Shaniwar Wada Inside and Out

The Shaniwar Wada, the bastion of the Peshwas, was burnt down from the inside in 1828. The fire burnt down this magnificent seven-storey wada to cinders. The fire burnt for a week and left nothing in its wake. A garden has been built where the fort once stood and it is now a tourist site.

This is the view from the front balcony facing the outside.

The main gate, called the Dilli Gate. The spikes are at the height of an elephant so that if the enemy tried to break the door using elephants, it would be very difficult.

This is what it looks like from the front.

One-way street in Sadashiv Peth

The name of the street is Krantiveer Vasudev Phadke Path. It has been declared a one-way street and the signs have been put up at both ends of the road. But this is how the road looks:

Can you even guess which way is the right way? As you can see, people are streaming out of the Pune Vidyarthi Gruha, one of Pune's landmarks, taking the wrong way up the road, despite there being myriad lanes just a block away. Saving time and petrol cannot be the reason. The real reason? A total disregard for the law.

Pune Tekdi

When you say Tekdi (Hill), any Punekar will know what you are talking about. There are many such tekdis (hills) in Pune, and they offer a respite from the crowds and pollution. Punekars climb these tekdis regularly and it is not just an exercise routine but also a spiritual experience in a way.

On top of the Tekdi.

Jogging path.

Sun rise from a Pune Tekdi. It's a world in itself.

Vishram Bag Wada Pune - Photos or check out all the photos on Pune.
Serene scenes from the life of rural India or check out all the photographs on Nature and Scenery.

Mumbai Pune Expressway Traffic Jam

Traffic jams on the Mumbai Pune Expressway are very common. You just never when there will be an accident, particularly in the Ghat section where the roads narrow and large vehicles occupy the right lane. Recently there was a huge jam not because of an accident but an agitation by some Hindu radicals because of facebook posts. An excuse for the unemployed goons to create a nuisance and disturb the life of ordinary and law abiding citizens.

Photographs of vehicles jam packed on the Mumbai Pune Expressway in the Western Ghats, on the way from Pune to Mumbai.

Related Images: Mumbai Nashik Road Pictures or Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway scenes or Toll Plaza on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway
Or Expressway Accident Photographs or Accidents scenes - overturned and smashed vehicles photos

Or for some beautiful scenes: Views from the Mumbai Pune Expressway Ghat section or  Mumbai Pune Expressway

Views from the Mumbai Pune Expressway Ghat section

These are some spectacular views and sunsets from the Western Ghat section of the Mumbai Pune Expressway.

This is a panormaic image (three photographs combined into one) with the Expressway on the left of the image and the mountains and hills of the western ghats on the right and in the background.

This is a single image giving a panoramic view of a sunset on the mountains of the western ghat. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is in the foreground and the hills and the sun and the sky in the background.

A picture showing how crowded the Western Ghat becomes and it becomes a little risky at sundown. The road in the ghat section is narrow and vehicles always try to overtake one another. It can be quite treacherous as often larger vehicles drive on the right side blocking other motorists.

A clean image of the western ghats from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

A long shot of the winding road through the mountains of the Western Ghats in Western Maharashtra between Mumbai and Pune.

Related Images:  Mumbai Pune Expressway  or Mumbai Nashik Road Pictures or Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway scenes

Or Expressway Accident Photographs  or Accidents scenes - overturned and smashed vehicles photos

or Toll Plaza on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway

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Mumbai Pune Expressway

These are photos of the Mumbai Pune Expressway, the official name of which is the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai Pune Expressway. It is a six-lane concrete highway, just under a 100 kms long and India's first such type of road.

It has a toll which keeps rising every year just like the accidents.

Hardly anyone follows the traffic rules and there are no policemen to be seen. This expressway connect Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra to Pune, which is a bustling industrial and educational city. Unfortunately most drivers have no idea how to use this beautiful expressway. Their vehicles are ill-maintained and the drivers rash and no rules are followed. Its shocking but trucks and buses have no qualms driving on the right lane. Trucks don't even have tail lights and the policemen don't care.

The pretty dividers do not stop speeding vehicles from crossing over and crashing into the other side.

The expressway going off into the distance and the tunnels are seen at the end of it.

A part of the Mumbai Pune expressway.

This stretch of the Mumbai Pune Expressway is nearer Mumbai.

The route is pretty scenic.

A bridge on the expressway near Lonavala.

For some very beautiful scenes: Views from the Mumbai Pune Expressway Ghat section

Other related images: Mumbai Nashik Road Pictures or Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway scenes or Toll Plaza on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway

Or Expressway Accident Photographs or Accident scenes - overturned and smashed vehicles photos

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Masked girls and women of Pune

The masked women of Pune are an anomaly. They are modern, drive their own vehicles, work outside the home, and are well educated. Yet they tie a scarf which covers their face and hair. A visitor might think this is some sort of repression going on. A gang of visiting Muslim girls from Kashmir asked one of the masked girls why they did this when they don't have to! Well, the answer was "Pollution!" Pune air is polluted and the sun is harsh. Driving a two-wheeler on a regular basis spoils the hair not to mention the delicate facial skin.

A young girl riding a scooter with a white scarf covering her face.

A young woman driving a scooter with a light blue scarf covering her face and head.

And the kids are learning young to protect themselves against the elements! Here is a small child with a mask and goggles.

A saree-clad woman in a pink mask and another woman in a salwar kameez riding double seat behind her, also in a mask, a purple scarf. Behind her is another jean clad young lady in a white scarf!

Rani of Jhansi Statue in Pune or Women cycling in India or Young girls enjoying an ice-cream bar
Or you might also like other pictures on Indian Women.
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Pune city schools

Here are a few snapshots of two premier educational institutions in the city or Pune. The first pictures are of St Mary's School in Pune.

This is a back yard behind the classrooms at St. Mary's.

This is the building on the left, just after you enter the school

A closer look at the classrooms.

These is part of St. Mary's school Pune. Smart and sleek. A new building on the right.

This is St. Joseph's School in Pune which teaches the SSC (state board) curriculum.

You might want to see Mumbai city schools which has photographs of several Mumbai schools like the American school, Jamnabai Narsee School and Reliance International School.
Or check out IIM Ahmedabad Pictures - IIMA or Urban school children in India
Or all the images filed under Education

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Toll Plaza on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway

Photographs of a toll collection plaza or toll naka as it's called here on the Mumbai - Pune Expressway or highway, which is a toll road. Users will pay toll till 2030 now, instead of the original cut-off date of 2020. That is because another road is being built for the ghat section to alleviate the heavy traffic. More road, more to pay.

This is a night shot on a rainy day of a section of the toll plaza.

A long-shot of the toll naka on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway with the hills in the background.

A closer view of the toll plaza on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

Related Images Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway scenes or Mumbai Nashik Road Pictures or Photos of trucks

Or Expressway Accident Photographs or Accidents scenes - overturned and smashed vehicles photos

For some beautiful scenic views: Views from the Mumbai Pune Expressway Ghat section or  Mumbai Pune Expressway

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Rani of Jhansi Statue in Pune

The Rani of Jhansi, or Lakshmi Bai died at the age of 30, brutally murdered by the British on 18th of June 1858. She was the Maratha queen of the princely state of Jhansi, which was ruled by the Marathas. This state was situated in the north-central part of India. Although she was born to a Maharashtrian Brahmin family, she was adopted by the Peshwas. In her childhood she was trained in the defense arts.

She was a famous freedom fighter who took part in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. She did not hide in the kitchen, but instead went out to fight. It is now a legendary story of how she fought with the sword with her small prince tied to her back. This statue in Pune's Deccan area commemorates her.  Unfortunately, the hideous hoarding of rabble-rousing modern politicians ruin the scene.

Rani ki Jhansi's statue is in a very busy area in Pune. This view is from the back.

Related Images: Vishram Bag Wada Pune - Photos
Or Balcony and railing designs of old Pune houses or wadas

Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw statue in Pune. Or try any of the labels below this post for more photographs on this blog.

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Microbrewery in Pune and Bangalore

These are pictures of the equipment or machinery that is found in a microbrewery. A microbrewery is a brewery which produces limited amounts of beer on a small scale. These photos are of large cylindrical machines that make beer. Strictly speaking these are brew pubs because when a brewery functions as a beer pub or beer bar then it's called a brewpub. The term microbrewery is used when beer is distributed beyond the four walls of the brewery. In this case the brew is not distributed outside, even in small quantities and therefore the term brewpub is more appropriate.

The advantage of freshly brewed beer is well, it's fresh, without additives, and has delicious flavors.

This brewpub image is that of a place called Toit on 100 ft road in Indira Nagar, Bangalore. The beer is brewed in smart steel shiny cylinders inside the pub. These beer making machines or beer making equipment looks very well maintained.

A closer look at the machines which go to make the beer brew.

Another image of the inside of the brewery.

This picture is from the Doolally microbrewery, a microbrewery or brewpub in Pune in the Corinthian Hotel in Kondhwa, Pune. The containers used to brew beer here are made of copper.

Related Images: Winery Pictures  or  Wine barrels photo  or  Wine bottles and a wine bar

Or Beer shops in small towns in India
Or Beer in jugs, bottles, and glasses  or Alcohol and hard drinks photographs

Pune Municipal Corporation Buses

These are photographs of the old PMT buses (Pune Municipal Transport now known as the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd or PMPML). This is the public transport service provider for the city of Pune and Pune Metropolitan region. The service is inefficient and inadequate. These are the old models of the buses although you still see them many have been replaced by newer ones. However frequency of the buses is wanting.

These photos have been shot near at the Swargate crossing in Pune, which is a major bus hub. Commuters can be seen in the windows of the bus.

This is a new bus of the Pune Municipal Corporation, one with the new name as well. The driver of the government bus can be seen as well as a commuter at the window.

You might also like Waiting at a bus stop in India or people lined up in a queue in Mumbai for a bus: Bustops in India or Taxis and auto rickshaws crammed with people or Families on two-wheelers
Or photos of trucks or Fire Station and Fire engine

or Accidents scenes - overturned and smashed vehicles photos or check all the pictures filed under the label Transport.

Lavasa hill city near Pune

A city project under development called Lavasa has been in the eye of controversy and has come under the scanner for dubious land deals and environmental damage, all involving politicians. The objective is to develop a pretty city both as a getaway for tourists and also a place where people can live in beautiful surroundings. This project has temporarily been suspended although people do go there as hotels are operational. More about the corruption here.

This is an overview of the main promenade and hotels. When we visited the river bed was dry. You can see white sun umbrellas on the wide Lavasa promenade where people relax and enjoy the view. On one side are the hotels and on the other side is the river bed. People pass the time walking up and down the promenade. A young hip crowd mostly although I am not sure why they like Lavasa. There is nothing here. Certainly not nature. It's nature ruined.

This is a facade of one of the hotels. All kinds of restaurants are active here and some of them are very fancy ones.

Another view of the buildings of Lavasa. The promenade (seen in the next two photos) is broad and nice to walk on.

For some odd reason the architecture has been copied from some western cities. Most buildings are tall and narrow structures with little or no ventilation. The rooms are claustrophobic with the narrow windows and almost non-existent balconies. Great for cold weather, but not comfortable for the hot Indian weather. Some folks might not have a choice when it comes to buying a tiny flat with poor ventilation as a home in a crowded city, but why would they go to a hotel over the week-end where the rooms do not let in air? Specially as the idea of coming to Lavasa is for enjoying nature?

I could not help but laugh when I saw the names of the streets! Are people really impressed with these fake names?

This is a view of another hotel at Lavasa. They say it's better that the ones at the Promenade but we never went there.

Now the ugly side of Lavasa. The breaking down of the hills and ruining of the environment is in full swing. However environmentalists have halted the construction activity. Today a lot of Lavasa looks like this. Half complete. The houses on the hillside are incomplete shells. There is no one living there.

This is a sad sight. Actually digging into the hill to make space for a building. I am not an environmentalist but even to my layman's eyes it didn't seem right.