Posted on: 30 January 2013

Poonah - 1809

This aquatint is taken from plate 13 of Henry Salt's 'Twenty Four Views in St. Helena, the Cape, India, Ceylon, the Red Sea, Abyssinia and Egypt'. Poona (now Pune, in Maharashtra) was the capital of the Marathas and the seat of the Peshwa, the head of the Maratha confederacy. In the centre of this scene, on the confluence of the Mula and Mutha rivers, is the home of the British Resident at Pune. This bungalow had been erected to celebrate a festival at which the Peshwa assisted when he was restored to Poona by British arms. According to Annesley, 'suttee' (sati, the practice of burning a Hindu widow on her husband's funeral pyre) was performed at the pagodas nearby.

Copyright © The British Library Board


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so beautiful it is...

Beautiful

Beautiful!!!!! We miss this Pune..

Beautiful! Whenever I see such pictures / paintings - no matter which city or place that is of - I feel deep pangs of a loss. It may be an interesting exercise to map this on Google Map and see what the current view from that (or a nearby) spot is.

Is that Shaniwarwada near the foothill of Parvati?

and is that parvati on the small mound ?

This is awesome ... only wish if we could go back in time

This was Pune of Peshwas ! Sati practice is a big blot on our history . let us not go back to those dark days . water in both rivers appears less even during those days !

Interestingly, one can see this landscape from the same spot (with changes such as railway bridge, buildings and environment) on the confluence of the Mula and Mutha rivers. Today this spot is close to newly constructed bridge; behind Engineering college towards village Sangamvadi. In this landscape Parvati is beautifully depicted, whereas, on the background, Fort Simhagad can be seen (Pune, Maharashtra)

KEVAL NETRASUKH!

The name of the Bristish Resident in Pune for whom the bunglow was erected is Sir William Charles Mallet,he was also felicitated by Peshwas with some ornaments(Shirpaeche) which still has been preserved in his family in London

Does this Bungalow still exists? and the Water in the River seems as less as it is today :)

We have just visited Pune for a couple of weeks, and we like the hills in town, with no buildings on them, you can stll see nature in town, and that is very special ! Many birds and magnificant trees makes it a special place to live ! Greetings from Holland !