I J R S S I S, Vol. V (1), Jan 2017: 41-44 ISSN 2347 – 8268 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCHES IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND INFORMATION STUDIES © VISHWASHANTI MULTIPURPOSE SOCIETY (Global Peace Multipurpose Society) R. No. MH-659/13(N) www.vmsindia.org A GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION IN PUNE DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA STATE Amol S. Shinde De pt. of Ge ography, Walchand College of Arts and Science , Solapur (M.S) [email protected] Abstract: The natural resources, coastal lines, waterfalls, hot springs, temples, historical forts, caves, wild-life, hill ranges, scenery and amenable climate are very important resources of tourist attrac-tion.The various facilities available to the domestic and foreign tourists in Pune district. These include natural resources, transportation, infrastructure, hospitality resources and major tourist attractions. For the research work Pune District is selected. This district has at Pune its Satara district at south, Thane and Ahmednagar state at North, Raigad district west, Solapur district east The object of study region is, to highlight the attractive tourist destinations and religious places,Historal,Nature and Cultural Place etc.This study based on primary and secondary data. Tourist attractions in the district as is, natural beauty, caves, temples, forts, mini garden, rock garden, tracking, rock climbing, wild life, festival's fairs, arts, handicrafts, creeks, lakes etc. places. To the stay of tourist, which requires natural resources, infrastructural and transportation facilities, accommodation, food, recreation, sightseeing, shopping and variety of facilities and services for use and enjoyments? The source of tourism depends on all these facilities. Keywords- Pune District, Maharashtra, Tourism, Natural resource Introduction: Pune District, also known as Educational Study Area: Capital of the state of Maharashtra. Agriculture Pune district is located between 17 o 54' N and and household-industrie s are the main sources 10 o 24' N latitude and 73 o 19' E and 75 o 10' E of live lihood. Pune also has hill station – longitude . The district has geographical area of Lonavala which is ve ry famous hill station. It is 15,642 km 2 having population 72,24,224. Pune just few kilometers away from mumbai. One can district is bound by Ahmednagar district, spend his time on the peaceful hill station. The Solapur district, Satara distric t Pune district natural beauty of Lonavala is really and Thane district. It is the second largest mesme rizing. Places to visit in the city are district in the state and covers 5.10 percent of Bhimashankar Temple, Vingneshwar the total geographical area of the state. The Temple ,Shaniwar Wada, Agakhan landscape of Pune district is distributed Palace,Sinhagad Fort, Shivne ri fort, Mulshi triangularly in we stern Maharashtra at the Dam, Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary foothills of the Sahyadri Mountains. etc.These include natural resources, Administrative ly the district is divided into 14 transportation, infrastructure, hospitality talukas. These are Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed, resources and major tourist attractions along Maval, Mulshi, Velhe , Bhor, Haveli, Purandar, with ropeway and boating etc.Natural resources Pune City, Indapur, Daund, Baramati and includes climate, Natural beauty, wild life, hill Shirur. Pune city is the administrative lakes, ponds, rive rs, waterfalls in Pune district. he adquarters of the district. {Fig. No-01} There In infrastructural facilities like water supply are around 1,866 villages in the district. Slope is system, accommodation, electricity and power towards south-east. The study area has basaltic supply system, communication system etc. are base having step like topography. In the west, the basic requirements of Pune to achieve the there is Sahyadri basaltic mountain running goal of tourism. Transportation includes surface north to south, and towards east, basaltic transport, Railways and aviation services etc. Deccan plateau, lying gentle slope towards east. The various facilities available to the domestic In Pune distric t, there are four soil types, and foreign tourists in Pune district. These name ly, coarse shallow, medium black, deep include natural resources, transportation, black, laterite and mountainous soil. Ten crops infrastructure, hospitality resources and major have been identified for considering spatio- tourist attractions along with ropeways, boating temporal analysis of cropping pattern. These etc. crops are rice, jowar, bajra, sugarcane, groundnut, gram, safflower, fodde r crops, fruits Objectives: and vege tables and wheat. The ne t sown area The main objectives of the study were as follows has decreased from 60.95% to 60.23% in last 25 To study the profile of Pune district. ye ars. But the irrigated area increased by 8.68% To highlight places in study area. with 10,374 electric pumps. In view of study of To review the progress of tourism related works in the study area. 41 I J R S S I S, Vol. V (1), Jan 2017: 41-44 ISSN 2347 – 8268 Pune District has been under taken for the Though the temple is believed to be ancient, the research pape r. current structure of the temple was built by him or his descendant. 3. Vingneshwar Temple at Ozar, Junnar Tahsil TheVigneshwaraTempleorVighnahar Ganapati Templeof Ozar is aHindu templededicated toGanesha, one of the e ight Ashtavinayak located at a distance of about 100 km from Pune. Le gend has it that a demon by name Vignaasura created obstacles to eve ry good deedperformed by the sages and the other inhabitants of the world. 4. Jejuri, Purandar Tahsil Jejuri is located in Purandar tahsil at a distance of 51 km from Pune& famous for pilgrimage.It is situated at a elevation of around Figure. 1: Location Map of Pune District 718 me ters (2,355 fee t) from mean sea level. It is Hypothesis more a village than a town and de rives its Tourism can gene rate employment opportunities importance from the religious fairs held in especially in the interior and coastal areas of the honour of the god Khandoba, who is also called district. Mhalsakant, Martand-Bahirav, Malhari . It is Database and Research Methodology situated on a high level and is surrounded on all The present study is based on the primary and sides by fertile and cultivated lands. secondary data. Primary data was collected from 5. Alandi, Khed TahsilAlandi to visits the carious tourist ce nters taken is popularly known as "Devachi Alandi"is photographs, interviews and sample tourists. situated on the banks of River Indrayani.It has Secondary resources were made for tracing the Samadhi and a temple of ‘Sant Dnyaneshwar’ history of tourism development in Pune district. who spent most of his life-span there. The Secondary data was collected from reference temple was built in 1570. The famous wall on books review, periodicals, booklets, news which ‘Sant Dnyaneshwar’ flew to meet papers, magazines, research report, internet, ‘Chandev' is also present here. thesis etc. 6. Dehu, Haveli Tahsil Tourist Attractions in the District Dehu is situated in Haveli Tahsil at a distance of Some important tourist ce nters in the Pune around 24 km from Pune . Dehu is a place of district are explained as follows: Sant Tukaram where he worshiped Lord Vitthal. Major Attractions Tourism Places in Pune The 'Palakhi' in the month of 'Ashadh' from District: Dehu is one of the main attractions of De hu. A. Religious Places Dehu is a place where the 'Abhang 'of Sant 1. Bhimashankar Temple, Khed Tahsil Tukaram can be remembe red. One can see his Bhimashankar is an ancient shrine situated in temple here on the banks of the river Indrayani. the Sahayadri Hills in the state of Maharashtra. 7. Chatushrungi Temple, Pune City It is one of the well known Jyotirlinga, amongts Chatushrungi temple is located on the slopes the twelve jyotirlingas situated all over India. of a hill on Senapati Bapat Road in Pune city. It Bhimashankar is located in the village of is said to have been built during the reign of the Bhorgiri, around 125 km away from Pune in MarathakingChhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle. Sahyadri Hills. In recent times it has gained The presiding de ity of the temple isGoddess tremendous significance since it was declared as Chaturshringi, also known asGoddess "Wildlife Sanctuary" in 1984. Ambareshwari. She is also considered as the 2. Chintamani Temple at Theur, Haveli presiding deity of the city of Pune. Tahsil 8. Kamar Ali Darvesh Dargah at Khed Theur is located at a distance of about 25 kms Shivapur, Haveli Tahsil from Pune . This temple is "one of the large r and Khed ShivapurDargahis of Sufi Saint Kamar more famous" of the Ashtavinayaka, the eight Ali Durvesh who lived here around the year revered shrines of Ganeshain Maharashtra.The 1200. KhedShivapur issituated in Haveli Tahsil temple is associated withSaintMorya about23kms away from Pune . It is about 700 Gosavi(dated between 13th to 17th century). ye ars old Dargah. This Dargah is on the main 42 I J R S S I S, Vol. V (1), Jan 2017: 41-44 ISSN 2347 – 8268 highway of Pune -Satara road. It is located in a carvedchaitya, or prayer hall, dating back to the small village known as the Khed Shivapur.There 1st century BC. are two large stones placed near the contour of the Dargah premises. C. Hill Station Place B.Historical Place 1. Lonavala, Maval Tahsil 1. Shaniwar Wada, Pune City Lonavla is a town and a hill station Municipal This imposing palace was built by the Council in Pune district. It is about 64 km away successors of Shivaji Maharaj, the Peshwas in from the Pune , 96 km away from Mumbai. 1736. A massive fire destroyed the building in Lonavala is a popular hill station at a height of 1827. Most of the palace interiorsalso got 625 mt. (2051 ft.) above the mean sea level. It is destroyed and all that remains is the old famous throughout India for the hard candy fortified wall.This Palace situated in the heart of swee t known as ‘chikki’.