Saswad is a city and a municipal council in the Pune district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Saswad is situated on the banks of Karha River. Saswad is just about 31 km from Pune Station.
History
Saswad is a place with a long history. It lay on the ancient trade route connecting the coastal Konkan ports to the Deccan interiors. Its site on a trade route made it a center for Buddhist monasteries. The samadhi or the resting place of the 13th centuryVarkari Sant Sopan is located in the town. The annual Alandi to Pandharpur Wari of Dnyaneshwar Palkhi stops in the town. Later it was known as the town at the foot of historic Purandar fort. The first Peshwa from the Bhat family, Balaji Vishwanath had his base in the town. His son, Bajirao I moved his base in 1720 to Pune and turned that place into a large city. During the 18th century, Saswad was the seat of the Purandare family, hereditary knights of the Peshwa. The family's now crumbling palatial mansion was an imposing sight during the late peshwa era. In the 20th century, socialist leader Marathi writer and filmmaker Aacharya Atre was born there. He was one of the leaders of the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement. His series of books on the movement. viz. Karheche Pani कऱ्हेचे पाणी created undisputed place in the history of Marathi language.
Demographics
As of 2011, Saswad had a population of 1,31,821. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Saswad has an average literacy rate of 85%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy was 90%, and female literacy was 80%. In Saswad, 12% of the population was under 6.
Geography
Given its proximity to Pune, Saswad may become part of Pune metropolitan area. The town is just 25 km away from Pune city and 20 minutes from Hadapsar. The Eotte city that is under construction is 10 km from Saswad and Magarpatta City, Amannora Tower City are 25 km from Saswad. Saswad offers many apartments and shopping complexes. Saswad is the base for visitors to nearby Khandoba temple at Jejuri, the ek-mukhi Datta temple at Narayanpur and the historic Purandar fort. It is mentioned as the residence of Peshwa Bajirao in the TV soap Peshwa Bajirao.
Saswad has educational institutions that cater for the needs of different ages and sections of the society. Eight schools are run by the municipal council, many privately run primary and secondary schools that offering instruction in Marathi and English, and Christian mission run schools offering instruction in English. The town hosts colleges offering degree level courses. An ITI offers vocational training.
