Calture Of Pune City

              (CULTURE OF PUNE CITY)                           

Pune is considered by many to be Maharashtra's cultural capital and the form of Marathi spoken in Pune is considered to be the standard form of the language.The culture of Pune encompasses both the traditional Maharashtrian lifestyle that is prevalent in the heart of the city, as well as a modern, progressive outlook resulting from its being a hub for education and liberal thought. People from multiple religions and speaking different regional languages reside here. It also hosts various nat and cultural events throughout the year. Due to a large student population, Pune also hosts many youth festivals.

1.(Ganapati (Ganesh) Festival)

It was in Pune in 1894 that Bal Gangadhar Tilak initiated the concept of the "Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav"thcollective communal celebration of the festival of Lord Ganesha. During the month of August or September each year, the city celebrates the Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Almost every neighborhood puts up a pandal with an idol of Lord Ganesha, often amidst a mythological setting, complete with decorative lights and festive music. The 10-day festival culminates in a carnival-like procession along the busy thoroughfares of the city, with every pandal leading the idol on a float to finally immerse (visarjan) it in the local rivers. This is one of the most important yearly events in the city. There are many pandals set up in important places of the city. The city has the five Maanache Ganpati- The respected Ganpati- at different places. They are the Kasba Ganpati at Kasba Peth, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganpati at Appa Balwant Chowk, Guruji Talim at Laxmi Road, Tulshibaugh Ganpati at Tulshibaugh and Kesariwada Ganpati at Kesariwada, the ancestral home of the Tilaks. Every year, the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati trust creates a pandal which is a replica of famous monuments and temples in India. In 2014, it was the replica of the Kailash Temple at Ellora.

2.(Shaniwarwada Dance Festival) 

In the bracing winter air, Pune has had the privilege of seeing some of the best exponents of dance. World-renowned classical dancers like, Pt. Birju Maharajji, the doyen of the kathak, the legendary maestro Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, along with his son Ratikant and daughter in law Sujata Mohanty presented the graceful lyrical dance style from the eastern shores of our country. The beautifully illuminated Shaniwarwada is an ideal backdrop which when combined the melodious sound of ghungroos creates a magical aura under the twinkling stars. The rich cultural heritage of Pune is brought to life with a perfect blend of history, music and dance.

3.(Literature and Theatre)

Pune has given birth to or attracted a body of organisation for the Marathi literati. Marathi theatre (Drama नाटक — रंगभूमी ) is an integral part of Marathi culture. Both — Experimental (प्रायोगिक रंगभूमी) and Professional Theatre — receive whole-hearted patronage from the Marathi community. Tilak Smarak Mandir, Bala Gandharva Rangmandir, Bharat Natya Mandir, Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagriha and Sudarshan Rangmanch continue to serve these art forms.

4.Historical and architectural Attractions

Apart from its various temples, other historical attractions in and around Pune include the rock-cut Pataleshwar cave temple, Aga Khan Palace, Shaniwarwada, Lal Mahal, Shinde Chhatri and Sinhagad fort.
The city is also known for its British Raj "bungalow architecture" and the Garden Cities Movement layout of the Cantonment in the early Twentieth Century. Christopher Charles Benninger landmark architectural works surround the city, including the Mahindra United World College of India, the Centre for Development Studies and Activities, the YMCA Retreat at Nilshi and the Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies.

4.Museums, Parks and Zoos

Prominent museums in Pune include the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, Mahatma Phule Museum, Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum, Pune Tribal Museum and the National War Museum.

Pune has a number of public gardens, such as the Kamala Nehru Park, Sambhaji Park, Shahu Udyan, Peshwe Park, Saras Baug, Empress Garden and Bund Garden. The Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden is located on Sinhagad road, and is also named as Pu La Deshpande Udyan. It is a recreation of the Korakuen Garden in Okayama, Japan.^[

The Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park is located at Katraj, close to the city. The zoo, which was earlier located at Peshwe Park was merged with the reptile park at Katraj.

5.(Food)

Pune has a variety of foods and cuisines. A common meal item is bhakri-pitla, or flat millet pancakes and flour-based curry. Savoury items such as chivda and bakarvadi, and sweets are available in various shops and restaurants. Street vendors also offer snacks such as Vada pav, Bhelpuri, Misal and Kutchi Dabeli. One can also find the Mastani, a thick milkshake with dried fruits, which is named after Queen Mastani of the Peshwas.

Several restaurants in Pune offer Udupi cuisine, Kolhapuri cuisine, Maharashtrian cuisine and other Indian and Western cuisines. Pune has many dining Halls spread out across the city catering to students and office goers. These are modest sit-down eateries that serve all-you-can-eat meals at affordable prices. Indian and western fastfood franchises such as Pizza Hut, Domino's, McDonald's, Subway, Smokin Joes and Papa Johns have outlets in the city, and are comparatively more expensive. There are several coffee houses (including Irani cafes) and modern chains such as Cafe Coffee Day, Aromas Cafe and Barista Coffee.

6.(Entertainment)

Pune has many multiplexes and cinema theatres, showing the latest Bollywood and Hollywood movies. These multiplexes are situated in various parts of the city. Marathimovies are screened at Prabhat and City Pride. Multiplexes include INOX near Pune station, E Square on University road, City Pride on Satara road, City Pride at Kothrud, City Pride at Deccan, BIG Cinemas at Kalyani Nagar and Chinchwad, Fame at Akurdi and Wanowarie, Pimpri-chinchwad,Mangala at Corporation. Other than the cinema there are various other leisure facilities such as go-karting at Manas Resorts and the Pancard club. a bowling alley at 3D Destination

Pune is becoming a good party destination with people from multinational cultures flocking to Pune. Discos, pubs and bars are becoming common in Pune.

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