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A vibrant and thriving metropolis, Pune is the symbol of New India. It is the centre of academia and businesses and offers the right mix of spiritualism and capitalism. You can experience the ancient charm and shades of globalisation in this Indian city. People prefer speaking in their native Marathi language, though a sizable part speaks English and Hindi too. You will see the popular Osho Ashram and a generous number of Hindu temples too. Such is the richness and diversity of the IT city Pune.
Pune was also made the capital during the reign of the Peshwas. The city is also looked up as the land of Peshwas and a place of pride for Shivaji. When the British took over in 1817, it became their monsoon capital too. There is a distinct charm about the city and a historical significance. Even when you go around exploring Pune, you can experience the colonial-era charm in the form of some buildings, which make a visit to this place totally worth it.
Moreover, to know this city closely, a visit to its temples will be a value add too. There are many temples in Pune that you can cover and explore the old and new architecture, know about the rich Maratha land and its culture. To experience the spiritual side, you should plan a trip to some of the below-mentioned religious sites in Pune.
This temple is scenic and truly mesmerising as it is situated on the hilltop. There are 5 temples on the hilltop including Vishnu, Kartikeya, Devdeveshwar, Rama, and Vithai. To reach the temple, you will have to climb 103 steps. The main temple is made of black stone and is dedicated to Devdeveshwar. Along with the religious sentiments, it is the view from the temple that makes it worth a visit. It is surrounded by a lush green landscape and you can experience nature at its best when you visit this temple.
Adding to the charm of this temple is that it dates back to the period of Peshwa dynasty. So, a visit here will help you see one of the oldest structures of Pune, which is a part of its rich heritage. Moreover, there is a classical music festival that happens here usually between 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm every day. If you are a classical music enthusiast, then plan a visit to this temple around this time.
Another ancient temple, it was built during the tenure of Maratha King, Shivaji. It is located on Senapati Bapat Road on the slope of a hill. The word Chaturshringi literally means “mountain with four peaks”. So, this is another temple providing a stunning view of the city of Pune. The temple is nearly 90-feet tall and 125-feet wide and is a place known for its faith and power.
To reach this temple, you will have to climb 100 steps and the presiding deity is Goddess Chaturshringi. The other idols include Goddess Durga, Lord Ganesha, and 8 small idols of Asthavinayaka.
Along with being a place of worship, this temple is also looked up as a place to promote India’s rich culture and traditions. Artists across the country come here to exhibit their talent. The religious and cultural trust put up different sangeet and kirtan programs here.
The best time to visit this temple is during the Navratri festival. The 9-day long festival of Navratri is one of the popular festivals in India. Even on the tenth day of Dusherra, there are celebrations in the temple premises. So, you can visit during any of these 10 days to experience the religious zeal among the devotees.
A famous temple of Pune, you should definitely plan a visit here. There are thousands of devotees who visit this temple every day. The temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It has a 7.5-feet tall statue of Lord Ganesha, which is also 4-feet wide. It is believed to be a 100-year-old temple where every Ganesh festival is celebrated with much excitement.
There is also a Halwai Ganapati Trust, which is funded by the temple and it carries out philanthropic work. This temple gets a lot of funding and is visited by several celebrities, as well.
If possible, you should plan a visit here during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This festival usually falls in the month of September and is a 10 days long affair. The CM of Maharashtra also visits this temple during the time of this festival. Even several celebrities visit here during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. The festival gets celebrated with much gaiety.
A rock-cut temple, it was made during the 8-century during Rashtrakuta’s period. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is made of basalt rock. Lord Shiva in this temple is in the form of a Shiva Lingam. The temple entrance also has a Nandi Mandapa. The other idols in this temple include Lord Rama, Lord Ganesha, Lord Laxman, and Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Sita.
The construction of this temple is inspired by Elephanta Caves. However, its construction did not get complete and there is no proper entrance to this temple. An ancient temple it has been declared a protected monument by the government.
You should try to visit this temple during Tripuri Pournima. It is during this Pournima that the temple is lit up with oil diyas, which is a blissful sight to behold. Moreover, when visiting this temple, you can also visit Jangli Maharaj Mandir, which is nearby and is worth visiting.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and is referred to as the deity of Pune, its protector. It is believed that it was the first deity of Pune city and is located near the Shaniwar Wada on Kasba Peth.
There is a story behind this temple. It was built by Queen Jijabai, the mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji after Dadaji Konddev, the teacher of Shivaji informed Queen Jijabai that an idol has been found.
Later, different Ganesh festivals got celebrated here making this temple quite famous even during the period of the freedom struggle. Even until today, the Kasba Ganpati gets preference in every Ganesh festival in the city. Like other Ganesh temples, visiting this one during the 10 day Ganesh Chaturthi will be ideal.
You can also pay a visit to the ISKON temple in Pune. This religious site is located 12 km south of Pune city in a place called Katraj. The temple is spread in a huge area and even has a multilevel car parking available. Various celebrities have visited this temple including some high-profile politicians. You must plan your visit to also attend the aarti during the evenings when Kirshna bhajans are chanted with mridangas.
You can go to this temple to feed some cows. This is called Go-Seva. You can also donate here for some causes for which ISKON is working. Some of the donation options are Go-seva, priti bhojan, deity dressing, and Gita daan.
Govinda’s restaurant is also in the temple premises where you can relish great lacto-vegetarian food. There is Govinda’s bakery as well where you can buy various breads and cookies.
If you want to buy some puja paraphernalia, idols of deities and lockets, you can reach out to the Matchless Gift Shop, which is also in the temple premises.
When visiting this IT city either for work or leisure, you can visit some of these prominent religious sites, which are symbolic of power and faith. Moreover, quite a few of them have been built during the Peshwa and Maratha eras, giving you a feel of the architecture during those days. This makes these temples must visit even for the history enthusiasts. It is a great way of knowing about the Maratha culture and heritage. No wonder, Pune is aptly called the cultural capital of Maharashtra.
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April 15, 2024 
