Lonavla

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Lonavla
Lonavla (India)
Red pog.svg
State : IndiaIndia India
State : Maharashtra
District : Pune
Location : 18 ° 45 '  N , 73 ° 24'  E Coordinates: 18 ° 45 '  N , 73 ° 24'  E
Height : 625 m
Area : 38 km²
Residents : 57,698 (2011)
Population density : 1518 inhabitants / km²
Website : http://www.lonavla.in/
Western Ghats at Lonavla
Western Ghats at Lonavla

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Lonavla or Lonavala ( Marathi : लोणावळा) is a city with about 60,000 inhabitants in the Pune district in the Indian state of Maharashtra .

Lonavla is best known as a starting point for visits to the Buddhist cave temples of Karli , Bhaja and Bedsa .

location

Lonavla is about 625 m above sea level. d. M. on the Dekkan Plateau near the Western Ghats . The distance to Pune is about 67 km (driving distance) in a southeast direction; Mumbai is about 85 km northwest.

population

As is common with Indian censuses, the male population is about 10 to 15% higher than the female population. Colloquial languages ​​are Marathi and Hindi . About 80% of the population are Hindus ; there are also about 15% Muslims - the remaining 5% are divided between Jainas , Sikhs , Buddhists and Christians.

economy

Lonavla is located on the Mumbai Pune Expressway , the main route between the two megacities and on the Mumbai – Chennai railway line . The area around the city is largely agricultural, but the summer tourism of many city dwellers also plays a certain role in the income of the population.

history

The name Lonavla means something like 'row of stone resting places' and refers to the many natural or man -made caves in the area, which the trade caravans used as natural weather protection, especially in the monsoon season. The Buddhist monks made use of this tradition and built their monasteries into these rocky crevices, where they could now and then also accommodate the wealthy caravan leaders, whose thanks they gladly accepted in the form of donations. With the arrival of Islam in north-west India , both Buddhism and long-distance trade declined. In the 17th and 18th centuries, against the background of the conflict between the Marathas and the Mughal Empire, several forts were built. The British made Lonavla a summer retreat ( hill station ) from the hot and humid Bombay.

Attractions

  • The city itself has few special attractions; only a few places can still be seen remnants of the former colonial flair. The city is known for the sweet chikki, caramel blocks with sesame seeds, nuts or peanuts of a rather splintery, finely crumbly quality. In the city center along the busy main street, countless shops and stalls offer Chikki in different versions.

In addition, several wax figure cabinets vie for the favor of visitors in Lonavala. The oldest and largest of these is probably Sunil's Wax Museum in a shopping mall that has not yet been fully completed.

Surroundings

  • The most important excursion destinations are the Buddhist cave monasteries of Karli , Bhaja and Bedsa , which are no more than 20 km to the south-east .
  • The two forts of Lohagad and Visapur, which are over 1000 m high, are also very close by.
  • Indians are mainly interested in the green landscape with its waterfalls and lakes, where some wealthy Bollywood filmmakers and others have built their villas.

Other excursion destinations include:

  • Raiwood Park
  • Lonavala Dam, a dam
  • Bushi Dam, another dam
  • Lion Point, Tiger Point and Sunset Point, viewpoints with sensational views of the rugged mountain landscape and canyons

Web links

Commons : Lonavla  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. www.census2011.co.in