Enthusiastic Holi in Pune, bike parts, bat stench

Pune to Pune via Aurangabad, Ellora and Ajanta caves – 500km

Tuesday 10^th March to Tuesday 17^th March 2009

panchavati society, pune

Disregarding the directions emailed to us by Dr. Ritu we made our way into Pune and ended up taking the long way around the city. Pune is a city of approximately 10 million and with more 2 wheelers (motorcycles) than any other city relative to it population. Our first challenge was to make it through the city without incident. At first we were only going to be in Pune for 2 days, but it soon became apparent that our host Dr. Ritu had bigger plans for us. Ritu had 2 other friends coming the same week and she asked us if we wanted to join them as they had planned a tour to Aurangabad to visit the caves.

We got to Pune just in time for the festival Holi. In the evening we joined the society members for the Holi bonfire and the next day we were given some old clothes, non-toxic colours, and the use of a water gun purchased the day before. Adrian still had Holi colours in his scalp and hair a week later.

During our stay Sarita organized an interview by a national newspaper and television outlet, a demonstration at her society and a talk and demonstration at the morning assembly of Vidya Valley School, Pune.
http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/mar/130309-UK-couple-Bicycle-Spirit-of-adventure-Pinkett-Adrian-Smith.htm

holi 3

holi 2

holi 1

holi

Milind a good friend of Sarita and also a former paratrooper was recovering from a motorcycle accident, but was more than happy to show us around Pune on motorbike with his crutches. Two months before we arrived his leg had been smashed to bits when a scooter collided and landed on top of him and then another scooter landed on top of that one.

Pataleshwar cave

outside Pataleshwar temple cave

Peshwar place

Our first two days in Pune were spent visiting the once magnificent Peshwar Place that is now a ruin due to a fire that comsummed the 7 storey main structure made of wood. Unfortunately the fire also claimed the only paintings made be visiting Europeans that would have given us an indication of what the palace looked like.

Next we went to see the Pataleshwar – a temple that was below ground and carved from a single rock. The city had sprung up around these old structures and the damage caused was being patched up with cement to prevent further degradation, however the new light colored cement doesn’t quite work.

For lunch we ate at Pune’s alternative to McDonald’s – Joshi Wadewale famous for a sandwich which is essentially a coated potato patty in a bun. Very tasty.

Joshi Wadewale

As my tires were 6 months old Adrian thought it best to get some new ones. We spent the later half of the day at the bike shop and also looking for butane gas as a less messy alternative to the kerosene MSR stove .

On Friday 13^th we left for Aurangabad with Sarita and her friends Raquel and Melissa who had joined us from Mumbai where they had just attended a tobacco and cancer conference. Aurangabad is a 5 hour drive from Pune. Sarita had organized accommodation through another cser at the Mahatma Gandhi Mission guesthouse.

First stop – Daulatabad Fort – even though we got up early some how we didn’t get to the Fort until almost noon. Me and Adrian climbed all the way to the very top while the others only made it halfway. The walk to the top took you through unlit passages, bat caves, and unergonomic narrow steps. The fort was also a collection of trick doorways to exhaust and fool the enemy, overhead chambers for pouring hot oil on the enemy and false passageways that lead to an untimely slicing off of the enemies head.

Daulatabad Fort - abode of wealth

Daulatabad Fort 2

Daulatabad Fort 3

Daulatabad Fort 4

Of course this was a lot of fun as we got to use muscles that we don’t usually use cycling everyday.

On our way to the car as the driver had parked across the street we were descended on by touts. Raquel seemed to be the most affected by this as she only wanted to flip through one of the books and once she had seen that it was of such poor quality hand it back. Wrong move.

We spent the rest of the day at the Ellora caves.

Daulatabad Fort 1

Sunday 15^th March we again got up very early to visit the Ajanta caves to check out the stone carved sitting Buddha’s. They were nice, but the bat stench and heat gave me a headache and I had to sit under a tree after 2 hours. While waiting for the others I watched a Buddhist monk perhaps on a pilgrimage patiently dealing with a tout who was diligently showing him all is wares including plastic mini Buddha’s.

Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves 1

Ellora Caves 3

Ellora Caves 4

The next day we dropped Raquel off at Aurangabad Airport to catch a flight to Nepal. The entrance was manned by armed officers with rifles, fatigues and berets so we said our goodbyes at the door. We made one more stop at the mini Taj Mahal but by this time we were all touristed out and decided not to go inside. For lunch we had a giant Dosa and then made our way back to Pune.