Ghaat is the set of steps that facilitate safe and convenient access to the river. You will always find a ghaat accompanying a temple on the riverbank.

No. of ghaats in the city can provide a glimpse of interaction this city used to have with its river once upon a time.

Let us start with the walk now. Here is our favorite question. What might be the age of this river?

Any guess? Any WILD guess? 😊

Let us keep the suspense a while longer. We will tell you a story from the Puranas that mentions this river.

There lived a king named Gajanak. He was doing meditation on the Bhimashankar hills. As usual, Indra was insecure. And as the plot usually goes, he sent 2 apsaras to disturb his meditation. Somehow, Gajanak got a whiff of this plan. He got angry and cursed the 2 apsaras that they will become rivers.

Both the apsaras begged for forgiveness. By now Gajanak calmed down and provided them some relief from the harsh punishment. He told them, when these 2 rivers meet Bhima river, they will be absolved of their sins and will become Apasaras again.

Whether you believe the story or not, geography mentioned in this story is correct. Mula and Mutha eventually drain into Bhima river. Irony is that, now these 2 rivers curve Bhima, with all the pollution of Pune city they carry.

This story served one purpose. Mutha river being mentioned in the Puranas, provides a clue. This river must be a few hundred years old, for sure, right?