Girinagar Memories – Pristine Paradise in Pune

This morning – the sky was clear – the visibility was great – and – I could see the silhouette of Sinhagad Fort clearly from my balcony (in fact – as I write this – I can see Sinhagad quite clearly – but soon – because of the haze over Pune – visibility may go down).

Looking at the mighty Sinhagad Fort evoked in me fond memories of that pristine paradise called GIRINAGAR where I spent the best years of my life. 

So – today – let me delve into my blog – and dig out some Girinagar Memories for you to read.

First – here is a post about GIRINAGAR – I wrote this around 7 years ago – during my last days at Girinagar.

GIRINAGAR 

Pristine Paradise near Pune
A Nostalgic Memoir

By

VIKRAM KARVE 

Tell me – which is the most beautiful, most pristine, most unpolluted and most verdant place in Pune...?

I’ll tell you – it’s a lovely place called “Girinagar”.

Pune has changed – for the worse.

The pleasant, salubrious, tranquil, stress-free, easygoing, cozy, affable Pune – that I once lived in – no longer exists.

Yes – the Pune I once lived in no longer exists...!!!

Every nook and corner of Pune has suffered the ravages of “modernization”.

Except one place – GIRINAGAR

Yes – there still exists a pristine paradise in Pune – a Pristine Paradise called Girinagar.

With the mighty SINHAGAD Fort towering as a Sentinel – Girinagar is a fascinating place located on the slopes of the hills adjoining the cool blue Khadakwasla Lake.

The view from the Girinagar ridge is amazing.

You can see backwaters of Panshet and Varasgaon dams in the distance – and close-by – down below – your eyes are soothed by the serene expanse of the Khadakwasla Lake held back by the mighty dam.

If you stand on the Girinagar side of Khadakwasla lake (on the western bank) – the metamorphosis at sunset is enthralling.

The dance of colours – on the waters of the lake – from yellow to orange to crimson to blue to grey – and then – a still darkness – I have not seen a more magnificent sunset view anywhere else.

In the mornings – as you climb up the hills – cleansing, refreshing, revitalizing and invigorating your lungs with the clean unpolluted pure fresh air – you look in the distance – and you see the heavy layer of smog settling down over the city of Pune – and you know how lucky you are to live in this paradise called Girinagar...!

When the monsoon arrives – and it starts raining – the sensuous mist envelops all around – everything is a soothing green – and the atmosphere – the environment – and the ambiance in Girinagar is simply magnificent!

Truly a “pristine paradise” in Pune...!

Pune may have changed – but time stands still in Girinagar. 

All the green hills in Pune may have disappeared – but lush green verdant hills of Girinagar still stand strong.

Yes – Girinagar remains the same as it was in 1984 when I first visited it 

(Some old timers tell me it is the same since the early 1970s).

I spent more than 12 years of my life in Girinagar - in three stints - and – every time I came back – I realized that though the world outside had changed dramatically – Girinagar remained the same – as if time had stood still – yes – it seems that time stands still in Girinagar.

In the evenings – I often stand in my tall balcony high up on my 9^th Floor Flat in Rohan Tarang in Wakad – and I see in the distance – the silhouette of Sinhagad Mountain outlined vaguely against the fading light of the setting sun – and my mind harks back to nostalgic memories of my unforgettable days in Girinagar.

Even right now – on a Clear Bright Feel-Good Monday Morning in Pune – with the air so pure – and the weather so pleasant – with a cool breeze blowing softly – the Visibility is excellent – yes – the visibility is so good – that – from where I sit on my desk in my study – as I look out of the large window – in the distance – I can clearly see Sinhagad Fort with its two mammoth towers (the TV Tower and the Microwave Communication Tower at either end of the towering mountain ridge) – and the unique Potato Point at the southern tip.

I miss Girinagar – the beautiful picturesque surroundings – the lovely people I made friends with – the huge “Bhoot Bangla” in which I lived – the long walks we took in the hills – the boating and sailing in lake – the strolls on the “chowpatty on Khadakwasla lake – I miss everything – as I fondly recall my days in Girinagar. 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This article was written 7 years ago in 2009. I last visited Girinagar 2014. It was still the same pristine paradise I have mentioned above, but may have changed now.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

This is a repost of my article posted earlier in this blog at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2010/06/girinagar-pristine-paradise-in-pune.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/11/girinagar-pristine-paradise-in-pune.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/06/girinagar-verdant-hill-station-near.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/11/girinagar-pristine-paradise-near-pune.html

FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE IN PICTURESQUE WAKAD

FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE IN PICTURESQUE WAKAD

Vikram Karve

 

 

The view from my ninth floor balcony is awesome.

Early in the morning, at dawn, I look towards my left, towards the eastern horizon, in the distance, I can behold the breaking of the sun’s upper crest over thick layer of grey-white smog that envelops the city of Pune, and soon the silhouettes of the tall buildings in the concrete jungles of Aundh and Baner become visible.

The air in Pune City may be quite polluted, but here, high up on the south facing terrace of my top floor apartment in Rohan Tarang, in the southern part of Wakad, the air is pure, fresh and so refreshing that I can cleanse my lungs with it, almost like the pristine morning air in the hills of Girinagar, in the foothills of Sinhagad Fort, which lies beyond the range of hills I can see in the distance.

I stand in my open-to-the-skies spacious terrace-like balcony, at the edge, look around in front of me, have a panoramic view. 

The scene is picturesque and the mood is uplifting. 

The placid waters Mula River meandering down from the verdant hills in the distance, bisecting its lush green scenic valley, renders an air sublime stillness to the environment.

On this side of the river lies the well laid out, clean and tranquil Wakad village, and at this early morning hour, everyone is in their homes, except Pappya , the redoubtable white guard dog, who moves around like a sentinel at the entrance of the village. 

Wafts of pleasing devotional music emanating from the famous and beautiful Mhatoba Temple gently uplift my spirits and enhance the sublime ambience.

On that side of the river, across the valley, there is large tract of greenery, fields and farms, being gradually swallowed up by the expanding concrete jungle spreading out from Baner in the distance. 

Soon it will be all dust and grime, as the construction work of buildings starts, but then all this is quite far away, and will not disturb the glorious view or equanimity, which I enjoy from my balcony.

Sunset from my terrace is a special event. 

First the orange sun plays hide and seek with the peaks and troughs of the range of hills far away from where the Mula River emanates.

Then the sun suddenly goes below the horizon and the sky gets lit up like a painting, first a crimson red, then the interplay of colours starts, both in the sky and on the waters of the Mula River, yellow, gold, silver, grey and then it is dark.

In the darkness of the night, to your right you can see the fast moving lights of the vehicles on the Mumbai – Bangalore Bypass Highway, a distance away right ahead are the floodlights of the Balewadi Stadium and colourful neon signs of the numerous hotels and inns like Holiday Inn, VITS, Orchid and Sadanand Residency, and towards the left, to the east, just a few lights in the high-rise apartments at Baner and Aundh, most of which are empty as they have been bought for investment and not to live in.

Though progressive and in the midst of modernity, with clean well-lit roads and neatly laid out, the beauty of Wakad is that it is a quaint, serene, picturesque village which still retains a delightful old-world charm. 

FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE FOR MHATOBA UTSAV

On normal days, sleeps early, and the nights are quiet, but tonight is special.

As I write this, the annual Shri Mhatoba Dev Utsav is being celebrated and the entire Wakad village has been brightly illuminated. (Mhatoba is the Gram-Daivat of Wakad)

Shri Mhatoba Devasthan Temple (Mandir) has been beautifully decorated and brilliantly illuminated and looks superb. 

In fact, the illumination of the temple dome is truly exquisite. 

There is a jatra, carnival, music, and people have come from distant places to the Shri Mhatoba Devasthan Mandir in Wakad to have darshan, seek blessings and pray to the God Mhatoba, the village Deity of Wakad and Hinjewadi and participate in the utsav or festival. 

It is celebration time, the entire place, even the Mula Riverside Park and Garden, is brimming with people, of all ages, dressed at their best, the atmosphere is festive, the place is resonating with positive energy and happy vibes, and from my balcony I enjoy a grandstand view which is truly breathtaking.

Actually the huge windows of all rooms in my spacious and airy house afford a wonderful view, but I love standing in my roomy open terrace balcony, especially at night under the starlight open sky, and enjoying the magnificent view. 

And as I write this spectacular illumination and festive air fill my heart with joy.

PS:

I am lucky that I live in South Wakad, towards the river side of the Aundh – Hinjewadi Road. 

If you live in the concrete jungle in North Wakad on the other side of the main road – well, then that is a different story! 

THE FUNNY SIDE OF CORRUPTION

SWALLOWING A BRIBE – EATING MONEY - A CORRUPTION STORY

This morning there was a hilarious story in the newspapers about corruption. 

A Revenue Official in a village in Pune District swallowed two 1000 Rupee currency notes at his office when he was caught red handed accepting a bribe by officials of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). Despite his eating up the currency notes and swallowing the “evidence” the ACB sleuths nabbed him, took him to a local hospital where an endoscopy was done on him and the endoscopy report revealed that there are two currency notes in his stomach. Later an X-Ray showed that the two notes had moved down inside his intestines.

Since they needed the two currency notes as evidence the cops gave the corrupt official some strong laxatives and are patiently waiting for the two thousand rupee notes to come out from his other end.

It seems that Anna Hazare’s Anti Corruption Crusade has had no effect on the lower bureaucracy who continue to literally eat money (Paise Khana...)

This story highlights the need to bring lower bureaucracy under the purview of the Lokpal Act or some strict Anti-Corruption Law.

Here is a link to the news story:

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Talathi-who-swallowed-bribe-notes-remanded-in-police-custody/838272/

Have a laugh Dear Reader – there is funny side to corruption too.

BIBWEWADI Value For Money Living in Pune

BIBWEWADI

VALUE FOR MONEY LIVING in PUNE

By

VIKRAM KARVE

I have just had a full glass of delicious refreshing invigorating sugar cane juice for five rupees. You don’t believe me? Okay, just head for Vrushali Rasvanti Gruha opposite Bibwewadi Village.

Well, Bibwewadi is very much a part of Pune City and no longer a village as are Aundh, Baner, Pashan, Sus, Kondhwa, Warje, Wakad and so many other erstwhile “villages” which were merged with Pune a few years ago.  

Talking of Wakad, where I live now, I was astonished the other day to read in the property supplement of a leading newspaper that the property rates of Wakad are the same as Bibwewadi.  

Of course, you will realise when you try to buy a house in Pune that these published property rates are to be taken with a pinch of salt. But just imagine comparing Bibwewadi, which in my opinion is, at present, probably the best place in Pune to live in, to Wakad, which has a zero quality of life.  

It’s all hype. From first hand experience I can tell you that the quality of living in Bibwewadi is much better than the much hyped localities like Aundh, Baner, Kondhwa, Pashan, Kalyaninagar which may have snob appeal and pseudo elite status. In contrast, here in Bibwewadi you can enjoy true Value-For-Money living. You can take my word for it for I have lived in Bibwewadi for more than 25 years. Yes, I have lived in Aundh too in recent years, and I can say for sure that as on today the quality of life and standard of value-for-money living in Bibwewadi is much better than Aundh.  

Today Bibwewadi has got everything you want for a decent life. You’ve got excellent malls, a multiplex, good hospitals, branches of all major banks, plenty of ATMs, all kinds of shops, automobile agencies and garages, all kinds of services you normally want, schools, colleges, a deemed university and professional educational institutions nearby, and most importantly, decent affordable restaurants and delicious street food.

Connectivity is good, with both Pune Camp and most parts of Pune City easily accessible. You have wide good quality roads, the traffic is much better than most parts of Pune, there is plenty of parking space. You’ve got the BRTS route on Satara Road (NH4), the bus service is much better than most parts of Pune and you can get a rickshaw very easily (also I have never found a rickshaw driver unwilling to come to Bibwewadi whereas getting a rickshaw for Aundh, Baner, Wakad etc is a Herculean task and you are fleeced most of the time. If you want to go to Mumbai, just take the wide Satara Road and meet up with the Katraj Dehu Bypass on the Banagalore Mumbai National Highway 4 and then onto the Expressway. And if you love animals, the Zoo and Katraj snake park are just a stone’s throw away. 

The footpaths all over Bibwewadi are good, especially on the Bibwewadi Main Road (Swami Vivekananda Road) and the Bibwewadi Kondhwa Road and you can walk relatively easily compared to the rest of Pune as the encroachments are much less. After incorporation of the BRTS, the main Satara Road is a boon for walkers and cyclists, with dedicated tracks on both sides for pedestrians and cyclists. I can easily take my pet dog Sherry for a long walk right from City Pride to the Dhankavadi signal after which the tracks disappear.

Compared to most of Pune which is densely populated, Bibwewadi is comparatively less crowded comprising mostly bungalow and row house societies with just a few high rises. Here it is greener than the concrete jungles of Pune and the air is quite pure, especially early in the morning when you can enjoy your morning walk in spacious surroundings – the roads are clear, there are plenty of parks nearby, including the new one in Sahakarnagar, and, like I did earlier, you can always go up Taljai Hills into the verdant forest there. (Of course, the beautiful Bibwewadi hill with its Seminary where we used to go earlier is now covered with buildings). Another place in Pune I always liked was Salisbury Park which even today is green and relatively less crowded. 

Are you are thinking of buying a home in Pune (a home for your family to live in and not a house to rent out or for investment). Then remember one thing – ONE LOOK IS BETTER THAN A THOUSAND REPORTS. 

So don’t go by the hype and alluring advertisements and the seductive names of some of those new townships which may give you an impression that you are in some exotic foreign locale, an exclusive island in the pacific or the Caribbean, or a tourist destination high up in the hills or a beach resort – just go out there and see for yourself.  

One more thing – beware of the word “ANNEXE” frequently used in housing advertisements, the word annexe is just used to exploit the snob appeal of the so called high-falutin localities. For example, Aundh annexe is nowhere near Aundh (places like Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Gurav, Pimple Nilakh and Navi Sangvi are touted as Aundh Annexe whereas they are across the river in PCMC and not PMC)  and I saw a complex in Thergaon being touted as Wakad Annexe. (It seems Wakad is also acquiring status value!).

Well, I don’t know what’s so great about the name Aundh. In the 1960s, when we were small, Aundh was associated with the famous Chest Hospital and TB. Of course there was a genuinely elite Aundh, a princely state somewhere in the interiors of Maharashtra, but this princely state of Aundh was not the overcrowded suffocating concrete jungle called Aundh that you see in Pune today.

Hey, I have digressed. This piece was supposed to be about Sugar Cane Juice. Let me tell you one thing – you get the best sugarcane juice in Pune – no doubt about it. I have had sugarcane juice all over, but nothing can beat the sheer quality and lovely heavenly taste of the sugarcane juice that you get all over Pune in Rasvanti Gruhas. You know the secret? Maybe it’s got to do with the quality of sugarcane, maybe it’s those generous pieces of tangy ginger and juicy lemon they add to the sugarcane while crushing out the juice that do the trick. (My favourite raswanti gruha – well it is Murlidhar Rasvanti Gruha [Established 1947] near Shanipar in the heart of Pune.  

Well the “smart” youngsters of today may consider it infra dig to drink fresh sugarcane juice and prefer artificial bottled colas, but for me – I love fresh tangy refreshing sugarcane juice anytime. 

They say sugarcane juice is healthy, strengthens your organs like your brain, heart, stomach, kidneys, eyes and sex organs, has plenty of protein and iron, prevents sore throat, cold and flu, and is a panacea for many ills, but I don’t know all that – I just love a tall cool restorative glass of sugarcane juice on a hot dry afternoon to quench my thirst and beat the heat. 

Cheers. 

VIKRAM KARVE

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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Cheers       

About Vikram Karve 

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures(2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 14 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts. 

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm 

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com          

vikramkarve@gmail.com  

Fiction Short Stories Book

COCKTAIL : Short Stories about Relationships By VIKRAM KARVE

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Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll

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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

PICTURESQUE WAKAD

PICTURESQUE WAKAD

The view from my ninth floor balcony is awesome.

Early in the morning, at dawn, I look towards my left, towards the eastern horizon, in the distance, I can behold the breaking of the sun’s upper crest over thick layer of grey-white smog that envelops the city of Pune, and soon the silhouettes of the tall buildings in the concrete jungles of Aundh and Baner become visible.

The air in Pune City may be quite polluted, but here, high up on the south facing terrace of my top floor apartment in Rohan Tarang, in the southern part of Wakad, the air is pure, fresh and so refreshing that I can cleanse my lungs with it, almost like the pristine morning air in the hills of Girinagar, in the foothills of Sinhagad Fort, which lies beyond the range of hills I can see in the distance.

I stand in my open-to-the-skies spacious terrace-like balcony, at the edge, look around in front of me, have a panoramic view. The scene is picturesque and the mood is uplifting. The placid waters Mula River meandering down from the verdant hills in the distance, bisecting its lush green scenic valley, renders an air sublime stillness to the environment.

On this side of the river lies the well laid out, clean and tranquil Wakad village, and at this early morning hour, everyone is in their homes, except Chavrya, the redoubtable white guard dog, who moves around like a sentinel at the entrance of the village. Wafts of pleasing devotional music emanating from the famous and beautiful Mhatoba Temple gently uplift my spirits and enhance the sublime ambience.

On that side of the river, across the valley, there is large tract of greenery, fields and farms, being gradually swallowed up by the expanding concrete jungle spreading out from Baner in the distance. Soon it will be all dust and grime, as the construction work of buildings starts, but then all this is quite far away, and will not disturb the glorious view or equanimity, which I enjoy from my balcony.

Sunset from my terrace is a special event. First the orange sun plays hide and seek with the peaks and troughs of the range of hills far away from where the Mula River emanates and then it suddenly goes below and the sky gets lit up like a painting, first a crimson red, then the interplay of colours starts, both in the sky and on the waters of the Mula River, yellow, gold, silver, grey and then it is dark, and to your right you can see the fast moving lights of the vehicles on the Mumbai – Bangalore Bypass Highway, a distance away right ahead are the floodlights of the Balewadi Stadium and colourful neon signs of the numerous hotels and inns like Holiday Inn, VITS, Orchid and Sadanand Residency, and towards the left, to the east, just a few lights in the high-rise apartments at Baner and Aundh, most of which are empty as they have been bought for investment and not to live in.

Though progressive and in the midst of modernity, with clean well-lit roads and neatly laid out, the beauty of Wakad is that it is a quaint, serene, picturesque village which still retains a delightful old-world charm. On normal days, sleeps early, and the nights are quiet, but tonight is special.

Shri Mhatoba Dev Utsav is being celebrated and the entire Wakad village has been brightly illuminated. Shri Mhatoba Devasthan Temple (Mandir) has been beautifully decorated and brilliantly illuminated and looks superb. In fact, the illumination of the temple dome is truly exquisite. There is a jatra, carnival, music, and people have come from distant places to the Shri Mhatoba Devasthan Mandir in Wakad to have darshan, seek blessings and pray to the God Mhatoba, the village Deity of Wakad and Hinjewadi and participate in the utsav or festival. It is celebration time, the entire place, even the Mula Riverside Park and Garden, is brimming with people, of all ages, dressed at their best, the atmosphere is festive, the place is resonating with positive energy and happy vibes, and from my balcony I enjoy a grandstand view which is truly breathtaking.

Actually the huge windows of all rooms in my spacious and airy house afford a wonderful view, but I love standing in my spacious open terrace balcony, especially at night under the starlight open sky, and enjoying the magnificent view. And as I write this spectacular fireworks illuminate the sky and fill my heart with joy.

PS – I am lucky that I live in South Wakad, towards the river side of the Aundh – Hinjewadi Road. If you live on the other side of the road – well, that is a different story!

LIFE IN WAKAD

LIVING IN PUNE

FIVE THINGS WANTED IN WAKAD

By

VIKRAM KARVE

At present, there is Zero Quality of Life in Wakad.

Life is difficult in Wakad as even day-to-day requirements for a decent living are not available. And just imagine, Wakad is touted as a future “destination” and it is supposed to be a posh suburb of Pune. It is only when you start living here that reality strikes you.

I live in South Wakad, towards the Mula river, definitely the better part of Wakad, where at least the ambience is good, the view from my clean well lighted airy apartment is excellent with plenty of space all around and the air is fresh and unpolluted and there is still a bit of greenery around. I like the charming rustic ambience of the clean, serene, spiritual and well laid out Wakad village and once the connecting road is ready I will be able to walk down to the highway.

I really pity those who stay in North Wakad, on the other side of the Aundh Hinjewadi Road – it is a filthy, polluted, congested concrete jungle choking with traffic and terrible infrastructure. Construction activity is on full swing, with all the noise, dirt, and grime flying around, and there is a perpetual stench due to strewn garbage and debris, stray dogs abound dangerously and hapless people working on the construction sites defecate in the open fields.

Let’s hope for the best, stop cribbing and offer some constructive suggestions to improve the quality of life in Wakad.  If anyone is listening, here is a small wish list of things urgently required in Wakad in order to alleviate the difficulties of Wakadites and raise the quality of life.

I will list just FIVE THINGS, five very basic requirements of urban life, to start with:

1. FOOD

There is an urgent need of some good value-for-money restaurants, eateries and fast food joints because, today, there is nowhere you can go to eat out in Wakad. Yes, you do not even get a decent Vada Pav or Bhel or Pani Puri or Misal or Dosa or Idli or Utthapam or Chola Bhatura or Pav Bhaji or a pastry or ice cream or a quality hygienic affordable value-for-money meal in Wakad. You can't even get a decent cup of tea or coffee. If you want to have a snack, dosa, idli or an affordable meal, you have to go all the way to Aundh or to Sadanand in Baner.  There are a few expensive hotels and overpriced “dhabas” on the Mumbai – Bangalore highway and on the Hinjewadi Road but what one needs are clean decent family places, like Udipi Restaurants, which are not too much of a burden on the pocket. Let’s also have some good fast food joints, an ice cream parlour, cafes and street food places (pav bhaji, Chinese etc) too. A Khau Galli (planned by PCMC near the waterfront) would be great. There are no sweet shops or halwais out here in Wakad. We require some home delivery restaurants too. Till then the only option is to order a pizza from Domino or a Burger from McDonalds.

2. BANKS and ATMs

There is just one ATM in Wakad - the solitary State Bank of India ATM in the petrol pump premises. Surprisingly there is not a single branch of any well-known bank in Wakad. I wish ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis, SBI and other big nationalised banks open Branches and ATMs soon in Wakad considering the huge customer base.

3. SHOPPING CENTRE and MALLS

Believe it or not!

There is no departmental store, electronic goods store, bookstore, shopping centre or mall in Wakad? There are hardly any shops either. Even to buy the basics you have to go all the way to Baner or Aundh or Chinchwad, which are quite far away. Just imagine the business such commercial enterprises would generate.

4. MULTIPLEX

If you want to see a movie, you go all the way to ESquare more than 12 kilometres away and on holidays, you may not get tickets. Is anyone planning a multiplex for all those entertainment hungry IT Pros living out here in Wakad? Something like ESQUARE - a decent place to spend a day and hang out.

5. LANDLINE TELEPHONES and BROADBAND

Let me tell you something you will probably not believe, incredible but true. You cannot get a BSNL Landline or Broadband in Wakad, the home to IT Professionals.  Just before I relocated, I made a request via internet to BSNL for a landline and broadband connection at my new apartment in Rohan Tarang and promptly got an SMS that their staff would visit my place and give the connection immediately.  I waited for a few days and when no one from BSNL turned up, I enquired with BSNL. I was shocked when BSNL informed me that it was not possible to give me landline telephone or broadband internet connection as there was no optical fibre cable in that area. Well, I don’t live in an uninhabited desolate mofussil area in the back of beyond or deep within remote uncharted forests and jungles – I live in a most modern township just a stone’s throw away from the much hyped “state-of-the-art” Infotech Park at Hinjewadi in Pune, which is being flaunted as the IT Capital of India. And, by the way, most of the persons living out here are IT Pros. That’s “Cart before Horse” infrastructure development for you!

I hope for the best. Maybe this wish list will be realized and the quality of life in Wakad will be elevated to a decent standard. Until then, the best thing to do is to STAY INSIDE and STAY COOL and enjoy a life of solitude and contemplation! Just imagine that you are not living in Pune but in some rural setting and plan your weekly trips to enjoy the delights of Pune City.

Dear Readers, especially fellow Wakadites, please do comment and add on to the list…

PS:

Let me end on a positive note and tell you the best thing about Wakad (in addition to the excellent connectivity, which is a well-known fact).

There is a beautiful garden on the banks of Mula where I spend me evenings on the lush green lawns by the waterfront.

I eagerly await the BRTS – once this comes through there will be plenty of space for pedestrians and cyclists like there is on the BRTS Satara Road where one can enjoy one’s walks unhindered. As and when the BRTS sees the light of the day, one can hope to travel in the comfortable BRTS Buses to Pune city, the traffic congestion will ease too, and driving will become pleasurable.

To be continued ….

VIKRAM KARVE

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. He has written a foodie book Appetite For A Stroll and a book of fiction short stories COCKTAIL being published soon and is busy writing his first novel and with his teaching and training assignments. Vikram lives in Wakad Pune with his family and pet DobermanX girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve:

http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Professional Profile of Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

Creative Writing by Vikram Karve: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll 
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

Short Stories Book: Cocktail
Cocktail - Short Stories about Relationships :  
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?pages#!/pages/Cocktail-by-Vikram-Karve-APK-Publishers/177873552253247

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.