Historic Insights of Pune

Historic Insights of Pune

Part 1

‌Pune, is not only a name of the educational hub of India but also it earns the respect of being called as the cultural capital of Maharashtra, filled with huge cultural and historical significance. If you want to know about Maratha empire and Maharashtra's overall culture, you should definitely visit Pune. 

‌The land of Pune has witnessed the rise of Maratha empire which is the conceit of all Marathi people. There are some of the major iconic historical places of Pune where the great personalities of Maharashtra once prevailed. 

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‌1. Shaniwaar Wada :

‌The grandeur of the powerful Peshwa dynasty can be gazed by viewing this magnificent residencial palace of the Peshwas. Located in Shaniwar Peth, this is the iconic tourist place of Pune. The Shaniwar wada was built in 1732 by Peshwa Bajirao, aiming to provide high security to the families of rulers. Peshwa Bajirao was the powerful Prime Minister of the Maratha empire headed by leader, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. By 1758, around thousand of people lived in the Shaniwar wada. 

‌Native people claim that the sounds of Peshwa Bajirao's grandson, Narayanrao Peshwa, "Kaka mala vachva" ( Uncle, save me ) echoes inside the palace, who was killed by the order of his aunt in this palace itself. Even today locals believe that Shaniwar wada is haunted especially on full moon nights.

‌It was under the Peshwa rule untill 1818 and thereafter it was taken over by the Britishers. The unexplained and intense fire incident took place in 1828 and due to this abrupt destruction, Shaniwar Wada suffered a damage and although some of the top storeys were devastated, the palace doesn't lack it's majestic beauty. This palace has seen the growth of Maratha empire and to feel the glimpse of Maratha history, one should always make a point to visit Shaniwar Wada and do not miss the light & sound shows that are held for the tourists after the sunset in Hindi, English and Marathi. 

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‌2. Kesari Wada :

‌Kesari Wada is the place from where the tiger named, Bal Gangadhar Tilak roared. Also the place where the printing of the first newspapers of Pune - 'Kesari' & 'Maratha' began. Kesari wada is a residencial establishment which was formerly known as Gaikwad Wada. Lokmanya Tilak spent his glorious years of life in this area of Narayan peth. 

‌The words, "Swarajya ha majha janmsiddha hakk ahe ani to mi milavnarach" ( Swarajya is my birthright and I shall have it ) were uttered by the legendary freedom fighter, Lokmanya Tilak, which sparked off a rage against British  rule within Marathi people and gave a powerful extremist turn to the Indian freedom struggle. 

‌The present day Kesari Wada has the 'Tilak museum', where all his belongings are kept for display such as the prints of Kesari newspapers, Tilak's collection of books, his desk etc. There is also a replica of Mandalay Jail, where he was imprisoned and completed the writing of 'Geeta Rahasya', which is one of his famous works. Outside the building, there is one bronze plated statue of Tilak with gold plated Ganapati idol, because he was instrumental in celebrating Saarvajanik Ganeshostav to bring all Maharastrian nationalists together. The fifth most respected Ganapati of Pune, belongs to this place. With all this Kesari wada has surely turned out to be a cultural centre of Pune.  

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‌3. Sinhagad :

‌Sinhagad has a lot of eminence in Maharashtra. Formerly, known as 'Kondhana',  this fort is the place where the victor, who was Shivaji Maharaj's Subedar named, Tanhaji Malusare fought with the Mughals and took over the major fort of Marathas. The bollywood movie of 2020, Tanhaji revolves around the triumph of this fort.

‌Located in the Thoptewadi area, some of the information available at fort claims that the fort could have been built 2000 years ago. It's name Kondhana was derived from a sage, Kaundinya. The fort owes it's height to about 760 metres above ground and 1,312 metres above mean sea level. Due to these heights, many soldiers would use Monitor Lizards (Ghorpad) to climb up as they naturally have a strong grip. 

‌The famous Sinhagad battle fought by Tanhaji in 1670, is considered as one of the bravest and decisive battles of Marathas. When Tanhaji died after conquering the enemies and unfurled the saffron flag on the fort, Shivaji Maharaj made an emotional statement, "Gad aala pan sinh gela!" (Fort is achieved but the lion is no more). Shivaji Maharaj rightly regarded Tanhaji as the lion because of his extraordinary triumph that left the enemies flabbergasted. After this victory, the Kondhana fort was renamed as Sinhgad. ('Sinh' means Lion in Marathi)

‌On the top, there is a memorial commemorating Tanhaji Malusare. Visitors can have a joyful trekking experience which involves one way walk of 2.7 kms and the mesmerizing view from the top would make it a lovely destination for jaunts. 

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4. Shivneri Fort :

‌To explore the historical aspect Pune, one should definitely visit the Shivneri Fort, which is the birth place of legendary ruler of Maratha empire, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj where he spent some of his childhood years. It is located on great height where visitors can enjoy a magnificent view. This hill fort is of a triangular shape which is as old as 393 years. In 2021, this fort paved it's way to the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as part of "Serial Nomination of Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra". The Mahadarwaja, which is the main gate to the fort, the Badami Talao located in the centre and the statues of Jeeja Mata and Shivaji Maharaj are some of the attractions of this area. 

‌If you love trekking then this place is for you, tourists can visit this place to understand the history as well as to have a moderate trekking experience. To reach on the top, one would have to climb around 400 steps. 

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‌These are few of the places of Pune that makes it historically spectacular. Stay tuned for the part two of knowing Pune's history. Till then good bye, see you all in the upcoming episodes of 'Maharashtra Unlimited'. 

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P. C. : Google images

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