A Vacation

We all need vacations. We all take vacations to relieve ourselves from the hectic schedules. My family is no exception. So we decided to take a vacation.

The first step was obviously planning. I being the one much interested in travelling was given the duty of searching a place. I started searching for places and stumbled upon a place called Purushwadi. Purushwadi is a small village in the Igatpuri district. What's special about this place you ask? This place experiences fireflies mating season. The male firefly blinks the light to attract the female and if the female is interested she'll blink back & this lightens up the whole place without any torch or street lights.

So now that the place was finalised it was time to search for a place to stay. Oh Purushwadi! This place being a small village doesn't have any hotels. However, a group of a few people have set up a camp like thing called Grassroutes. But Grassroutes is a bit to pricey for just two days. Now what? 'We should stay at some hotel in a nearby town', said my father. So Bhandardara it was. We'll reach Bhandardara in the afternoon spend the day there and in the evening go to Purushwadi to see the fireflies and return back to Bhandardara. Then again spend the next day in Bhandardara and then return home in the evening.

But this plan wasn't as smooth as it seems. My mother raised a point. Purushwadi is a village with no electricity, no shops nearby, so will travelling there at night be safe? Even if people from Grassroutes come there, they'll go back to their camps and we will have to travel alone which won't be safe. Then what? Cancel the holiday? No, no, no. As it is we were going to Bhandardara so lets keep the same place just cancel Purushwadi. Ok. But, Bhandardara will be to hot and if it hasn't rained there'll be nothing to see. Ok, lets finalise Igatpuri I said. so finally, everyone agreed for Igatpuri. Then I started looking up for hotels. I would everyday ask my parents should we book this hotel, should we book that one, but no answer from both of them.

No answer still. With just a week remaining I thought we aren't going anywhere now. & the next day my father says, lets go to Kashmir. 😕(what!) my reaction. Where did Kashmir come from? Its too hot here so lets go to Kashmir, said my father. So he started calling all these tours and travels, but, no. None of the tours were fitting in our available dates.

Then we looked upon on these travel sites, but none of them were in our budget. So, we have to go to a chilled out place so I suggested Himachal Pradesh. & since time was running out after having a few sleepless nights I searched for a plan which was according to our dates and a bit costly than our budget, but that was ok for my parents.

And finally, 5 days before our holidays or our available days we booked our trip. Lucky we were, to get everything as per our convinience. So finally we'll be leaving on Monday the 23rd, & I will be making a vlog as well. Please do watch my vlog! 😊

The Lanes That Shout Copper (Tambat Ali)

        When one think about Pune, one thinks Peshwas, education, Shaniwar Wada, Tulshi Baug or even Saras Baug. But Pune, is much more than that. One might even think peths. & in one of the many peths dwells Tambat Ali, the place that shouts copper.

       Enter the main entrance or the praveshdwar of Kasba Peth and take a left. As you go further you'll see a person making something from copper. This is when you know you've reached Tambat Ali. When you look at Tambat Ali from outside its just like any other old building like structure that one can see at any other peth. And if it wasn't for the banging and bashing I wouldn't have realised that the copper magic happens in here. A small lane and an old staircase leads to Tambat Ali, where there is are small wadas, with the residence behind and the workshop in front. 

        Many years ago Shivaji Maharaj bought the 12 balutedars like goldsmith, tailors, potters, copper smiths, etc. together and set up a place for them to work and stay. Tambat Ali is one of them.

ghangal

         Traders supply copper to these copper smiths at Tambat Ali. The copper smiths then work on the copper to make the items that the trader needs. Ghangal, kalshi, topla are a few of them. Most of the items here have matar kam on them. Matar means peas. The copper smith with his tools makes small circles which resemble peas on the items, hence the name. 

matar kam

         Everybody at Tambat Ali can be seen bashing and banging onto the copper. You need to have a very good sense of hearing when here. Because you definitely cannot hear what one is saying in all that loud noise.  Mr. Rajendra who was kind enough to give me a short but informative information about Tambat Ali has been doing this work since the past 30 years. He even told me that I can purchase anything I want, I just need to make an advanced booking. I guess I'll take my mom along to do some tamba (copper) shopping.

Mr. Rajendra working on the ghangal

        Also a small little mention. Despite of living in Pune for the past 14 years, I got to know about this place a couple of months ago through a TV show, where the designer goes to Tambat Ali and asks the copper smith to make a beautiful necklace out of copper. I yet have many other places to explore.

https://www.facebook.com/travelwithtanvi

PDA at Shaniwar Wada?

       A place that is famous not only in Pune, but I guess almost all over India. This is the Shaniwar Wada. Shaniwar Wada needs no introduction. The home for the Peshwas, Pune's pride. 

Shaniwar Wada

        Everybody in Pune knows about Shaniwar Wada & people who aren't from Pune are also familiar with the wada. So today I won't be describing the place. I won't be telling what it has got, how and when was it built or how an unexplained fire burnt the wada. 

         Today in this blog I'll write about the current condition of Shaniwar Wada & what I feel about how the place is really being used.

      Shaniwar Wada is a place with historical significance, so it has become a sightseeing place for tourists. It is also used as a stage for various shows and events. Shaniwar Wada also has a souvenir store near its main entrance. 

souvenir shop

        But apart from sightseeing and events this place is majorly used as a hangout. A hangout for friends and a hangout for couples. Hanging out with friends at any place is completely alright as long as we aren't causing any kind of  problem to the people around. Hanging out with your partner is also completely alright. Public display of affection is also not a problem. Showing that you love and care is a good thing. But PDA is very different than vulgarity. & the things that Shaniwar Wada is used for isn't called public display of affection.

         The love story of Bajirao Mastani will remain immortal, but that doesn't mean that you use the Shaniwar Wada because you can't manage a room.

the statue of Bajirao Peshwa

          I know India is developing. It has got almost everything that a developed nation needs. The country is nurturing itself to become a developed one. But there should a thin line between the culture of our country & the western countries. After all it is the culture of the countries that differentiate them from each other. There are many things that our culture doesn't support. Kissing in public is one of them. Now there are many things being talked about this. Many say it is ok to pee in public but it is not ok to kiss in public this is very unfair. So what the so called modern people think is that if you can allow a person to pee in public you should allow a couple to kiss in public. My thoughts on it- don't let anyone pee in public and don't let anyone kiss in public. 

inside the wada

          India is advancing for better. but from a very long time India has been accused for copying things. Not that every thing is copied, there are originals as well, but we all know certain things are copied from different countries. Why copy the culture?? I know the culture does change as a country develops. But how fine is it to completely shack off our culture and accept some foreign culture? Just because it is ok to kiss in public in America or Europe why should it be the same in India? & if the youth of today feels that their freedom is being snatched from them just because they aren't allowed to kiss in public, I don't think that they are wrong. Everyone has their own opinion and I respect them all. But our culture should be taken care of & its we the youth that have to do that. If the youth feels it is ok to kiss in public it is completely fine. Its their opinion. But if the place is of a historical importance at least that should be taken care of. 

      Most of the couples come to Shaniwar Wada so that they can do the kissing and smooching and that according to me is very wrong. 

Disclaimer- the things written in this blog are my personal opinions. It isn't to offend anyone. 

https://www.facebook.com/travelwithtanvi