Daund

Daund is a city, municipal council and headquarters of Daund taluka in Pune district in the state of Maharashtra, India. In ancient times a sage, 'Dhaumya Rishi' used to stay here, hence people started calling this place after him: 'Dhaum'. Gradually 'Dhaum' became 'Dhoand', then 'Dhaundh', and before it getting corrupted to the present name 'Daund'. According to the Epic Mahabharata Krishna's wife Rukhmini had gone in the 'Dhindir forest', this ancient 'Dhindir Van' is today's Daund.HistoryShivaji eraShahaji (father of Shivaji) was a sardar in the Nizam Shahi. He had been given Daund as a jagir, including the Bahadurgad fort in Pedgaon (which is still extant on the banks of the Bhima River).Peshwa eraIn 1739 the Bajirao - Mastani affair had brought clashes among the Peshwa family, hence Bajirao Peshwa took Mastani away from Pune and made her stay in Patas. Hence forth Bajirao and Mastani met at the Firangai Devi temple in Kurkumbh. Water of the rivers Bhima, Nira, Pravara, Ghod and Godavari are best suited to the horses, hence the horses breeding on these waters used to be strong, quick and loyal. The area of 'Bhimthadi' which is close to Daund was famous for getting good breed of Horses and people preferred to get a pony only from this place. This breed was supposed to be the best of all. Hence the Horse business in Daund has flourished. At the end of the Peshwa Era due to heavy loans on them Daund and some villages from Pune had gone in control of 'Girgosavi'.