The Lost Memoirs of the Mahatma

It was the beginning of the month of Dec 2014 and for me it has never been a travel time since I never used to go for a leisure travel during this time of an year. My time of travel usually is December end of the year during Christmas. But this time around I had the opportunity and this came from none other than my wife. She has to go for an official training to Pune for some two days and I found this to be an opportunity to see Pune for the first time. I started seeing trip advisor for the places that can be seen in this place and I got the glimpse of Aga Khan Palace. I started searching for what is there that needs to be seen in this palace and a bunch of history with the freedom struggle was there in store to see and understand in this palace.

Aga Khan Palace,Pune

I was in Pune in the first week and on 5^th Dec 2014, I started my journey in the morning towards this historic palace. As I reached and entered the palace I was welcomed by the sprawling garden in front of the palace. I reached the ticket counter and brought one ticket and entered the palace.

This palace is covered in an area of 19 acres but the palace is built in around 7 acres of land.There are some 5 halls which are open for tourists  in this palace and the attraction while moving through the halls of this palace is the corridors. As I entered the palace I was feeling as I have come in an era where the Mahatma has donned the mettle of the freedom struggle in the forties from this corridor of power. I started my walk through this corridors and I immediately caught the sight of one of the caretakers and started asking with curiosity some historical questions and started noting it down in my smartphone. The Palace was built in 1892 by Sir Sultan Mohammed Aga Khan III who was the Shahi Imam of Ismaili Shia Muslim’s all around the world. This Palace was built by the sultan as he wanted to help the poor people who were residing nearby Pune and who were hit by a famine at that point of time.

Corridors inside the Aga Khan Palace,Pune

The history of the Palace goes back to the time when India was on the verge of getting freedom. During the Quit India Movement in 1942, Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba Gandhi, his secretary Mahadev Bhai Desai and Sarojini Naidu were held as prisoners in Aga Khan Palace from 9^th Aug 1942 to 6^th May 1944.During this period his secretary Mahadev Desai passed way in Aug 1942.Some time down the lane an ailing Kasturba Gandhi passed away in Feb 1944 in the same palace during the imprisonment.  The Palace came to be known as the resting place of Kasturba Gandhi. Both these people who were close to the Mahatma are having a memorial at this palace. The memorial made with marbles was designed by the famous designer, late Charles Correa. After the assassination of   Mahatma, his ashes were transferred to an urn which is still there in the Palace ground. The ownership of the Aga Khan Palace was transferred to the Gandhi memorial Society in the year 1980.

Samadhis of Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Bhai Desai

As we move around the five different rooms from the corridor, the remnants of the past still come alive in each of the rooms we visit. In one of the rooms we can see the bed, the spectacles of the Mahatma, the sari worn by Kasturba and the footwear she used to wear when she was under house arrest. One of the attractions I captured was the round table dining room where both the Mahatma and Kasturba Gandhi used to have their dine. One of the wall hangings which inspired me was the one where the Mahatma is leading a procession of freedom fighters depicting the Dandi march, which as we see, comes alive and tells us the story of the freedom struggle. 

Mural of the Dandi March,Aga Khan Palace,Pune

There are lot of photographs of the freedom struggle and the works of the mahatma which adorns the walls of the palace. After walking through each of the rooms I got outside and walked through the corridors of the palace. As I went down the palace and took a round of the palace, I was able to see the Italian arches around the building which stands out in the structural brilliance of this palace.

Italian Arches,Aga Khan Palace,Pune

This place I suggest for families who have small children and who should be taught about the Indian Freedom struggle and the story behind the non-violence struggle. This place is a store house to understand the philosophy of the non-violence struggle and how the Mahatma turned it around in favour of millions of Indians who stood by him. As we move around the Palace, there is a small shop where khadi clothing and some good souvenirs are sold. I brought one time piece which was glass framed and the Mahatma embossed on one side of the   glass frame. Since I follow the Indian history very closely, I loved visiting the palace. The only sad part was I was not able to show this place to me son.

Travel Tips

From Railway station ;6-7 km distance

From Airport : 3-4 km distance

Timings of the Palace ; 9am - 6pm

Entry Fee : Rs.5/- for adults and Rs.2/- for children

For foreign tourist ; Rs.200/- 

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