Junnar

Junnar has been an important trading and political centre for the last two millennia. The town is on the trade route that links the ports of western India or more specifically of [[Konkan]] with [[Deccan]] interiors. The first mention of Junnar comes the [[Indo-Roman trade relations|Greco-Roman travellers]] from the first millennium,Margabandhu, C. "Trade Contacts between Western India and the Graeco-Roman World in the early centuries of the Christian era." Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient/Journal de l'histoire economique et sociale de l'Orient (1965): 316-322.Rath, Jayanti. "QUEENS AND COINS OF INDIA."Deo, S. B. "The Genesis of Maharashtra History and Culture." Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute 43 (1984): 17-36. The [[Indo-Scythian]] [[Western Satraps]] ruled at Junnar during the 2nd century CE as shown by their cave inscriptions in the area of Junnar, at [[Manmodi Caves]].{{cite book|title=Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bombay|date=1986|publisher=Asiatic Society of Bombay|page=219|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5zgUAQAAMAAJ|language=en|quote=If Konow is right, then the length of time for Ksatrapa rule in the Nasik-Karla-Junnar region would be at least thirty-five years.}} "[[Yavana]]" Greeks also left donative inscriptions in the 2nd century CE at [[Lenyadri]] and [[Manmodi Caves]].{{cite book|title=Religions and Trade: Religious Formation, Transformation and Cross-Cultural Exchange between East and West|date=2013|publisher=BRILL|isbn=9789004255302|page=97|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AXdfAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA97|language=en}} According to [[Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi|Damodar Kosambi]], the real name of Junnar may have been Tagara. In his opinion, the name Junnar may be the contracted form of Jirnanagar (Old city).{{cite book|author=Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi|title=An Introduction to the Study of Indian History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fTvQiXVFB0gC&pg=PR9|year=1975|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7154-038-9|page=269}}

Junnar has been an important trading and political centre for the last two millennia. The town is on the trade route that links the ports of western India or more specifically of [[Konkan]] with [[Deccan]] interiors. The first mention of Junnar comes the [[Indo-Roman trade relations|Greco-Roman travellers]] from the first millennium,Margabandhu, C. "Trade Contacts between Western India and the Graeco-Roman World in the early centuries of the Christian era." Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient/Journal de l'histoire economique et sociale de l'Orient (1965): 316-322.Rath, Jayanti. "QUEENS AND COINS OF INDIA."Deo, S. B. "The Genesis of Maharashtra History and Culture." Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute 43 (1984): 17-36. The [[Indo-Scythian]] [[Western Satraps]] ruled at Junnar during the 2nd century CE as shown by their cave inscriptions in the area of Junnar, at [[Manmodi Caves]].{{cite book|title=Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bombay|date=1986|publisher=Asiatic Society of Bombay|page=219|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5zgUAQAAMAAJ|language=en|quote=If Konow is right, then the length of time for Ksatrapa rule in the Nasik-Karla-Junnar region would be at least thirty-five years.}} "[[Yavana]]" Greeks also left donative inscriptions in the 2nd century CE at [[Lenyadri]] and [[Manmodi Caves]].{{cite book|title=Religions and Trade: Religious Formation, Transformation and Cross-Cultural Exchange between East and West|date=2013|publisher=BRILL|isbn=9789004255302|page=97|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AXdfAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA97|language=en}} According to [[Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi|Damodar Kosambi]], the real name of Junnar may have been Tagara. In his opinion, the name Junnar may be the contracted form of Jirnanagar (Old city).{{cite book|author=Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi|title=An Introduction to the Study of Indian History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fTvQiXVFB0gC&pg=PR9|year=1975|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7154-038-9|page=269}}

In 1400s [[Bahmani Sultanate]] ruled this area and after the collapse of the Bahmanis, the breakaway state of [[Nizam Shahi]] had Junnar as their first capital in the 1490s.{{cite web|title=Poona District Nizam Shahis, 1490-1636.|url=https://gazetteers.maharashtra.gov.in/cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/Poona%20District/Poona-II/history_Musalmans.html#.|website=Maharashtra|publisher=Government of Maharashtra|access-date=12 July 2016}} Later in early 1600s, [[Malik Ambar]] the Nizam Shahi general again moved his capital there.{{cite book|last1=Eaton|first1=Richard M.|title=The new Cambridge history of India.|date=2005|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=0-521-25484-1|page=118|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cGd2huLXEVYC&q=junnar+ambar&pg=PA118|access-date=6 July 2016}} The father of [[Shivaji]], [[Shahaji]] Raje Bhonsale worked for Malik Ambar early in his career. Shivaji was born at the nearby [[Shivneri]] fort.

In the 1400s, the Russian traveler, [[Afanasy Nikitin]] spent two months in Junnar during the monsoon season. He describes vividly the life in the [[Bahamani]]-ruled area around Junnar.{{cite book|editor-last1=Fisher|editor-first1=Michael H.|title=Visions of Mughal India : an anthology of European travel writing|date=2007|publisher=I. B. Tauris|location=London|isbn=978-1-84511-354-4|pages=15–18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KcQ69SE64KIC&q=nikitin&pg=PR6|access-date=6 July 2016}}

After the collapse of the Bahamanis, the breakaway state of [[Nizam Shahi]] had Junnar as their first capital in the 1490s.{{cite web|title=Poona District Nizam Shahis, 1490-1636.|url=https://gazetteers.maharashtra.gov.in/cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/Poona%20District/Poona-II/history_Musalmans.html#.|website=Maharashtra|publisher=Government of Maharashtra|access-date=12 July 2016}} Later in early 1600s, [[Malik Ambar]] the Nizam Shahi general again moved his capital there.{{cite book|last1=Eaton|first1=Richard M.|title=The new Cambridge history of India.|date=2005|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=0-521-25484-1|page=118|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cGd2huLXEVYC&q=junnar+ambar&pg=PA118|access-date=6 July 2016}} The father of [[Shivaji]], [[Shahaji]] Raje Bhonsale worked for Malik Ambar early in his career. Shivaji was born at the nearby [[Shivneri]] fort.

==Geography==

==Geography==