3 • Chapter -4 Phases in Pune's Development

i.t : «-44 • .5f ^' I a:' R 3 • Chapter -4 Phases in Pune's Development From Kasba Pane to Cyber Pune Pune's location was once considered less conducive for urban growth. But now Pune, the cultural capital of Maharashtra is rapidly metamorphosing into a commercial hub. This metamorphism has a very long history spanningoverlOOO years or more. Pune, which has been hailed as '"Happening City", has not only survived but it has also prospered continuously during the last 400 years. Up to the mid seventeenth century, Pune was one of many small garrison towns on the plateau. Within a century however, this fairly insignificant small town outstripped the older established towns in its respective region and emerged dominant. In the 19' and 20' centuries it had undergone significant changes and prospered in various fields. Referred to as Oxford of East for its educational tradition and Detroit of India for its post independence industrial development, in the 21*' century, Pune is emerging as a ''Cyber City". The growth and development of Pune is quite interesting. It has seen many a rise and fall in its long and chequered history under different rulers at different periods. The growth phases of Pune have been divided into five different periods, so that one can understand the richness of its culture and reasons for its success. 4.1 Phases in Pune's Development Pune served not only as the proud capital of the Peshwas, who headed the formidable Maratha confederacy but was also the acknowledged capital of the region of Maharashtra and the symbolic centre of power for larger parts of India. The period from 1650 to 1817 was the first important phase in the urban development of Pune. The second phase beginning from the fall of Peshwas from 1818 to 1850 initiated by the confrontation of the Poona (Pune) government: one among the two major political powers in western India of the time. This confrontation resulted in the fall of Marathas, the Peshwas and the subsequent 78 British occupation of the large Peshawa dominions. Consequently, the political as well as the urban map of the region was altered. In the third phase, from 1851 to 1900, Pune became the seasonal capital of the Bombay Government and began to grow rapidly, profiting from the increasingly close links with its prosperous and powerful neighbour, Bombay (Mumbai). During this period, Pune acquired a new Indo-British structure, with the declining indigenous city, co-existing side by side with the slowly expanding British Military and Civil station. In the early twentieth century, in the fourth phase of its growth, actually the disparity between the indigenous city and the Camp was getting blurred and urban expansion was accelerated at all levels. After Independence, Pune's growth was driven by an industrial base and there was large-scale development of urban infrastructure under various MIDC and town-planning programmes. The prospect of employment and a safe, pleasant environment charm lured many people to the city. This has resulted in the uncontrolled urban sprawl we are witnessing at present. Pune today has emerged as one of the fastest growing metropolitan cities at the national level and ranks 8th with a population of more than 30 lakhs and an area of 246 km^. The following account will provide a brief sketch of Pune's growth and urban development considering five interesting milestones for a better understanding of its contemporary spatial structure, very necessary to plan for its future development. 4.2 Early and Peshwa Pune (Up to 1817): The original nucleus of Pune was located in the immediate vicinity of the confluence of the Mula and Mutha. River confluences have traditionally been considered sacred by the Hindus and to this fact, is attributed the original name of Poona: Sanskrit "Punyapur" (Cleanser), which changed into Marathi "Pune" and the Bridsh "Poona". (Poona gaz, fl: 211, IH: 402; Gadgil, 1952). Pune that has a long history can be traced from the copper plate inscriptions of the Rastrakuta kings in the 8"^ and lO"^ century. After the Rastrakutas, Pune came under the Yadav Kings of Daulatabad. During the period from sixth to thirteenth century, Pune served as head quarters for Hindu dynasties that controlled the West Deccan Region. Later in 1294 AD it came under Mohammedan rule with Muslim invasion of the Deccan. In the early thirteenth century it was said to be only a small village containing fifteen huts 79 around the traditional temples. At the end of the thirteenth century the first traces of a market town called, 'Kasbe Pune' was developed by an Arab military governor by combining the villages of Kasarli and Kumbarli to its east. Pune remained largely a Muslim garrison town for over three centuries (Bhave, 1936 reprinted 1976,Gadgil, 1952). About 1630,the town of Pune came under a Hindu officer named Shahaji Bhosle as part of his hereditary estate or "Jagir" granted by the Muslim King of Ahmednagar. After Shahaji, his son Shivaji succeeded in organizing the Hindu peasantry in the surrounding region against Muslim Kingdom. Gradually, Shivaji established the Maratha kingdom and crowned as the first Maratha King in 1674. After his death in 1680, Pune sank into political oblivion for several years. In 1708, the Moghul Emperor declared Shivaji's grandson Shahu as Maratha king at Satara. Several districts including Pune were granted to Shahu by the Moghul Emperor as his autonomous territory. Shahu appointed a Brahmin as his Prime Minister or 'Peshwa" (a Persian title used by the Muslim kings of the Deccan; Poona Gaz, 11) to look after the administration at Pune. Later 'Peshwa" became hereditary and the second peshwas BajiRao I made Pune as his residence in 1720. In 1726, Shahu granted him the town as a part of his 'Jagir" and thereafter, Pune became the permanent official seat of the peshwas for nearly a century. In 1749, Shahu left the future of the Maratha Kingdom in the hands of third Peshwa, who was the commander of Maratha forces. It was with the rise of Peshwa dynasty to power that the fortunes of Pune rose (Poona Gaz., IH: 405). But although Pune enjoyed political status and prosperity it did not enjoy peace. The military activities of the Peshwas brought reprisals and Pune was ruthlessly attacked several times: like that by the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1763, by Scindia (Maratha chiefs of Gwalior) in 1798, by Holkar (Maratha Chief of Indore) in 1803. In 1803,when the last Peshwa BajiRao U sought the British aid in a clash with Maratha chiefs, it resulted in the involvement of the British in Peshwa's affairs and after 1803, the British troops were officially stationed at Pune to protect the City (Poona Gaz., II: 281-82,369). The end of Peshwa rule came with decisive battle of Kirkee in November 1817,when the Peshwa's troops were defeated by the British 80 troops. Pune city left with only a small garrison and was occupied by the British forces in a smooth transition. (Meera Kosambi, 1980). 4.2.1 Physical growth and spatial pattern during first Phase: The fortified wall town of Muslim Kasba Pune formed the nucleus for later growth. The fort known as Kille Hissar fort was reserved for the garrison and the town's Muslim inhabitants. Beyond the inner wall, an outer wall surrounded the civilian Hindu population consisting of artisans, farmers and traders. In the earlyl630s, Pune came into Shahaji's (Shivaji's father) possession and soon after, his enemies attacked it and Pune was burnt and razed to the ground. However, Shahaji made Pune as seat in 1636, and the town was reconstructed according to its proto type. Small suburban settlements emerged outside the Kasba, and Pune enjoyed a brief period of peace and prosj3erity. (Poona gaz., HI: 339,402-3; Joshi, 1971). The kasba was surrounded by fringe of semi rural suburbs. To the east of Kasba, was the oldest suburb called Shahapur contained cultivators, gardeners, artisans and petty traders. To the north of the Shahapur was Astapur contained outcaste communities. The southern suburb of Malkapur was a settlement of traders, the eastern riverbank suburb of Murtazabad was predominated by Brahmins and to the south east of Kasba was Mohiyabad, added to it during the visit of Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb to Pune about 1700 (Gadgil, 1952). The real growth of Pune dates from the time of Peshwa Bajirao I, when a systematic expansion of the town was under taken. Once the official status of Pune as a capital city was confirmed by the Peshwas and his nobles, the town started to grow organically by accretion. The growth of Kasba took place through the addition of new localities, which were known as 'Pur' or 'Pura' in the early stages and later raised, to the status of a 'Peth' (i.e. a large division of town). Gradually the peths grew to be a fairly self-sufficient. Often a peth was a small town, centering on the founder's mansion and containing one predominant temple, in addition to several others. (Gadgil, 1952). The old suburbs were annexed to the Kasba as its new peths. The old Muslim names of the peths were gradually changed to the Hindu names following the days of the week. (Local traditions trace the origin of these names to the customs of holding weekly markets in each peth on a specific day of the week.) Former Shahapur, Astapur, Mohiyabad, Murtazabad and Malkapur were renamed Somwar (Monday), Mangalwar (Tuesday), Budhwar (Wednesday), Shaniwar (Saturday), and Raviwar or Adiwar (Sunday) peths, respectively. A new peth called Shukrawar (Friday) was eatablished in 1734.

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