Yerwada

Yerwada
Neighbourhood
Yerwada Location in Maharashtra, India
Coordinates:
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District	Pune
Government
• Body	Pune Municipal Corporation
Area
• Total	79.62 km2 (30.74 sq mi)
Elevation	530 m (1,740 ft)
Population (2001)
• Total	337,040
• Density	4,200/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Marathi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	411006
Telephone code	91-20
Vehicle registration	MH-12
Lok Sabha constituency	Pune
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Vadgaonsheri
Civic Body	Pune Municipal Corporation
Distance from Mumbai	152 kilometres (94 mi) (land)

Yerwada <phonos file="Yerwada.ogg">pronunciation</phonos> (alternatively Yerawada or sometimes Yeraoda) is a neighbourhood of the city of Pune in the state of Maharashtra, India. Before the British Raj Yerwada was known as ‘Yeraoda’, but the old name is still sometimes used today. Yerwada is one of the most densely populated area in Pune. This place is located at the beginning of Ahmednagar highway and also on the way to old Pune Airport at Lohegaon. This place lies between Viman Nagar and Koregaon Park and can be reached after crossing Mula-Mutha River through Yerwada Bridge from Bund Garden.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census Yerwada has an approximate population of 337,040.

Geography

Yerwada shares borders with:

• Mula-Mutha River
• Bund Garden
• Khadki
• Viman Nagar
• Wadgaon Sheri
• Lohegaon
• Koregaon Park
• Vishrantwadi

History

The central prison of Pune—which is one of the oldest prisons in India, having been built in nineteenth century—is situated in Yerwada. Kasturba Gandhi Smiriti Mandir, which stands in a beautiful garden that spreads over 6.5 hectares of land, is situated across the river in Yerwada. The ashes of Kasturba Gandhi, wife of Mahatma Gandhi, are kept in this memorial. Mental asylum of Pune is also located at Yerwada

Yerwada Jail

Main article: Yerwada Central Jail

This is the largest jail in the State of Maharashtra. The most notable people to be incarcerated at the jail is Mahatma Gandhi, who spent several years there during India's struggle for freedom.

Yerwada Central Jail entrance.

A programme designed to spread Gandhian principles in Yerwada prison was introduced in Yerwada prison in 2002 by Asim Sarode, founder of Sahyog Trust. As part of the programme, the prison inmates are taught Gandhian principles for one year, at the end of the year, they have to appear for an examination. Admission to the course is optional. Four years after the initiation of the course, Sahyog Trust conducted a survey amongst the prison inmates to check the degree of awareness of Gandhian principles. The results of the survey were encouraging as 94 per cent expressed respect for Gandhi. A majority 77 per cent of them believed that social change can be brought about by love and friendship. Also, 66 per cent of them showed the willingness to apologise to the victim’s family and seek forgiveness from them.

Taking the Gandhian principles and ideas to the prisoners has led to a marked improvement in the levels of discipline at the prison. According to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police of the western region, Rajendra Dhamne, “the course has definitely contributed to the maintenance of peace inside the prison. The number of violent incidents amongst the inmates has comparatively reduced.”

The result of the survey has given a boost to the aforementioned Trust’s initiatives. It has also proved that even those judged as criminals have a human side to them and in many cases they only take to crime due to compelling circumstances (Poverty, Political disenfranchisement). The course adopts a reformist approach to tackling crime in the society. In today’s times, when we are seemingly being ruled by money-power and muscle-power, such initiatives do provide a ray of hope of a just and free society.[Ajmal Kasab hanged here]

Bollywood film actor Sanjay Dutt and Mumbai terror attacker Ajmal Kasab also jailed here

Agha Khan Palace

Agha Khan Palace, where Mahatma Gandhi visited and stayed several times during India's Independence struggle is located on Ahmednagar highway in Yerwada. This is a historical monument which is visited by hundreds of people daily.

Sir Sultan Mohammed Shah, Aga Khan III, ordered the construction of the palace in the year 1892. The aim behind the construction of the Aga Khan Palace was to provide employment to the people of the nearby areas, who had been famished. Prince Karim El Husseni, Aga Khan IV, donated the palace to India in 1969, in the honor of Gandhiji Andrew his philosophy. Aga Khan Palace is also known as Gandhi National Memorial because of its close association with Mahatma Gandhi.

One of the major attractions of the Aga Khan Palace comprises the samadhis (memorials) of Kasturba Gandhi (wife of Mahatma Gandhi) and Mahadev Desai (a long time aid of Mahatma Gandhi). Since both of them breathed their last in here, Charles Correa got their samadhis built in the grounds of the palace itself. Gandhi's ashes are also interred at the Gandhi National Memorial of Poona. Exhibitions are held at the palace on a regular basis to acquaint people with the life and career of Mahatma Gandhi. Get more information on the Gandhi National Memorial of Puna, India. The palace served as the venue for the famous movie 'Gandhi'. Since 1980, the management of the museum, samadhis and campus of the Agakhan Palace is under the Gandhi Memorial Society. The museum inside the palace complex has rich collection of pictures depicting almost all the important incidents in the life of Mahatma Gandhi. There is also a wide assortment of his personal items like utensils, clothes, malas, chappals (slippers), letter written by Gandhiji on the death of his secretary, etc.

Sukha & Jinda

Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukdev Singh Sukha were imprisoned in this prison in 1992 for assassinating Indian Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. A.S. Vaidya. Gen A.S. Vaidya was COAS when Operation Bluestar was executed at the Golden Temple in June 1984. Both of them were hanged to death.

Administration

Yerwada is part of Pune Municipal Corporation. All major and important Administrative Offices of State and Central Government, are located here. This include : Sales Tax Office, Income Tax Office, Telecom Office etc.

Ajmal Kasab who accused for Mumbai Terror 26/11 was hanged for death in same premisses on 21/11/2012.

Education

See List of schools in Pune

See also

• Roads of Pune