It was a botched up attempt to visit Lonavala which took us on a bike ride of 75 kms. This was the first rainy weekend of the season and the ride took us through a beautiful highway lush with greenery. However, Lonavala was a big disappointment. The small town was packed with more traffic than perhaps Pune and there were miles long traffic jams. Traffic jams in themselves are an annoyance, and when coupled with the most unruly crowd I have ever seen, they become nightmare. People were openly drunk, howling and creating nuisance and there was utter chaos everywhere due to the mobs of irresponsible youngsters. By late afternoon we were so fed up with the place and its people that we decided to come back.
So the only interesting place which I properly saw near Lonavala was a Wax Museum at Lonavala. Located on the old Mumbai- Pune Highway just before the Lonawala town, it cheekily asks you what is the need to go to London’s Madame Tussauds when you have everything here. The entry ticket is Rs 100/- and the place is quite good. We saw some remarkable statues of Anna Hazare, Shivaji, Kapil Dev, Saddam Hussain etc and some not so remarkable ones like Angelina Jolie and Benazir Bhutto. However, in all it is a good effort and was the only thing we actually enjoyably in this trip.
Some photographs which we took there:
Museum from the outside
Ekta Posing with Shivaji Maharaj
Hitler doesn’t look very happy
Saddam too finds a place here
Anna Hazare was the best of the lot, looked very life like
Some more images from this place
It was not surprising that this place was an instant hit with people of all ages, especially children. People were actually waiting in queues to get photographed along with Michael Jackson and other big names. I am not going to visit London any time soon, so it was a good trailer. So, if you haven’t been to this Wax Museum yet, I suggest you pay a visit.
I never knew this place existed!! Thanks for the info. Those are some great pictures and Anna’s statue does look so real!!
Even I did not know. Just saw the board and took a turn.. I wasn’t disappointed. It also save me from the pouring rains
🙂
Like someone hear says, I too never knew this place existed. Sad the tourism isn’t tom-toming about it!
I guess it is relatively new thats why not many people know about it. But the place was pretty crowded though
Originality of the wax statues is really amazing!
Thanks Abhinav 🙂
lovely clicks , thanx fr sharing
Thanks Alka 🙂
I wish I could go there as the ticket is very reasonable and you get to see more of Indian personalities.
Its a small one though, you may try when you are around the next time 🙂
How old is the wax museum, Puru? I know … why go see a Tussauds’ now ;).
I hear that Mumbai is going to have a Walk of Fame, soon.
Doesnt seem to be very old and it looks as if there are still under construction. But it was nice little place 🙂
I could relate to the description of crowds at Lonavla–having lived in Lonavla for 5 years, and that too as a teenager, crowds and tourists were hated species. Looks like they haven’t changed much over the years. I had heard about the wax museum, but this is the first time I am reading a write-up on it. And it is a good one too 🙂
Seriously, I do not like crowds and absolutely hate the unruly ones. For the people who were in Lonavala on that day, they need to learn a little civility.
Never knew there is one in Lonavala! Only wax museum I have been to is the Paris one and it was fab. I am also keen to know how old it is since the statues look fresh ! 🙂
On my next visit to Lonavala, I’ll visit for sure. Thanks for sharing it, Puru.
Thanks Nisha. Although this may be not stand upto the one in Paris, still as a start, its a good one. 🙂
I have been to Lonavala a couple of times but never knew this museum existed! Looks beautiful. Will surely be there, the next I land in Lonavala. Many thanks for sharing it Puru 🙂
Belated Thanks Arti 🙂
Is this recently constructed? I dont remember hearing anything like this 10 years back.
Yup this is a new one. Visit the place sometimes.