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Virtual Tour
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AttractionsOsho International Meditation CentreThe Osho International Meditation Centre is situated in Koregaon Park. The 40 acre meditation resort attracts tourists from all across the globe. The beautiful campus with white marble pathways, elegant black buildings, abundant foliage and an olympic-sized swimming pool, is the perfect way to pamper oneself. It is a place where one can simply relax and pass time by meditating, eating or even swimming. The members can learn simple Osho Active Meditations - techniques to nourish one’s body, mind and soul in the form of workshops, individual sessions, bodywork and massage etc. Sarasbaug GanpatiThe eighteenth century temple houses the idol of Shree Siddhivinayak (God of Wish Fulfilment). A sacred ground of faith for millions of devotees in Pune and around the world, the temple attracts ten thousand people every day; a figure that goes upto eighty thousand devotees per day on Ganesha Chaturthi and other special occasions. Aga Khan PalaceThe Aga Khan palace, well renowned for its association with Mahatma Gandhi was built in 1892 by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Agakhan III. The palace is a national monument of India’s freedom movement, which was handed over to Aga Khan IV in 1969. During the Quit India movement, Gandhiji, his wife Kasturba and his secretary Mahadevbhai Desai were kept captive in the palace. Mahadevbhai and Kasturba passed away while in captivity at the Aga Khan palace and their samadhis are located in the campus. Over the years, the palace has been a major tourist destination with people coming here to pay homage to the samadhis. Pataleshwar Cave TemplesThe 8th century Pataleshwar Caves situated in Jungli Maharaj Road, are temples dedicated to Lord Pataleshwar (God of the Underworld). These cave temples are supposedly cut out from a single rock and have massive pillars, which are the grandeur of the temple. The shrine dates back to 700-800 AD and has grand statues of Nandi, Sita, Ram, Lakshman, Lakshmi, Ganesh and an over-sized Shivalingam under its roof. The temple also has another attraction of an exhibit that has made the Guinness Book of World Records - a grain of rice engraved with some 5000 characters. ShaniwarwadaIt was in 1730 AD that Bajirao I laid the foundation of Shaniwarwada. It took two years to complete the construction during which his successors added fortification walls with bastions, gates and court halls to the mansion. The main gate of the palace is called Dilli Darwaja (Delhi Gate) while the other gates are called Mastani or Alibahadur Darwaja, Khidki Darwaja, Ganesh Darwaja and Narayan Darwaja. The walls of Shaniwarwada are beautifully painted with stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata. A sixteen petal lotus-shaped fountain stands symbolic of the exquisite work of the Maratha Empire. Today Shaniwarwada is a major tourist destination and a light and sound show is the main attraction for the people who visit it. Parvati Hills and TemplesParvati Hills are one of the most scenic locations in Pune. It is situated at a height of 2100 feet above sea level and the temples on the hills are considered one of the oldest heritage structures, representative of the Peshwa dynasty. The hills have a Devdeveshwar temple and other temples of Lord Kartikeya, Vishnu and Vitthal. Situated on the hills is also a museum that honours the Peshwa Empire. Next to the museum is the Samadhi Sthan of Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa who took his last breath here. Raja Dinkar Kelkar MuseumThe museum located in Baji Rao Road is a collection of Padmashree Dr. Dinkar G. Kelkar, dedicated to the memory of his only son, Raja who died an early and tragic death. Kaka, as Dr. Dinkar G. Kelkar was popularly known, was a man who had a penchant for Indian art and craftsmanship. The museum consists of 20,000 priceless artefacts, mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries which reflect the historic culture and age old traditions of India. It also houses an interesting section comprising of musical instruments. Katraj Snake ParkThe Katraj Snake Park is home to a number of snakes and other reptiles. The park has a special attraction for children; a zoo and a library that has information about different types of snakes with pictures. Neelimkumar Khaire, the Director of the Snake Park has pioneered creative methods of communication such as providing information about snakes through Braille for the blind in the park. Several festivals and programmes are held frequently to spread awareness and destroy common myths about this dreaded species. Chatushrungi TempleBelonging to the Shivaji era, the temple of Chatushrungi is dedicated to goddess Kali. She is also known by different names such as Mahalakshmi and Ambareshwari. The temple is 90 feet high and is managed by Chatushrungi Devasthan Trust. The annual Navratri fair held here in October attracts large number of devotees from a number of places in and around Pune. |
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