Chakan (Pronunciation:
">͡saːkəɳ is a
census town in India, in
Pune district
Pune district (Marathi pronunciation: uɳeː is the most populous district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district's population was 9,429,408 in the 2011 census, making it the fourth most populous district amongst India's 640 district ...
of the Indian
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
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* ''Our S ...
of
Maharashtra. While agriculture remains an important factor, the town's industrial development is quickly urbanizing the area.
History
Chakan has a long history. The fort at Chakan played an important role in the history of the
Bahmani sultanate (1347-1527), later of its successor states, the
Deccan sultanates. In 1595 or 1599,
Maloji Bhosle, the grandfather of
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was given the title of "
Raja
''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...
" by Bahadur Nizam Shah II, the ruler of the
Ahmednagar Sultanate
The Ahmadnagar Sultanate was a late medieval Indian Muslim kingdom located in the northwestern Deccan, between the sultanates of Gujarat and Bijapur. Malik Ahmed, the Bahmani governor of Junnar after defeating the Bahmani army led by general J ...
.On the recommendation of Nizam's
Vazir,
Malik Ambar
Malik Ambar (1548 – 13 May 1626) was a Siddi military leader and prime minister who became a kingmaker and de facto ruler of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in the Deccan region of India.
Born in the Adal Sultunate, in present-day Ethiopia, Mali ...
, Maloji was granted the
jagir (fiefdom) of
Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
and
Supe parganas, along with the control over
Shivneri
Shivneri Fort (Marathi pronunciation: iʋneɾiː is a 17th-century military fortification located near Junnar in Pune district in Maharashtra, India. It is the birthplace of Shivaji, the emperor and founder of Maratha Empire.
History
Shivneri ...
and
Chakan fort
Sangram Durga is a land fort situated at Chakan, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Original area of fort was 65 acres, currently only 5.5 acres.
The Fort was attacked by Mughal general, Shaista Khan with force of 20,000 men with artillery on 23 June 166 ...
s.
Later the fort was captured by the Adilshahi but young Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took control of the fort in 1647, and named it Sangramdurg. In 1660,the fort was the site of an epic 54 days of stiff resistance by the
Maratha
The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as ...
general
Firangoji Narsala
Firangoji Narsala was a Maratha warrior and military leader in the army of Shivaji, in 17th century India. He is famous for his defence of Sangram Durg, a fort, against a Mughal army led by Shaista Khan in 1660 .
Firangoji was a 'Killedar' ...
against
Mughal general
Shaista Khan
Mirza Abu Talib (22 November 1600 – 1694), better known as Shaista Khan, was a general and the subahdar of Mughal Bengal. A maternal uncle to the emperor Aurangzeb, he acted as a key figure during his reign. Shaista Khan initially governed ...
. The fort withstood heavy Mughal attacks until the Mughals breached the walls using high explosives. The attack on the fort was repulsed by the Maratha forces but short on supplies, Firangoji counterattacked and cut his way deep into the Mughal encampment where he was finally subdued and captured.
Geography
Chakan is about from the centre of Pune, on
NH 50
National Highway 50 (NH 50) is a primary national highway in India. It traverses the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The total length of the highway is .
Route
NH 50
* Nanded
* Loha
* Kandhar
* Jamb bk Jalkot
* Udgir
* Bidar
* Humnab ...
between
Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
and
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashi ...
cities. It is also on the roads that connect the Mumbai-Pune Highway to the Pune-Nashik Highway, and to the Pune-Ahmednagar-Aurangabad Highway. It is about from
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
, from
Ahmednagar and from
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashi ...
.
Economy
Historically, Chakan has been a wholesale agricultural produce trading hub. Its agricultural market was a major onion trading center. Chakan is now home to a
Special Economic Zone
A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are located within a country's national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increas ...
(SEZ) promoted by the
Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation
Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is a project of the government of Maharashtra state in India and is the leading corporation of Maharashtra. It provides businesses with infrastructure such as land (open plot or built-up spa ...
(MIDC). Its well known the top "automobile and manufacturing hub of India". It has since evolved into a major automobile hub.
It hosts automobile production plants for the
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
,
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...
,
Daimler-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufactur ...
,
Mahindra & Mahindra
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited (M&M) is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturing corporation headquartered in Mumbai. It was established in 1945 as Mahindra & Mohammed and later renamed as Mahindra & Mahindra. Part of the Mahindra Group ...
,
Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC is the holding company of Jaguar Land Rover Limited (also known as JLR), and is a British multinational automobile manufacturer which produces luxury vehicles and sport utility vehicles. Jaguar Land Rover is a ...
and
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto Limited () is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturing company based in Pune. It manufactures motorcycles, scooters and auto rickshaws. Bajaj Auto is a part of the Bajaj Group. It was founded by Jamnalal Bajaj (1889–1942) ...
,
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable en ...
,
Hyundai. Over 750 large and small industries, including a number of automobile component manufacturers, are based in the area.
Shiroli Chandus village, located 6 km north of Chakan, had been identified as the probable site for the proposed
Pune International Airport
Pune Airport is a customs airport located approximately northeast of the historic centre of Pune in the state of Maharashtra, India. The airport is a civil enclave operated by the Airports Authority of India at the western side of Lohagaon ...
, but due to the protests by the villagers & uneven topography, the site has been shifted to Purandar.
Administration
Chakan Municipal Council manages the city since 2015, established by Government of Maharashtra.
Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority
Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority is the planning and development authority for the Pune Metropolitan Region. It was notified in the year 2015 and has a jurisdictional area of with a population of (approximately), making it the 2n ...
is the Planning and Development Authority for the Chakan Municipal Council.
Demographics
India
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
, Chakan town had a population of 41,634. Males constituted 54% of the population and females 46%, due to higher migrant workers in the neighboring industries. Chakan had an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 78% and female literacy of 65%. 15% of the population was under 6 years of age. Since then the town has seen multi-fold growth due to a number of new automobile industries that have been established in the area.
Some of the popular residential areas in Chakan include Talegaon Chowk, Main Road, Bramhin Lane, Bhujbal lane, Deshmukh Lane, Mal Ali, Bazar Peth, Nanekarwadi, Medankarwadi, KadachiWadi, Shri Ram Nagar, Vishal Park, Varale, and Market Yard.
Transport
Chakan is located 30 km from
Pune City
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
on the
National Highway 50, between Pune and Nashik.
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation runs frequent and extensive bus services that connect to various parts of Maharashtra state.
PMPML
Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) is the public transport bus service provider for the city of Pune, India.
It operates 486 routes around the Pune Metropolitan Region including 51 Rainbow BRT routes that partially ply on the 4 bu ...
buses connect Chakan to Pune and
Pimpri-Chinchwad
Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune is the northwestern city limits of Pune, India. Geographically, it is located at an altitude above sea level, at a distance of about northwest of its historic centre. The neighbourhood is home to extensive industry and ...
. PMPML Bus No. 357, Pune Station to Rajgurunagar, Bus No. 120, Pune MaNaPa to Chakan-Mahalunge run through Chakan connecting important areas of surrounding areas to Pune City. Highways connecting to Pune have heavy traffic due to extensive industrial growth in the area.
Chakan is also on the proposed
Pune Junction
Pune Junction railway station (station code: PUNE) is the main railway junction of the city of Pune, India. It is one of the major railway junctions in Maharashtra. Pune Junction consists of 6 platforms. It also has a suburban train network.
...
-
Nashik Road
Nashik Road (sometimes referred to as Nasik Road) is a suburb of Nashik that contains the city's railway station. The name 'Nashik Road' was originally used for the town surrounding the station (about 8 km or 5 miles southwest from the heart of ...
railway line. The nearest airport is the current
Pune International Airport
Pune Airport is a customs airport located approximately northeast of the historic centre of Pune in the state of Maharashtra, India. The airport is a civil enclave operated by the Airports Authority of India at the western side of Lohagaon ...
.
Phase III of the
Pune Metro
Pune Metro is a mass rapid transit system serving the city of Pune, India. The system comprises 3 lines with a combined length of 54.58 km, of which 12 km on two lines are operational as of March 2022. The 16.59-km Purple line from PCMC B ...
will connect Chakan to
Moshi,
Metro-rail-from-Chakan-to-Moshi-on-cards-Band
/ref> which hosts an International Convention and Exhibition centre.
Tourism
Chakan boasts the ''Sangram Durg
Sangram Durga is a land fort situated at Chakan, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Original area of fort was 65 acres, currently only 5.5 acres.
The Fort was attacked by Mughal general, Shaista Khan with force of 20,000 men with artillery on 23 June 166 ...
a'' or ''Bhueekot Killa'', which was once the domain of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The fort is built on level ground and surrounded by the fortified walls and turrets. It differs from most Indian forts which were traditionally built on hilly, elevated land.
The Chakreshwar temple is another site of importance. Legend has it that it is the site where King Dasharatha
Dasharatha (Sanskrit: दशरथ, IAST: Daśaratha; born Nemi) was the king of the Kosala kingdom and a scion of the Suryavamsha dynasty in Hinduism. He ruled from this capital at Ayodhya. Dasharatha was the son of Aja and Indumati. He h ...
was battling a Rakshasa
Rakshasas ( sa, राक्षस, IAST: : Pali: ''rakkhaso'') lit. 'preservers' are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma wh ...
(Demon King), when the wheel of his ratha (chariot) was stuck in mud near the pond of Chakreshwar. When his wife Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi (Sanskrit: कैकेयी, IAST: Kaikeyī) is the second consort of King Dasharatha, and a queen of Ayodhya in the Hindu epic Ramayana.
Out of Dasharatha's three wives, Kaikeyi exerts the most influence. Formerly the princess of Kek ...
helped get the wheel unstuck, Dasharatha granted her three wishes, which eventually led to the exile of Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
and the subsequent events of the epic Ramayana
The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...
.
In May, Chakan celebrates a major festival called Khandobacha Urus (Yatra)
See also
* Make in Maharashtra
* Moshi
References
{{Pune district topics
Cities and towns in Pune district
Neighbourhoods in Pune