Of Pune's many architectural gems and curiosities, the Tulsi baug Mandir complex and Mandai in the old city core are a must-visit. The shikhara of the Ram Mandir contrasts with the octagonal tower of the British-built Mandai structure - and yet, somehow, they're quite inseparable from one another. A visit to one means you simply have to walk across to the other.

With its centrally placed temple surrounded by utensil and antique shops, Tulsi baug is what you could call the city's oldest mall. As for Mandai, it is a traditional supermarket!

The temple was built in the middle of the 18th century; shops sprung up in the courtyard surrounding the temple…so one could attend to one's spiritual and religious duties and then turn to more mundane domestic tasks, right in the same, quiet complex. Cut off from the bustling street outside, Tulsi baug is even today a shopper's oasis. Little shops selling mainly brass and copper goods, and in modern times steel utensils too, are a delight to browse through. Particularly lovely are the huge variety of miniature pots and pans that delight every little girl keen to play 'house-house'! Interestingly, a visitor from the US recently bought a set of beautifully made brass and copper toy utensils from Tulsi baug for herself - not to play with, but to use as a dining table display in the centre, when she serves Indian food. Obviously there are so many different ways to enjoy the treasures of Tulsi baug.

And then there's more. Step outside the cool enclosure from one of its three exits, and you step into yet another buzzing shopper's paradise. The lanes and bylanes are simply teeming with vendors selling bric-a-brac, crochet door-hangings, craft and embroidery materials, crockery, attractive plastic toys and utility goods…don't forget to grab pot ice cream at the little Kawre ice cream place.

Across the road to Tulsi baug is the Mandai or Phule Market, which was built by the British in 1886. The market is an interesting 'octopus-like' structure: an octagonal tower in the centre, with eight 'arms' radiating from it. The vegetable stalls are housed in these arms. Though it is a solid Gothic stone structure, it is light and airy inside, with excellent cross ventilation, so that there is minimum rotting of vegetables and bad odours don't remain trapped inside. Even today, the Mandai is a delight to visit. There is a newer, modern building nearby, but the old structure too continues to house fruit and veggie stalls. Though produce is slightly more expensive in the older Mandai than in the new building, shopping in both places has a charm of its own. You can enjoy the quiet of the old Mandai and pick up superb quality produce; or you can jostle and haggle in the new one across the road and get some great bargains too. For a nominal fee, you can hire a 'carrier' to hold your bags. Beware, you're sure to let all that farm-fresh stuff go to your head, and end up buying much more than you can consume!

For those who love the tinkle and twinkle of glass, tucked into one of the lanes of this precinct is a maze of bangle shops. With stacks and stacks of myriad colours winking and calling to you, this little stretch is a veritable Aladdin's cave. A few yards and a couple of turns later, you'll find yourself in Burud Aali - the lane in which the traditional basket weavers and bamboo workers ply their trade. Screens or chiks, baskets, matting…they are all there. A little way off from here is a lane selling only pooja materials, from a huge variety of agarbattis and other aromatics to mounds of haldi-kumkum.

It's easy to get pleasantly led astray in this precinct and stumble on the most wonderful little shops. The traffic is a bit chaotic in some parts, but don't let that daunt you. If you can brave it, you can drive here; there's a pay and park in the heart of the area. The other option is to park somewhere quiet and simply take an auto rickshaw to the area. Once you've done with your wandering and shopping, you can catch another rickshaw back to your parked vehicle, laden with exciting little packages from your adventure.

Anandi