POONA, p7i'ml. The capital of a district in Bombay, British India, on the river Nutha, near its confluence with the 1\lula on an almost tree less plateau, about 74 miles southeast of Born bay (119 miles by rail) (Map: India, B 5). Poona is about 1700 feet above the sea level; its climate is healthful and pleasant, and it is very much resorted to, particularly in the rainy season. The city, the former capital of the Mahrattas, is divided into seven quarters, named after the days of the week, and contains the ruins of a palatial structure. formerly the residence of the peshwa. It is the headquarters of the Bombay army and the seat of the Bombay Government from July tc November. The cantonment for the infantry and horse artillery is two miles east of the city. The cantonment for the cavalry is at the village of Kirkee, about two miles to the northeast. The Deccan College, founded in 1821, has a staff of European professors with native assistants. and is,a high class institution for the study of English. Marathi. and Sanskrit. There are 1111111C1'011 other educational institu tions, including the Government College of Sci ence, the ialiarasthra College, and the Fern arson College. One of the most interesting objects in
the neighborhood of Poona is a large blind, or embankment, solidly built of hewn stone over the Mutba-Mula Rive• for the purpose of providing a supply of water for the cantonment, and espe eially the bazaar or native town connected with it. It was built by Sir .Tamsetive ffeejeeblloy, distinguished for his charities. Poona was for merly a great mart for jewelry and precious stones. hut this trade has quite ceased. The na tive manufactures have also been supplanted by the introduction of European piece-goods, and the principal commerce is in connection with grain and other agricultural produce. In recent years Poona suffered severely from the plague, and from 161,390 in 1891, its population decreased to 111,385 in 1901. Poona is first mentioned in the sixteenth century. It became the Mahrattan capital in 1750; it was captured and destroyed by Nizam Ali in 1763, and later in the same year the combined forces of the peshwa and Sindhia were completely defeated here.