It's not Mumbai, but it's not far off

The Life: Pune, once a sleepy pensioners' paradise, has shed the tag to become the IT and automobile hub of western India.

Nestled among green hills, centuries-old Sinhagad Fort is a popular getaway for Maharashtra state's residents. Shishir Sathe / Getty Images / Flickr RF

Once a sleepy pensioners' idyll, Pune has shed the tag to become the IT and automotive hub of western India.

Now considered second in importance only to Mumbai in Maharashtra state, Pune has added traffic as well as global enterprises to its cityscape.

For the visitor there are lots of sites to explore in one of the 10 biggest cities in India, with a population estimated at 5.5 million.

Dating back to the 9th Century, Pune has archaeological monuments that trace the history of western India.

Nestled among misty green hills, Sinhagad Fort is a popular getaway for Mumbai residents. Believed to be built by the local tribal population, it was captured by the Turkic sultan of Delhi, Mohammed bin Tughlaq, in the 14th Century. It changed hands several times between Shivaji, the Maratha king, and the Mughals, who ruled from Delhi until the early 19th Century, when British forces took the fort. It is some 20km from Pune and is among a string of forts in the region.

On the arty side, there is the obscure and fascinating Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, which is open daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm.

It houses pieces of everyday India such as utensils, traditional jewellery made of gold, silver and ivory, Paithan-style paintings, musical instruments and weapons, such as body armour made from alligator skin. One of the wings of the museum, Mastani Mahal, is a reconstruction of the palace of the 18th Century ruler Peshwa Baji Rao I and his queen, Mastani.

To pick up souvenirs such as silk and cotton saris, Ganesh idols and Osho bamboo sandals head to some of the open-air shopping districts scattered around Pune. For global brands, visit Mahatma Gandhi Road.