The Maratha kingdom had a few Brahmin chieftains and the rulers of Bhor were one of them . A small Princely state, its ruler was worthy of a 9 gun salute.
It seems strangely coincidental that today’s papers announced the passing away of the 13th Raja of Bhor, HH Shrimant Chintamanrao alias Abaraje Pantsachiv, on Monday morning at his Pune residence. He was 85.
a river view 
Bhatgar dam 
wild flowers 
calm waters of the river
The dark old hills of the Sahyadri mountain range form the perfect backdrop for the small town of Bhor, nestled among lush green flat land in Pune district .
The capital of a once princely state, the main town ( at least the part I saw) consists of a sad looking Main Street ending at a gateway to the Town Square .
The gate itself was a fairly recent addition to the town, constructed by HH Chintamanrao in 1937 to commemorate his visit to the UK for the coronation of George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the parents of the present Queen).
I was there on the day before my ambitronic birthday to sort out a personal matter.
Though the heat was rising with the sun, people still wore their sweaters and what lifted my heart was the once familiar typical rural Maharashtrian attire – loose white pyjamas and stiffly starched white caps. Accessorised with rustic looking Kolhapuri chappals and a bag, these men were often seen in the outskirts of Pune city, but of late this dress has become a rarity.
There he is! 
Man with cap shirt and pant 
Striding past purposefully 
Waiting for a friend?
The town square as it were is made up of the Palace and three identical buildings which now house government offices.
The square is dominated by a beautiful palace made of brick, stone and wood with fine carvings and details. Sadly the palace’s current occupants seem to have scant respect for history and heritage and have left it to rot bit by bit.
The front of the palace 
A writer sitting at a traditional wooden desk
The rest of the square is made up of buildings in slightly better shape – possibly because they were still in use as Govt. offices .
On the day I visited, a shoot was going on and we weren’t allowed access beyond the central courtyard.
It is a shame that the palace is in such a state of disrepair because it has been quite a popular location for period movies in Bollywood. Most recently it was used to shoot large parts of the 2015 blockbuster Bajirao and Mastani.
Carved rafter tail 
Painted cornice 
Inner courtyard 
Balcony overlooking courtyard 
Rooms opening to courtyard 
Carved wooden pillar 
Simple knocker 
Carved brackets
Surely the palace authorities could use the money from renting out this property for its maintenance so that it really looks like a royal residence rather than a ghost of its former self?
It may interest you to know that gun salutes given by the British indicated the importance of a native ruler .
A stack of firewood 
The sugar icing spire of a Shiva temple 
Traditional wooden window
Traditional copper water heater 
Happy school children 
The samadhi of a ruler who buried himself alive 
Street scene 
Modern day milkman 
The temple of Hanuman 
Beehives on a Peepul tree 
The Nandi guarding the temple 
The palace gate
This brief trip to Bhor took me back to my childhood.
Growing up in Pune, my family made many weekend trips to neighbouring towns. I was taken back to another time when the roads were bumpy and narrow, being squashed in the back seat with my brother, trying to read the names on the milestones as they zipped by, eating jam and egg sandwiches under a tree, chasing away the buzzing flies and and experiencing the charm of rural Maharashtra working its seductive magic.
Ciao
Twenty- five Seven 
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