction of the temple was finished in1893. The great leader Lokmanya Tilak was a contemporary of Dagdusheth and a close friend of him. He had the idea of celebrating Ganesh festival at the temple and then onwards, it became an epoch-making event. The beautiful temple has Jay and Vijay, the two sentinels made of marble attracts the millions of hearts coming to visit the temple. The temple was constructed very simply so that the idol of Ganesha can be seen from outside. The idol is huge with 7.5 feet height and 4 feet width. It was made more beautiful by adding nearly 8 kilogrammes of gold. Devotees of the temple offered money and gold regularly and heaps of coconuts are also a special offer done by the people.

Entry timings: The temple is open on all days from 06:00 am to 11:00 pm.

Entry fee: There is no entry fee to be paid to enter the temple. Special poojas and offerings may cost differently.

Location: Ganpati Bhavan, 250, Budhvar Peth, Shivaji Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411002.

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4. Osho Ashram 

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Osho Ashram is one of the famous tourist places in Pune located in the Koregaon Park. The founder of the ashram was Rajneesh Chandra Mohan Jain who is famous among the people as Osho Rajneesh. The ashram has got another title as Osho Commune International of Pune and it is spread across 32 acres of land. Those who are eagerly waiting to escape into the laps of peace and tranquillity will fall in love with this ashram which is existing on a land of pure serenity and greenery and it offers the much-awaited break from the hustle and bustle of the city pollution and crowd. Currently, the ashram is perhaps the most visited tourist destination after it achieved fame among the tourists coming to Pune as well.

One of the most peaceful visiting places in Pune with calm surroundings that is the major factor contributing to the exciting crowd pulling the ashram holds. Space is undoubtedly dedicated to yoga and meditation that promise the visitors a rejuvenating experience, letting the body and soul preserve the natural features of being peaceful and calm. The ashram offers a lot of training programmes of different kinds based on the visitor’s choice. The programmes are on spiritual living and stress-free lifestyle and they are conducted at regular intervals. The important ones are Osho Nadabrahma, Osho Kundalini meditation, normal meditation, Osho Nataraj, Osho dynamic meditation and so on. The ashram is promised to keep on the legacy portrayed by the great guru Osho and it teaches his concepts and ideologies to the visitors. Osho Multiversity is another part of the ashram that provides extensive methods for personal development. 

There you will get knowledge of healing arts, creative arts, martial arts, esoteric sciences, Sufism and much more. Also, on every month, there will be meditation camps are conducted on second Friday that has a duration of three days. Spiritual Disneyland is the name the ashram possesses since hundreds of people come here to rediscover themselves as along with the meditation, it offers a range of multiple facilities like massages, beauty therapies, sauna, swimming pool, tennis etc. Counted as Pune best places, gardens in the Ashram are open to the public every day during morning and evening hours.

Entry timings: The ashram is open on all days from 06:00 am to 10:30 pm.

Entry fee:

   -Rs.870 per person for Indians for 1 day and 2-day entry tickets.
   -Rs.1790 per person for foreigners for 1 day and 2-day entry tickets.
   -3 day and 4-day tickets are discounted by 15% around.
   -5-day entry tickets have discounts of 25% approximately and 30-day tickets will have a discount of about 40%.

Location: 17, Koregaon Park Road, Vasani Nagar, Koregaon Park, Pune, Maharashtra 411001.

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5.Vetal Tekdi 

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A prominent hill in the city limits of Pune is Vetal Hill which is the highest point at an elevation of 2600 feet and one of the unforgettable places to see in Pune. Vetala temple is also located on the top of the hill and that is how the hill got its name as Vetal Hill. Adventure seekers come here in plenty to escape from the hustles and bustles of the city and it is a great morning trek location and it is one of the best places to visit in Pune.

Near the temple, there is an observation desk set up by the Indian Forest Department. Vetal Tekdi is the Marathi name and from the hilltop, one can watch the Pune city as a whole on a clear day. The hill is a part of Bhamburda Van Vihar on the western side of Pune Municipal Corporation and an important part of Pune Tourism.

Vetal Tekdi has two spurs named Fergusson College Hill and Chatturshrungi Hill. There is one access road that takes people up the hill from the south. Also, a public parking lot is located along the road but the access to it is restricted to between 08:30 am and 05:30 pm. The area has been undergoing some anthropogenic activities for last some years- plantation of many exotic species, urban development, deforestation etc are a few of the activities that make the hill important.

Currently, Vetal Hill is an area protected by the India Forestry Department and the State Forest Department and Pune Municipal Corporation have done a lot of afforestation programmes on a large scale and thus now the hill accommodates different species of flora and fauna. If you plan to trek to the hill, you will be exploring Pune best places here. However, carry drinking water and snacks on the trek. There are three ways or direction to reach the hill; from Kothrud, Pashan, Chaturshringi.

Entry timings: There is no particular timing to visit the hill but it is advised to trek up the hill before dawn to enjoy the beautiful sunrise and the unbeatable serenity.

Entry fee: No entry fee is applicable to trek the hill up.

Location: Pashan, Pune 411038, Maharashtra.

 6. Lal Mahal 

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Lal Mahal is one of the famous tourist places in Pune which has another name as Red Palace. It is a beautiful monument established in 1630 AD by Shivaji Maharaj’s father Shahaji Bhosale for his wife and son. Shivaji Maharaj lived here for a long time until the time he captured his first fort. 

The original one had undergone several destructions and the current one is a reconstructed structure, located at the heart of the city. Shivaji’s wedding with Maharani Saibai took place in this palace.

The original monument was constructed with the aim of rejuvenating the city of Pune when Dadoji Kondev entered the city with Shivaji Maharaj. The history recorded at various places proves the fact that Lal Mahal was used for organising feasts for the Brahmins during the thread ceremony of Sadoba, the son of Chimajiappa. 

The original location where the monument was first established is still unknown, perhaps it was known to be located very close to the location of Shaniwarwada. The newly constructed Lal Mahal does not have many features the old one possessed and it is not built in the same fashion as well.

Pune Municipal Corporation was the one who rebuilt the current Lal Mahal and the construction was begun in 1984 and ended in 1988. The Lal Mahal became an important part of the history after an encounter between Shivaji and Shaista Khan when the former cut off the latter’s fingers and he tried to escape from the window of the Lal Mahal. The current palace displays a collection of large sized oil paintings based on the important events happened in the life of Shivaji. There is the Jijamata Garden now recognised as a recreational park for kids.

Entry timings: It is open on all days from 09:00 am to 01:00 pm and then from 04:00 pm to 08:00 pm.

Entry fee: The entry fee to enter the palace is INR 3 per person.

Location: Lal Mahal, Ganesh Rd, Durvankur Society, Kasba Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411002.

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7. Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum 

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An intriguing museum with a lot of references to the medieval history of India is located in Pune and that is the most famous tourist places in Pune, Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum. It possesses the rare collection of Dr. Dinkar G Kelkar dedicated to the memory of his sone, Raja. There are three floors for this museum displaying different types of sculptures dating back to the 14th century along with ivory, silver and gold items and musical instruments, war weapons, vessels etc. The collection began in 1920 and by 1960, the museum was filled with 15000 objects and later in 1962, Dr. Kelkar donated all the collections to the Government of Maharashtra. Currently, if you visit the museum, you will come across more than 20000 objects out of which 2500 only are on display. 

The museum showcases the different artistic materials found from different parts of India from the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection includes door frames, vessels, paintings, handicrafts, carvings etc. Museum 2000 is a project that has been started to make Dr. Kelkarr’s dream of an education and cultural museum come true and to be opened to the public in order to provide them proper knowledge on the artistic values of India. Museum Shoppee is an additional venture at the museum that will give attractive souvenir items at a reasonable rate and it is located at the exit point.

Entry timings: You can visit the museum round the year and it will be open from 10:00 am to 05:30 pm.

Entry fee:

   -Rs. 10.00 for children below 12 years
   -Rs. 50.00 for adult above 12 years
   -Rs. 200.00 for foreigners (adult)
   -Rs. 50.00 for foreigners (children)
   -Entry is free for blind and differently abled/ physically challenged visitors.

Location: 1377-78, Natu Baug,Off. Bajirao Road,Shukrawar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 41100

 

 

 

 

 

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