What are some nice places to visit around Pune? “Lonavala”, that’s the answer you get from nine out of ten people you ask in Pune. Having heard about the place from many of my friends and how it had become commercialized (or rather ‘ruined’ by we the people – if I’ve to be a bit harsh) – Lonavala was the last place I wanted to visit. Ironically that was the very first place I visited – but to my defense it was on our way to our destination Koraigad, a small hill after Lonavala.
We were there very early, before the weekend crowd had woken up from slumber, even the shopkeepers had not arrived yet. Though the views were magnificent, the mess we had created was glaring back at us. Trash, plastic bottles and bags, broken glasses – it was nothing more than a mirror telling us what we are! We left quickly towards the destination, but there was no escaping the place during the return journey. We left quickly as the people started trickling in.
We were back to the same place in about 5 hours, and the scene that we witnessed was horrifying! If what I saw in the morning was a crime scene, later it was the crime in progress. A friend had commented saying what Nandi hills for you guys in Bengalooru is Lonavala for Mumbai and Pune. He was and is right – there are plenty of similarities, and the harsh truth is we are murdering these beautiful places.
Though I did visit Lonavala, I don’t think I’m going to recommend anyone to visit this place. But if you still want to visit the place, go on a weekday – you will get some relief from the weekend mob.
Totally agree. The place is ruined. Too much commercialized and sold. The worst part is we are doing it to all the places, one after another.
Indeed. We are slowly killing all these beautiful places 🙁
Responsible tourism is the need of the hour!
True that, Deepak.