As part of a business trip, I am staying in Pune, India for a good week. Pune (formerly Punavadi, also written Poona(h)) is located about 170 km southeast of Mumbai and is known as a location for production (automotive industry) and service (IT).

The city is significantly smaller than the typical metropolises such as Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta) or Bengaluru (Bangalore) and has around 3 million inhabitants. It is a military centre and the base of most of India's major military academies. The education system plays a very important role, so you come across training facilities at every turn.

The traffic in Pune is (still) OK, so you can get around reasonably well at least outside of rush hour. However, it cannot be overlooked that Pune is also being overrun by its own success and the infrastructure is having a hard time keeping up. Nevertheless, there is a little less dirt, new and modern residential areas and significantly more discipline towards the law than in many other cities. However, there is also the other side of prosperity: This morning I drove to the office with another driver and he chose a route past the slum. The concentrated poverty and miserable living conditions of the residents make it clear that India still has one of the greatest challenges in its history ahead of it.

In addition to this report (please click on “Read more”) you can here open the corresponding photo album.

getting there

The journey takes place via London (LHR) to Mumbai (BOM) and from there by taxi. There are hardly any direct flights to Pune, so apart from the business class jet from Frankfurt (Lufthansa), there are few sensible options for getting directly to Pune. And before you lose time changing planes (e.g. in Delhi), you can also take a taxi, especially since the costs are low compared to a connecting flight. However, you should (generally) avoid the journey in the dark or during the heavy rains during the monsoon season.

I have already flown within India with Jet Airways, but not across the continent. The airline is considered a premium version of Air India and I was very satisfied, especially with the service and the ultra-modern flight entertainment system. With Jet, non-Indian passengers benefit from the fact that the airline is used a lot by Indians and therefore enjoy a special status. I was given a seat by the emergency exit without asking and was also allowed to skip the queue in Mumbai for the luggage to be scanned when leaving (!) the security zone.

Accommodation

First, I was allowed to stay in the client's hotel, which is in the 5-star category: Le Meridien. A very luxurious hotel, but one that will not top my list of the best hotels. I have stayed in better places in India for the same or less money, for example in the Fisherman's Cove in Chennai. Speaking of money: the prices for both the overnight stay and in the restaurant are, as is often the case in India, beyond good and evil.

I spend the rest of my time in the 3-4 star hotel Royal Orchid Golden Suites, which is half as expensive. The name sounds better than the hotel is, but you have everything you need and the cleanliness is very good by Indian standards. The rooms are very spacious and obviously designed for guests staying for a longer period of time: there is a kitchenette, fridge and terrace. In the good restaurant you can find Indian specialties at a fraction of the price of Le Meridien.

Sightseeing features

I can give the following impressions of the sights:

• Aga Khan Palace: The building, which can also be seen in the film "Gandhi", was built by Aga Khan during his reign and served as accommodation for Gandhi, his wife and other freedom fighters during the British rule. Kasturba, Mahatma Gandhi's wife, also died here. The entrance fee for the exhibition is currently 5 rupees (about 8 cents) for Indians, but 100 rupees for foreigners.
  Today, the impressive villa is home to an exhibition about Gandhi and his life. Although the exhibition is not at the level of a museum, it does provide an interesting insight into Gandhi's life, especially during his imprisonment.
• Parvati Hill: You climb this hill on foot and I am very surprised by the lack of beggars. In fact, very few tourists seem to find their way to Pune, because as a white person you are often observed and we were even asked to pose for a photo. My T-shirt with the Wipro logo on it quickly becomes a topic of conversation, as the company is very well known in India.
  At the top of the hill you not only have a great view of Pune, but you can also visit a temple complex for free. The temples are in varying states, but all are well worth seeing. I was particularly fascinated by the architecture, which was new to me and which I had not seen in Delhi, Chennai or Bangalore. Depending on the day of the week, it can be full or empty, depending on whether the particular god is having "his" day.
• Shaniwarwada Palace: The building looks more like a fortress than a palace, but it is one of Pune's attractions. The interior has been destroyed to the ground, so the crowds disperse quickly. Nevertheless, it is worth seeing, as this type of architecture is very rare in India. Entrance is again 5 or 100 rupees, depending on where you are from.
• Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum: The museum, which was created with the help of the German government, offers a comprehensive insight into Indian culture. Everyday objects as well as musical instruments, toys and statues of various gods are on display. The collection is extremely large and I was pleasantly surprised - I'm not usually a big fan of museums. Entrance fee: 10 or 200 rupees.
• Panchalesvara Caves: This is a temple that was carved out of a huge block of stone. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and is interesting because of its age and the stone. Otherwise rather unspectacular, but free.
• Chaturshringi Temple: This temple is located a little above Pune and was built during the Marathi period. The complex leads via several staircases to the sanctum sanctorum, where the elephant god Ganesha is worshipped.
  A very beautiful temple, which stands out from the others because of its architecture. Here too, as a western visitor, you are given a very friendly welcome by the locals (and photographed). As relatively tall, light-skinned people, we are apparently a rare sight, especially for the children.
• Shopping (MG Road): Like in (almost) all Indian cities, Pune also has a Mahatma Gandhi Road (MG Road for short) and this is also the main shopping street. Here you can buy the typical products in small shops: clothes, kitsch and shoes. You can get a bargain or two, especially on clothing, and the kitsch can serve as a souvenir. My favorite is "Planet M", an Indian chain of CD shops. Here you can always get new (Indian) music at very reasonable prices (about EUR 2 per CD).
  MG Road is located in the old town and is well worth seeing because of its narrow streets and old houses. Locals who saw me fiddling with my camera pointed out the side streets to me. They insisted on showing me the "antique" houses and inviting me on a little backyard tour.