Pune is a city located in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the capital of Pune District in which it is located. It is the 7th largest city in India with a population of 4.5 million, and the second largest in the state of Maharashtra. It is located roughly 120 kilometres east of Mumbai at an altitude of 560 metres above sea level. It is situated at the eastern edge of the Western ghats on the Deccan plateau.

Pune has a reputation for its several esteemed colleges and educational institutions -- the reason why it is called the 'Oxford of the East' (or 'Oxford of India'). It has a very strong presence in the automobile sector and is on its way to consolidate its position as the 'Detroit of India' too. It is also home to many software and IT companies. Pune is widely considered the cultural capital of Marathi-speaking Maharashtrians. Although Marathi is the main language of Pune, its cosmopolitan population speaks several other languages like English and Hindi .

Medieval Times

Pune started out as Punnaka — an agricultural settlement in the 8th century. The earliest evidence (copper plates dating 758 AD and 768 AD) reveals that this region was ruled by the Rashtrakuta (Kannada Kingdom). It came under Mughal rule in the 17th century.

Until circa 1818, it continued to be ruled by various dynasties, especially the Mughals and the Marathas. During the mid 17th century, it became the temporary residence of Marathi King Shivaji. In 1749 A.D, it gained prominence as the capital of the Maratha kingdom under the Peshwa rule. It was during this period that the city expanded considerably.

Pune's medieval roots are also evident in the number of its temples. The oldest structure in the city is the rock-cut temple of Pataleshwar, from the 8th century AD. The cave-temple complex is also called Panchaleshvara cave. This cave, once situated outside the limits of the old town, is now squarely in the middle of the city off the Jungli Maharaj road.

Maratha Empire

Pune is inextricably linked to the life of the great Maratha hero and king, Chhatrapati Shivaji. The era of Pune's fame began when Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji came to stay here with his mother Jijabai in 1635-36. They lived in a mansion known as "Lal Mahal," a replica of which still can be visited at its original location in the city. According to local lore, the Kasba Ganapati Mandir, regarded as the presiding deity of the city (gramadevata), was built by Jijabai.

In the early 18th century, prime minister of Chhatrapati Shahu, Peshwe Baji Rao I wanted to make Pune his home, which was agreed to by the king. He built his palace on a slightly raised ground near the Mutha river which is now known as Shaniwar Peth. The fortified palace that came up is known as Shaniwar Wada. Shaniwar Wada is considered by many to be the focal point of the old city of Pune.

A historical fort at Kharda commemorates the Battle of Kharda fought between the Maratha Confederacy under the Peshwa at Poona and the Nizam of Hyderabad, in 1795.

1817 saw a war breaking out between the Marathas and the British. A battle was fought in Kirkee (now "Khadki"), a town earlier outside the main Pune (though at present is considered to be well within the city limits). The Peshwas were defeated and the British forces took over the town. The British realized the importance of the city and built a large cantonment to the east of the city. Later, Pune was pronounced the Monsoon Capital of the Bombay Presidency. The city passed into British rule after the defeat of Marathas in the Battle of Ashti in 1818. Army bases established by the British on the outskirts of the city were later converted into cantonments of Pune and Khadki. The Pune Municipality was established in 1858. A number of esteemed educational institutes also came up here in the latter half of the 19th century, enhancing Pune's stature as an education hub.

Struggle for independence

During the struggle for Indian independence, Pune took its place as an important center for social and religious reform movements that were sweeping the country. The presence of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar dominated the political scene for six decades during this period. It was the home to some reformers who were stalwarts of the national movement, like Mahadev Govind Ranade, R.G Bhandarkar, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Maharshi Vitthal Ramji Shinde and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule.

After Indian independence (1947), Pune's reputation as an educational and research node grew with the establishment of the University of Pune, the National Defence Academy (NDA), National Chemical Laboratory and other such premier institutes. However, certain schools and colleges, such as the College of Engineering, Pune, Sir Parashurambhau College(SP)and Fergusson College have exceeded the reputation of the city's far-known educational status from the late 1800s.

Pune experiences three distinct seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. Typical summer months are from March to May, with maximum temperatures ranging from 35 to 39°C (95 to 102°F). Contrary to most of the Deccan Plateau where May is the warmest month, the warmest month in Pune is April. The city often receives locally developed heavy thundershowers with sharp downpours in May. Though the temperatures plunge in this month, the summer heat accompanied by high humidity can be occasionally quite oppressive. Nevertheless, the nights in Pune are significantly cooler compared to most other parts in this region owing to its high altitude.

Monsoon winds blowing from the Arabian sea are a welcome relief in June, bringing with them heavy showers. Pune receives moderate rainfall. The city receives an annual rainfall of 722 mm, mainly between June and September as the result of southwest monsoon. [1] July is the wettest month of the year. Though the rainfall is comparatively lower than in the adjoining Western ghats, steady spells of heavy rain frequently disrupt normal life in the city. The spells of continuous rainfall may stretch to many days or even a few weeks. Pune has, on record, received rainfall for 29 consecutive days (Days when rainfall is greater than 2.5 mm). However, the weather is very pleasant in the city with temperature ranging from 20 to 28°C (68 to 82°F).

As the monsoon winds recede, the day temperatures rise again in October with cooler nights signalling the onset of winter. Pune experiences winter from November to February. This is the best season to visit Pune. Pleasant windy days, clear skies and cool nights make it the most enjoyable time of the year. The day temperature hovers around 29°C (84°F) while night temperature is below 10°C (50°F) for most of December and January, often dropping to 5 or 6°C (42°F). On particularly cold days, wind may appear to be very chilly due to the dryness of air. Rain is very rare in this season.

Temperature records: The highest temperature recorded was 110°F (43.3°C) on 30 April 1987 and 7 May 1889. The lowest temperature recorded during 1881–1940 was 35°F (1.7°C) in 17 January 1935. More recently, Pune recorded a lowest temperature of 2.8°C on January 1991.