Pune is full of hills. Both within and around the city, there are hills and mountains with lots of forts, temples and lakes. During weekends, one can find lots of nature enthusiasts and hikers exploring these parts of the city.
Taljai Hill is located a short distance south of Parvati Hill. It has a temple and a lot of walking trails. It also has a cricket stadium and a public garden where a lot of people gather during the evening. Near this stadium, an old stone tower rises towards the sky. There is a single window at the top with a triangular lintel. The entire structure is in ruins and most of it has crumbled down over the ages.
It is believed that this hilltop structure was once a grand mansion. According to local legends, Taljai Mansion was built by the Peshwas and they gifted it to one of their loyal generals.
The ruins of the mansion poke their way out of the woods and bushes on the hill. In local lore, there are also some spooky stories and rumours associated with the place, as is generally the case with many crumbling historic ruins all over the world.
