Pune

Former name: Poona
Country: India
State: Maharashtra
District: Pune
Subdistrict: Haveli taluka
Population: 3,446,330
Area: 1109.69 km2
Altitude: 560 metres

Pune also known as Punya-Nagari, is the eighth largest city in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai and the largest city in the Western Ghats.

Once the center of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula and Mutha rivers.

Pune is known to have existed as a town since 937 AD.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire, lived in Pune as a young boy, and later oversaw significant growth and development of the town during his reign. In 1730, Pune became an important political center as the seat of the Peshwa, the prime minister of the Chhatrapati of Satara. After the town was annexed to British India in 1817, it served as a cantonment town and as the "monsoon capital" of the Bombay Presidency until the independence of India.

Today, Pune is known for its educational facilities and relative prosperity. Pune is the cultural capital of Maharashtra, and the notional seat of the Marathi language. Pune has well-established manufacturing, glass, sugar, and forging industries since the 1950-60s. It has a growing industrial hinterland, with many information technology and automotive companies setting up factories in Pune district. The city is known for various cultural activities like classical music, spirituality, theater, sports, and literature.

The name Pune derives from Punya Nagari (Sanskrit, "City of Virtue"). The oldest reference to this name was found on a Rashtrakuta copper plate dated 937, that refer to the town as Punya-Vishaya or Poonak Vishaya. By the 13th century, it had come to be known as Kasbe Pune or Punavadi. Although the city's name is sometimes transcribed as Poona in English, a practice particularly common during the British Raj, the spelling "Pune" has now become standard. After the fall of the Marathas in 1818 and establishment of educational institutions by the British, Pune came to be referred to as the Oxford of the East due to its large student population, and a large number of quality academic and research institutes.

Medieval era
Copper plates dated 758 and 768 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 Yadava Empire of Deogiri from the 9th century to 1327. In 1595, Maloji Raje Bhosale was appointed the jagirdar of Pune and Supe by the Mughals. It was ruled by the Ahmadnagar Sultanate until being annexed by the Mughal Empire in the 17th century.

Maratha rule
In 1625, Shahaji Bhosale appointed Rango Bapuji Dhadphale as the administrator of Pune. He was one of the first major developers of the town, overseeing construction of the Kasba Peth, Somwar Peth, Raviwar Peth and Shaniwar Peth. After the destruction of the town in raids by the Adil Shahi dynasty in 1630, and again from 1636 to 1647, Dadoji Kondadev, a military and administrative officer of Shahaji Bhosale, oversaw redevelopment and construction of the area. He stabilized the revenue system of Pune and the neighborhoods of Maval to the west of town as well as developed effective methods to control disputes and enforce law and order.
Construction began on the Lal Mahal Palace, as Shahaji's son Shivaji Bhosale (later Chattrapati Shivaji) was to move there with his mother Jijabai. The Ganapati idol consecrated at this temple is regarded as the presiding deity (gramadevata) of the city.

Shivaji was crowned Chhatrapati in 1674. He oversaw further development in Pune, including the construction of the Guruwar, Somwar, Ganesh and Ghorpade Peths. Shivaji Maharaj encouraged development of dams in Parvati and Kondhwa regions of Pune for agriculture purpose. Pune and surrounding villages later provided manpower for Shivaji's efforts to build an army during the period from 1645 to 1680. In between 1660 to 1670 the town was captured by Mughal General Shahista Khan, but was recaptured by the Marathas in 1670 after the battle of Sinhagad.

During the 27-year long conflict between the Marathas and the Mughals, the town was occupied by Aurangzeb from 1703 to 1705. Two years later, the Marathas recaptured Sinhagad fort and later Pune city from the Mughals as had been done in 1670.

In 1720, Baji Rao I was appointed Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha Empire, ruled by Chattrapati Shahuji. He selected Pune as his base and started construction of Shaniwarwada on the banks of the Mutha River. The construction was completed in 1730, ushering the era of Peshwa control of the city. The patronage of the Peshwas resulted in the construction of many temples and bridges in the city, including the Lakdi Pul and the temples on Parvati Hill. Bajirao Peshwa also constructed an underground aqueduct to bring water from Katraj Lake to Shaniwarwada. The aqueduct is still operational.

Pune prospered as a city during the reign of Nanasaheb Peshwe. He developed Saras Baug, Heera Baug, Parvati Temple and new commercial, trading and residential localilties. The Sadashiv Peth, Narayan Peth, Rasta Peth and Nana Peth were developed in this era.
The Peshwas fell into decline after their defeat in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.

British Rule
The Third Anglo-Maratha War broke out between the Marathas and the British in 1817. The Peshwas were defeated at the Battle of Khadki (then transcribed Kirkee) on November 5 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 Pune Municipality was established in 1858. Navi Peth, Ganj Peth and Mahatma Phule Peth are believed to have developed during the British Raj.

Nana Sahib Peshwa, the adopted son of the last Peshwa Bajirao II, rose against the rule of British East India Company as a part of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, known in India as the First War Of Independence. He was helped by Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and Tatya Tope. At the end of the war, the final remnants of the Maratha Empire were annexed to British India.

Many prominent social reformers and freedom fighters lived in Pune, including Bal Gangadhar Tilak (also known as Lokmanya Tilak), Vitthal Ramji Shinde, Dhondo Keshav Karve and Jyotirao Phule.

After Independence
After Indian independence in 1947, 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. IT Parks were established in Aundh, Hinjawadi and on Nagar Road.