Pune (pop. 3,124,458; met. area pop. 5,049,968), formerly called Poona, is a city in western India. It is an important political, military, and educational center. It lies about 120 miles (190 kilometers) southeast of Mumbai, in the state of Maharashtra.
Parwatee Hill and Lion Fort overlook the city. The Mula and Mutha rivers are the city’s main sources of water. Important landmarks in the city include the Savitribai Phule Pune University (formerly known as the University of Poona) and the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. Pune is also an army training center. Railroad and bus services connect it with cities in northern and southern India.
Pune is referred to in an inscription dating from the 700’s. It first became important in the 1300’s, when Muslim rulers fortified it with a mud wall. It was the private estate of the Maratha ruler Shivaji, who threw off Muslim control of his kingdom. Pune became the Maratha capital. In the 1700’s, under the Peshwas, it grew rapidly. The British took it over in 1817.
