India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [141]
GETTING AROUND If you’re based at the Osho Resort, you’ll probably be happy to stay in the vicinity of the meditation compound, and there’s plenty to do within walking distance of the resort. Auto-rickshaws congregate near the resort entrance and are ubiquitous throughout the city; most will use their meters without having to be asked, others will happily offer you an “as you like” fare deal (in which you pay what you feel the driver’s time, effort, and fuel have been worth; be fair). Pune Municipal Transport runs daily sightseeing tours, which you can book at the Pune Railway Station ( 020/3293-0008); they’re unspectacular, but a mere Rs 152 gets you a seat on the A/C bus.
WHAT TO SEE & DO IN PUNE
With the city’s rapid expansion as a major industrial hub, many visitors (including large numbers of foreign businesspeople) tend not to venture far from the green, upmarket suburb of Koregaon Park. Situated around 30 minutes northwest of Pune’s historic heart, this is also where hundreds of Osho devotees congregate around the Westernized cafes and restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the meditation resort they’ve come to experience. While the Osho Resort is surely the central reason for visiting, the historic Old City is architecturally and culturally fascinating enough to hold your attention for a while, and it’s also where you’ll discover one of India’s most intriguing museums. You can take in the best of the city’s “other” sights in one morning, and finish off with lunch in a traditional Maharashtrian diner (see “Where to Dine,” later), before heading back to the resort for more earnest introspection. While here, do drop by the colorful Mahatma Phule Market where orderly rows of fruit and vegetable stalls operate in a Victorian-era warehouse. You may also want to explore some of the streets and laneways around the market—many of the haveli-style buildings are architecturally intriguing, and a total contrast to the lavish modernism in Koregaon Park.
En route to the market, you’ll probably pass the looming walls of Shaniwarwada Palace (Rs 100; Wed–Mon 8am–6pm) established here by the Peshwa rulers in the eighteenth century; no need to stop, though, since the palace itself has long been in complete ruin—the highlight being the views from the ramparts. If you are interested in learning more about the history of the city and the palace, you can check out the sound and light show that’s staged here most evening (Rs 25; Wed–Mon 8–9pm) and gives some insight into the impact that Maharashtrian hero Shivaji had on the region. The palace is just a short distance from one of Pune’s most beloved religious icons, a statue of Ganesha, the popular elephant-headed god. The basic little temple, no more than a roof over the venerated deity idol, is known as Shrimant Dagdu Sheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir (Budhwar Peth), considered one of the most important temples in India, despite being a fairly recent construction. Ganesh, who is believed to be the god who can make wishes come true (believers whisper their desires into the ear of the rat upon which Ganesha rides), gets especially intense attention during the annual Ganesh festival, and each night a lovely arti ceremony is held here, attended by many devotees.
A short rickshaw ride from the market brings you to the intriguing Raja