Stories of A Prosperous Street

This walking tour chose me to be a part of it. I was in Pune when this walk took place. And I am so glad. Some of you might have guessed from the blog’s title the road I explored.

Within further ado, let me tell you about the street where I went for a walk that Saturday morning. It was on Laxmi Road. I went with Ayan Heritage, an organisation run by Dr. Supriya Shelar and Kshitija Pande run. I recently discovered this company on my Instagram feed. Not long ago, I visited Mandai (marketplace) and the nearby areas with them.

The walk aptly named "Timeless Tales of Laxmi Road" began at Sonya Maruti Chowk. One of our initial stops was a hundred-year-old tea shop named Aadya Amrutalaya. The 5th generation now runs the shop and completed its centenary year in July 2024. The shop was initially opened in Mandai but has shifted to its current location.

Many traders and shopkeepers from neighbouring areas actually begin their day by 1st having their tea here. This practice has been going on for generations now.

Laxmi Road can be said to be a connection between Raviwar Peth and Budhwar Peth. But a road which is so famous now. Didn’t even exist till the early 1950’s. Yes, you read it right. Laxmi Road was conceptualised in 1912 but came into existence only in 1952. There are two theories behind the name. The first being, it was named Laxmi, after the wife of Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai. The other reason was the actual purpose of the road for shops selling jewellery. Budhwar Peth initially developed as a cloth market. It now houses the famous Dagudsheth Ganpati Mandir, a book haven for school and college students and even the infamous red-light area. Raviwar Peth had a cluster of shops started by communities who had migrated to Pune. Peth can be defined as a locality in Pune. For more detailed information on the names of the peths and how they have evolved, attending the walk is a must.

After a few group members relished a cup of tea, excluding me, we proceeded towards a few Hanuman mandirs. These idols were situated on the roadside itself. They had small temple enclosures around them. One of them was known as Shree Vijaya Maruti. The reason that Maruti (Hanuman) idol was found on Vijayadashmi. It’s a beautiful black sculpture adorned with silver finish ornaments. Passersby stopped by on foot or in their vehicles to pay their respects.

Another iconic spot shown during the walking tour was the Pune Guest House. A place started by Nana Sarpotdar to provide local snacks. A place popular amongst Marathi artists. As time passed, Nana realised that the non-residential artists also needed a place to stay. Hence, rooms were built on the first floor of the building.  Even now, it continues to provide traditional Maharashtrian cuisine at nominal rates. It was one of the first places to start catering in Pune.

PGH used to send food packages to hospitals such as KEM and Sassoon. Now the guest house and eating premises are located on the 1st floor. These days, we can find PGH Express in malls.

Just after walking a few steps, at the corner of the road is a shop dedicated to musical instruments known as Mirajkar Musical. The 8th generation now runs the shop and specialises in making sitars.

Mirajkar Musical is located in a beautiful ornate structure known as the Kaka Kuwa Mansion. There is no evidence relating to the building's owners or architects now. The walk leader said she had seen the building in the same state for the last decade.

The Kaka Kuwa Mansion, constructed in the 1920s, has always been a commercial complex comprising various shops. It’s a building worth looking up to!

From then on, the next stop was the Nagarkar Talim Aakhada. I just took a sneak peek from outside, as only men are allowed inside.

While walking towards the last stop, I learned that a stream used to flow through there. The stream was known as Aambil oodha. It later on joined the city’s Mutha river. It must’ve been so refreshing and fascinating. I wish I could go back in time to experience the same. Later, I learned that Aambil oodha still exists, but the route has changed. The stream ran from Shaniwar Peth to Katraj.

The walk concludes at Vishrambaug Wada. The last Wada of the Peshwas. Vishram means to rest. This wada has three central courtyards. Out of these, only two are accessible now as restoration work is going on. I had already visited that part a few winters back. This time, I felt the vibe inside the wada was quite warm and cosy. The construction materials are such that they give cooling effects during summers and make you feel warmth during the winters. What an innovative thinking!

At the end, postcards were given to all participants. It’s such small gestures which make these experiences more wholesome. The duration of the walking tour was two hours, and I paid Rs.200/-