A Royal Repose

Jadhavgadh’s got a heart of gold, like the Maruti Suzuki Dzire

The moment you step inside the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, its cocooning cabin calms you down. The very next moment as you begin to move, it livens you up. The car is a mix of both worlds, and probably the best one there is. With weeks and months spent with one, we’ve come to believe that it has a heart of gold. Which we’re told is not too dissimilar to Fort Jadhavgarh, where the unique hospitality takes the front seat and makes you feel at home (or palace, in this case). Royal hospitality is, as we’re told, second to none. And what can be a better way to find that out in a car as regal as the Dzire.

Even with skyscrapers and modern buildings trying to and cover every nook and corner of the country, it’s a relief to see structures like Fort Jadhavgadh. Secluded from Pune but so well-connected to its Maratha roots, the 300-year-old fort is one of the best quick getaways from the city. Through the urban locales of Mumbai (where we’re based) and Pune, we drive to Jadhavwadi (where the fort is) in a little over three and a half hours.