Shaniwarwada is a palace fort in the city of Pune in India, and was the royal residence of the Peshwa rulers till 1818. It is a real specimen of Maratha culture and the architectural design shows the influence of Mughal style and Maratha craftsmanship. It is an attractive destination for public functions and speeches by public figures, and is a must see place for tourists.
Shaniwarwada palace is situated in the heart of the city next to Deccan Gymkhana, Shivajinagar, and Laxmi Road. It covers an area of six and a quarter acres. It was largely destroyed in an unexplained fire that started inside the palace complex that raged for seven days. It is still a mystery why the fire was not put down or noticed by the people. The fire engulfed all the artifacts and beauty of the palace. Now only the five strong teak gateways, nine bastions, and deep foundations and ruins of the buildings remain. These surviving structures are now maintained as a tourist and archaeological site.
Construction of The Shaniwarwada Palace
Shaniwar means Saturday and Wada means a residential complex, and Shaniwarwada was built as the residence of the Peshwas. Bajirao I laid the ceremonial foundation on Saturday, the 10th January, 1730. For its construction, lime was brought from the lime-belts of Jejuri, stone was brought from the nearby quarries of Chinchwad, and teak was imported from the jungles of Junnar.
Shaniwarwada was completed at a total cost of Rs. 16,110. Its opening ceremony was performed according to Hindu religious customs on 22nd January, 1732, a Saturday again, particularly chosen for being an auspicious day. Later several additions were made to the palace like fortification walls with bastions, court halls, fountains, gates, and reservoirs.
Description of the Shaniwarwada Fort Complex
Gates
Shaniwarwada has five gateways and the principal gate is called Dilli Darwaza (Delhi Gate). The other gates are called Mastani or Alibahadur Darwaza, Khidki Darwaza, Ganesh Darwaza and Jambhul or Narayan Darwaza.
Dilli Darwaza: The Dilli Darwaza (Delhi gate) is the main gate of the complex and faces north towards Delhi. It remains unshaken, unbattered and unaffected and is a picture of strength. The gatehouse has massive doors that are twenty-one feet tall, and large enough to admit elephants with howdas (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 fortified with steel cross members, and borders were bolted with steel bolts having sharpened cone heads. The bastions flanking the gatehouse have 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 quickly.
Mastani Darwaza or Alibahadur Darwaza: The Mastani Darwaza (Mastani’s Gate) faces north and was used by Bajirao’s mistress Mastani while going out of the palace’s perimeter wall.
Khidki Darwaza: The Khidki Darwaza (Window Gate) faces east and is named after an armored window there.
Ganesh Darwaza: The Ganesh Darwaza (Ganesh Gate) faces south-east and is named after the Ganesh Rang Mahal which was nearby.
Jambhul Darwaza: The Jambhul Gate faces south and was used by concubines to enter and leave the fort. It got its second name ‘Narayan Darwaza’ after Narayan Peshwa’s corpse was removed from the fort for cremation through this gate.
The Palace Buildings in The Complex
The buildings in the palace are said to have been designed and constructed by many well-known artisans. The Thorlya Rayancha Diwankhana (The Court Reception Hall of the eldest royal, Bajirao I), Naachacha Diwankhana (The Dance Hall), and Juna Arsa Mahal (The Old Mirror Hall) are some of the important buildings. After the fire of 1828, now what remain are the descriptions of the living areas of the fort.
The state halls in the buildings had doorways with 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. The wooden archways had exquisite glass chandeliers hanging from them while the highly polished marble mosaic had rich Persian rugs. The walls had paintings from the Hindu epics - the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
The Lotus-Shaped Fountain at Shaniwarwada
The complex has a lotus-shaped fountain called the Hazaari Kaaranje (Fountain of a thousand jets). This lotus has sixteen petals and each petal has sixteen jets with an eighty foot arch. It was the most complicated and intricate fountain of its time.
Light and Sound Show: A light and sound show is set up at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore and is the main attraction here.
Timing:7:15 pm to 8:10 pm (Marathi Show) and 8:15 pm to 9:10 pm (English Show) everyday.
Tickets:Rs. 25/- per head
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