A Gathering of colorful parrots at Jurong Bird Park in Singapore.
Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches the soul
and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all
~ Emily Dickinson
Pink flamingoes gather for their daily meet
See how the sacred old flamingoes come,
Painting with shadow all the marble steps:
Aged and wise, they seek their wonted perches
Within the temple, devious walking, made
To wander by their melancholy minds.
~ William Butler Yeats
Pushkar Fair
People gather for the annual fair at Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.
The Fair is an annual five-day camel and livestock fair held in the town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is one of the world’s largest camel fairs. Besides, the buying and selling of livestock, it has become an important tourist attraction.
Thousands throng to the banks of the Pushkar Lake where the fair takes place. Men buy and sell their livestock, which includes camels, cows, sheep and goats. The women visit the stalls, full of bracelets, clothes, textiles and fabrics.
The festival begins with a camel race, music, songs and exhibitions to follow.
Golden temple in Amritsar
People gather to pray at Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, India. The Golden temple or the Harimandir Sahib is considered holy by Sikhs. The holiest text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib, is present inside the gurdwara. It’s a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to come and worship God equally.
*/This post is inspired by Weekly Photo challenge Gathering. Document a gathering and share your interpretation with us. It could be your entire family decked out in ugly holiday sweaters. It could be a group of seagulls strutting down the beach./*
Koregaon park plaza (Image source Koregaon park plaza in Pune, India Saniya motiwala- Wikimedia)
The city and its suburbs are full of restaurants that serve various cuisines from Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Swiss, German, Italian, French and American cuisine. If you are looking for Asian, European, or organic/health food then head to Koregaon Park has a lot of foreign tourists are at the Osho Commune.
Madinah Restaurant
Madinah Hotel, Bhavani Peth, Pune
If you like Mughlai food then this restaurant is situated near Pune College at Bhavani Peth, Pune. Great place for meat eaters in Pune. They serve good quality and very decent pricing as per Pune standards. The chicken seekh kebab and chicken cutlet are delicious and just melt in your mouth. Chicken leg biryani is brilliant.
Mahesh Lunch Home
It’s a famous restaurant located near MG road. This place serves the best sea food in town and with high quality. Little expensive but worth spending money for such amazing dishes. The fresh catches aren’t as fresh as you get in Mumbai, but still, worth a try. The surmai, the chicken sukha and prawns gassi are good. Appams are good too.
If you are a vegetarian, you could try paneer butter masala and tandoori rotis. Tandoori roti and sabzi both are amazing.
Badshah Restaurant
Badshah Falooda
This place is famous for its kulfi and falooda ice-creams. The Baadshah special falooda is an all-time favourite. This is a small place but serves good food. Falooda’s are a hot favorite. The staff is very attentive. The ambience is ok. Here, you can also try street food ‘chat’.
Shrewsbury biscuits from Kayani Bakery
Kayani Bakery– Kayani Bakery situated opposite Victoria Cinema on East Street is famous for its Shrewsbury biscuits. Locals and tourists throng this place for other goodies like ginger biscuits, walnut cake, brownies, cookies and other goodies from this renowned bakery.
Oops! it is an image captured under the table. The first image is an inverted view of the table. I did not realise that my camera had accidentally captured these shots.
I was at this event and wanted to capture these beautiful flowers on the table. I realised the above fiasco only when I went through all my images in the camera. Now, that I look back, I find it ridiculous.
*/ This post is inspired by Daily Post Photo Challenges for the week. This week, share a photographic “Oops!” moment with us. The fiasco could be what’s in the picture: anything broken, jumbled, or otherwise cringe-worthy. /*
Pune, referred as the cultural capital of Maharashtra, is situated around 560m above sea level on the western margin of Deccan Plateau. A hilly city, with its highest hill, Vetal Hill at around 800m above sea level. It is located at the confluence of Mula and Mutha rivers. It has many pilgrimage centres, heritage towns and leisure destinations. Pune being culturally active, there are programs of classical Indian or Western Music or dance and shows of Marathi Theatre at Bal Gandharva Auditorium.
Pune railway station (Image source -Wikipedia)
How to reach Pune?
Pune is well-connected by air, rail and road to major cities of India.
By Rail– Pune being a major junction is linked well with major cities of the country. If you are in Mumbai and you wish to board a train, then you have many options to choose. Deccan Queen, Deccan Express, Indrayani, Pragati and Shatabdi are regular trains that run between Pune and Mumbai every day.
By Bus/Cab– Government and private buses regularly ply between Mumbai and Pune. Buses can be taken from Pune junction bus stand or at Shivajinagar station/bus stand.Taxis/cabs can also be hired. Some other cities near Pune are Ahmednagar (115km), Aurangabad (215km), Nashik (210km), and Kolhapur (233km) which are accessible by road.
By Flight– Pune airport is located in Lohagaon area around 10kms. From the heart of the city. You can take a cab or a bus service to reach the city.
Pune airport (Image source- Wikipedia)
Tourist attractions in Pune
Empress Garden– located near Pune Race Course at Wanawadi, near Camp, Pune. History states that in the British era, it was known as ‘Garden of Dr.Don’ under the possession of Sir Charles Napier. Later, this botanical park was named ‘Empress Garden’ in the honour of Queen Victoria after she won the title of ‘Empress of India’. This garden became famous among British soldiers as they came for recreation purpose. In 1892, Empress Garden was bought by the Bombay Government. It was then handed over to Agri-Horticultural society of Western India.
Common Indian myna ((Acridotheres tristis) at Empress Garden in Pune by Amritadikpati- Wikimedia Commons
In contemporary times, it has become a favourite amongst locals and tourists who throng this garden for peace and serenity. The garden is open from 9.30am-6.30pm.
Bund garden in pune (Image source Babloo180- Wikimedia Commons)
The Bund Garden is among the most admired gardens of Pune. It is a strong symbol of Maharashtrian culture and lifestyle. The park is clean and has many flower beds and bushes. The tall coconut trees adjoining the centre of this place make the garden, attractive and stunning. The plants are exquisite and the bushes are well-trimmed.
Osho Ashram
If you are in Pune, do not miss out on a walk through the Ashram garden. It won’t require much time but worth an experience. The ashram is maintained very well, especially the garden. There is also a statue of Osho and artificial waterfalls to add a mystic touch to the place.
(WT-shared) Sanyambahga at wts wikivoyage -Wikimedia)
A very peaceful place… long stretches of green… great to walk around… no one to bother… peace and tranquillity!
Aga Khan Palace-This palace has five halls and large verandahs. The architecture is Islamic with hints of Italian art in its arches. It was built by Sultan Mohammed Shah, Aga Khan II.
AgaKhan Palace in Pune. Kasturbha Gandhi, wife of Mahatma Gandhi, died here (Image source http://www.djoh.netv- wikimedia)
It served as a prison to leaders like Mahatma Gandhi during Quit India Movement in 1942 and is therefore also known as Gandhi National Museum. It serves as a memorial of Mahatma Gandhi’s wife.
National War museum The museum built-in 1997 serves as a memorial for Indian soldiers who were martyrs of the nation. It is situated in Pune Cantonment. The museum has on display arms, uniforms and personal mementos.
Shinde Chhatri (Marathi : शिंदे छत्री), located in Wanawadi, a well known place in Pune, India, is a memorial dedicated to the 18th century military leader Mahadji Shinde who served as the commander-in-chief of the Maratha army under the Peshwas from 1760 to 1780. It is one of the most significant landmarks in the city and is reminiscent of the Maratha rule. It is a hall that marks the spot of Mahadji Shinde’s cremation on 12 February 1794. The three storied memorial bestows a daunting look of past splendour, representing the rich heritage of that era beautifully. The regal entrance gate made out of iron shines till date. The exterior is captivating and has intricate and detailed carvings (Image credit- Bikashrd-Wikimedia Commons)
Shinde Chhatri– The Chhatri or hall has carvings and painting along with a gallery in it. There are paintings and photos of Scindia family. It is a memorial for Maratha leader, Mahadji Shinde.
While in Pune, you could also travel to the heights and hues of Western Ghats to Khandala, Mahabaleshwar and Lonavala.
A Gathering of colorful parrots at Jurong Bird Park in Singapore.
