Aga Khan Palace (Pune).

Aga Khan Palace.

State :- Maharashtra.

District / Taluka :- Pune / Haveli

Best time to visit Aga Khan palace :-

Any time you can visit Aga khan palace. 

Timings of Aga Khan Palace :-

9 am to 6 pm (Lunch break: 12.30 pm to 1:30 pm)

Entry fee :-

Rs.5 for Adults and Rs.2 for Children.

Transport  :-

1) Way from Pune :-

Reach Pune Station or Pune municipal corporation from here there are many buses going towards Yerwada take a bus which goes towards Yerawda from there are share rickshaws to Aga khan palace.

Pune- yerwada- aga khan palace (6 kms)

2) Way from Mumbai :-

Reach Pune from their go on the way to Pune station from there reach Yerawda and ask for Aga Khan Palace which is 2 kms from Yerawda. From Mumbai to Pune there are buses, trains and express trains to pune station.

Mumbai-Pune(148 kms).

Description :-

Sultan Muhammed Shah aga khan III built Aga Khan Palace in the year 1892.In the Indian history it is amongst the biggest landmarks. The sultans built Aga khan palace to give the charity to the poor and needy peoples all over the neighboring places in Pune. The poor people were hit by Famine at that time were people didn’t had enough food to eat and shelter to live.

History of the palace is related with the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi .They were prisoner for the quit India movement with their secretary Mahadev Desai between 9^th August 1942 and 6^th may 1944, during this movement Kasturba Gandhi and there secretary Mahadev Desai died in this palace they have their Samadhi in this palace near Mula river.

Gandhiji had a great impact of his philosophy and teachings in India due to which in 1969 Aga khan IV donated Aga Khan Place to the Indian peoples proving his respect to Mahatma Gandhi. 

There is a memorial on Gandhiji were his ashes are kept in the palace. In 1974 Indira Gandhi visited the Aga Khan Palace and allotted a sum of INR 2, 00,000 (US$ 3,300) every year, for its maintenance and caring of the palace, till 1990s the amount went to INR 1 million (US $ 17,000), Aga khan palace was later neglected because funds were not allocated properly, Hence people protested near the Mahatma Gandhi Statue located near Pune railway station in 1999 for improvement of the palace.

Aga khan palace was built with Italian Arches and spacious lawns. It has in all five halls Aga khan palace is built in area of nineteen acres (77,000 m2), in which seven acres is covered with building area. 

Aga khan palace is among the best palaces known for its magnificent and spectacular architecture. Aga khan palace was built within the period of 5 years which took around INR 1.2 million (US $20,000).Total area of the ground is around 1756 sq meters, in which first floor took around 1080 sq meters and second floor took 445 sq meters. The entire building has a corridor of 2.5 meters which is the main specialty of the Aga Khan Palace. Aga khan palace was donated to Gandhi smarak Samitee in 1972 by Prince karim Aga khan. 

Today this palace is organized and maintained by parks and gardens. Aga khan palace has many pictures and portraits related to the life of Mahatma Gandhi (The Father of the Nation) and other freedom fighters and their struggle. Aga khan palace is now the headquarters of Gandhi National Memorial Society. It also has a shop that sells Khaadi and other hand loomed textiles.

Gandhi Memorial Society celebrates public functions on various occasions in Aga khan palace.

Republic day - 26^th, January

Marty’s Day - 30^th, January

Independence Day - 15^th, August

Mahatma Gandhi birth anniversary = 2^nd October

Mahashuvratri – Mothers day (Death day of kasturba Gandhi)

Besides yearly events, morning prayers are also taken near the Samadhi since decades. Large number people gather every day and number increases during 2^nd October people come allover place to tribute mahatma Gandhi.