‘Pune: Steeped in Heritage & Culture’ – A Book Tells About Rich Heritage Of The City
Munirah Kheraluwala
Pune, September 2, 2020: ‘Pune: Steeped in Heritage and Culture’ is a passionate endeavour to create awareness about the city’s rich heritage and culture. Various aspects have been presented in words and pictures with the wish to inspire readers to visit and appreciate what Pune has to offer.
It all started with the desire to know the city better when I moved here in 2012 for permanent residence. Though I was born in Pune and was a frequent visitor as a child, I had never lived here or had the opportunity to see the place. An explorer by nature and a travel and tourism writer by profession, it was only natural for me to embark on a journey of site-seeking and sightseeing.
My wanderlust took me to museums, temples, wadas, markets, lanes and alleyways, and as I soaked in the sights, sounds and flavours, I was fascinated. What had started as a fondness for the city, soon turned into an obsession with the rich history, heritage and traditions. I felt I had to share the experience by doing what I know best – write about it.
The 150-page book is divided into several sections, some of which are Top 15 Must-dos, Museums, Wadas, Places of Worship, Important Landmarks, Traditional Shopping, Festivals, Traditions & Cultural Events, Local Cuisine, Folk Art, and Heritage in Photos. Keeping in mind that the reading culture has gone down and consequently the sale of books too, the self-published book is a free copy, which is being distributed at libraries – private, public, corporate, libraries of educational institutions, book cafes, and other relevant places, to reach out to large numbers of people.
The book was published at the end of May this year. The four-and-half year journey from start to finish was an exciting and enlightening one. I worked tirelessly during this period, but my efforts will be rewarded when people read the book and experience the pride of being a Punekar.
About the author: Munirah studied media and business management and spent fourteen years in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where she was a columnist for several newspapers and magazines and editor of “What’s Happening in Dar”, “Consumer Digest” and “Dar Guide” magazines. She headed East African Movies, a media house and publisher of the “Dar Guide” magazine, as CEO.
Munirah was awarded Marriott International’s “Golden Circle Award 2006” for promoting tourism in Tanzania. The Dar Guide magazine was awarded Tanzania Tourist Board’s “TTB Media Award 2010” under her editorship.
She currently lives in Pune, India, where she owns and runs a media company and a belly dance, dance therapy and fitness academy. She is a visiting faculty at Symbiosis International (Deemed University), teaching Creative Writing and Self-management Skills. Continuing her passion for promoting tourism, she authored and published “Safari – A Tanzanian Odyssey” in 2014, a book to showcase Tanzania’s tourism attractions. She also writes travel pieces on a freelance basis.
