Junnar Town

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This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS.

Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.

Junnar Town

Head-quarters of the taluka of the same name in Poona District, Bombay, situated in 19 degree 12' N. and 73 degree 53' E., 56 miles north of Poona city, and about 16 miles east of the crest of the Western Ghats. Population (1901), 9,675. The fort of Junnar, often noticed in Maratha annals, was built by Malik-ut-Tujar in 1436.

In May, 1657, Sivajf surprised and plundered the town, carrying off about 10 lakhs in specie, besides other valuable spoil. About 1 ½ miles south-west of the town is the hill fort of Shivner, granted in 1599 to the grandfather of Sivaji ; the latter is said to have been born here in 1627. During the turbulent times of Mar&tha warfare Shivner was often taken and retaken, and once, in 1670, the forces of Sivaji himself were beaten back by its Mughal garrison. Besides fine gates and solid fortifications, it is celebrated for its deep springs. They rise in pools of great depth, supposed to be coeval with the series of Buddhist caves which pierce the lower portion of the scarp. The chief buildings of interest in Junnar are the Jama Masjid, five hundred years old, a mosque dating from the time of Shah Jahan, the Afiz Bagh, and two fine darglbs. The hills surrounding the plain of Junnar are honey- combed with Buddhist caves, many of them of striking interest.

Chief of these is a circular cave situated in a hill beyond Shivner. Some bear traces of fine carving, and there are a few inscriptions dating back to the first century of the Christian era. Junnar is supposed to have been a town of great importance in the days of the Western Kshatrapas. (See Bombay Presidency, History.) The municipality, which was established in 1861, had an average income during the decade ending 1 90 1 of Rs. 8,800. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 13,000, chiefly derived from octroi and a tax on houses and lands. Though fallen in size and importance since the time of Muhammadan rule, and by the subsequent transfer of the seat of government to Poona under the Marathas, Junnar is still a place of considerable note. It is the chief market of the northern part of the District, and a depot for the grain and merchandise passing to the Konkan by the Nana ghat It has a high school and nine other schools, attended by 824 boys and 152 girls, a dispensary, and a Subordinate Judge's court. It was formerly celebrated for the manufacture of paper, but the low rates at which the European article is now sold have almost driven native paper out of the market. A branch of the Church Missionary Society is stationed here.