Poona

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Poona (पूना),also transcribed as Pune) (Marathi/Hindi: पुणे), is the second largest city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 8th largest urban agglomeration in India with a population of 5 million, and serves as the administrative capital of Pune district. It is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau, at the confluence of the Mula and Mutha river [1]. The nearest port is Mumbai, 150 kilometres to the west.

Contents

Origin

The name derives from Punia clan of the Jats. Mahabharata Shalya_Parva_in_Sanskrit writes about Puniyas in shloka 55 as under:

पुण्यनामा सुनामा च सुवक्त्रः परियथर्शनः
परिश्रुतः कॊक नथः परिय माल्यानुलेपनः ।। 55 ।।

According to Hukam Singh Pawar (Pauria) [2], In all probability the Punia or Pauniyas belong to the followers of Pani leader Bribu. It is possible that a branch of Pani or Puni migrated from Sapta Sindhu to south India where they were known as Pani [3] or Paunika [4], identified [5], [6], [7] with the Punaka-Visaya of Talegaon inscription i.e. modern Poona or Pune, which may be their earlier settlement. The Punaiyyas or Panayyas of the South also betray their ancestry from the Panis. While Sivis, Mallavas etc. migrated from the Indus Valley after Alexander’s invasion to Rajasthan where they still survive in the Sivis, Shivranas, Mall or Malli Jats, the Punia or Pauniya Jats of Rajasthan, are likely to be the descendants [8] of the Panis, who were deprived of their wealth [9] by their brethren Aryan opponents, and were compelled [10] to settle down in their new home from the valley much earlier. The Punias were allowed by Aryans to remain in their Indian home in return for liberal donations by Bribu [11], [12], [13] to the Aryans (the Bharatas) for which he was held in high esteem by them where as the rest of Panis, who refused to donate likewise, were chased [14], [15] to the western lands. Babylonia, known as Brbyru to the Vedic Indians, is said to be the city of Bribu, (a wealthy leader of the Panis), by Weber, (Kalyanaramana, 1969, 112). It is interesting to note that the leaders of Panis who migrated [16], [17] to America in the pre-Aztec times from India, are depicted as robust, standing erect with folded hands, having Rajasthani features, with their head adorned with Marwari pagrees. [18]

The name Pune derives from Punya Nagari (Sanskrit, "City of Virtue"). The oldest reference to this name is on a Rashtrakoota copper plate dated to 937, in which the town is refered to as as Punya-Vishaya or Punak Vishaya[19]. By the 13th century, it had come to be known as Kasbe Pune or Punavadi (Marath], "Town of Pune").

In the 19th century, it was refered to as Poona by British administrators. Since 1947, both spellings have been in use, but Pune has dominated for the last decade.

History

The circular Nandi mandapa at the Pataleshwar
The circular Nandi mandapa at the Pataleshwar

Copper plates dated to 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 Rashtrakutas. The Pataleshwar rock-cut temple complex was also built during this era.

Pune was a part of Yadava Empire of Deogiri from the 9th century to 1327. It was later ruled by the Nizamshahi sultans, until it was annexed by the Mughal empire in the 17th century. In 1595, Maloji Bhosale was appointed the Jahagirdar of Pune and Supe by the Mughals.

Geography

Pune is located 560m (1,837 ft) above sea level on the western margin of the Deccan plateau. It is situated on the leeward side of the Sahyadri mountain range (the Western Ghats), which separate it from the Arabian sea. It is a relatively hilly city, with its tallest hill rising to 800m (2,625 ft) above sea level.

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

The Bhima River originates in Bhimashankar hills, one of the twelve esteemed Jyotirlinga shrines,[20] near Karjat on the western side of Western Ghats, known as Sahyadri, in Maharashtra state in India. Bhima flows southeast for 725 km through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh states. Bhima is the most important tributary of the Krishna river, which is one of the two majors rivers in Maharastra, the other being Godavari River. Nira confluences with Bhima in Narsingpur, Solapur. Bhima is a major tributary of the Krishna River. Its banks are densely populated and form a fertile agricultural area.[21]

References

  1. ↑ Nalawade, S.B.. Geography of Pune Urban Area. Ranwa.
  2. ↑ The Jats: Their Origin, Antiquity and Migration, Rohtak, 1993, ISBN 81-85235-22-8, p. 353
  3. ↑ Vayu Purans, 1.45.127
  4. ↑ ibid, 45.127
  5. ↑ M R Singh, A critical study of the Geog. Data in Ear. Purs., Punthi Pustak, Calcutta, 1972, p. 286
  6. ↑ Cf. G. Yazdani, Early history of Deccan, p. 36
  7. ↑ Cunningham, Historical Geog. of Ancient India, p. 184
  8. ↑ D D Kosambi, The Culture and Civilization of Ancient India, Vikas Publishing House, Delhi, 1976, p. 80
  9. ↑ ibid
  10. ↑ Jain, op. cit, pp. 99-100
  11. ↑ RV, 6.4.2.31
  12. ↑ Jain, op. cit., p. 48
  13. ↑ RV VI 45.31
  14. ↑ Nripendra Kumar Dutta, op. cit., p. 96
  15. ↑ RV VII 63
  16. ↑ Ram Chandra Jain, The most ancient Aryan society, Varanasi, 1964, p. 72
  17. ↑ His. of Mexico, Maxican Government Pbn. q. by Chaman Lal, Hindu America, 1956, p. 256
  18. ↑ DA Mackenzie, Myths of Pre-Columbia America, pp. 2, 256, 265f
  19. ↑ http://www.punediary.com/html/historyevents.html
  20. ↑ http://www.indiantemples.com/Maharashtra/bhima.html
  21. ↑ http://geoanalyzer.britannica.com/ebc/article-9357199

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