PUNE TRAVEL GUIDE

At a distance of 3.5 km from Pune Junction, St. Mary's Church is an ancient church situated in Cantonment Camp of Pune. It is the oldest church in the Deccan region and thus is known as the 'mother church of the Deccan'.

The church was built by Lieutenant Nash of the East India Company and the foundation of the building was laid by Bishop Heber, the Bishop of Calcutta, in 1825. The church was built to meet the spiritual needs of the British soldiers stationed in and around Pune. The church currently is under the jurisdiction of the Church of North India.

Apart from Gothic style of architecture, the church also displays a blend of British and Indian architectural styles. Under the floors of the church, mortal remains of Sir Robert Grant, the renowned writer of religious lyrics and an erstwhile Governor of Mumbai is placed. Before 1982, the church was adorned with a steeple, which was later replaced by shorter concrete one. In the memory of Lieutenant Trotter, stained glass was .....

At a distance of 4 km from Pune Junction and 1.5 km from Shaniwar Wada Fort, Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum is situated on Bajirao Road, Shukrawar Peth in Pune. It is one of the excellent museums in Maharashtra and also one of the top places to visit in Pune City.

The museum was founded by Dr. Dinkar G. Kelkar in remembrance of his only son, Raja Dinkar in 1962. He started gathering artifacts from 1920 to 1960. Initially, he used to exhibit these collections to friends and family. With the help of state government as well as local bodies, his collection started growing further. And in 1975, he handed his entire collection to the Government of Maharashtra.

Raj Dinkar Kelkar Museum houses various sculptures dating back to the 14th century. The three storey museum contains nearly 20,000 objects like paintings, handicrafts, armour-suits, musical instruments and many other objects of art and artifacts collected from all over the world. The building has been designed in a Rajasthani-style, .....

At a distance of 6 km from Pune Junction, Shinde Chhatri is an imposing monument constructed on the left bank of the Bhairoba stream in Wanavadi and is one of the well-known tourist places in Pune.

Shinde Chhatri was constructed as a memorial of the Maratha noble Sri Mahadji Shinde. The 18th century military leader, Sri Mahadji Shinde, served as the commander-in-chief of the Maratha army under the Peshwas from 1760 CE to 1780 CE. The memorial is actually a hall that marks the spot of Mahadji Shinde's cremation on 12th February 1794 CE.

The structure is known for its exquisite architecture and it is a strong fortified complex with a huge 15 feet tall fortification wall surrounding the main complex. Mahadji Shinde himself constructed a shrine to Lord Shiva in 1794 CE. He passed away the same year and his last rites were performed in the same complex. In 1965 CE, Shrimant Maharaja Madhavrao Scindia of Gwalior (who is a descendent of Mahadji Shinde) founded the Chhatri and installed .....

At a distance 6 km from Pune Junction, Sri Mahalaxmi Temple is beautiful temple situated at just opposite to Sri Sarasbaug Ganesh Temple in Sarasbaug area of Pune, Maharashtra. It is one of the top pilgrimage places to visit in Pune City.

The temple is dedicated to Goddess Mahalaxmi, Mahakali & Maha Saraswati. It was founded in the year 1972 by Late Sri Bansilal Ramnath Agarwal. It took almost 12 years to complete the work. Entire temple has been developed using white marble that further adds an additional grandeur to this majestic architectural specimen.

The temple was built in Dravidian style of architecture. The shikhar of the Mahalaxmi temple is 55 feet tall and 24 feet wide. The temple possesses 3 magnificent peaks which are masterfully carved with minute carvings and sculptures of several Hindu gods and are perfectly enthroned on the three deities present in the temple. The deities of Goddesses Sri Maha Saraswati, Sri Mahalaxmi and Sri Mahakali are six feet tall and have .....

At a distance of 7 km from Pune Junction Railway Station, Tulsi Baug is a prominent shopping area located in the heart of Pune City. This is one of the most visited places in Pune.

Tulsi Baug gets its name from the Tulsibaug wada located in this area, which is a famous temple of Lord Rama, Ganapathi and Shankar. The original temple was built during the Peshwa era, under Naro Appaji Khire, also known as Tulsibaugwale (1700-1775), the Subhedar of Pune.

The statues of Lord Ram, Sita, and Lakshmana, made by Umajibaba Pandharpurkar, were placed in the sanctum of the temple in November 1765. In 1767, the statue of Lord Hanuman, crafted by Bakhatram Patharvat Gujrathi, was placed in the sanctum. Later in 1781 statues of Ganapathi and Parvati were brought to the temple In 1884 Nandram Naik completed work on the spire (shikhar) and the Sabhamandap.

To the north of the Ram temple, a large wada was built that would serve as a residence for the heirs to Naro Appaji. Apart from .....

At a distance of 11 km from Pune Junction and 6 km from Saras Baug, Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, commonly known as Rajiv Gandhi Zoo, is located at Katraj in Pune. It is one of the famous tourist places in Pune and is managed by the Pune Municipal Corporation.

The Pune Municipal Corporation created Peshwe Park in 1953 on about 7 acres. In 1986, Mr. Neelam Kumar Khaire with assistance from the Pune Municipal Corporation created the Katraj Snake Park on the same land. In 1997, in order to create a more modern zoo, the municipality selected a site in Katraj and started developing a new zoo. The zoo opened in 1999 as the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park & Wildlife Research Centre. The park initially included only the Reptile Park, sambars, spotted deer, and monkeys. Although it took until 2005, all of the animals from Peshwe Park were eventually moved to the new site, and Peshwe Park was closed.

The 130 acre zoo is divided into three parts: an animal orphanage, a snake park, and .....

At a distance of 18 km from Pune, Khadakwasla Dam, built across the Mutha River, is situated near Khadakwasla village in Pune district of Maharashtra. This is among the most visited tourist spots around Pune especially during the monsoons.

Khadakwasla Dam was constructed in the year 1873 to supply water to the city of Pune. The Khadakwasla Dam is 1.6 km long. The dam has been built on the Mutha River, which begins from the confluence of the rivers Ambi and Mose on which the Panshet and Varasgaon Dams are built, respectively and the outflow from Temgarh Lake through Temgarh Dam about 15 km north of Varasgaon Dam. The dam has 11 radial type sluice gates and six irrigation outlets, flowing into two canals.

This dam across the river Mutha created an attractive lake, now known as Khadakwasla Lake. The length of the Khadakwasla backwaters is nearly 22 km and the width varies from 250 to 1,000 m. The maximum depth of the lake is 36 m. The dam was however destroyed in the year 1961 .....

At a distance of 28 km from Pune Junction and 23 km from Jejuri, Fort Jadhavgadh is an ancient hill fort situated at Jadhavwadi in Pune district of Maharashtra.

Fort Jadhavgadh lies at an altitude of 2511 feet and commanding a spectacular view of Diva ghat. The fort was built by Sri Pillaji Jadhavrao in 1710 CE as a place of residence. Although not as magnanimous as other Maratha era Forts like Sinhagad, Jadhavgadh had quite a few architectural similarities and a fine example of Maratha craftsmanship. Built on a quaint hill top, the steps going up the main entrance were huge stone blocks making it easier for the animals like horses and elephants going up the fort. But the step way itself was curved.

Inside the fort was divided into the outer walled area and an inner structure where the women folk resided. This area was also utilized for rain water harvesting and a number of dungeons were also made in the fort for storing food grains. Till date, four of these enigmatic dungeons .....

At a distance of 45 km from Pune Junction, Sri Balaji Mandir, also known as Sri Venkateswara temple is a temple situated at Narayanpur near Kapurhol. It is a magnificent replica of the famous Sri Balaji Mandir in Thirumala.

The temple was constructed by V.H. Group for a whooping an amount of 27 crore rupees. There is a divine idol of Lord Venkateswara placed in the central sanctum. Not only the outer shell of the temple but the priests, religious activities seem to have the essence of the original Lord Venkateswara temple. There are also beautiful paintings that depict the life of the Lord in the temple. Apart from Lord Balaji, pilgrims can also spot small shrines of various other god and goddesses.

The surroundings of the temple are very beautiful with lush greenery. There is hundi outside the temple to contribute the money for different activities. The temple is not very crowded most of the times and is devoid of pestering beggars. The well maintained temple is recommended .....

At a distance of 45 km from Pune, Panshet Dam, also called Tanaji Sagar Dam, is an earthen dam built across Ambi River at Panshet in Pune district of Maharashtra. This is one of the most popular places to visit near Pune.

The dam was constructed in late 1950s for irrigation purpose and it supplies drinking water to Pune city. The height of the dam above its lowest foundation is 63.56 m while the length is 1,039 m. The volume content is 4,190 km3 and gross storage capacity is 303,000 m3. Panshet Dam burst in its first year of storing water on 12th July 1961, when the dam wall burst, causing massive flooding in Pune.

Panshet Dam is nestled in the lap of Sahyadri mountain ranges and is surrounded by lush green hills streaked with numerous waterfalls. Panshet, one of the famous picnic spots near Pune, attracts many visitors from Mumbai. Water sports are the primary attraction in Panshet apart from trekking. There are facilities for kayaking, boating and few rides like banana ride .....

At a distance of 48 km from Pune Junction, Jejuri is a town and municipality situated to the southeast of the Pune city. The town of Jejuri is renowned for one of the most pious temples in Maharashtra known as Khandoba Temple and is one of the popular tourist places in Pune.

Jejuri Khandoba Temple is dedicated to Khandoba, who is also known as Mhalsakant or Malhari Martand in the region. Khandoba is the important god worshipped by Dhangar, the oldest tribes in Maharashtra. It is believed that Khandoba is a god of Sakamabhakti, the god who fulfills all the desires of his devotees. Jejuri is popular for its old Deep Mala.

The Khandoba temple in Jejuri is built on a hill and offers good views all around. One has to climb a series of almost 200 steps to reach the sanctum sanctorum. There are various stone images of elephants on either sides of the main gateway of the temple. The entire flat plateau above the hill is surrounded by a stone pavement in the center, of which stands .....

At a distance of 50 km from Pune, Sri Maha Ganapati Temple is situated at Ranjangaon in Shirur Taluk of Pune district. This is one among the Ashtavinayak temples in Maharashtra and also one of the popular places to visit in Pune.

The stone pillars of the temple indicate that the temple was built during the 9th or 10th century during the rule of Peshwas. Madhavrao Peshwa made a room in the basement of the temple to keep the idol of Lord Ganesh. Later on Sardar Kibe of Indore renovated it. Nagarkhana is situated above the entrance gate. According to the legend, the village Ranjangaon is considered to be the place where Shiva himself sought the blessings of Ganesh and ultimately destroyed Tripurasur.

The temple faces east and has an imposing main gate which is guarded by two statues of Jaya and Vijay. The temple is designed in such a way that during Dakshinayan, the rays of the sun fall directly on the idol. The idol of Lord Ganesh is seated on a lotus with his consorts Siddhi .....

At a distance of 52 km from Pune and 11 km from Yavat, Bhuleshwar is an ancient Hindu temple situated on a hill near Malshiras in Pune district of Maharashtra. It has been declared as a protected monument and is maintained by Archeological Survey of India.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built in 13th century during Yadava Rulers. It is believed that the temple was ruined by Muslim invaders and reconstructed later because the entrance of the temple is hidden like Gaimukhi Buruj construction of Shivaji's time. The fort on which the temple is situated is called as Daulat Mangalgad Fort.

The temple is unique because of its architecture. Black basalt rock was brought to construct this temple which is different as compared to surrounding brownish color basalt rock. From outside it appears to more as a mosque than a temple due to its resemblance to Islamic architecture like circular domes and minarets. There are classical carvings on the walls.

The temple contains .....

At a distance of 53 km from Pune Junction Railway Station and 46 km from Lonavala, Mulshi is the name of a major dam built across the Mula River located in Mulshi Taluk of Pune district in Maharashtra. Flanked by the deep forests of Sahyadri ranges, Mulshi Dam is among the most visited places near Pune.

The dam was constructed in 1927 AD, however, commercialization of the place has been done recently. The water from Mulshi Dam is used to produce electricity at the Bhira Hydroelectric plant, operated by Tata Power. Mulshi Dam is one of the most important electricity generating plants in Maharashtra. It is indeed the source which supplies the maximum electric power to Mumbai. Water from this dam is even used for irrigation purposes.

Mulshi Lake is formed in the catchment area of Mulshi dam and is primarily a tourist attraction near Pune. It attracts several visitors during monsoon season. The lake offers different activities like camping, bird-watching, trekking and photography. .....

At a distance of 54 km from Pune, Rajgad is an ancient hill fort situated in the Pune district of Maharashtra. It is one of the top tourist places in Pune and also one of the popular places of trekking in Maharashtra.

Rajgad Fort is one of the grand forts of the Sahaydris and lies at an altitude of 1400 m (4, 600 feet). Formerly known as Murumdev, Rajgad Fort was the capital of the Maratha Empire during the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for 25 years, before moving the capital to Raigad Fort. The Rajgad Fort was built with the treasure found on the adjacent Torna Fort. This was one of the favourite forts of Shivaji Maharaj and he stayed the most in this fort. Many historical events took place in this fort, such as the birth of Shivaji's son, Rajaram Chhatrapati, his queen, Saibai's death and Afzal Khan's head is buried in the fort.

The fort is divided into four parts, Padmavati Machi, Suvela Machi, Sanjeevani Machi, and Balekilla (small fort). The fort is an example of .....

At a distance of 17 km from Jejuri and 65 km from Pune, Sri Moreshwar temple, also known as Sri Mayureshwar Temple, is a Hindu temple located at Moregaon in Pune district of Maharashtra. This temple is considered to be the first temple among the Ashta Vinayak temples of Lord Ganesha and also one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Pune.

The exact date of construction of the temple is unknown, though the Ganapatya saint Morya Gosavi is known to be associated with it. The temple flourished due to the patronage of the Peshwa rulers and descendants of Morya Gosavi. The temple is built with black-stone and has four gates. The temple has four minarets and a 50 feet tall wall around it.

The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Mayureshwar (Lord Ganesha) also called as Lord Moreshwar, made of alloy of five metals, with his trunk towards left. Ganesha is depicted armed with a spear, while a cobra encircles his head. Lord Ganesha is flanked by his consorts Riddhi, and Goddess Siddhi. .....

At a distance of 67 km from Pune, 95 km from Mumbai and 282 km from Aurangabad, Lonavala is a beautiful hill station in Pune district of Maharashtra. It lies at an altitude of 622 m in the Sahyadri Ranges which separate the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan Coast. Lonavala is among the top hill stations in Maharashtra and also one of the famous Tourist places in Maharashtra. This is also among the best tourist places to visit near Mumbai & Pune.

Lonavala and Khandala are twin hill stations near Pune to Mumbai hightway and are very popular monsoon getaways in India. The hill station is spread over an area of 38 square km. The name of the city is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Lonavali', which refers to a 'group of caves'. The name was given to the place due to the presence of many caves in and around the city.

Lord Elphinstone, who was the Governor of the Bombay Presidency, developed .....

Distance (From Pune Railway Station): 67 Kms
Trip Duration (From Pune Railway Station - Including Travel): Full Day
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At a distance of 94 km from Pune Junction, Shivneri Fort is an ancient fort situated near Junnar in Pune district of Maharashtra. Shivneri Fort is one of the most magnificent as well as historically rich forts of India. It is a famous trekking destination and also a popular weekend picnic destination near Pune. It is also one of the top tourist places in Pune visiting.

The Shivneri Fort was built during the time of Satavahanas. After the Satavahanas, the Shivneri Fort was occupied by the Shilaharas, the Yadavas, and the Bahamanis. In 1599 AD the hill fort was granted to Shivaji's grandfather, Maloji Bhosale and passed down to Shahaji. Jijabai (Shivaji's mother) spent the days of her pregnancy here and this was the birth place of Shivaji, the famous Maratha warrior who was born in 1630 AD. Shivaji spent his childhood in Shivneri Fort and also undertook his military training here.

Shivneri is a triangular shape hill fort and has its entrance from the South-West side of the .....

At a distance of 96 km from Pune, Junnar Caves are ancient rock cut caves situated at Junnar in Pune district of Maharashtra. Junnar has the largest and longest cave excavations in India. These are the ASI protected monuments and also one of the popular Pune tourist places.

Junnar has over 200 independent excavations spread over four hills. All the excavations belong to the Hinayana phase and are datable from mid-3rd century BC to late 3rd century AD. The presence of largest number of rock cut excavations and a large number of inscriptions enabling a paleographical study makes Junnar a prominent site for the study of rock cut architecture. Here there are 24 inscriptions, which provide useful paleographical data for the relative dating of the caves.

Junnar Caves are classified into various groups depending upon the location of these excavations. They are Tulja Caves, Manmodi Group of Caves, Shivneri Group of Caves and Lenyadri or Ganesh Lena Caves. The Lenyadri or Ganesh Lena .....

At a distance of 18 km from Mahabaleshwar, 48 km from Satara, 104 km from Pune and 254 km from Mumbai, Panchgani also called Paachgani is a famous hill station and municipal council in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the top hill resorts in Maharashtra and among the best hill stations near Pune & Mumbai cities. Panchgani is one of the popular Tourist places in Maharashtra and also an ideal weekend getaways near Pune for a 2 day trip.

Situated at an altitude of 1334 m, Panchgani is bordered by Wai, Bavdhan and Nagewadi dam in the east, Gureghar in the west, Khingar and Rajpuri in the south and Dhom dam in the north. Panchgani is nestled at middle of five hills in the Sahyadri mountain ranges, also there are five villages around the Panchgani which are Dandeghar, Khingar, Godwali, Amral & Taighat.

The town was discovered by the British as a summer resort in 1860s. Mahabaleshwar was .....

Distance (From Pune Railway Station): 104 Kms
Trip Duration (From Pune Railway Station - Including Travel): Full Day
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At a distance of 111 km from Pune, 124 km from Lonavala, 210 km from Nashik and 224 km from Mumbai, Bhimashankar Temple is ancient pilgrimage center located near Karjat in the Ghat region of Sahyadri hills in Maharashtra. This is one of the top places of pilgrimage in Maharashtra and also one of the best pilgrimage places to visit in Pune.

Bhimashankar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is considered as one of the 12 holy Jyotirlinga shrines in India, and five in Maharashtra. The other Jyotirlinga shrines in Maharashtra are Vaidyanath near Parli, Trimbakeshwara near Nashik, Grishneshwar near Aurangabad and Aundha Nagnath Temple in Hingoli. Bhimashankar is also the source of the river Bhima, which flows southeast and merges with the Krishna River near Raichur.

It is believed that the original temple of Bhimashankar was built in 12th century CE. However, there is no evidence remains dating to that period have been found. The temple was renovated by Chimaji Antaji Bhide Naik .....

At a distance of 54 km from Satara, 123 km from Pune, 177 km from Kolhapur, 243 km from Mumbai, and 377 km from Panaji, Mahabaleshwar is a popular hill station and a town in Satara district of Maharashtra. It lies at an altitude of 1,353 m in the Western Ghats range of India. It is one of the best hill stations near Pune & Mumbai and among the top Places to visit in Maharashtra.

This pretty hill station is often referred as the queen of hill stations in Maharashtra. It offers panoramic view of the plains with the imposing sloppy peaks and surrounding woods. Mahabaleshwar constitutes three villages - Malcolm Peth, Old Mahabaleshwar and some part of the Shindola village.

Present day Mahabaleshwar has come in to existence in the year 1829-30, when it became the summer capital of Bombay presidency during the British Raj. Earlier, it .....

Distance (From Pune Railway Station): 123 Kms
Trip Duration (From Pune Railway Station - Including Travel): Full Day
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At a distance of 48 km from Panchgani, 54 km from Mahabaleshwar, 129 km from Pune and 271 km from Mumbai, Satara is a town and district headquarters in Maharashtra. Located near the confluence of the River Krishna,a tributary River Venna, Satara is one of the famous Places to visit in Maharashtra in monsoon.

Situated at an altitude of 2320 feet, it is a base station to several tourist destinations like Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani. With several tourist places to visit nearby, Satara is an ideal place to visit for a weekend trip from Pune. The name of this town has been derived from the seven mountains surrounding the place implying Sat (seven) and Tara (hills). It is surrounded by Pune district in the north, Solapur district in the east, Sangli district in the south and Ratnagiri in the west.

Shivaji, the great Maratha ruler, occupied this region in 1663 AD. After the 3rd .....

Distance (From Pune Railway Station): 128 Kms
Trip Duration (From Pune Railway Station - Including Travel): Full Day
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At a distance of 26 km from Mahad, 83 km from Mahabaleshwar, 105 km from Alibaug, 118 km from Lonavala, 136 km from Mumbai, 138 km from Pune and 196 km from Ratnagiri, Raigad is a hill fort situated at Pachad near Mahad in Raigad district of Maharashtra. This is one of the most popular forts in Maharashtra and popular places for trekking near Mumbai. This fort is one of the prime places to experince Maharashtra tourism.

Earlier called as Rairi, Raigad was initially under the control of Chandrarao More of Jawali and was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's in 1656 CE. After taking over the Rairi Fort, Shivaji Maharaj got it completely renovated and renamed it as Raigad (the King's Fort). Shivaji Maharaj made it his capital in 1674 CE when he was crowned as King. The fort was destroyed by the British in 1818 CE after they conquered it.

Perched at an altitude of 2700 feet above sea level, Raigad Fort falls under the Sahyadri .....

Distance (From Pune Railway Station): 138 Kms
Trip Duration (From Pune Railway Station - Including Travel): Full Day
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