Pune

Pune is the 9th most populous city in India and the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after the state capital Mumbai. Pune is also the 101st most populous city in the world.

It is situated 560 metres (1,837 feet) above sea level on the Deccan plateau, on the right bank of the Mutha river. Pune city is the administrative headquarters of Pune district and was once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire established by Shivaji Maharaj.

In the 18th century, Pune became the political centre of the Indian subcontinent, as the seat of the Peshwas who were the prime ministers of the Maratha Empire.

Pune is considered the cultural capital of Maharashtra. Since the 1950s and 1960s, Pune has had a traditional old-economic base. Most of the old industries continue to grow. The city is also known for its manufacturing and automobile industries, as well as for research institutes of information technology (IT), education, management and training, which attracts students, and professionals from India, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Pune is also one of the fastest growing cities in the Asia-Pacific region. The ‘Mercer 2015 Quality of Living rankings’ evaluated local living conditions in more than 440 cities around the world where Pune ranked at 145, second in India after Hyderabad (138). It also highlights Pune among evolving business centres and emerging 9 cities around the world with citation "Hosts IT and automotive companies".

Toponymy

The oldest reference to the place is found inscribed on a Rashtrakuta Dynasty copper plate dated AD 937, which refers to the town as Punya-Vishaya meaning Sacred News .

By the 13th century, it had come to be known as Punawadi (पुनवडी).

History

Early and medieval

Copper plates dated 858 AD and 868 AD show that by the 8th century an agricultural settlement known as Punnaka existed where Pune is today. The plates indicate that this region was ruled by the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The Pataleshwar rock-cut temple complex was built during this era.

Pune was part of the territory ruled by Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri from the 9th century to 1327. In 1595, Maloji Raje Bhosale was granted the jagirdari (Fiefdom) of Pune by the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. Pune was ruled by the Ahmadnagar Sultanate until it was annexed by the Mughals in the 17th century.

Maratha era

Pune was part of the Jagir (fiefdom) granted to Maloji Bhosale in 1599 for his services to the Nizamshahi of Ahmadnagar. His grandson, Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Empire, was born in Shivneri fort not far from Pune. Shivaji was brought up by his mother in Pune. Pune changed hands several times between the Mughals and the Marathas in the period between 1660 and 1705. When Chhatrapati Shahu succeeded to the Maratha throne in 1707, he wanted to declare Satara the capital but his chief administrators, the Peshwa who were the real power behind the throne, decided Pune was to be their headquarters.

Bhosale Jagir era

After the destruction of the town in raids by the Adil Shahi dynasty in 1630 AD and again between 1636 AD and 1647 AD, Dadoji Konddeo, the successor to Dhadphale, oversaw the reconstruction of the town. He stabilised the revenue collection and administrative systems of areas around Pune and in neighbouring area of the Maval region. In addition, he developed effective methods to manage disputes and to enforce law and order. Construction on the Lal Mahal began in 1631 AD. The Lal Mahal was completed in 1640 AD. Jijabai is said to have commissioned the building of the Kasba Ganapati temple. The Ganesha idol consecrated at this temple has been regarded as the presiding deity (gramadevata) of the city.

Shivaji encouraged the development of dams in Parvati and Kondhwa regions of Pune for agricultural purposes. Pune and its surrounding villages were the major recruitment areas for Shivaji's army between 1645 AD and 1680 AD. Between 1660 AD and 1670 AD the town was captured by Mughal General Shahista Khan, but was recaptured by the Marathas in 1670 AD after the Battle of Sinhagad. Shivaji often used Pune as his transit base during his major campaigns such as Varhad-Karanja (1673), AhemadaNagar District (1675), Karnataka (1677) and Jalna (1679). During the 27-year-long conflict between the Marathas and the Mughals, the town was occupied by Aurangzeb from 1703 to 1705; during this time, the name of the town was changed to "Muhiyabad". Two years later, once again the Marathas recaptured Sinhagad fort and later Pune from the Mughals.

Peshwa rule

In 1720, Baji Rao I was appointed Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha Empire by Shahu. He moved his base from Saswad to Pune in 1728 and, in the process, laid the foundation for turning what was a Kasbah into a large city., Bajirao also started construction of Shaniwar Wada on the right bank of the Mutha River The construction was completed in 1730, ushering in the era of Peshwa control of the city. The patronage of the Maratha Peshwas resulted in great expansion of Pune with the construction of around 250 temples and bridges in the city, including the Lakdi Pul and the temples on Parvati Hill. Many of the Maruti, Vithoba, Vishnu, Mahadeo, Rama, Krishna and Ganesh temples were built during this era. The building of temples led to religion being responsible for about 15% of the city's economy during this period.,

Bajirao Peshwa constructed a lake at Katraj on the outskirts of the city and an underground aqueduct to bring water from the lake to Shaniwar Wada. The aqueduct is still operational. Pune prospered as a city during the reign of Nanasaheb Peshwa. He developed Saras Baug, Heera Baug, Parvati Hill and new commercial, trading, and residential localities. Sadashiv Peth, Narayan Peth, Rasta Peth and Nana Peth were developed in this era. The Peshwa's influence in India declined after the defeat of Maratha forces in the Battle of Panipat but Pune remained the seat of power.In 1802, Pune was captured by Yashwantrao Holkar in the Battle of Pune, directly precipitating the Second Anglo-Maratha War of 1803–1805. The Peshwa rule ended with the defeat of Peshwa Bajirao II by the British East India Company in 1818.

British rule (1818–1947)

The Third Anglo-Maratha War broke out between the Marathas and the British East India Company in 1817. The Peshwas were defeated at the Battle of Khadki (then spelt Kirkee) on 5 November near Pune and the city was seized by the British. It was placed under the administration of the Bombay Presidency and the British built a large military cantonment to the east of the city (now used by the Indian Army).

The city was known as Poona during British rule. The Poona Municipality was established in 1858. Railway line from Bombay and run by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) also reached the city in 1858,. Navi Peth, Ganj Peth (now renamed Mahatma Phule Peth) were developed during the British Raj.

Center of Social reform and Nationalism

Pune was an important centre in the social and religious reform movements of the late 19th century. Prominent social reformers and freedom fighters lived here, including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Vitthal Ramji Shinde, Dhondo Keshav Karve, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Dr. Raghunath Karve. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar resided in Pune when he enrolled in Fergusson College in 1902.

In late 1896, Pune was hit by bubonic plague. By the end of February 1897, the epidemic was raging with a mortality rate twice the norm and half the city's population fled. A Special Plague Committee was formed under the chairmanship of W.C. Rand, an Indian Civil Services officer. He brought troops to deal with the emergency. Although these measures were unpopular, the epidemic was under control by May. On 22 June 1897, during the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the coronation of Queen Victoria, Rand and his military escort were killed by the Chapekar brothers. A memorial to the Chapekar brothers exists at the spot on Ganeshkhind Road (University Road) between the Reserve Bank and the Agricultural College.

Pune was prominently associated with the struggle for Indian independence. In the period between 1875 and 1910, the city was a major centre of agitation led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The city was also a centre for social reform led by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, feminist Tarabai Shinde, Dhondo Keshav Karve and Pandita Ramabai. They demanded the abolition of caste prejudice, equal rights for women, harmony between the Hindu and Muslim communities, and better schools for the poor. Mohandas Gandhi was imprisoned at Yerwada Central Jail several times and placed under house arrest at the Aga Khan Palace in 1942–44, where both his wife and aide Mahadev Desai died.

Pune since Indian independence

After Indian independence in 1947 from Britain, Pune saw a lot of development, such as the establishment of the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla and the National Chemical Laboratory at Pashan. Pune serves as the headquarters of the Southern Command of the Indian Army. Industrial development started in the 1950s and '60s in Hadapsar, Bhosari, Pimpri and Parvati. Telco (now Tata Motors) started operations in 1961, which gave a huge boost to the automobile sector.

In 1990, Pune began to attract foreign capital, particularly in the information technology and engineering industries. New businesses like floriculture, food processing, and wineries started to take root in and around the city. In 1998, work on the six-lane Mumbai-Pune expressway began, and was completed in 2001. IT Parks were established in Aundh, Hinjawadi and Nagar Road. In 2008, the Commonwealth Youth Games took place in Pune, which encouraged additional development in the northwest region of the city.

On 13 February 2010, a bomb exploded at the German Bakery in the upmarket Koregaon Park neighbourhood on the east side of Pune, killing 17 and injuring 60. The explosion is now suspected to be an IED using an ammonium nitrate fuel oil mix. The blast was a first in what was until then the relatively safe environment of Pune.

During the first week of June 2013, heavy rainfall caused casualties and landslide near Katraj Ghat, very near to the city limit believed to be the "Modern South Gate" of the city.

Geography

Pune is 560 m (1,840 ft) above sea level on the western margin of the Deccan plateau. It is on the leeward side of the Sahyadri mountain range, which forms a barrier from the Arabian Sea. It is a hilly city, with its highest hill, Vetal Hill, rising to 800 m (2,600 ft) above sea level. Just outside the city, the Sinhagad fort is at an altitude of 1,300 metres (4,300 feet). It lies between 18° 32" North latitude and 73° 51" East longitude.

Central Pune is at the confluence of the Mula and Mutha Rivers. The Pavana and Indrayani Rivers, tributaries of the Bhima River, traverse the northwestern outskirts of metropolitan Pune.

• Bridge over Mulla-Mutha river from balcony of a Westin Hotel

• Pashan Lake

Seismology

Pune lies very close to the seismically active zone around Koyna Dam, about 100 km (62 mi) south of the city, and has been rated in Zone 3 (on a scale of 2 to 5, with 5 being the most prone to earthquakes) by the India Meteorological Department. Pune has experienced some moderate- and many low-intensity earthquakes in its history.

Earthquakes felt in Pune with a magnitude of more than 3.0 are listed below.

Year Date Magnitude Epicentre 2004 17 May 2004 3.2 Katraj Region, Pune, Maharashtra 2008 30 July 2008 4.2 Koyna Dam, Koynanagar, Maharashtra 2012 14 April 2012 4.9 Satara district, Maharashtra

Parts of Pune city

The city of Pune can be divided into the following zones:

Zone Neighbourhood Description Old City The 17 Peths (burroughs, formerly markets or settlements) of Pune These were established and developed during the Maratha rule and Peshwa administration, and are referred to as the old city. New City – Inner District Shivajinagar, Deccan Gymkhana, Erandawane, Kothrud, Prabhat Road, and Law College Road in the west; Camp, Bund Garden, and Koregaon Park in the east; Swargate, Parvati Hill, Sahakarnagar, Bibvewadi, Mukund Nagar, Maharshi Nagar, Gultekdi, and Salisbury Park to the south. Bounded on the north by the Mula-Mutha river. New City – Outer District Khadki, Aundh and Ganeshkhind in the northwest; and Paud Road in the west; Dattawadi, Anandnagar, and Sahakarnagar in the southwest; Lullanagar in the southeast; Yerwada, Wadgaon Sheri, Chandan Nagar, Kalyani Nagar, and Shastri Nagar, in the northeast; Vishrantwadi in the north; Ghorpadi, Fatimanagar, Wanowrie, and Hadapsar South to the east. Several educational institutes are located in the Kothrud, Nagar Road, Bund Garden Road neighbourhoods. Inner Suburbs Baner, Balewadi, and Pashan in the northwest; Bavdhan, Karve-Nagar, and Warje in the west; Wadgaon Budrukh in the southwest; Katraj, Khed Shivapur, Wanawadi, NIBM, Lullanagar, Kondhwa, Undri, and Mohammadwadi in the southeast; Wagholi, Kharadi, Viman Nagar, and Mundhwa in the east; Dhanori and Kalas to the north. Kharadi and Hadapsar are home to large IT parks. Proposed Expansion Mahalunge, Sus, Bavdhan Budrukh, Kirkatwadi, Pisoli, Lohegaon, Kondhwe Dhavde, Kopare, Nande, Uttam Nagar, Khadakwasla, Sadesatra Nali, Manjri, Narhe, Shivane, Ambegaon Khurd, Undri, Dhayari, Ambegaon Budruk, Urali Devachi, Mantarwadi, Holkarwadi, Authade (Handewadi), Wadachiwadi, Shiwalewadi, Phursungi, and Yeolewadi 28 new villages are to be merged in PMC limits

North western suburbs (administered by PCMC).

Zone Neighbourhood Description Pimpri and its surroundings Pimpri industrial area, Pimprigaon, Chikhli, Kalewadi, Kasarwadi, Phugewadi, and Pimple Saudagar Pimpri industrial area, and other residential areas, are included in this zone. Pimple Saudagar has become a new hub of residential areas because of its proximity to Hinjawadi IT Park. Chinchwad and its surroundings Chinchwadgaon, Thergaon, Tathawade Industrial and residential area Dapodi and its surroundings Old Sangvi, Wakad, Hinjawadi, Pimple Nilakh, Pimple Gurav, and New Sangvi IT Industrial area in Hinjawadi; other areas are residential. The Rajiv Gandhi Information technology (IT) park is in the Hinjawadi area. Bhosari and its surroundings Bhosari, Moshi, Dighi, Dudulgaon and Charholi Budruk Industrial areas are at Moshi and Dighi; others are residential areas Nigdi, Akurdi and its surroundings Akurdi, Nigdi, Ravet, Talawade Residential area. IT parks are in the Talawade area

Culture

Pune is said to be the cultural capital of the state of Maharashtra. It epitomises Marathi culture, which places emphasis on education, arts and crafts, music, and theatre. Pune culture reflects a blend of traditions with modernity, along with hosting classical shows.

Auditoriums like the Balgandharva Rang Mandir, Tilak Smarak Mandir and the Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha have been at the service of Punekars and are famous for playing host to many commercial theatre acts. Smaller auditorims like the Sudarshan Rangamanch and Bharat Natya Sanshodhan Mandir are the favourite places for many intercollegiate competitions and also are the focal point of the city's experimental and amateur theatre movement.

Cuisine

Sorghum and Pearl millet are the main ingredients of traditional Pune food. Specialties include Misal Pav, Puran Poli (a dessert bread), Pithla bhakri, Panipuri, Bhelpuri, and Pav Bhaji. Mastani, a thick milkshake containing dried fruit, is a speciality of the city. Another speciality is Bakarvadi, a crispy snack item. Vada Pav, Misal Pav, Poha, Dabeli, and Bhelpuri are popular street food items. Being a Metropolitan city, Pune also boasts a wide variety of restaurants, serving cuisines from all over the world.

Architecture

In addition to its temples, historical attractions in and around Pune include the rock-cut Pataleshwar cave temple, Aga Khan Palace, Shaniwarwada, Lal Mahal, and Sinhagad fort. Shinde Chhatri, located at Wanowrie, is a memorial dedicated to the Great Maratha Sardar, Maharaja Mahadaji Shinde (Scindia) who was instrumental in establishing the Maratha supremacy over North India.

Museums, parks and zoos

Prominent museums in Pune include the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum of Indian History, Mahatma Phule Museum, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum, Joshi's Museum of Miniature Railway and the Pune Tribal Museum. The College of Military Engineering has an archive and an equipment museum which has a rail exhibit with a metre-gauge train.

Pune has public gardens such as the Kamala Nehru Park, Sambhaji Park Shahu Udyan, Peshwe Park, Saras Baug, Empress Garden, Taljai Hills, and Bund Garden. The Pu La Deshpande Udyan is a replica of the Korakuen Garden in Okayama, Japan.

The Aga Khan Palace was built in 1892 by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III in Pune.

The Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park is located at Katraj, close to the city. The zoo, earlier located at Peshwe Park, was merged with the reptile park at Katraj in 1999. Besides this, certain spots in Pune such as Hanuman Tekdi, Vetaal Tekdi, and Taljai forest are popular haunts for nature lovers.

As the agro-pharmaceutical business has dwindled in recent decades, immigration from erstwhile tribal peoples now accounts for seventy percent of population growth and education syllabi have not adjusted in accordance with other industrialised regions. This has created what has become an exclusive environment in the government's expansion of education infrastructure, and Marathi literati have received a number of grants in areas that were previously ignored. Both experimental and professional theatre receive extensive patronage from the Marathi community. The Tilak Smarak Ranga Mandir, Bal Gandharva Ranga Mandir, Bharat Natya Mandir, Yashwantrao Chavan Natya Gruha, and Sudarshan Rangmanch are prominent theatres in the city.

Ganesh Kala Krida Rangamanch is the largest closed theatre in the city, with a seating capacity of 45,000.

The Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, one of the most prominent and sought-after Indian classical music festivals in India, is held in Pune every year in December. It commemorates the life and achievements of Pt. Sawai Gandharva. The concept of Diwāḷī Pahāṭ originated in Pune as a music festival on the morning of the festival of Diwali.

Transport

Air

Pune International Airport is an international Airport at Lohegaon, operated by the Airports Authority of India. It shares its runways with the neighbouring Indian Air Force base. In addition to domestic flights to all major Indian cities, this airport serves international direct flights to Dubai (operated by Air India Express) and to Frankfurt (operated by Lufthansa).

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation is responsible for the design and construction of a New Pune International Airport. The area between Chakan and Rajgurunagar, around the villages of Chandus and Shiroli, is being considered as a construction site. If constructed here, it will be at a distance of 40 km (25 mi) from central Pune. With the construction of this new International Airport, Pune city will be connected to many important international destinations such as London, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. They have passed tender for Pune International Airport at Chakan Pune. This project will be complete by December 2017.

Rail

Local trains (EMUs) connect Pune to the industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad and the hill station of Lonavala, while daily express trains connect Pune to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Nagpur, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Coimbatore, Chennai, Bangalore, Allahabad, Kanpur, Howrah, Jammu Tawi, Darbhanga, Goa, Gwalior, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Patna, and Jamshedpur. At Pune, there is a diesel locomotive shed and an electric trip shed.

The Pune Railway Station is administered by the Pune Railway Division of the Central Railways. All the railway lines to Pune are broad gauge. The city also has a Motive power depot located at Ghorpadi. It is operated for Diesel Locomotives.

Metro

A mass transit system called Pune Metro has been proposed for the city. and is being planned in consultation with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited, the corporation which built and operates the Delhi Metro. It will be a combination of elevated and underground sections, with initial routes being planned between Pimpri-Swargate and Vanaz-Ramwadi. However, construction of the socalled "Pune Metro" has not been heard of as of May 2016. Also, Pune Metro will not be having services like that of Mumbai Metro has.

Roads

Both public and private transport are popular in Pune. Public buses within the city and its suburbs are operated by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML). The PMPML operates the Rainbow BRTS system, the first of its kind in India, in which dedicated bus lanes were supposed to allow buses to travel quickly through the city. In reality the project has turned out to be a failure, receiving little to no patronage from the local citizenry. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation runs buses from its main stations in Shivajinagar, Pune station, and Swargate to all major cities and towns in Maharashtra and neighbouring states. Private companies also run buses to major cities throughout India.

Pune is well-connected to other cities by Indian highways and state highways. National Highway 4 (NH 4) connects it to Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolhapur. NH 9 to Hyderabad, and NH 50 to Nashik. State highways connect it to Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, and Alandi.

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is India's first six-lane high-speed expressway, and it was built in 2002. This expressway has reduced travel time between Pune and Mumbai to almost two hours. A ring road is being planned for the convenience of heavy traffic. On the express highway only four wheelers are allowed, thus only private cars, buses and taxis can travel on this route.

Pune is served by two intra-city highways: Old Pune-Mumbai Highway and Katraj-Dehu Road Bypass, a part of National Highway 4. The Nashik City-Pune Highway NH 50 will be part of the golden triangle (Nashik-Pune-Mumbai).

Places of interest

This includes must see places in Pune and surrounding areas.

• Aga Khan Palace – Built in 1892, national monument of India's freedom movement. The palace is surrounded by a sprawling garden. The famous movie 'Gandhi' was shot here.
• Bhigwan – Famous for Migratory Birds from Siberia.
• Lavasa – First man-made hill station near Pune.
• Lonavla – A beautiful hill station on the Pune – Mumbai highway, just 65 kilometres (40 miles) from Pune. Offers great views of the Western Ghats and has lots of trekking spots nearby.
• Mahabaleshwar – 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Pune. Famous twin hill stations of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani in Satara disctrict in Maharashtra, India offering scenic views of the Western Ghats.
• Osho International Meditation Resort- It attracts a large number of meditators and spiritual seekers from all across the globe every year. Following the philosophy of its iconic founder Rajneesh Osho, the center is known for its activities and meditation sessions. Tours of the center are no longer permitted and the only way you can visit the ashram is by paying an initial registration fee.
• Shaniwar Wada – Shaniwarwada is an 18th-century fort built in 1732 by Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Empire.The walls in the palace were painted with scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. A sixteen petal lotus-shaped fountain stands reminiscent of the exquisite work of those times. A light and sound show set up at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore is the main attraction.
• Shivneri fort – It is famous as the birthplace of Maratha King Chattrapati Shivaji. It is located near Junnar town in the Pune district about 95 kilometres (59 miles) north of Pune. The fort attracts a large number of tourists, history buffs and trekkers.
• Sinhgad – This historical fort closely associated with Shivaji is the closest fort to the city. Apart from visitors interested in the Maratha history, it attracts trekkers throughout the year and others during the monsoon rain.