India GOFacts about Pune
Pune, formerly Poona, is a city in the state of Maharashtra in western India, on the Deccan plateau about 149 km by road south-east of Mumbai. It is the state's second city by population but its largest by area, and in the 18th century it was the seat of the Peshwas, who ran the Maratha Empire.
Pune is in the state of Maharashtra (West India).
Maharashtra's cultured second city blends Maratha history with young student energy: the wooden Shaniwar Wada, leafy old quarters, modern cafés and the Osho ashram. A relaxed, walkable city, with Sahyadri forts and monsoon-green trails at its edge.
Where Pune is
Pune is in Maharashtra, India's western state with Mumbai as its capital. It is the headquarters of Pune district and of Pune division, at about 18°32′ N, 73°51′ E. The city lies on the western edge of the Deccan plateau at about 560 m above sea level, on the leeward side of the Sahyadri range (the Western Ghats), which is why it is drier and milder than the coast.
Mumbai is 149 km away by road. By express train it takes about 3 to 3.5 hours. Pune Airport (PNQ) is at Lohegaon, about 10 km from the centre, with mostly domestic flights. More in how to get to Pune.
What Pune is famous for
Six things people come for, or leave knowing about.
The Peshwa capital
In 1728 Baji Rao I, Peshwa (prime minister) of the Maratha Empire, moved his base to Pune; he laid the foundation of Shaniwar Wada in 1730, and it was completed in 1732. Under the Peshwas the town became a city, with around 250 temples and new quarters such as Sadashiv, Narayan and Nana Peth. Peshwa rule ended with the British victory of 1818. Shaniwar Wada
Shivaji's childhood
Shahaji Bhosale settled his wife Jijabai and young son Shivaji, the future founder of the Maratha empire, in Pune; the Lal Mahal residence was completed in 1640. Jijabai is said to have commissioned the Kasba Ganapati temple, whose Ganesha is the city's presiding deity. Lal Mahal, Kasba Ganpati
Ganeshotsav
Bal Gangadhar Tilak turned Ganesh Chaturthi into a public festival in the 1890s as a way around British bans on public gatherings. Today pandals fill the city, and the processions are led by dhol-tasha pathaks, drum troupes, of which there are more than 150 in and around Pune. Festivals in Pune
The Oxford of the East
The nickname comes from the city's colleges. Savitribai Phule Pune University is the largest in India by number of affiliated colleges; the College of Engineering Pune (1854) is the third-oldest engineering college in Asia; Fergusson College was founded in 1885.
Saints and the Wari
The district holds Alandi, with the samadhi of the 13th-century saint Dnyaneshwar, and Dehu, home of the 17th-century saint Tukaram. Every year their palkhis (palanquins with the saints' sandals) halt in Pune on the walk to Pandharpur, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. Walking with the Wari
IT, cars and Osho
Pune is one of India's largest IT hubs, with the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park at Hinjawadi, and a centre of the car industry around Chakan. In Koregaon Park the Osho International Meditation Resort draws visitors from more than a hundred countries.
Pune in numbers
| State, district | Maharashtra, Pune |
| Metropolitan region | 7.2 million people (2011 census) |
| City (municipal corporation) | 3.1 million people (2011 census) |
| City area | about 516 km², the largest city in Maharashtra by area |
| Height above sea level | about 560 m; Vetal Hill rises to about 800 m |
| Rivers | Mula and Mutha, meeting in the old city |
| Languages | Marathi; Hindi; English is enough in tourist places |
| Name | Poona was the official name until 1978 |
| Pune Metro | two lines: Purple (PCMC–Swargate) and Aqua (Vanaz–Ramwadi) |
| Airport | PNQ, Lohegaon, about 10 km from the centre |
A short history
Copper plates of the 9th century record an agricultural settlement called Punnaka here under the Rashtrakuta dynasty; the name is read as 'holy land'. The town passed through the Yadavas of Devagiri and several sultanates, and in 1599 it became part of the jagir (estate) of the Bhosale family, Shivaji's ancestors. The Peshwas made it the real centre of Maratha power from 1728 until 1818, when the British East India Company took it. Pune gained municipal status in 1858 and became a centre of social reform and of the independence movement, with Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai Phule, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The English spelling Poona was dropped in 1978. More in the history of Pune.
Lesser-known facts
- Badminton was codified here — The modern game was so popular in the British garrison town that it was also called Poona, and its first rules were drawn up here in 1873.
- Seventeen peths — The old city is made of seventeen peths, quarters mostly founded under Maratha and Peshwa rule and named after their founders or the days of the week, like Shaniwar (Saturday) and Budhwar (Wednesday) Peth.
- One of Asia's largest synagogues — The 19th-century Ohel David Synagogue in Camp, called Lal Deval (Red Temple) locally, is said to be one of the largest synagogues in Asia outside Israel.
FAQ
Which state is Pune in?
Maharashtra. Pune is the headquarters of Pune district and the state's second city by population, after Mumbai.
Where is Pune?
In western India, on the western edge of the Deccan plateau at about 560 m, 149 km by road south-east of Mumbai.
Is Mumbai near Pune?
Yes: 149 km by road, and about 3 to 3.5 hours by express train.
Which is bigger, Mumbai or Pune?
Mumbai by population, by a wide margin. By area under the city's own jurisdiction, about 516 km², Pune is the largest city in Maharashtra.
What is Pune famous for?
Shaniwar Wada and its Peshwa history, Ganeshotsav, its colleges (the 'Oxford of the East'), the Osho resort, IT and car industries, and food such as misal and bakarwadi. See what to eat in Pune.
Is it Pune or Poona?
The same city. Poona was the English spelling used by the British and the official name until 1978; Pune is the Marathi name and the official one today.
What language is spoken in Pune?
Marathi is the official and most spoken language, and Pune's Marathi is the basis of the written standard. Hindi is widely spoken, and English is enough in tourist places. More in language in Pune.
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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