Shirur, Maharashtra

This article is about the Shirur city in Pune district, Maharashtra, India. For the tehsil in Pune district, see Shirur tehsil.

Shirur शिरूर Ghodnadi (घोडनदी)
city
Shirur Location in Maharashtra, India
Coordinates:
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District	Pune
Population (2011)
• Total	385,414
Languages
• Official	Marathi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	412210
Telephone code	02138
Vehicle registration	MH12
Nearest city	Pune, Ahmednagar,
Sex ratio	52 : 48 ♂/♀
Literacy	approx. 80%
Lok Sabha constituency	Shirur
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Shirur
Lok Sabha Member	Shivajirao Adhalarao Patil
Vidhan Sabha Member	Pacharne Baburao Kashinath

Shirur is an administrative subdivision of a Pune district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Shirur City is located one east boundary of the Pune district on the banks of Ghod River . The town is also known as Ghodnadi to distinguish it from identical places. Ghodnadi in Marathi language also known as Ghod River .

Shirur has a significant historical and cultural references. Geographically Shirur Tehsil starts south-east, 24 km on the banks of river Bhima on Pune-Nagar road and ends at 50 km on the same road on the banks of Ghod River. You can hit upon numerous historical links if you look at geographic surroundings of Shirur. The battle between Marathas and British at Koregaon-Bhima (Battle of Koregaon) in 1818, Samadhi of Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at Vadhu Budruk, Bajirao’s gift to Mastani; Kendur, Mastani Palace at Pabal, Santoba’s Kanhur, Geologically important Inamgaon, Netaji Palkar resided Tandali. The cultural & Holy places, Mahaganapati Ranjangaon.

Royal Pawar families of Supa,Waghale,Malthan,Amdabad staying in this region have a history of more than 350 years. Pawars consider themselves to have descended from the Parmaras, of the Rashtrakuta dynasty which ruled regions in central India.All these Pawars have roots to Shrimant Shambhu Singh who had a jagir at Supa and also contributed for Swarajya with Shrimant Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj . Later his descendants took control of the region by establishing themselves at kavathe,Waghale,Malthan,Amdabad . Shrimant Udajiarao Pawar and Shrimant Anandrao Pawar who accompanied Bajirao Peshwa for north conquest resided in Malthan wada. RayajiRaje Pawar and his son MalojiRaje Pawar also accompanied Rajaram Maharaj and the Peshwa resided in Waghale.All the nearby villages Supa,Malthan,Waghale,Amdabad were Jagirs of Royal Pawars.

In recent years, Shirur has been an imperative educational and commercial hub for Parner, Shrigonda and Shirur Talukas. Shirur is gaining a growing importance on Pune-Ahmednagar road for industrialization and trade.

Demographics

As of the 2011 Indian census, population of counted 385,414. Males constitute 52% of the population, and females 48%. Shirur has an average literacy rate of 78.29%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 66%. In Shirur, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.Shirur Taluka constitutes an area of 1,55,811 hectors. Ghod, Bhima and Kukdi rivers differentiate the taluka from three directions.

Industry

Industrial status reformed around the year 1994 when the state of Maharashtra started & implemented industrial hub project Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). The location, infrastructure & faster connectivity to major cities helped to have three popular MIDC establishments. Karegaon, Sanaswadi and Ranjangaon. Many manufactures have set up facilities here, among them Apollo Tyres; Whirlpool India, making refrigerators; LG Electronics, making televisions and mobile handsets; Daewoo Electronics, making refrigerators; Wheels India; Bajaj Electricals; Frito-Lay of Pepsico Holdings, manufacturing Lays potato chips; Fiat automobiles; Kirloskar; Swarovski; and Ohsung, a Korean company manufacturing electronics parts. Harita and Harita Fehrer, a TVS Group, company manufacturing seating systems supplied for Tata Motors, John Deere and State transport buses and foam. The company has its own CSR department Srinivasan Services Trust (SST) which works in 24 gram panchayats include 147 villages in Shirur block on education, health, water, infrastructure, environment and infrastructure areas. It has benefited 6658 families in the Shirur block.

Communities

The population consists of a mix of Hindus, including castes like maratha, mallav samaj ; other subcastes based on their professions, like "goldsmith","weaver","Maratha Kumbhars" have formed separate colonies bearing their names within Shirur. Other population include Muslims, Jains (mostly Marvadis) of the Shwetambar sub-community, and a few Christians. Marvadis migrated here in the 19th century. During the British Raj,chambar samaj in colony and society separate Shirur had several horse stables around it, and many Muslims were employed there by the British army. One of the stable area has now been taken by the Maharashtra State government as a colony for irrigation employees.

Climate

In Shirur you will find hot temperature and scanty rainfall. The land here is suitable for growing Crops like Wheat and Sugarcane. Fruits like Oranges and Sweet lime are also grown.

Education

There are schools teaching in the native Marathi language. The municipal council has a few schools around town. Schools like Vidyadham Prashalaand Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, offer education till class 12. There is an Urdu school in the town as well since Shirur holds quite a large Muslim population. There are English medium schools in the town; the New English School, run by Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, the Rasiklal Dhariwal School, run by Shirur Shikshan Prasarak Mandal and Jeevan Shikashan Mandir are few of them. For higher education there are colleges like the C.T. Bora College of Arts, Science and Commerce. A sister concern, MDIMRT, offers degrees like BCS and MCA. Chhatrapti Sambhaji Shikshan Sanstha offers courses like BEd and BPharm at its Sitabai Thite College.

Places of interest in and around Shirur

• Ramling (Old Shirur)—Lord Shiva's temple (It is believed that Lord Rama when he was in exile built the Shiva Ling here. Many people gather here for the holy festival of Mahashivratri)
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• Ranjangaon on pune -nagar road—a temple to the Mahaganapati, one of the Ashtavinayaka
• Nighoj—natural potholes in the River Kukdi

Potholes near Nighoj

• Chincholi Morachi—vast peacock sanctuary
• Vadhu Budruk— samadhi of Chhattrapti Sambhaji, son of Chhattrapti Shivaji, was ambushed at Sangameshwar in Ratnagiri district, and killed by the Mughul emperor Aurangjeb at Tulapur.
• Inamgaon - Archaeological site

Sambhaji's and Kavi Kalash's Samadhi(Mausoleum) at Vadhu

• Nirvi—dam on the Ghod River
• Pimple Jagtap—temple of Dharmaraja, eldest of the Pandava, under the trusteeship of the Bendbhar Patil family for the last 300 years
• Nimgaon Mhalungi-temple of Mhasoba, vidya vikas mandir.
• Pawar Wada at Malthan and remains of Pawar wada at Amdabad.
• Samadhis or Chatri's of Ancestors of Pawar's of Waghale.
• Ambale - Village of Teachers.
• Golegaon - Soldiers village

References

Sampada Kulkarni