Aga Khan Palace in Pune is a wonderful landmark of India’s history and has many great events and personalities associated with it. It was constructed in the year 1892 by Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan III. It was in Aga Khan Palace where Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi imprisoned and now it is famous as the Gandhi National Memorial Society.
It is one of the prominent attractions in Pune and people here can enjoy a fascinating visit seeing the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi in the room where he stayed.
Built in 1982 by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III, the Aga Khan Palace is a magnificent piece of history situated in 19 acres of land in the Yerwada area in Pune.
Referred to as one of the most important landmarks of Indian history, along with the Indian freedom struggle, the palace has its roots deeply etched into bygone eras.
The palace was built to help the poor in the areas surrounding Pune, which was drastically hit by famine in the early 1980s.
One of the most stunning pieces of architecture in all of Pune, the Aga Khan Palace is also a famous tourist attraction, which was designed by a world-famous architect called Charles Correa.
Additionally, the palace houses the samadhis (memorials) of Mahatma Gandhi’s wife, Kasturba Gandhi. Sources suggest that both Kasturba Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi’s secretary Mahadev Desai breathed their last in the palace premises. And it is because of this that their memorials have been safeguarded in the palace grounds.
The Aga Khan Palace is located in a huge ground, and has five, luxurious and spacious halls, along with several lawns. The structure resonates of Italian architecture, elegant yet intricate and magnificent.
Of all the rooms and features of the palace, its arches are the most beautiful, almost mesmerising to the eyes. Aga Khan Palace has two huge floors, in addition to a corridor which spreads across the entire structure.
The palace is known for organising several exhibitions and programmes throughout the year. Most of these reflect Gandhi’s lifestyle, thereby offering visitors a deep insight into the Mahatma’s life.
Moreover, it is because of this and Gandhi’s links to it that the palace is now also known as the Gandhi National Memorial Society. One of the most prominent attractions of the palace is the room where Gandhi stayed during his imprisonment, along with his personal belongings and pictures of the other freedom fighters. |
How To Reach
Aga Khan Palace is located around 3.7 kilometres from the Pune Airport. You can avail a taxi or book online or even take your own car to reach to the Aga Khan Palace comfortably and faster.
The route from the airport is quite a convenient and straight one, with no major left or right turns on the street intersections.
Most auto rickshaws and state or private buses departing from the airport can easily take you to Nagar Road, where Aga Khan Palace is situated. Usually, a drive from the Pune Airport in a cab can take between 12 to 20 minutes, depending on the traffic.
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Aga Khan Palace is between the months of late September or early October and April. It is during these months when the weather here is absolutely pleasant and perfect for exploring the panoramic surroundings of the historical palace.
Moreover, the days mostly remain clear in October, with a little bout of downpour here and there, but not too much to spoil your day out enjoying the palace and its history.
Summer: The months from March to early June are the hottest and the most oppressive months in the city. A visit to Aga Khan Palace during this time is inadvisable, since temperatures can soar to almost 40 degrees Celsius at this time.
Monsoon: June to September are the cool monsoon months, with July being the wettest month of the year. During this time, visiting the gardens here at the palace is quite difficult, due to dirt and slippery grounds.
Winter: December to February in Pune are the winter months. The weather at this time of the year remains below 25 degrees Celsius.
Other Essential Information
- Location: Nagar Road, Samrat Ashok Rd, Pune, Maharashtra 411006
- Price: The entry fee to Aga Khan Palace is INR 5 for Indian Nationals. For foreigners, the fee is INR 100. Also, for children, the entry fee is INR 2.
- Timing: One can visit the palace every day between 09:00 a.m. to 05:30 p.m.
Places to Visit near Aga Khan Palace:
There are many places to visit near Aga Khan Palace in Pune. Some of these are:
Bund Garden: Located around 5.6 kilometres from Aga Khan Palace, this place is also known as the Mahatma Gandhi Udyan, and is dedicated to Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy. Located in the centre of the city of Pune, the garden formerly served as an irrigation water source for the poor and underprivileged.
Osho Ashram: Also known as Osho International Meditation Resort, the Osho Ashram is located 3 kilometres from Aga Khan Palace. This is a hi-tech spiritual meditation resort, a one-of-its-kind place in the entire state.
Fully equipped with a basketball court, meditation hall, huge gardens, and much more, the Ashram also has the samadhi of Guruji.
Tribal Cultural Museum: Situated approximately 5.2 kilometres from the palace, this museum is known for preserving the rich Maharashtrian culture in its premises.
It celebrates the times before the British invasion in 1817, and houses artefacts, utensils and even weapons used in those times.
Shaniwar Wada: Almost 10.5 kilometres away from Aga Khan Palace is Shaniwar Wada, built as a palace which would never see any defeat. It was built by Bajirao I in 1730, with opulent grounds surrounding it. This was the ruling seat of the Peshwas in those times.
Pataleshwar Cave Temple: 11.3 kilometres away from the Aga Khan Palace is the Pataleshwar Cave Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and carved entirely out of rock.
This temple cave complex is a government protected heritage site, carved out in the Rashtrakuta period, sometime in the 8th century.
The temple has a circular pagoda type of structure, which is surrounded by carved basalt caves on all sides.
Lal Mahal: The Lal Mahal is located around 10.9 kilometres from the Aga Khan Palace. It was built around 1630 by Shahji Bhonsle. The king had built this beautiful palace for his wife Jijabai and son Shivaji.
As of now, the structure that stands, is a reconstruction of the original, which was destroyed due to invasions and attacks. The Lal Mahal houses many stunning pictures of Shivaji and his life, in addition to a mesmerising statue of his mother Jijabai.
History of Aga Khan Palace:
The Aga Khan Palace has a deep-rooted history with the Indian freedom struggle and Mahatma Gandhi attached to it.
After the Quit India Movement was launched, this palace acted as the prison/ detention centre for Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba Gandhi as well as his secretary Mahadev Desai, between August 1942 to May 1944. Additionally, many known figures of the freedom struggle such as Sarojini Naidu were also imprisoned here during 1942.
It is during this time that Kasturba Bai and Desai took their last breaths here. Subsequently, the Mahatma buried them here, thereby establishing their memorials in the palace premises. Gandhi and the others were kept imprisoned in the palace for almost two years before they were released in May 1944.
Subsequently, in 1969, Aga Khan donated the palace to the Government of India. And it is after this, that the Aga Khan Palace came to be known as the Gandhi National Memorial. Later, in March 2003, the palace was declared as a “Monument of National Importance” by the Archaeological Survey of India.
As of now, the rooms, where Gandhi and others used to stay, serve as a museum. They are the surviving testimony to the struggle of India’s independence. Gandhi’s belongings from the times of his stay are exhibited here as well.
Architecture of Aga Khan Palace:
Located in a sprawling area of 19 acres in Pune’s Yerwada area, the Aga Khan Palace is famous for its amazing blend of Islamic and Italian style of architecture. It is a unique combination of Italian arches and huge luxurious lawns, with the finer Islamic details on it.
The palace is known to have expansive, well-maintained lawns built on an area of 7 acres, along with five magnificent halls in its premises. Moreover, a 2.5-metre-wide corridor encircles the palace, which has two storeys. The palace was designed by the renowned architect Charles Correa.
The Aga Khan Palace is a great example of the interweaving between the European and the Saracenic styles of architecture.
Having a built-up area of almost 28,000 square metres, the presence of many beautiful French lawns, fountains, long corridors, spacious rooms, rose style windows as well as Italian arches enhances the opulence of the palace even more.
Today, the Aga Khan Palace serves as the headquarters of the Gandhi National Memorial Society. Furthermore, it houses several beautiful exhibits of those times, including the personal belongings of the Mahatma.
Additionally, it also has many photographs and artefacts associated with the Gandhis and other freedom fighters of the Indian Freedom Struggle.
Celebrations at Aga Khan Palace
Many public functions and important days and dates are celebrated at the Aga Khan Palace. All of these celebrations are organised by the Gandhi Memorial Society. Some of the celebrations at the Aga Khan Palace include Martyr’s Day, which is celebrated on January 30. Additionally, the palace also celebrates Maha Shivrati, which is death anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi and is celebrated lavishly as Mother’s Day.
Along with this, the palace celebrates 15th August, Independence Day, 26th January, as Republic Day, as well as Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on 2nd October every year. The palace gets lit up in all its glory on all of these days, shining like a bright star above Pune’s Nagar Road. Other than these annual events, sessions for morning prayer are being held at the samadhi every day for decades. Huge crowds turn up for these prayer sessions, which increases tenfold during the annual events.
Gandhi Museum
The Aga Khan Palace houses the Gandhi Museum which displays many artefacts and things of the times gone by.
It is amongst the most frequently visited place in the palace premises by tourists. In addition to paintings, sculptures, murals and photographs of the India Freedom Struggle, the museum also houses the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi and the Gandhi family.
This includes Gandhi’s letters, clothes, towels, as well as slippers, among other things.
Additionally, the rooms, which were used by Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba Gandhi, his secretary Mahadev Desai and Sarojini Naidu have also been well-preserved and are open for public display as part of the museum. The room which was used by Sarojini Naidu has a poem displayed in it.
The poem is written by Padma Sethi. Along with the poem, the room also has pictures of Indira Gandhi and many other leaders who were a part of Quit India Movement and the freedom struggle.
The museum also has the room which was occupied by Gandhi. A spacious room, it also has a huge hall, which presents his writing desk, his charkha, as well as his sandals and other personal belongings.
One of the main attractions of the room is a painting of the Mahatma and Kasturba Gandhi, wherein the latter is resting her head on Gandhi’s lap. The dining area, which was used by them, is also a part of the museum and is available for public viewing.
The museum is also home to the final resting place of Kasturba Gandhi as well as Mahadev Desai, who breathed their last whilst in imprisonment here at the palace.
Tourism Board Alliances
Aga Khan Palace FAQs
Is photography allowed in Aga Khan Palace?
Yes, photography is allowed in Aga Khan Palace. It is a great place for photography, especially due to the presence of beautiful gardens and landscapes within the palace premises.
The palace contains the remains of the times of Gandhi, along with many memories of the freedom fighter. Additionally, the architectural beauty of the palace is incomparable, reflecting the mid-18th century American eras. However, while you can click photographs outdoors, only the ground floor of the palace is open for visitors.
Who was imprisoned by the British at the Aga Khan Palace?
In August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi, along with his wife Kasturba Gandhi, his personal secretary Mahadev Desai and Sarojini Naidu, along with others, were imprisoned by the British at the Aga Khan Palace.
This was soon after the declaration of the Quit India Movement.
Where is the samadhi of Kasturba Gandhi?
The samadhi of Kasturba Gandhi is located in the complex near Mula river, within the serene grounds of the Aga Khan Palace.
This place is popularly known as Kasturba Samadhi. It is made up of an exquisite white marble with the architectural design given by Charles Correa.
Why Aga Khan Palace is famous?
The Aga Khan Palace is a famous part and landmark of Indian History.
It has close associations with the Indian Freedom Movement. One of the biggest reasons that the palace is so famous is because it served as the prison for Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba Gandhi, Mahadev Desai, who was his secretary as well as the Nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu.
This monument of national importance houses the samadhis of Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai. Additionally, the famous movie “Gandhi” was also shot here.
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