Junnar, India

History

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 Greco-Roman travellers from the first millennium, 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. "Yavana" Greeks also left donative inscriptions in the 2nd century CE at Lenyadri and Manmodi Caves. According to 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).

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.

After the collapse of the Bahamanis, the breakaway state of Nizam Shahi had Junnar as their first capital in the 1490s. Later in early 1600s, Malik Ambar the Nizam Shahi general again moved his capital there. The father of Shivaji, Shahaji Raje Bhonsale worked for Malik Ambar early in his career. Shivaji was born at the nearby Shivneri fort.

From the History section of Junnar on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.