Posted on: 26/08/2011

They say Pune is the epicenter of Adventure sports in INDIA, some attribute it to do the blessings Mother Nature has showered on us; the great water bodies, the majestic Shayadri ranges and the extraordinary weather makes our city an adventurers paradise. But there is more to adventure than just favorable atmosphere; adventure has to be in your blood. It needs to be cultivated. Many will agree that PUNEs success in ADVENTURE sports can be credited to one cultural phenomenon called “Tekdi”

“Tekdi" is Marathi for a small hill, but its more then just a hill. In Pune its a culture; if Mumbai has its Local Trains, Delhi its tombs, Bangalore has gardens; Pune has its TEKDIs where one can witness a perfect cross-section of the citys cultural and sociological make-up.

A true Punekar, for a small period of his or her life, has been a regular at one of the many TEKDIs. May it be as a kid trying to emulate his dad, an adolescent on a fitness addiction, an adult using the Hill for serious training, a middle aged man trying to strengthen his heart or, as a senior citizen using the Tekdi as a backdrop to meet and greet people and spend quality time. The reasons maybe in abundance but there is a cord connecting them all, its the alluring factor of being away from the city yet being within the city.

There is something mystical about yearning to go to the TEKDI every morning, maybe its to do with being a part of a huge community, where age, sex, caste, creed are not even mentioned, everyone is here for one single reason; to enjoy and get fitter every passing day.

Three key TEKDIs overlook the Pune skyline; the historical Parvati & Taljai hills, the quintessential Hanum Tekdi and the Majestic Vetaal Tekdi. If you have visited them already then you know...if you are about to, then come prepared, for each has its inimitable rewards, each is a gem in its own right. Its for you to choose the Tekdi of your predilection and start developing the eternal bond…

The Parvati hill is a Pune landmark, Parvati has two major climbing routes, the conventional one with steps starting at the Parvati gaon and another, a regular with the youngsters, starting from the Shahu College Grounds, Sahakarnagar.

The Hanuman Tekdi may be undersized, but is very popular and has a certain snob value attached to it since it encircles the three major educational institutions of Pune. The most popular entry to the Hanuman Tekdi is via the Fergusson College grounds. The BMCC College ground access is popular with people staying on Prabhat and Bhandarkar roads. The Tekdi has a third entry point from the Symbiosis College side, but is the least popular, owing to the major traffic on the main road.

The Veetal Tekdi is the largest. The sheer size of the Tekdi is authenticated by the number of routes present. Vetal Tekdi can be summited from the MIT College [ARAI] side in Kothrud, Law college ground on FTII Road, Chaturshringi Temple on S.B. Road and even Loyala High school in Pashan. Vetaal Tekdi is truly magnificent and enthralling.

The TEKDIs are so unique that any small column will fail to capture even their essence. To truly experience the joys of Tekdi you need to get up and get going.

Plenty has been alleged, written and debated about TEKDI during the past few years, maybe the reasons are right, maybe the reasons are wrong or maybe, there is no solution at all. But, amidst the debate, we shouldnt forget the institution we are fighting for. Let us not forget to benefit from this joy till it still exists. Let us make a promise to ourselves – let us wake up and enjoy the pleasure called TEKDI.