A Glimpse of Pune City

   Queen of the Deccan, Oxford of the East and Cultural Capital of Maharashtra, Pune, also called as Poona, is a city with a future that promises to be as interesting as its history. Today, Pune is the second largest state of Maharashtra and is one of the most important IT hubs in India. It is the only city which has no capital state, yet it is ranked amongst the top 10th cities in the country. It has a dual image: that of a tradition-bound culture, often considered the centre of traditional Maharashtrian culture and that of a modern industrial metropolis. The city has recorded the highest growth within a span of 20 years.

   The history of Pune can be dated back to 1000 years. According to the archeological evidence, Rashtrkootas dynasty ruled Pune. After about 758-768 A.D. later, Pune was ruled by Yadavs. The city first gained importance as the capital of the Bhonsle Marathas in the 17th century. It was temporarily captured by the Mughals, but after the battle of Panipat, the Mughal Empire began to decline and in 1818, it was taken over by the British East India Company.

Pune is an epitome of educational opportunities as it has more than hundred institutes and nine universities. Pune is also the headquarters of the southern command of the Indian Army, with the Khadawaskla Academy. Pune University, founded in the year 1948, which has 57 Engineering Colleges affiliated to it, is the highest in the world. The city is also known to have provided an enormous amount of scientists for the high profile nominations.

   Pune city is well-connected to other cities by its excellent transportation facilities. Pune is the only city that has an international airport that shares its runway with the Indian Air Force base. The New Pune International Airport has been designed by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation. Local trains connect Pune to all the major cities across India. A rapid transit system has been proposed in Pune and is scheduled to begin operations in 2013. Pune Metro Rail is being planned in consultation with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited.  The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India’s first six-lane high-speed expressway, has reduced the travel distance between these two cities.

Today, Pune is the center of traditional Maharashtrian culture and is slowly becoming a cosmopolitan city. Rich with splendor geographical location and royal history of Mughal Empire, Pune has all the strong reasons to amaze every kind of vacationers, right from businessmen to students.

The History of Bubble Blowers

                   “…but I know that ‘bubble blower’ is what I am, not who I am.”

                                                                                           From “A Brief History of the Recent Future”

                                                                                                             (David Manning)

   The dictionary meaning of ‘Bubble Blowing’ has been defined as a children’s toy in the form of tool for making bubbles by blowing on a membrane of soap water or fluid sticked to a circlet. Bubble Blowers is amongst the oldest and most popular game among children in the ancient times. The game is one of a kind where every parent can afford their child to enjoy the happiness of blowing bubbles. The simplest way to create the solution is to twist a wire into the circle and then make some foam out of soap for blowing bubbles. The earliest patent of Bubble Blowers dates back to 1920s. A man named J. L Gilchrist filed a patent in 1918 for a new and improved bubble pipe, that “may be cheaply manufactured and in which the parts are so associated that they may be disassembled and cleaned and quickly reassembled by an unskilled person.” Pipes and wands were the earliest mass produced bubble blowers.

   Many notable Bubble Artists started their passion for bubble blowing only as a hobby, but with their invention of every new technique, they have mesmerized many people’s heart.  Throughout the history, many Bubble Artists have set various Guinness World Records. The earliest amongst them is Alan McKay of New Zealand, who on August 9 in 1996 has created a 105 foot long bubble by using a bubble wand, dish washing liquid, glycerine and water. Another well-known Bubble Artist Fan Yang proves that Bubble Blowing is a timeless game. This man creates bubbles within bubbles. He has managed a total of 12 domes at the studios of Guinness World Records in Finland on 20 October, 2001 and is a 10 times Guinness World Record holder. On 11 August, 1997, Fan Yang has created a 56-foot-long and 13-foot-high, bubble wall.

    According to the Funrise Gazillion Bubbles website, David Stein of New York has created the biggest bubble ever blown in 1988 and he has held the Guinness World Record for this as well. On 5 September, 2001, Ray Macaraeg of California holds a Guinness World Record for blowing 119 soap bubbles in 30 seconds. A total of 23,680 people blew bubbles simultaneously for a minute at the Boleyn Ground in London on May 16, 1999.  On October 9, 2005, John Erck of Xtreme Bubbles blew the Guinness World Record largest free-floating soap bubble, 105.4 cubic feet in size.  

 In the recent past, Sam Heath is the most famous Bubble Artist. He is often referred to as ‘Sam Sam the Bubble Man’. By putting inside a group of 19 boys and girls under a giant bubble, he set the Guinness World Record on March 27, 2006.

   Since the past, every Bubble Artist enjoys the fun and celebrates the enchantment of Bubbles on their performances. They equally attract every audience member's attention.