Explore (ThursdayTreeLove)

My city, Pune, is lucky to have many hills (called tekdi in Marathi) within the city limits itself or should I say, the city has grown to engulf the hills and now threatens their very existence. I have many posts about the Vetal Tekdi but today I introduce you to the Dhanori Hills. These hills are in the periphery of Pune and overlook the airport.

Compared to Vetal Tekdi, this area is almost tree- less.. almost because there were just a handful of young trees growing there. You can see what I mean in this image.

This is a Neem tree aka Azadirachta indica of the Meliaceae family. It is a native Indian species that grows in difficult areas. It is an immensely useful tree and is seen in most parts of India.

We had to drive quite a distance to reach this spot and seeing the almost lonely tree, I found this to be a perfect quote.

If you know a lonely tree, go and visit it even it it takes miles to walk there! Because lonely tree is a great monument of strength! — Mehmet Murat ildan

The climb is easy in parts but some parts are really tough on the knees entailing huge step-ups. There is a series of three hillocks with a flat portion after each that leads to the next climb. The fourth hillock has a small temple that is a very calm and serene place.

The twin domes of the Dighi Hills (located at some distance away) can be spotted all through the climb up.

Panoramic view of the city.

Travel opens our minds to many things but I think its also important to explore different parts of the city/town we live in. One never knows what surprises it will throw up!

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in!

10 Replies to “Explore (ThursdayTreeLove)”

  1. Sometimes, the greatest treasures are found close to home. I wondered why this hill had so few trees – was it clearcut at one time? If so, what a shame, but nature is doing what it does with these pioneer trees, and trying to restore a balance. If we humans let it.

    1. Well said Alana. I have no idea why this place is bare. Yes, some shrubs are growing , herbs of course and I saw some tree plantation. So hopefully, it will be tree-full in few years. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

    1. I hope they are JoAnna! Then in a few years , jopefully, there will be many more trees on that hill. Thank you for joining me on this e-journey!

  2. Pune is a haven in many ways. I love the landscape and all the trees in that side of India. Thank you for sharing, Archana and enlightening us all with your knowledge of trees. I hope to see you back tomorrow.

  3. Super click Archana, I liked every picture posted here; and so nice you also found a small temple. I like the sentence, lonely tree is a monument of strength.. can relate to this as humans being lonely and living fully is a sign of strength. Thanks for sharing:)

  4. That’s a beautiful quote. A monument of strength, indeed.

    I see that if you go to see this one you’ll also be treated to some great views.
    Love the picture of the tree!

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