May is really not the best time to visit Pune especially since every Thursday the Pune Municipality in all its wisdom deprives its denizens of electricity for several hours. But since I wanted to be with my father on his 1000th Full Moon Birthday I decided to spend a few days there irrespective of the heat and dust. My mother in law had just celebrated her own land mark 1000th Full Moon birthday a day before my father did so the last week was one hectic activity of eating and meeting.

But no visit to Pune is complete without shopping in its traditional markets a task made all the more daunting by the chaotic movement of  rickshaws, cycles, buses, cars (and even bullock carts in some places) competing with  hundreds of  people rushing to someplace or the other. Known for our foolhardiness, my mother and I decided to scout around for the perfect Nine Yard Saree while we scoured the market for the traditional Peshwa style footwear known as the Puneri Jode.

A chance remark by Hubby dear that Puneri Jode’s were not to be found for the love of money set me on the hunt for the Last Pair on this planet. Alas! I was ten years too late. It seems that the last surviving cobbler who could fashion this Peshwa style foot wear died several years ago and the last existing chappal was bought even before his demise.

The closest to Puneri Jode

So the closest I got to the Puneri Jode was at Sahyadri Footwear,62 Budhwar Peth, Ganpati Chowk, Laxmi Road, Pune  a three storied shop with  an unbelievable collection of footwear for both men and women. Unlike most Pune shop keepers, the owners are polite and more than willing to serve. As it is now the “season” the shop is open all days of the week. It even has a branch at Hadapsar but this shop doesn’t stock the Jode. Surprisingly the owner accepts credit cards, has an email address and even accepts orders on line. All you have to do is email ( sahyadri.lr@gmail.com) a scanned copy of your foot and within days your specially crafted Puneri Jode will be delivered at your doorstep. Of course I haven’t yet tried this service  myself but having gone to the shop and experienced their excellent customer service, I am sure Mail Order will work with them.

Shoe shopping over, we continued with our quest for the perfect Nine yard sari and

A gorgeous Benarasi in typical Patihani aubergine we hopped into a rickshaw and made our way to Pratibha, a store once known as the shop where the famous singer Lata Mangeshkar used to source her Paithanis from. Unfortunately Lata doesn’t shop here any more and the shop keeper has stopped stocking her favourite saris. However we were directed to Hind, a shop known for its exquisite collection of wedding saris.

The traditional Paithani with contrasting border

I was quite suprised when I was shown the traditional Nine yard in a Benaras weave! I must say I was quite impressed with both the workmanship and the concept – wearing a traditional sari in a non-traditional weave.

A nine yard Benarasi with contrasting border

A dream of a sari – Nine yards of Gorgeous silk with star shaped butti and a rich double pallu

Pune shop keepers are known for their bluntness ” Are you really going to buy?” they ask potential customers. “If so, I will show you the wares. Otherwise you can just have a look.” Obviously this is a thing of the past as the shopkeepers were more than willing to show us their stock, actually shared information that more saris would be available next week as it was closer to the wedding season and finally even allowed me to take photos!

Peshwai another shop off Laxmi Road had the most gorgeous silk saris and it was hard to walk away without picking up a piece.

Finally at the other end of Pune right on Karve Road we found the perfect nine yard sari at Cassat. This lovely mango coloured silk with paisley buttis and border was a Benarasi Nine Yard

Finally the perfect Benarasi Nine Yard

p.s. A 1000 Full Moons is supposed to signify 80 years but my mother told me that this is not true. Even if one were to calculate the full moons on the leap years and in the extra month it still doesn’t work out to 80. So what does? I forgot to ask her.