Pune, the Queen of Deccan, which is now one of the major places of India, proudly boast the glorious historic pasts, which include the great Marathas and Peshwas legacy.
Pune, which is fondly known as the Queen of Deccan, is one of the prominent districts of Maharashtra. It is situated between 17 degrees 54' and 10 degrees 24 minutes north latitude and 73 degrees 19 minutes and 75 degrees 10 minutes east longitude. This district covers an area of 15,642 square kilometres and is situated at an elevation of 559 metres. This district is bounded by Thane in its north western side, Raigad in its western side and Satara in its southern side. While Solapur lies in its south eastern profile, it is bounded by Ahmednagar in its northern and north eastern sides. This district is unanimously spread across the Sahyadri mountains, which are situated in the leeward side of the Western Ghats. This region is then extended to the Deccan Plateau, in its eastern side.
The history of Pune dates back to the 14th century, when this region was completely under the embrace of the Nizam rule. They had their headquarters at Ahmednagar. Only, one region, i.e Indapur was under the rule of Yusuf Adil Khan of Bijapur. This district, during the Nizamshahi reign, was formed as a separate sarkar, with sub-divisions called paragana and smaller ranges called prant or desh. During 1595, the Ahmednagar region sustained brutal attacks and tremors from the Mughal invasion. It was during this era, in order to protect their motherland from the foreign intruders, the local rulers and the Marathas joined hands and revolted strongly under the leadership of Maloji Bhonsle, who was made Rana in 1595. He was conferred with Poona and Supa, as his Jagirs. Shinveri, Verul and Chakan were also embraced into his territory. He had married Dipabai, sister of Jagpalrao Naik Nimbalkar, the deshmukh of Phaltan. Bhonsle was one of the most dignified and the best affiliated chieftains of the Maratha monarchy, during that period, when the Mughals were a serious issue for the Nizamshahi empire of Ahmednagar. However, after much sustenance, the Mughals captured the Ahmednagar fort from Marathas in the 16th century. The beginning of 17th century in the Poona territory witnessed a new sunrise under the rule of the Mughals. Murtaza II was raised as the ruler, under the constant guidance of Malik Ambar. The mid of the 16th century witnessed the rise of Shivaji, who had ruled over this place from 1647 to 1680. He had bribed the Mughal commander of the fort and found it to be a convenient method in comparison to war. During that time, the Shah Jahan was the Mughal Emperor, who had embraced the northern and north-western parts into his kingdom. After the death of the emperor, Shivaji managed to capture those parts. Sivaji was undoubtedly the most influential ruler, under whom, Pune flourished and progressed.
Due to its historical grandeur, Pune lends a mammoth experience to its tourists, as it is devoured with numerous historical and religious places. Some of the major historical places are as follows: Sinhagad, which was earlier known as Kondhana, is a prominent fort of the city. One of the most trusted generals of Shivaji had courageously fought against the Mughal army. On his death, Shivaji renamed this fort from Kondhana to Sinhagad. The Agakhan Palace is another major spot. This Italian masterpiece was used by the British to imprison Mahatma Gandhi, during the Quit India Movement. Kasturba had her last breathe here. The Shaniwarwada, a 13 storeyed palace, which was built by Bajirao, is another spectacular spot. A light and music show is conducted everyday showing history of Peshwas. Other places include Vishram Baug, Parvati, Rajgad and Tarna forts, Kasba Ganpati, Bhimashankar, Baneshwar, Jejuri, Ashtavinayak, Dehu, Alandi etc.
