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Lost The Plot
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Trippin’ on Tapri Chai
City’s best chai stalls
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EDITOR’S NOTE
The Kickstarters Pune has pretty much always played second fiddle to Bengaluru and at times, even to Hyderabad. Over the last few years, even though Pune has been firmly established as the #2 destination for IT in India, it still doesn’t enjoy the sort of glamour and visibility that Bengaluru does. Heck, even Gurgaon has bigger tech names than Pune. But, Pune has always been a slumber kind of city! And so it reflects in its whole startup culture. Yes, there is a startup culture! Of the many startups that Pune has been home to, the biggest tech one, perhaps, would be Infosys. And we are happy to say that it won’t be the last, either.
“While Pune has a strong footing as an “IT City”, there are many entrepreneurs who are striving hard to make it big. Bootstrapping, re-inventing, re-thinking the norm and pushing the boundaries.” @adityakuber
While Pune has a strong footing as an “IT City”, there are many entrepreneurs who are striving hard to make it big. Bootstrapping, re-inventing, re-thinking the norm and pushing the boundaries. Food, services, creative, tech and a whole smorgasbord of startups exist in Pune. Not all get their moment under the sun… but then, that’s what we’re here for! With immense pride in the fact that these are all homegrown companies, we present you with some of the most interesting ones. We went through a list of over 20 before narrowing these down. They all score big on innovation, grit, and all the “re-s” listed above! In this issue, you will also notice some subtle changes taking place. We’re getting sleeker while we cover more and bring you lots more to read.
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We’re also happy to report that we’re now internationally available (and liked!). Tell your friends to head over to Magzter and download a copy of the latest issue. Free as always!
Editors
And whether you like something or don’t, you know where to find us!
Aditya Kuber Veethi Telang Apeksha Bhagchandani
Cheerio! have a blast!
Contributors
Vedvrat Shikarpur Sneha Johari Sharan Garcha
Aditya Kuber
Design
Prasanta Kundu Maddy Kulkarni Sanjali Manekar
Marketing Anish Sohoni Rekha Achtani
Publisher
Media Sphere Communications Pvt. Ltd. www.mediasphere.co.in
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IN THIS ISSUE Live
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COVER STORY
Startup Central
Our Pune has inculcated, grown and nurtured several companies, small and big. When we decided to feature this story, we were amazed at the number of companies... launched in the city in the past few years.
Live
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PUNE EXPRESS
Meal mélange
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#ACTPUNE
Santulan A Ray of Hope
Fighting poverty and marginalisation through development and a rights-based approach by means of Education, Organisation, Struggle and Empowerment, Santulan is an effort towards an egalitarian society.
GET FIT
Fun, Frolic & Fitness at Urbounce
An all-new fitness joint spread across 10,800 square feet is located in the upscale destination of Baner on the Baner-Pashan link road. A venture of the Infinite Life Fitness Pvt. Ltd, Urbounce is the brainchild of Deepak Awate and Deepak Sanghavi and, it gives different meaning to the words ‘clubbing, fun an fitness’.
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FASHION
Culture | Craft | Couture
In our first series to fashion, Nivedita Saboo Couture collaborates with Lucknowi artists and craftsman to develop each heritage piece showcasing a mix of traditional and contemporarised Lucknowi garments.
See
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InstaPune
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Capturing the soul of Pune on Instagram
Photo Feature
Showcasing awesome work of Puneri shutterbugs
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IN THIS ISSUE Go
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Adventure or Nothing!
As the wet season sets in, we get in touch with a few travel companies to bring you the best monsoon destinations for the season. Here’s the list...
Play
Eat
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Trippin’ on Tapri Chai
You wake up, it’s chai time. A couple of hours into work and it’s chai time. Postlunch break and chai time again. Back home and yes, a cuppa feels great. You know what I did? I went on a chai-tasting spree, discovering awesome chai tapris right before monsoon begins. After all, the rains bring about strong cravings for a cutting, no? Here’s a short list of some of the
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Lost The Plot
Bean bags, cosy, garden cane furniture, popcorn, beer, wine and some food. Oh, and a classic film being screened on a 12X8 ft screen. Once in a while, this is how we all ought to unwind, don’t you think?
city’s best chai stalls!
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The Burger Beasts of Pune
Who doesn’t love a good, juicy burger? Well, we all do, right? Guess what I did? I went on a burger hunt! A hunt to list the top 5 burger joints in the city just for you. Now you know where to head to the next time a burger craving hits your taste buds!
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Scor’d
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Events
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Reviewing all you can watch, read and eat in Pune
These are set to rock Pune for the next 2 weeks
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PUNE EXPRESS
Meal mélange Rachitta Bahal
Anisha Hiwale Student Amidst the backdrop of delightful ambiance, mood and definitely great food, the best meal I have had is the Chicken Sub with French fries and Onion Rings at The Brooklyn Shuffle Diner in Koregaon Park.
We’ve all had meals that we will remember for many years to come. We asked a few Punekars to tell us about one such meal their taste buds still crave for and where they had it in the city. Go grab!
Senior Account Executive, Edelman India My best-ever meal in Pune was at Barbecue Nation. I am a big fan of the non-veg starters there, especially the tikkas. I think having unlimited starters is their best feature. I love the Seekh Kababs and Chicken Tikka. To add to that, they serve one of the best firnis in the city!
Debalina Bhattacharya-Chaudhuri Chocolatier, Amoretto Chocolates I loved the succulent duck (Ester) and fish (Konrad I) at Arthur’s Theme. The food was honest and lovely. I also had Issabelle, which is basically prawns stuffed inside tomatoes. My meal ended with a delicious Tiramisu.
Parinaaz Bhomisa Aroma Therapist
Shrinath Navghane Founder, Pune Foodiez The best meal I had in the city was at Stone Water Grill. They recently reopened and I had Charred Filet Mignon with Mushy Peas and Wasabi Foam. It was one of the best steaks I’ve had in the city.
There are so many memorable meals I’ve had in Pune! I recently visited High Spirits and our group had a table laden with delicious food. It included their Mexican dish called Chimichangas, a Philly cheese steak sandwich, Mediterranean Pizza and Butter Chicken. It was a delightful meal!
Farah Marzabani Sr. Exec Admin, TCS The best meal I’ve had has got to be at Zamu’s, situated on Dhole Patil Road. It consisted of their Kingfish Sizzler, mashed potatoes, some veggies and burnt garlic rice. My mouth waters just thinking about it!
We would love to know your views on the topic.
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GET FIT
FUN, FROLIC & FITNESS AT
URBOUNCE
1st Floor, VEN Business Centre, Baner- Pashan Link Road, Pune-21
An all-new fitness joint spread across 10,800 square feet is located in the upscale destination of Baner on the Baner-Pashan link road. A venture of the Infinite Life Fitness Pvt. Ltd, Urbounce is the brainchild of Deepak Awate and Deepak Sanghavi and, it gives different meaning to the words ‘clubbing, fun and fitness’. Sharan Garcha
D
esigned around the fitness needs of everyone from 8 to 80, Urbounce ensures that fitness becomes an integral and enjoyable part of a person’s daily routine. Welcoming guests and members with the adrenaline pumping music, it exhibits impressive state-of-the-art gym equipment. The Urbounce Team comprises of fitness consultants, fitness programmers, physiotherapists and nutritionists who carry out an in depth fitness evaluation of every new member to design fitness routines best suited to him or her. Fitness assessment, consultation and review are conducted every 4-8 weeks, to track progress and set up new goals to make the workout routine more enjoyable. They observe, correct and most importantly inspire the members to lead a healthy and fit lifestyle through strong implementation of the workout programmes designed for them. The gyms across the country have classes that are designed accord-
ing to the body types of the West and thus the likeliness to go for these classes becomes short term. Urbounce has designed their own set of group classes according to Indian body types. These group workouts are filled with contagious fun that really give you a high while working out together. The group classes include High-Five, PowerPlay, JoyRide, ComboYoga and BouncePump.
High-Five workout involves five key movements of daily life: 1. Push 2. Pull 3. Bend & Lift 4. Twist 8. Locomotion
PowerPlay is a total body conditioning workout for sports activities on the track and field, which includes athletic and calisthenics workouts that enhance the body’s ability to
react to more demanding movements JoyRide is an indoor cycling (stationary bike) activity, which improves cardiovascular endurance (stamina) and also helps in toning your muscles BouncePump is a strength and endurance workout. It involves weight training to the pumping beats of energetic music. Bringing together the benefits of traditional yoga, power yoga and pilates in a power packed routine. ComboYoga balances your physical and mental well-being. There is a health café which offers a carefully selected spread of healthy vegetarian snacks, juices and shakes to provide wholesome goodness of taste and nutrition. This all-new fitness joint not only promises to add a new style to your regular gym routine, but it is sure to give you that bounce you need in life. So, are you planning to join in?
FASHION
Culture | Craft | Couture In their first series to revive and sustain Indian art and craft through fashion, Nivedita Saboo Couture collaborates with Lucknowi artists and craftsmen to develop heritage pieces showcasing a mix of traditional and contemporarised Lucknowi garments. Veethi Telang and Apeksha Bhagchandani
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gold medalist from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), fashion designer Nivedita Saboo is one of the most sparkling couturiers in the city of Pune. Drawing inspiration from twisted nuances of life itself, her new collection features impeccable craftsmanship of Lucknowi chikankari and, is showcased at her stores on F.C. Road and Kalyani Nagar. For couture lovers, her latest designs are awe-inspiring to say the least. A delectable array of sheer artwork, beauty, intricacy and pure magnificence, the impeccable craftsmanship of these pieces echoes in each and every stitch, making this classic collection absolutely mesmerising. Conceptualised specifically as an initiative to revive the most luxurious and rarest of ancient Indian crafts, the range is showcased in its pure form, saving them to be customised exclusively for clients. Right from the colour to surface ornamentation techniques, the designing and the entire concept is a remarkable effort to revive the classic fine art of embroidery. Contemporising timeless pieces of art by adding modern techniques gives way to sublime creations which is highly coveted by both men and women for traditional and western wear. The collection features an array of intricately embroidered lehengas and sarees, which makes it a perfect choice for elegant bridal wear.
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From the Pakistani-influenced chogas to the star-studded ‘Eklaakh mukaish’ draped red carpet gowns, the diversity and versatility of this collection is Lucknowi at heart. Other classic designs include heavily embellished pieces of chikankari, mukaish, badla work, jaaliwork and more to simpler and trendier ones on net and georgettes. This delicate and versatile embroidery is put to use, not only keeping design and innovation in mind but also to create awareness of this forgotten craft, its finesse and its torchbearers. Developing this small cottage industry into a sustainable career for the younger generations of the artisan’s families is where the Nivedita Saboo Couture team focuses its attention. Showcasing their craft, working towards the betterment of their quality of life and supporting these numbered artisans is their priority.
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#ACTPUNE
SANTULAN A Ray of Hope
Fighting poverty and marginalisation through development and a rightsbased
approach
by
means
of
Education, Organisation, Struggle and Empowerment, Santulan is an effort towards an egalitarian society. Sharan Garcha
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B
astu Rege formed Santulan (Social Animation Towards United Liberative Action) in 1997, as a voluntary, social, non-government organisation with an integrated approach of developmental programs and rights-based advocacy for policy change. One particular trigger to its formation was a fatal accident of a child, crushed by a dumper from the quarries. “I was returning home along the Ahmednagar road, when I saw a young child get knocked down by a dumper and die on the spot. I realised that his widowed mother had seen the entire scene unfold before her eyes from the other side of the road and this really shook me,� recalls Rege.
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#ACTPUNE “I followed the dumper out of curiosity, only to find out later that it was one of the many deployed in the mines and quarries. From then on, I started observing the families working there. Their were in terrible condition, with no access to education and healthcare. I decided that I would do everything possible to educate these families and their children to help lead a better life,” Rege says. What was found was a life of misery in the quarries and families belonging to the lowest economic strata. The social matrix consisted of the landless as well as homeless migrants affected by famines and earthquakes. Most of the families were from socio-economically weaker sections, tribal people uprooted from traditional livelihoods and indebted and unorganized workers from across the state. Santulan’s aim is to work towards the rights and empowerment of socio-economically marginalized communities. This is to be achieved with their active participation and involvement in creating a just, equal and humanitarian society.
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Santulan plays the role of a facilitator in the process of change and undertakes a number of activities such as alternative education, supplementary nutrition, occupational health and safety, adolescents and youth development, women’s empowerment, workers’ organisation, legal aid and counselling, advocacy and documentation. It lobbies hard to draw the attention of government authorities to the plight of these workers and also mobilises them to demand their rights. In that sense, Santulan’s lobbying by way of a public hearing in December 2008 yielded the desired effect, with the Government agreeing to mainstream the students from Pashan Shala schools to regular formal schools. Presently, Santulan has initiated its unionisation and advocacy policy programme with informal workers in minor mining sector in the regions of Western and Southern Maharashtra.
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STARTUP CENTRAL The Desk Our Pune has inculcated, grown and nurtured several companies, small and big. When we decided to feature this story, we were amazed at the number of companies launched in the city in the past few years. Oh, the minds! It really was a task to pick these 5 start-ups from the horde of new ventures popping up in town. Watch out for them, Punekars! Here they are now, skyrocketing towards success.
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COVER STORY
Khanabadosh Khanabadosh was formed with the intention of re-discovering and ‘restoring’ authentic Indian food that tell the stories of our deep-rooted history and culture. Each recipe on the menu contains the soul of the region it originates from. And, these recipes from local Indian kitchens will be brought to you on your doorstep. Here’s more of Khanabadosh’s story..
“
‘Authentic’ is the most abused word in the F&B industry
First, to get over with the obvious, I was born and raised in this city. I studied here and know its soul. I have seen it evolving over the years. I personally don’t think Pune is any different from Mumbai and Bangalore but, that’s only in terms of conducting business. Pune is much more affordable for startups and it has the right blend of students and corporates and that’s where the city scores. It’s an exciting place for an F&B startup.
What are the challenges you face?
”
Ranjit Sawhney Partner
Why did you choose Pune? When it comes to startups, how is Pune different from cities like Bangalore and Mumbai?
When was Khanabadosh launched? We had a soft launch in November 2013 and officially started operations in December 2013 in serviceable areas of the city.
This was an alien industry for me. I think the biggest challenge I face is to do with my product. Maintaining consistency when it comes to a recipe and the precise cooking process can be a task. There are good days in the kitchen as well as bad ones. One off-the-mark recipe in a single order can lead to negative word of mouth. But, you experience, learn and move on. Other than that, it’s the usual challenges everyone in this industry faces; no
How was the idea born? I’ve always been fascinated by the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry and was thinking of starting such a venture for a few years. The first question was ‘Who do I cater to?’ and a lot of research went into answering this. Our rich culture along with the variety of cuisines in our land was the key. There is a dearth of restaurants that serve home-style meals. After much digging and exploring, Khanabadosh started to take shape.
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COVER STORY Before a dish is added to our menu, it takes months of effort to explore and discover the history of its recipe. We dig into its origin and then replicate the way household kitchens of its region prepare it. Someday, I’d love for Khanabadosh to have a TV show that showcases the work that goes into bringing original recipes to our customers’ doorsteps.
Given the amount of research you put in, do you feel a customer understands how ‘authentic’ each dish is? weekends and no fixed schedules. One has to be hands-on all the time.
What’s the ultimate goal for Khanabadosh? The ultimate goal is to cater to audience that believes in Indian food as being rich in terms of culture. Our cuisines vary with every 100 odd km, so to speak. The aim is to prepare home-style recipes from various Indian cuisines and make them accessible to the masses. It’s also important to me for our audience to know how much groundwork and research goes into each recipe.
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Authentic’ is the most abused word in the F&B industry. It is also a very subjective word. What may be authentic for me, need not be for you. For me, authenticity in food simply means that it’s a dish or recipe that comes from household kitchens of a given region. Our goal is to replicate dishes from local kitchens. That’s why we call them ‘original’. Then, what matters is what we do to prepare the exact same dish. We source ingredients from regions where our dishes originate. We then cook a dish exactly how home kitchens in those regions prepare it. Take our Kolhapuri Rassa or Madras Sambhar for instance; we source masalas from Kolhapur and Chennai respectively. We’ve put in a lot of travel and research into both recipes, just as we’ve done for all the dishes in our menu. The originality of a dish is the core of Khanabadosh.
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COVER STORY
Helpshift How do you do? In 2009, when Helpshift co-founders Abinash Tripathy and Baishampayan Ghose wanted to build a large scale, global enterprise from India, they were still undecided on the finer details of the service that they wanted to build. In mid-2010, Tripathy, having founded the India division of Zimbra, Inc and “BG” (as Baishampayan Ghose is popularly known), having worked with Cleartrip previously, came upon an idea to develop a mobile-only application that would change the way customer service was viewed in the mobile space. Helpshift was developed in 3-4 months looking at the newborn app ecosystem post Apple’s introduction of the App Store in 2008.
Startup in Pune, Mumbai or Bangalore?
Roadblocks “Our biggest challenge was developing the SDK itself, but we built a really stable SDK and tested it across devices and platforms. You see, once the SDK crashes, so does your app”, BG says. The next challenges were right in front of them: How do we make app companies install this SDK? Will there be a product-market fit? Is there a need and demand for such an app? How should we handle scaling and application? “The mobile scale is way bigger than the web scale and its challenges are very different as well,” says BG, “this is an incredibly new space to play in. Web Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is entering the mobile space with big players close on Abinash Tripathy our heels but the overall mobile CRM space is still opening up.”
The Future
Currently, Helpshift Pune has 40 employees while San Francisco, US has 10. Helpshift Mumbai was eliminated due to the disreceived a Series A funding of $10 million led tance and climate factors. “Add to that, by Intel Capital and Visaionnaire Ventures the startup scene is really nascent there. including current investors True Ventures Bangalore, on the other hand, has a good and Nexus Venture Partners recently. This concentration of startups as well as great makes the company’s to-date funding at a people. However, it is big on the service staggering $13.2 million. With this, Helpshift industry and is saturated. There isn’t a fresh plans to scale up the US team, add to infraoutlook towards starting an enterprise,” says structure, solve tough machine learning probBG. Pune, comparatively, had all the potential: a lems and invest in Artificial Intelligence. They are also great student ecosystem, proximity to Mumplanning to add 20-25 more employees to the Baishampayan bai and it was inexpensive. Pune won! US team in the coming quarter. “We’re talking Ghose about a marathon here and not just a sprint. What does Helpshift do? We plan to do things that others cannot. We also plan to explore marketing automation which involves understandHelpshift is basically a software development kit (SDK). ing users (getting more users plus retaining existing ones) Embedded into an existing app, the SDK helps you to manand machine learning,” BG says about Helpshift’s future. age your customer service in an efficient way. Once your user has installed the app, it enables the user to access the Miscellaneous. Inc FAQs, the help section without leaving the app, without an internet connection and without having to pause or stop An interesting title to note is the software engineers who the game. Currently available for iOS, Android, HTML5, work at Helpshift are called “software artisans” and not Unity, PhoneGap and Cocos20X platforms, Helpshift has software developers or engineers. Why? Helpshift wants been installed on 150 million devices and experiences 600 their software employees to be exactly what artisans are: million sessions (a user who uses a Helpshift-integrated skilled craftsmen, intelligent and optimised users of tools app is counted as a session) per week. Helpshift’s traffic who match problems with correct solutions! has doubled in the last 2 months and is expected to double again in the coming quarter. The top 5 mobile gaming companies now use Helpshift to manage their customers.
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COVER STORY
Rentpitara.com
Firstcry.com
Rentpitara.com, a Pune-based venture, is an on-the-go rental portal, which lets its customers order products across various categories on a rental basis. Utkarsh Mehrotra, Ali Husen and Akash Sinha, set up RentPitara in November 2013. “RentPitara is our first attempt to change how people perceive e-commerce by developing an on-the-go rental store. As engineering students, we were always in need of a bike for a temporary period, a guitar for a college concert or an air cooler during the summer. None of us had money to purchase these items and nor the space to store them.” says Utkarsh.
Ali Husen
“Pune, being an IT Hub and a student friendly city, sees a number of people who come and go for a short span of time. The inability to buy everything we wanted led us to think about how we could get more with less money. That is how we thought about renting things. Akash Sinha When we saw the broken system of renting and how difficult the entire process is, we found an opportunity. With the entire event-handling experience we had so far, we created the model of RentPitara. They saw a demand for rental services that cater to this need and signed up for a startup competition in IIT Kanpur, where they bagged the First Prize in the ‘IDEAS-A Business Plan Competition, Techkriti’13’. “The prize money was our first source of investment. Initially, we faced the challenges of people not getting our ideas right, miscalculations and also limiting ourselves in the space of our college, where we started this venture.
Pune-based Firstcry.com is on a mission to make the best brands available to Indian parents at the latter’s doorstep. In order to do so, they have tied with over 600 international and domestic brands that deal with more than 70000 products. Founded by Punekars Supam Maheshwari and Amitava Saha who, incidentally, also co-founded Brainvisa, an e-learning company, starting Firstcry.com in Pune was “supported by the fact that Pune has lower operating costs and easier access to technology talent,” says Supam Maheshwari, CEO. However, while operating an e-commerce website, “location is agnostic” he adds. The proof of this is their 15 lac India-wide parent base. In light of using the $10 million funding they got earlier this year, Firstcry has initiatives targeted towards growth and profitability. In the same breath, Maheshwari adds that all available resources are being channelled into solving the problems of parents and building a brand that Indian parents will love and trust. Firstcry includes products from top
international brands such as Mattel, Ben10, Hotwheels, Pampers, Disney, Barbie, Gerber, Fisher Price among others. Firstcry also has 25+ stores spread across the country with new stores opening up soon.
For RentPitara, our vision is to create a world where people will use things that they want and not those that they can afford. We aim to develop various ways in both digital (websites, smartphone apps) and physical (delivering mechanism) medium of connecting, through which our customers can get more high quality goods to use.
Utkarsh Mehrotra
We are currently expanding our venture to Mumbai, with a few products as of now. Supam Maheshwari
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COVER STORY
Oryzza One usually gets nicely packaged meals in the form of pizzas, burgers and other, not-very-healthy, fast food treats. So, why not a healthy, wholesome meal that’s innovatively packaged keeping your comfort in mind? Oh, and, the name has rice in it! Soul-satisfying, yum, rice.
Siddharth Rahalkar, Founder When did Oryzza begin operations? We launched on April 13, 2013.
How did this concept come to mind? Although rice is one of our staple foods, I haven’t seen anything different done with it. Other than white and jeera rice and Biryani of course. Also, in India, rice is served in a very clumsy manner, like in foil containers for instance. I wanted to experiment with this staple ingredient of our cuisine and give it a western edge. Most importantly, I wanted to serve it in convenient, innovative packaging. That’s how the idea of Oryzza was born.
why I would concentrate on rice and why would anyone eat rice in such a manner. Rice is not the monster food it’s made out to be. It’s time people get used to rice as a healthy option!
Keeping your concept in mind, how well (or not) does Pune work for you? Oryzza is a unique concept that hasn’t been explored before. Pune has one positive aspect that’s a huge plus over other cities. Punekars are extremely honest and blunt. Sometimes brutally blunt. Some of the comments can be hard-hitting. But that’s the good part, isn’t it? It’s always better to have honest and straightforward people around you. I think it provides direction to one’s startup. And, because this city is filled with wonderful critics, is why we’re growing and expanding!
Siddharth Rahalkar
What are the challenges you face with this concept?
I hungry, so go mandai. Buy too much potato, too many extra, so I go to street corner, to throw. There rickshaw wala coming and asking how much for potato? Selling better than throwing no?? So me Startup bhajiwali
Oh, there are many! First off, this industry is new to me as I come from a Finance background. Secondly, rice is considered unhealthy and is often avoided, especially when one is on a road to fitness. A number of times I was asked about
ORY ZZA Rice
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and Mor e!
Photo: Yogendra Joshi Used under Creative Commons License
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PHOTO FEATURE
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An old man eagerly awaiting the arrival of Palkhi to take a darshan of the almighty. Photographer: Shrutayu Kale
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A woman at the Wari carrying a sculpture of Sant Tukaram giving sermon to a few village women. Photographer: Shantanu Prasade
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PHOTO FEATURE
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A long exposure photo of the warkaris at the Palkhi symbolises heavy flow of people for the event. Photographer: Apoorv Padhye
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An elderly warkari as seen at the Palkhi when it entered Pune. Photographer: Siva Reddy
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FOOD
ai
n T o apri ’ n i Ch ir pp T
You wake up, it’s chai time. A couple of hours into work and it’s chai time. Post-lunch break and chai time again. Back home and yes, a cuppa feels great. You know what I did? I went on a chai-tasting spree, discovering awesome chai tapris right before monsoon begins. After all, the rains bring about strong cravings for a cutting, no? Here’s a short list of some of the city’s best chai stalls! Vedvrat Shikarpur
T
ea or chaha is a part and parcel of our lives, and Punekars, well, most of us, love the beverage. It makes us lively, goes wonderfully with snacks and leaves us feeling relaxed and content. The love for chai, however, takes a new turn come monsoon. The rains bring about a strange craving for kanda bhaji and tea is what completes that fixation. Cashing in on our love for tea are the various tea stalls or chai tapris that are seen in most places around the city. The side servings like poha, khichdi, cream roll, khari, samosa and more are simply an added bonus. I decided to go on a hunt for the best chai in the city, and well, here’s what I’ve come up with!
Ambika Amrutulya, Tilak Road
Chai:
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`8
Located on the busy street near SP College is this stall, where you will be invited by the very sweet fragrance of tea. If you’re a foodie and chai lover, the smell makes one thing quite clear; the tea here is one that diabetics will fear but the kind the city loves. It’s sweet, has a slight tinge of elaichai (cardamom) and adrak (ginger) and tastes delightful. It has a following amongst the old and the young, from kamgaars to professionals, you will see every kind of Punekar here. Oh, and they also serve an equally sweet shengdana laadu as well as cold solkadi.
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Chai:
Tea vendor at Sheti Mahamandal, SB Road
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Although I came here hoping to get some gavati chaha, which is famous in the area, the person serving it seems to be quite moody. He shut shop for the day at 4pm, so this tea vendor situated quite close to the Passport Office, reaped the maximum crowd. I decided to give it a shot and was pleased with the result. The person serves amazing adrak-wali chai, which the working-class simply love. More than a tea-stall, he had a cart with a colourful umbrella instead of a pati. He’s found serving tea right in front of Baba Food Mall. Do try!
Appa Tea Stall, Koregaon Park If you think Koregaon Park is a plush area that doesn’t have its own chai tapri like the rest of Pune, you are oh-so wrong! This chai-cum-pan/cigarette tapri is well known for serving one of the best chai in the city. The tea, which is heavily flavoured with elaichi, lends a unique sweet taste, quite different from the taste you get when relying on sugar. Appa also serves amazing cream rolls and sweet biscuits. It’s located opposite Naturals Ice Cream, on the main road, the second tapri when going towards Kalyani Nagar.
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Tea and Wada Pav stall near Babuleshwar Temple, Yerawada Right next to the entrance of Babuleshwar Temple near Panchashil Tech Park is this unnamed stall that serving tea and wada pav to the IT/Corporate crowd. You’ll stand out from the tie-suit wearing crowd (women wear salwaar kameez resembling office uniforms) if you’re casually dressed like me but everyone is united due to the love for the tea and the wada pav that is served with 3 types of chutneys. The chai is close to the kadak variety and absolutely delightful.
Tea stall on Lavale Road
Shree Dutta Tea Stall, IBM, Yerawada On the same street, the second last stall in the huge line of tea stalls is the Shree Samarth Tea Stall. The road that is surrounded by various companies and offices is a hub for the tea-drinking crowd. What Laxmi Road is to women is what this road is to chai-sutta lovers. Samarth tea stall serves chai and dishes like misal, wada pav, poha, samosa, etc. The tea here has that kadak taste, i.e. it has very less sugar and is prepared using a lot of tea powder. For those who detest sweet tea or the typical dudhatla chaha (milky tea), this place is the one for you.
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We were searching for a tea stall with an amazing view, but avoided places close to the Mulshi and Khadakwasla areas as they will see an upsurge of crowd during the monsoon season. Hunting for a lesser-known, quiet place, with the wonderful pre-rain winds, we stumbled upon a small tea stall situated a little ahead of SUS road, Pashan. On the way to Symbiosis Lavale campus you’ll notice this relatively deserted tea stall with outside seating, and though the tea wasn’t out of the world, the view is what won my heart! Opposite to it is an unused plot that gives a wonderful view of the monsoon clouds and the surrounding area. The tea is good and the stall serves bhaji, pakoda among other quick snacks.
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The BURGER BEASTS of Pune Cutti ng Cup: : `6 `10
Who doesn’t love a good, juicy burger? Well, we all do, right? Guess what I did? I went on a burger hunt! A hunt to list the top 5 burger joints in the city just for you. Now you know where to head ada P time a burger craving to theWnext av: ` 12 Cutttaste hits your in buds! g `8
ChGarcha Sharan ai :
Burger King It might share its name with a global fast food giant but the Burger King nestled in the corner of East Street in Pune is a humble Iranian joint that does a mean burger. And, when I say mean, I mean humungous in size and devilishly delicious in taste. Available in chicken (mini and jumbo), fish (spicy seafood and fillet) and beef (kingsized and steak), the demand for their burgers is evident from the serpentine queue of regular patrons at the counter. The ‘King Beef’ is the most popular order here and is big enough to feed two hungry souls. Apart from burgers, they also serve grilled sandwiches, salami rolls and fries that can be washed down with soft drinks, cold coffee, iced tea or rose milk. Twenty-five years since Burger King opened in the city and Shapoor Irani, the owner, is still coming to terms with the fact that this place is one of the most famous burger joints around. He says, “I am an MBA graduate and I had no connection with this field when I decided to open this joint. I recognised the need for good burgers in the market, had some empty space lying around and decided to give it a shot. It’s become such a big hit! But, let me tell you, it’s not easy!” Make sure you visit this place on an empty stomach. That’s the only way you’ll do justice to a single burger!
East Street and Koregaon Park
Burger House Tucked in lane 7, Koregaon Park, The Burger House is a quaint little joint with a no-frills-and-fancy quality. Their signature burger, The House Burger, is a huge one meant for people with a larger-than-normal appetite. It contains smoked salami, smoked chicken sausage, an egg, a chicken patty and some veggies and is served with a portion of French Fries. This burger was every bit as tasty as it looked, with the tender chicken and delicious, melted cheese. It will take one giant effort to finish it but, you’ll definitely come back for more. Their Buffalo Style Chicken Burger is fiery, loaded with buffalo sauce, jalapenos and onions. If you like your burger spicy, I highly recommend it. If you prefer subtle flavours, try their Meat Lover’s Burger. A burger outing that’s not only light on the pocket but also offers a plethora of options to choose from! Super, no?
Koregaon Park
Burgers and More (BnM)
Zodiac
The ambience at Burgers and More may be nothing to write home about but they serve some of the city’s best burgers. The bun is perfectly soft-yet-crispy and holds together a delicious range of patties. With over 40 burgers on their menu in veg and non-veg options, they never repeat a patty or a sauce. Ashishwang Godha, the owner, said, “We at Burgers & More strive hard to break the notion that fast food is junk food. We don’t shout it out but we have signature eggless sauces, zero trans-fat French fries (the crispiest in the city), non-hydrogenated oil and perfectly maintained and cooked meats.” I am a fan of their Veg Spicy, Chicken Fusion and Meat Overload burgers. Whether you love bacon, salami, egg (or all in one) or unusual veggie patties such as corn and spinach, they have it all. A quick-service cafe that believes in the hot & fresh concept, they bring you the best Pune has to offer. Three minutes from call to service and yet, BnM does not compromise on quality.
A sign board outside Zodiac reads “American comfort food” and, trust me, it lives up to this tagline.
Viman Nagar and Model Colony
Adding too much things to a1 indian inventation of simple vada and paav. Make pakoda, put in bread, application chutney and done. Why need big a/c hotel to go and eat?
Their Chunky Chicken Burger is described as “butterfly fillet of chicken breast with avocado, red bell pepper coulis, marinated in soy ginger and topped with a Monterey Jack and matured American Cheddar cheese in wasabi mayonnaise”. Yum, right? The first thing you notice about the burger is its size; you’ll know instantly that this one’s going to be filling. The burger bread is so soft that it almost melts in your mouth and is just moist enough to make the burgers really juicy. One of the owners, a young chef named Parag, says,” Things are different at Zodiac. All the food we prepare is without any preservatives. Except the cheese, everything else is made from scratch here. We strive to retain authenticity with the best possible ingredients available in the city.”
Baner Road
Flipp’d Burgers Imagine a burger that’s 3 times the size of a normal burger, which weighs around a kilo, has multiple layers of meat, loaded with mayo, filled with delectable sauces and crispy veggies! Well, such burgers are exclusively available at Flipp’d Burger, Pune which offers you best of its kind! Before you go ahead to place your order, let me caution you that these king sized burgers are difficult to finish. Must haves are – chicken roast burger, beef roast burger and beef caramelized burger. Mr Lance Christy, the owner said, “The scrumptious chunks of meat that blend with the perfect match of sauces and the sheer size of these burgers make it a satiable meal. We offer the juciest burgers in town. “ Flipp’d Burgers is definitely worth trying!
Photo: Robyn Lee Used under Creative Commons License
Wanowrie
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TRAVEL
Adventure or Nothing! Vedvrat Shikarpur
As the wet season sets in, we get in touch with a few travel companies to bring you the best monsoon destinations for the season. Here’s the list...
The Western Routes The Pune-based travel company is dedicated to promote tourism in Maharashtra and is named after the Western Ghats or Sahyadri Mountain Ranges. Its aim is to showcase the beauty of Maharashtra and its various destinations. It wishes for travellers to see places other than the regular tourist locations. Each month, they plan unique trips, keeping in mind the season and the weather conditions of the place. Every month they also have free or self-funded trips, which typically last for half a day.
Pugmarks Holidays Pugmarks focuses on offering camping experience to youngsters. They are best known for conduction camps all over India, the most famous being their camps to Manali, Ganga Water Rafting in Hrishikesh and those in the jungles of Kahna, Corbett and Ranthambore. However, Pugmarks also conducts camps in and around Maharashtra, which are mostly treks or 1-2 day camps. In the month of July, they have various activities planned around the monsoon, to locations where monsoon can be enjoyed to the fullest. The Tamhini River Crossing and Forest Trail will be conducted on July 6, while there are also treks to Kothaligad, Purander trek on July 13 and July 20 respectively. The Kundalika River Rafting camp is scheduled for July 27.
By the end of July, when monsoon reaches its peak, they recommend a trip to Amboli Ghat to watch reptiles and amphibian species in the evergreen forests. The trip is planned for July 25 to July 27. In the month of August, they have planned a trek to Tikona, which takes place on 10 August. There’s a weekend trip to experience the rains in Konkan and mainly the Amba Ghat on August 15 to August 17 on the charts as well. Photo: Priyanka Roy Chaudhury Used under Creative Commons License
Yuvashakti Although also into conducting camps and short trips, Yuvashakti is best known for its treks, especially in the Himalayan region. Their camps require one to be in top physical shape and to have the ability to live in extreme environments. These treks provide an experience very different from the comfortable lifestyle we live in.
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Photo Credits: Akshay Kumar
Yuvashakti conducts various activities all round the year and for the monsoon they have a few treks planned to some amazing destinations. They start with a trek to Shivtharghal on 6 July, a camp to Bhimashankar from July 12 to July 14, a trek to Rohida on July 20 and to Duke’s Nose on July 27. All treks are planned over weekends.
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COVER STORY
The evergreen and dry deciduous forests of Bhimashankar become lush green and vibrant with the onset of monsoons. During the rainy season, various species of mosses and fungi can be seen on trees, along with various birds and animals. It’s one of the best places in the state to see waterfalls and enjoy the enchanting jungle.
Photo: Alosh Bennett Used under Creative Commons License
Best For: Viewing waterfalls, exploring the jungles and wildlife With Yuvashakti: July 12 to July 14 110
km
BHIMASHANKAR For trekking and enjoying a great view of Khandala and its surrounding peaks, Duke’s Nose, also known as Nagphani, is the ideal spot. To reach the spot, one has to trek all the way to the top, but the view of the downhill plains is worth every bit. The cliff is named after the DUKE’S Duke of Wellington, whose nose it resembles. Best for: Trekking and enjoying the greenery and waterfalls With Yuvashakti: July 27
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Photo Credits: Amit Panariya
45 k
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KUNDALIKA RIVER
Best For: White Water Rafting With Western Routes: July 12 and July 13 With Pugmarks: July 27
TAMHINI GHAT The mountain passage situated on the crest of the Western Ghat mountain ranges, between Mulshi and Tamhini is known for its picturesque surroundings. The ghats have scenic views of waterfalls, lakes and greenery which one can enjoy best during the monsoon.
340 km
The best experience for white water rafting in Maharashtra, rafting in the Kundalika River is dam controlled, the rapids being generated after water is released from the dam. The 11-km stretch has 10 rapids and takes around 1 hour 45 minutes.
Best For: A scenic drive during monsoon With Pugmarks: July 6
AMBOLI The village in Sindhudurga is also known as the ‘Mahableshwar of Konkan’. The lesser-known hill station has a thick forest and one can enjoy various waterfalls in the area. For those looking to explore something different, Amboli is the ideal spot. The best time to visit is during peak monsoon season, when one can see various reptiles and amphibian species.
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Photo: UrbanWanderer Used under Creative Commons License
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Best For: Camping and Wildlife With Western Routes: July 25 to July27 27
ENTERTAINMENT
LOST T HE PLOT Bean bags, cosy, garden cane furniture, popcorn, beer, wine and some food. Oh, and a classic film being screened on a 12X8 ft screen. Once in a while, this is how we all ought to unwind, don’t you think? Here, I’ll tell you all about Pune’s first open-air cinema. Apeksha Bhagchandani
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I was studying Law in the UK for a few years and happened to attend an open-air screening of one of my all-time-favourite films, ‘Trainspotting’ in London. That’s when the idea of Lost the Plot was born”, says founder and film buff, Nikita Naiknavare. Nikita’s idea was to bring back the old, charming way of movie-viewing. Our city has just the ambience for it, no? The city’s multiplexes and movie theatres are all good but, you simply cannot ignore this open-air set-up. A warm ambience with an intimate setting of 30-35 people while you watch a cult classic film with the aid of wireless headphones. Don’t forget the little bar in the back. Ah, bliss. And, don’t fret over the rains. These guys got it all covered. Literally.
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“We screened children’s classic films in the month of May, leading up to Mother’s Day. The idea was a huge hit! Kids can run around and have fun, unlike in movie theaters where they tend to get restless in the closed environment”, says Nikita. Lost the Plot screens English and Hindi classics and cult genre films. The idea is to showcase good, quality cinema to Punekars. The month of July will witness films like The Godfather, The Shining, The Ship of Theseus, Roman Holiday and Black Swan, among others. Recently, they exclusively screened Hola Venky, an offbeat film, the second such film of Mumbai-based director Sandeep Mohan. The film
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was launched through a unique distribution model; ‘The Great Indian Traveling Cinema’. This distribution route takes a film from the production house to your neighbourhood café. Films are screened on Saturdays and Sundays and Nikita tells me she’s planning to start a mid-week screening as well. A Drink+Movie costs INR 350 and a Drink+Starter+Movie costs INR 550. This aside, you can snack on goodold popcorn or pick something from an à la carte menu even. Me thinks this place could turn into an awesome weekend plan. Especially on a dull Sunday. Agree?
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SCOR’D Film
Humshakals
Illogical and not funny.
Book When
Remains
Only Love
Laugh, Cry and Fall in Love Again
Film
Chef
Serves up laughs and tears Book
Once upon A Crush
Funny and Insightful
Fish Curry and Rice, Law college Road Restaurant
Authentic Maharashtrian sea food facebook.com/Puneunltd
Restaurant Wholly
Crepes
Model Colony Classic French dishes at a reasonable price twitter.com/PuneUnltd
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EVENTS Swastika Live Swastika is a four piece experimental, alternative, ambient outfit. Since their inception in 2010, they have been winning fans with their original music compositions. The band promises to entertain with some of their energetic compositions.
Legendary Burger Festival The mood is set for all foodies and football fanatics, as Hard Rock Cafe spoils them for choice at the Legendary Burger Festival. Hard Rock Cafe is ready to serve the best of world flavours packed inside a burger bun. With every bite, you will want more! The menu has been crafted keeping in mind both vegetarian and non-vegetarian burger lovers. When: Till July 13, Sunday Where: Hard Rock CafĂŠ, near Koregaon Park Annexe, Mundhwa, Pune
When: July 3, Thursday
Time: 8 pm onwards
Where: Hard Rock CafĂŠ, near Koregaon Park Annexe, Mundhwa, Pune
Contact: 020 6725 8888
Time: 8:30 pm Contact: 020 67258888
Stews of the world
Saturday Shuffle You have heard him at Sunburn, and now, DJ Clement is all set to rock Pune! Along with the DJ Duos of Sunny - Harneet and Anuj -Garry, DJ Clement will be at The Red Bar. When: July 5, Saturday Where: Red Bar, Koregaon Park Plaza Mall, Pune Time: 9 pm onwards
The Chefs at Hyatt Pune promise to take you on a culinary journey around the globe with stews such as the traditional Irish stew, Clam Chowder, Hungarian Goulash, Moroccan Tagine, French Matelote, Coq au vin and French ratatouille. Also on the menu will be some Asian favourites such as the Cantonese five spiced pork belly, Hakka style potato, Chicken stew and the very famous desi stew with Appams from Kerala. When: Till July 15, Tuesday Where: Eight Eight, Hyatt Pune, Kalyani Nagar, Pune ] Time: 9 pm Contact: 020 41411234
Contact: 9922075513
Dawn of the Legion Brace yourselves for an evening filled with performances by excellent bands from and beyond Pune, encompassing genres from Death Metal to Doom Metal and everything in between. When: July 12, Saturday Where: Tarawade Clarks Inn, J M Road, Pune Time: 4:30 pm onwards Contact: 9967771992/ 9545870468
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