Travel + Leisure

TRAVEL + LEISURE / MARCH 2016

Your checklist of three Pune-based

bands you need to know about:

AGNEE One of the stalwarts

of rock music in India,

Agnee has been around

for decades. Even as

they amass national

awards and sign

record labels, they

continue to be based out

of Pune, which is the

hometown of founding

members Koco

and K Mohan. They

specialise in original

compositions, with

an undertone of Indian

classical music.

LAMBADA Thisensemble act have

been entertaining Pune crowds for

years, with their excellent renditions

of Hindi, Sufi , old-school pop rock, and

fusion music. They know how to get a

party started!

ROHIT VASUDEVAN DIARIESBased

jointly out of Pune and Mumbai, the

rock band, named after its founder,

has already earned accolades and

awards in its two-year existence, with

its eclectic sound.

Day 1|ARC ASIA In the ABC Farms complex—
considered the original home of live music in
Pune—Arc Asia stands out for its lovely alfresco feel.
Serving Pan-Asian cuisine (with the occasional North
Indian dish thrown in) alongside live performances,
this is a can’t-go-wrong-with kind of place. Try their
Lazy Sunday Brunch,where dancing on tables, egged
on by the in-house band, is de rigeur! ABC Farms,
North Main Road, Koregaon Park; 91/903-609-0132

Day 3 | EURISKA A platform for the arts
including dance, theatre and comedy, apart from
music of course, this Greek-inspired lounge is
located in the posh Koregaon park neighbourhood.
Designed to resemble Santorini-style
whitewashed cave architecture, with a menu to
match, this luxe lounge sees everything from rock
bands to EDM DJs. Next to Koregaon Park Plaza,
Koregaon Park Annexe; 91/976-522-2609

Day 2 | RAASTA CAFÉ Tucked away

on a side street in the bustling Camp

(CBD) area, this cosy restaurant has

an outdoor terrace with funky street

art on the walls and canopied wood

tables. With Acoustic Thursday nights

and live acts, the musical repertoire

here is quite varied. Plus they off er

creative cocktails and a good mix of

Mediterranean-style nibbles.

Shantai Hotel, Off Moledina Road;

91/770-982-7677

The O Hotel is a trendy boutique property in Koregaon Park

featuring modern minimalist décor. They have a gorgeous rooftop

poolside bar and restaurant too. Doubles from aboutC4,000;

pune.ohotelsindia.com

EXPLORE THE CITY

Pune has plenty of

history waiting to be

uncovered. Join one of the

Pune Magic guided tours,

where enthusiastic locals

take you across temples,

dargahs, fortresses and

palaces, to trace the city’s

chequered history dating

back hundreds of

years. Pune Magic also

off ers culinary tours,

and day trips. From

C6,950 for two including

transfers, and entry fees;

punemagic.com

LIVE GIGS ON THE BAND STAND

CHEAT SHEET

Pune Performance Picks

A new breed of hip venues combining live music with great ambience and food is helping Pune perfect the art of

having a good time. Here’s where you should be heading for a night (or three) in the city. BY SUDESHNA GHOSH

WHERE TO STAY

CLOCKWISE: COURTESY OF ARC ASIA; COURTESY OF AGNEE (2); COURTESY O HOTEL; COURTESY OF RAASTA CAFE; COURTESY OF EURISKA