Fruits, Vegetables Exhibition at Sambhaji Park on J M Road, Pune

J.M. Road (Junglee Maharaj Rd) is one busy road of Pune, hardly few kilometers from Pune Station. J. M. Road of Pune is known for many reasons due to its variety of businesses e.g banks, good shops, outlets, institutes, College ground. But none matches its unusual name, it is truly unique and named after a guru called Jangli Maharaj (Check wikipedia.org).
Of all its offering lesser known is Sambhaji Park. Sambhaji park of Pune is a little park named after King Sambahji Maharaj, son of visionary Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj who fought bravely against the Moghuls.
Sambhaji Park JM Road of Pune on google maps
Although Sambhaji Park of Pune, doesn’t have anything remarkable, but I was impressed because I accidentally visited on during Fruits and Vegetables annual exhibition held in Feb 2008.


Fruit and Vegetable exhibition of Pune is organized annually in Sambhaji Park.
Feature of the exhibition is innovative use of vegetables, fruits, flowers etc decorated with impressive creativity by the farm owners.

Organizers did splendid job of decorating the park it beautified the ambience of Sambhaji Park remarkably of other wise ordinary park. We entered from the gate towards Deccan Gymkhana and quickly went through children’s drawing display towards the fountain. Next to the fountain was small garden with matrix of beautiful yellow flowers.
The beautiful array of flowers caught my attention and the welcome fountain was very impressive.
Then we moved onto the right hand side towards the stalls/booths. I was surprised by the beauty of the displays it was made me realize that the exhibition is taken very seriously and is pretty well known and does have quality criteria to qualify for having a booth.


This small little exhibition made me realize that creativity is a universal phenomenon and doesn’t matter whether one is a doctor, fashion designer; even a simple & hard working farmer has an artistic aspect which was displayed splendor.

We did buy a Daisy flower, cauliflower type amazing plant and a flower bud. There were around 20-25 booths. After all the fun and shopping just when I felt that I am tired I was surprised by a majestic display – War Tank. It tank was captured by Indian troops by winning over Pakistian’s army in battle of 1971.


From the gate, towards Deccan Gymkhana, the right end of Sambhaji Park has a small aquarium with fee of INR 2.00. Next to aquarium is a small model of a city. It tries to cover good aspect of a village e.g. train, highway with crossing and over bridge, village well, houses trees etc etc. Waking further to the right you will see a decent waterfall with goddess Lakshmi standing in the pond, being saluted by raised tusks of two elephants.
On our way out we did stop to savor Kachi Dabeli – Pan fried bun bread stuffed with cooked potatoes, peanuts and pomegranate, sandwich and of course drinking Coconut water drinking right from the coconut.
It was delightful experience at Sambhaji Park of Pune during the exhibition and we still enjoy watching those plants grow.
Nearby Places to See:
Bund Garden, Empress or Queens Garden. Saras Baug or Swans Park. Parvati
Branded Shopping stores e.g Van Huesen, Peter England, Nike, Reebok, Woodland, Levis etc. Plenty to eat at Pizza Hut, Baskin Robbins, other Indian, chinese restaurants etc. Many Indian banks including ATM of Citibank. Cross Words book store.

Nearby FC Road with Fergusson college, British council library and many restaurants e.g. Punjabi Dhaba - Horn Ok Please etc. DCC - A famous computer vendor behind Deccan Bus Depot(10 mins walking).
Another PMT bus depot near Municipal Corporatin at 5 mins walking distance.

How to go there:
Take auto from Pune station and ask for J M Road. For car owners follow signs for Deccan Gymkhana and can park either at roadside or multi level pay and park both for Rs 5.00.