The cosmopolitan city of Maharashtra and a hub of IT parks, Pune has much more to offer. Surrounded by picturesque hill stations and rich cultural and heritage sites, the city is ideal for tourists who want to make a quick one day trip exploring the vicinity.
Located 90 kilometers away from Pune is the postcard town of Wai popular for weekend getaways. A lesser known town in Satara District, Wai is a pit stop to the popular hill stations like Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar.
Situated on the banks of Krishna River, Wai is known for its Ghats and history thanks to its prominence at the time of the Peshwas.
The temples tend to be built in Hemadpanthi style architecture, and are decorated with structures and paintings.
Also known as “Dakshin Kashi” (City of Temples), this popular pilgrim town is an abode to more than 100 temples that are nearly a century old.
As a tourist spot, Wai has much more to offer. Explore the Pandavgad caves, known to be used by the Pandavas. Natives also claim that one can even see footprints of Bheem there. On the same lines, the Lahore Palpeshwar caves carry strong Buddhist influence.
The most famous of all the temples at Wai is the Dholya Ganapati Temple or Maha Ganpati Temple on the bank of the river Krishna on Ganapati Aali Ghat, build in 1762. Witness the town in full pomp and splendour during the Ganesh Chaturthi and soak in the old world charm.
The two temples at the ghat, one dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the other to Meneshwar or Lord Shiva also attract a lot of travellers. A 105-year-old Govardhan Sanstha also celebrates Shri Krishna Janma Ashtami which is attended by hundreds of devotees from across the country.
Wai also attracts tourists because of its calm ambience and scenic beauty. A Bollywood ‘Keeda’ can immediately spot places from some of his favourite movies like Swadesh, Dabangg, Gangajal, Chennai Express, Omkara, Gulab Gang and many other Hindi, Marathi, Bhojpuri, Tamil and Telegu movies. If your’e lucky enough, you may just bump in to a celebrity from the tinsel world shooting their next.
The town also houses some resorts and hotels that offer a comfortable stay in the lap of nature. An hour and a half drive from Pune through NH4 will bring you to Wai. Although food here might not fascinate a regular traveller, don’t miss the local bakeries that offer mouth-watering delights. With its proximity to Mahabaleshwar one can also spot shops that sell great strawberry wine here.
The enchanting weather with cloudy skies, a light drizzle and clean air makes it a perfect spot for a days trip when who want a break from regular weekend spots.
Wai wait ? Get going folks..
Reach her at loveleen@pune365.com or tweet @KaurKaur18
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