Shaniwar Wada

Shaniwarwada (Marathi: शनिवारवाडा) is a palace fort in the city of Pune in Maharashtra, India. Built in 1736, it was the seat of the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Empire) until 1818 when the Peshwas surrendered to the British. The fort itself was largely destroyed in 1828 by an unexplained fire, but the surviving structures are now maintained as a tourist site.

Construction

Peshwa Baji Rao I, prime minister to Chattrapati Shahu, king of the Maratha empire, laid the ceremonial foundation of his own residence (with a handful of earth) on Saturday, January 10, 1730. It was named Shaniwarwada from the Marathi wordsShaniwar (Saturday) and Wada (a general term for any residence complex). Teak was imported from the jungles of Junnar, stone was brought from the nearby quarries of Chinchwad, and lime was brought from the lime-belts of Jejuri. Shaniwarwada was completed in 1732, at a total cost of Rs. 16,110, a very large sum at the time.

The opening ceremony was performed according to Hindu religious customs, on January 22, 1732, another Saturday chosen for being a particularly auspicious day.

Later Peshwe made several additions, including the fortification walls, with bastions and gates; court halls and other buildings; fountains and reservoirs. Currently, the perimeter fortification wall has five gateways and nine bastion towers, enclosing a garden complex with the foundations of the original buildings.

Fort complex

Gates

Shaniwarwada has five gates:

  • Dilli Darwaza (Delhi Gate), facing north
The Dilli Darwaza is the main gate of the complex, and faces north towards Delhi. Chhatrapati Shahu is said to have considered the north-facing fort a sign of Baji Rao's ambitions against the Mughal empire, and suggested that the main gate should be made chhaatiiche, maatiche naahi! (Marathi for of the chests of brave soldiers, not mere mud). The strongly built Dilli Darwaza gatehouse has massive doors, large enough to admit elephants outfitted with howdahs (seating canopies). To discourage elephants charging the gates, each pane of the gate has seventy-two sharp twelve-inch steel spikes arranged in a nine by eight grid, at approximately the height of the forehead of a battle-elephant. Each pane was also fortified with steel cross members, and borders were bolted with steel bolts having sharpened cone heads. The bastions flanking the gatehouse has arrow-loops and machicolation chutes through which hot substances could be poured onto offending raiders. The right pane has a small man-sized door for usual entries and exits, too small to allow an army to enter rapidly. Even if the main gates were to be forced open, a charging army would need to turn sharply right, then sharply left, to pass through the gateway and into the central complex. This would provide a defending army with another chance to attack the incoming army, and to launch a counterattack to recapture the gateway. As the ceremonial gate of the fort, military campaigns would set out from and be received back here, with appropriate religious ceremonies.
  • Mastani Darwaja (Mastani's Gate) or Alibahadur Darwaja, facing north
This gate was used by Bajirao's mistress Mastani while travelling out of the palace's perimeter wall.
  • Khidki Darwaja (Window Gate), facing east
The Khidki Darwaja is named for an armoured window it contains.
  • Ganesh Darwaja (Ganesh Gate), facing south-east
Named for the Ganesh Rang Mahal, which used to stand near this door. It could be used by ladies at the fort to visit the nearby Kasba Ganapati temple.
  • Jambhul Darwaja or Narayan Darwaja (Narayan's Gate), facing south
This gate was used by concubines to enter and leave the fort. It obtained its second name after Narayan Peshwa's corpse was removed from the fort for cremation through this gate.

Palaces

The important buildings in the palace includes the Thorlya Rayancha Diwankhana (Marathi:The court reception hall of the eldest royal, meaning Baji Rao I), Naachacha Diwankhana (Dance Hall), and Juna Arsa Mahal (Old Mirror Hall).

Since the buildings were destroyed in the fire of 1828, only descriptions of the living areas of the fort are available. All the state halls in the buildings are said to have doorways with exquisitely carved teak arches, with ornamental teardrop teak pillars shaped like Suru (cypress tree) trunks supporting the ceilings, which were covered with beautiful teak tracery, carved creepers and flowers. Exquisite glass chandeliers hung from the ceilings. The floors were made of highly polished marble, arranged in a mosaic pattern and adorned with rich Persian rugs. The walls contained paintings with scenes from the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The buildings are said to have been designed and constructed by many well-known artisans, including Shivaram Krishna, Devaji, Kondaji Sutar, Morarji Patharwat Bhojraja (an inlay-work expert from Jaipur) and Ragho (a painter).

One of the buildings in the Shaniwarwada complex was seven storeys high. It is said that the spire of the Sant Dnyaneshwar temple at Alandi, 17 km away, could be seen from the uppermost terrace of this building.

The Fountain

The complex had an impressive lotus-shaped fountain: the Hazari Karanje (Fountain of a thousand jets). It was constructed for the pleasure of the infant Peshwa Sawai Madhavrao. It was designed as a sixteen petal lotus; each petal had sixteen jets with an eighty foot arch. It was the most complicated and intricate fountain of its time.[]

Captain More who visited the Shaniwarwada in 1791 described it as “very magnificent. A hundred dancers can dance here at a time. In one corner is a marble Ganapati statue and the palace is flanked by a fountain and a flower garden.”.

History

By 1758, at least a thousand people lived in the fort.

In June 1818, the Peshwa, Bajirao II, abdicated his Gaddi (throne) to Sir John Malcolm of the United Kingdom and went into political exile at Bithoor, near Kanpur in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India.

On February 27, 1828, a great fire started inside the palace complex. The conflagration raged for seven days. Only the heavy granite ramparts, strong teak gateways and deep foundations and ruins of the buildings within the fort survived.

Common legend goes that the ghost of Narayan Rao peshwa who was murdered here can be seen sometimes shouting kaka mala vachva ( uncle save me). This is just a rumor.

Trivia

In 2008, it was featured on the ninth leg of The Amazing Race Asia 3.

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Rishi J
22 April 2012
Build in the Peshwa's era,this palace is situated in the heart of the city. It is the symbol of Pune culture. It details the history of the Maratha empire [Spare: 1-2 Hrs]
Saurabh Rane
16 March 2012
A place where the actual history of pune can be witnessed!There are light and sound shows on most evenings. Gotta visit!
Jayashree Coutinho
5 November 2013
Went for the sound-n-light show again after 9 years. It's still good BUT the audio cracked up towards the end and ruined the experience. SOMEONE FIX IT! The English show is at 8pm.
Prabhat Pandey
26 January 2018
It is a great historical place love it.
Pink Sextoy
17 March 2023
Adults from any age group can explore our Online sex toy store in Shaniwar Wada. It will make them feel energetic in bed by stimulating the erogenous zones. Visit: pinksextoy.in Contact: +919163357222
preethi reddy
30 June 2019
Would have been good, if there was provision of a local guide. Pretty decently maintained.
Load more comments
foursquare.com
7.5/10
400,294 people have been here
Map
0.1km from Shivaji Road, Kasba Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411030, India Get directions
Sun 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
Mon Noon–5:00 PM
Tue Noon–5:00 PM
Wed 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Thu Noon–7:00 PM
Fri 10:00 AM–1:00 PM

Shaniwar Wada on Foursquare

Shaniwar Wada on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
FabHotel Gandharva Shivajinagar

starting $26

Treebo Deccan 8 Pune

starting $36

PRATHMESH HOLIDAY HOMES

starting $41

Hotel Swan Inn

starting $32

OYO 6429 Hotel Pearl

starting $0

Hotel Basera

starting $30

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
National War Memorial Southern Command

The National War Memorial Southern Command is a war memorial in Pune

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Parvati Temple

The Parvati Temple is a prominent Hindu temple in the southeast part

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Aga Khan Palace

The Aga Khan Palace was constructed by Sultan Mohammed Shah, Aga Khan

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Sinhagad

Sinhagad or Sinhgad (Marathi: सिंहगड, The Lion's Fort), is a fortress

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Malhargad

Malhargad is a hill fort in western India near Sasvad, 30 kilometres

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Visapur Fort

Visapur fort (also called Visapoor fort) is a hill fort near Visapur

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Bhaja Caves

Bhaja Caves or Bhaje caves (Marathi: भाजा) is a group of 22 rock-cu

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Karla Caves

Karla Caves is a complex of ancient Buddhist Indian rock-cut

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Amber Fort

Amber Fort (Hindi अमेर किला, also known as Amer Fort) is located in A

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Walmer Castle

Walmer Castle was built by Henry VIII in 1539–1540 as an artillery f

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Łazienki Palace

The Łazienki Palace (Шаблон:IPA-pl; Baths Palace; polski. Pałac

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Nymphenburg Palace

The Nymphenburg Palace (German: Schloss Nymphenburg), i.e. 'Nymph's

See all similar places