History of Pune

  Hello, dear readers! Welcome to my blog post about the history of Pune city, one of the most amazing and vibrant places in India. Pune is the cultural capital of the Maratha people and has a rich and glorious past that spans over many centuries. In this post, I will tell you some of the fascinating facts and stories about this wonderful city and its people. Let's begin!

Pune was initially built as an agricultural settlement, by the name of Punnaka. The city dates back to the 8th century and was under the rule of the Rashtrakutas, a powerful dynasty that ruled over most of the Deccan plateau. After Rashtrakutas, the city came under the reign of the Mughals and the Marathas, which came to end somewhere around the year 1818.

The city first gained importance as the capital of the Bhonsle Marathas in the 17th century. The Bhonsle Marathas were a clan of warriors and rulers who fought against the Mughals and established a vast empire that stretched from central India to south India, Swaraj. The most famous of them was Shivaji Maharaj (1630-1680), the founder of the Maratha empire and a national hero of India.

Shivaji Maharaj spent part of his childhood and teenage years in Pune, where he learned the art of warfare and administration from his mother, Veermata Jijabai, and his mentor, Dadaji Konddeo. He also built several forts and palaces in and around Pune, such as Sinhgad, Rajgad, Shaniwar Wada, and Lal Mahal. He is revered by the people of Pune for his courage, wisdom, and patriotism.

Pune became the seat of administration for the Maratha empire under Shivaji Maharaj's successors, especially under Bajirao I (1700-1740), who was one of the greatest generals and statesmen in Indian history. Bajirao I expanded the Maratha empire to its zenith and made Pune a political and commercial center of the Indian subcontinent during his rule. He also built many monuments and temples in Pune, such as Parvati Hill, Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple, and Vishrambaug Wada.

Pune's glory came to an end with the Marathas losing to the British East India Company during the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818. The British took over Pune and made it one of their major military bases in India. They also established military cantonments in the eastern part of the city, and another one at nearby Khadki. The city was known by the name of Poona during British rule and for a few decades after Indian independence.

The British rule, over more than a century, saw huge changes in the social, political, economic, and cultural life of the city. These included introduction of railways, telegraph, roads, modern education, hospitals etc. The city also witnessed many social reform movements and nationalist movements during this period. Several freedom fighters stepped ahead, and the British era finally came to an end. Some of these freedom fighters were Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak, Chaphekar Bandhu,etc.

Pune is also known for its cultural and educational heritage. It is often called the "Oxford and Cambridge of India" because of its many colleges and universities that attract students from all over the country and the world. Some of the famous institutions in Pune are the University of Pune, the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, the Film and Television Institute of India, the National Defence Academy, the Symbiosis International University, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, the National Institute of Virology, the National Chemical Laboratory, and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing.

Pune is also a hub of art, literature, music, theatre, and cinema. It has produced many renowned artists, writers, musicians, actors, and filmmakers who have enriched the cultural scene of India. The conclusion statement is that Pune is diverse in its own way. I find it a very fascinating city. It is rich, not in money, but in cultural value. People gather from all over India to have a look at the 5 Manache Ganapati. To know more about them, read my Ganapati Festival 2023 Blog - Ganapati Festival 2023 (ganapati2023.blogspot.com)

Subscribe to my YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-UyeYhxYFOxCBNXnOnFonQ/videos

Follow me on my Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/swaraachandorkar

Thank you for reading so far!