Info About Tourist Spot

Lonavala
LONAVALA POPULAR HILL STATION CLOSE TO PUNE AND MUMBAI, LONAVLA IS THE
PLACE TO BE DURING MONSOONS. WITH LOTS OF WATERFALLS, LAKES AND HILLS
AROUND, LONAVALA IS FREQUENTED BY ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY HIKERS AND
TREKKERS.
LONAVALA, BEING A PART OF THE SAHYADRI HILLS, OFFERS AN ALLURING AND
BEWITCHING EXPERIENCE OF NATURE'S MOST GIFTED REGION. SURROUNDED BY DENSE
FORESTS, WATERFALLS, DAM ALONGSIDE LAKES, LONAVALA IS A MUST-VISIT IF YOU
ADMIRE NATURE AND WANT A GATEWAY TO HAVE A SOULFUL WEEKEND OR A GOOD
TRIP. ALSO VISIT KHANDALA AND RAJMACHI ON THE WAY TO LONAVALA. THE TOURIST
DESTINATION HAS MANY ATTRACTIONS TO ITS NAME, BHAJA CAVES, BUSHI DAM, KARLA
CAVES, RAJMACHI FORT, RYEWOOD LAKE, AMONG OTHERS.
SINHAGAD FORT
At a distance of 32 km from Pune Junction, Sinhagad or Sinhagarh means the Lion Fort, is a fortress located southwest of Pune
City. Sinhagad Fort is one of the popular places of trekking in Pune and also one of the top places to visit in Pune City.

Previously called Kondana, the fort has been the site of many important battles, most notably the Battle of Sinhagad in 1671 CE.
According to history, the fort was built 2,000 years ago and it is said that the name Kondana was derived from sage Kaundinya.
Mohammed bin Tughalak captured the fort from the Koli tribal chieftain, Nag Naik in 1340 CE. And in 1496 CE, Malik Ahmad, the
founder of the Nizam Shahi dynasty took control of the fort.

Nearly 200 years later, the Maratha leader Shahaji Bhonsale captured the fort. In 1647 CE, Shivaji held the stronghold and
renamed it Sinhagad. In 1665 CE, as per the Treaty of Purandar, Shivaji handed over Sinhagad to the Mughals and again
captured it in 1670 CE, under the direction of Tanaji who was Shivaji's favourite general. Aurangzeb laid siege to Sinhagad in
1701- 03 CE, but could not hold it for long. Finally the British seized the fort from the Marathas in 1818 AD. The fort was later used
as retreat for many European residents of Pune.

Sinhagad was an important fort because of its strategic location perched on an isolated cliff of the Bhuleswar range of
Sahyadri Mountains, 1,312 m above sea level. The fort is naturally protected due to its very steep slopes. As such, walls and
bastions were constructed at only key places. The fort has two gates - the Kalyan Darwaja in the south-east and the Pune
Darwaja in the north-east, both protected by three successive gates. The fort contains Kaundinyeshwar Temple, a memorial to
Tanaji, tomb of Rajaram, Lokmanya Tilak Smarak, Amruteshwar Temple and Devtake. Military stables, brewery and a Kali Temple
are also located within the complex.

One can reach Sinhagad fort either by trekking or drive all the way up to the fort parking area. The 3 km trek starts from
Sinhagarh village is medium and it takes 1 hour to reach the fort. From the top of the fort one can enjoy the majestic view of the
mountain valley. The fort also serves as a training center for National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. One can see the
Panshet, Khadakwasla and Varasgaon dams and Torana fort also. The best time to visit the fort is during monsoons.

Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM
MULSHI DAM
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. THERE ARE SEVERAL FARM HOUSES IN THE
AREA AND A RESORT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE VISITORS. THE BEAUTY OF MULSHI
LAKE AND DAM CAN ALSO BE WELL OBSERVED FROM A NEARBY VILLAGE CALLED VALANEWADI, WHICH IS 6
KM AWAY FROM MULSHI.
THE DAM IS A PERFECT SPOT FOR PICNICS, WITH ITS SCENIC SURROUNDINGS, UNEXPLOITED SAHYADRI HILLS,
LUSH GREEN FORESTS & SOME ANCIENT FORTS LIKE KORAIGADH AND DHANGAD IN THE VICINITY. THE RAIGAD
FORT IS ANOTHER MAJOR ATTRACTION NEAR MULSHI DAM. THERE IS ALSO A ROPE-WAY NEAR THE FORT THAT
CAN BE ACCESSED BY VISITORS.
TIMINGS: 9 AM TO 6 PM.
MORESHWAR TEMPLE
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. THE OTHER IMPORTANT DEITIES OF THIS TEMPLE ARE LORD
SHIVA, GODDESS PARVATI, LORD VISHNU, LORD RAMA, GODDESS SITA, LORD VIGNESHA, CHINTAMANI,
LORD BRAHMA, NAGNA-BHAIRAVA AND NANDI. THE ENTRANCE OF THE TEMPLE CONTAINS A 6 FEET
MOUSE, THE VEHICLE OF LORD GANESHA AND THE TEMPLE ALSO HOUSES THE IMAGE OF PEACOCK. THE
ASSEMBLY HALL OF THIS TEMPLE CONTAINS 23 IDOLS OF LORD GANESHA, EACH DEPICTING DIFFERENT
FORMS OF LORD.
Images

Images

Lonavala SINHAGAD FORT

MULSHI DAM MORESHWAR TEMPLE