Saras Baug

Saras Baug is one of the most noticeable landmark of Pune City. Basically a Hindu temple devoted to Lord Ganesha, it is surrounded by lush green garden and small lotus pond all around it. This place where the park currently stands was initially a lake which over the time has dried up and now it has been developed into a park. The Ganesh temple in Saras Baug is also known as Talyatla Ganpati.

The construction of the temple began in 1750 with the help of Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa and Mahadji Shinde of the Maratha confederacy and was completed in 1784. This temple complex as seen numerous renovations in its 200+ years of existence, the last being in 1969 and starting in 1999 when all the animals in the complex were shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi national park in Katraj.

This temple also has a very interesting history attached to it. It is believed that the Marathas used to discuss military strategy against the Nizams when the Peshwa, his commander, and the advisors would go to the Saras Baug by boat to discuss the issue and plans. It is also recorded that the boats were steered by non-natives like Africans for complete secrecy, as they did not understand the local language Marathi.

Located near Swargate and on the foot hill of Parvati, it can be easily located on the Swargate-Sinhagad road. It has two entrances one from the main road, opposite to the Mahalakshmi temple and the other from the Saras baug chowpati.

This place is now a heaven for morning walkers and amateur photographers like me. You can spot many birds within the vicinity and lotus in the pond. People in the morning feed the pigeons in the park and these pigeons too flock in thousands.

The entrance as seen from the road, opposite to the Mahalakshmi temple

The entrance from Chowpati side

As mentioned there a thousand of pigeons in the temple complex. This guy seems to be feeling a bit of cold in the morning weather.

 The main attraction of this of the temple complex is the lotus pond.

Though not an avid bird watcher, there were few birds which posed an interesting subjects for me to click!  

Overall, a nice morning visit and a must visit place if in Pune.