ShaniwarWada showcases the glory of the Peshwa period of Maratha Empire.
The Palace-fort built in the 18th century by Peshwa Baji Rao 1, stands majestically in the middle of Pune city.
The palace-fort was once so densely populated hat almost 1,000 people were residing inside, at its zenith around 1750's - in addition to 3,144 guards at 275 towers.
Later successors to Baji Rao added many buildings, fortification walls with bastions, gates and court halls. Most importantly, there was a Mastani Mahal at the north-east corner of the palace near main entrance.
Among various local versions about Mastani (Daughter of Nizam / court dancer at Nizam's, etc) the widely accepted story is: Mastani was daughter of Mahraja Chatrasal, King of Bundelkhand, given in marriage to Baji Rao I after defeating Mughals and restoring the Raja to his throne. Baji Rao was madly in love with Mastani, so much that, braving all oposition to keeping her inside the Wada, he went ahead and built her the most magnificient palace of all! A glimpse of this can still be seen at Raja Kelkar Museum today.
The entire palace was burnt down many years later, by a mysterious fire in 1828, (presumably by the British, as the locals believe), save the external imposing fort walls.
Today the fort complex is being maintained by private business houses; a sound and light show is conducted during evenings which is a major tourist attraction.
The Palace-fort built in the 18th century by Peshwa Baji Rao 1, stands majestically in the middle of Pune city.
The construction began in 1729 was completed in 1732.
Why Shaniwar and not any other day? just that all ceremonies pertaining to this building was inadvertantly conducted on various saturdays and hence Pundits advised the Peshwa to name it so.
Other wada's based on other days of the week also exist close by around the fort.
Built at a princely sum of Rs. 16,000, this fort-palace contained beautiful fountains, courtyards, palaces made of wood, etc.
The Dilli Darwaza faces North; massive doors of this entrance could allow elephants with howdahs, fortified with 72 sharp 12-inch steel spikes to deter enemy elephants from forcefully opening them.
In all there are five gates, aong with the Dilli Darwaza - each one with its own name:
Mastani Darwaza (more on Mastani later), Khidki Darwaza, Ganesh Darwaza, Jambul Darwaza.
The palace-fort was once so densely populated hat almost 1,000 people were residing inside, at its zenith around 1750's - in addition to 3,144 guards at 275 towers.
Later successors to Baji Rao added many buildings, fortification walls with bastions, gates and court halls. Most importantly, there was a Mastani Mahal at the north-east corner of the palace near main entrance.
Among various local versions about Mastani (Daughter of Nizam / court dancer at Nizam's, etc) the widely accepted story is: Mastani was daughter of Mahraja Chatrasal, King of Bundelkhand, given in marriage to Baji Rao I after defeating Mughals and restoring the Raja to his throne. Baji Rao was madly in love with Mastani, so much that, braving all oposition to keeping her inside the Wada, he went ahead and built her the most magnificient palace of all! A glimpse of this can still be seen at Raja Kelkar Museum today.
The entire palace was burnt down many years later, by a mysterious fire in 1828, (presumably by the British, as the locals believe), save the external imposing fort walls.
Today the fort complex is being maintained by private business houses; a sound and light show is conducted during evenings which is a major tourist attraction.
1 comment:
I Did not show much interest about Shaniwarwada when I read it in your blog before. But I just watched the movie Bajirao Mastani and it all makes so much sense now. Your description makes it even more interesting and makes us wanting to visit the place. Thank you.
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