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{{Infobox historic site | {{Infobox historic site | ||
| name = Shaniwar Wada | | name = Shaniwar Wada | ||
| image = | | image = Shaniwaarwada_Pune.jpg | ||
| image_size = 280px | | image_size = 280px | ||
| caption = | | caption = Shaniwar Wada | ||
| location = [[Pune]], [[India]] | | location = [[Pune]], [[India]] | ||
| built = {{start date and age|1732}} | | built = {{start date and age|1732}} | ||
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[[File:Bajirao Peshwa Statue, Pune.jpg|thumb|280x280px|An equestrian statue of [[Peshwa]] [[Bajirao I|Baji Rao I]], Prime Minister of the [[Maratha Empire]], in the Shaniwar Wada complex. He was the first resident of the fortified palace.]] | [[File:Bajirao Peshwa Statue, Pune.jpg|thumb|280x280px|An equestrian statue of [[Peshwa]] [[Bajirao I|Baji Rao I]], Prime Minister of the [[Maratha Empire]], in the Shaniwar Wada complex. He was the first resident of the fortified palace.]] | ||
The Shaniwar Wada was normally | The Shaniwar Wada was normally | ||
the seven-story capital building of the [[Peshwa]]s of the [[Maratha Empire]]. It was supposed to be made entirely of stone but after the completion of the base floor or the first story, the people of [[Satara district|Satara]] (the national capital) complained to the Shahu (King) saying that a stone monument can be sanctioned and built only by the | the seven-story capital building of the [[Peshwa]]s of the [[Maratha Empire]]. It was supposed to be made entirely of stone but after the completion of the base floor or the first story, the people of [[Satara district|Satara]] (the national capital) complained to the Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj(King) saying that a stone monument can be sanctioned and built only by the king himself and not the [[Peshwa|Peshwas]]. Following this, an official letter was written to the Peshwas stating that the remaining building had to be made of brick and not stone. Even today if you visit and see the walls carefully, they are partly made of stone and partly by bricks. The Wada was then completed and upon being attacked by the British Artillery 90 years later, all the top six stories collapsed leaving only the stone base, which was immune to the British artillery. Hence only the stone base of the Shaniwar Wada remains and can be seen even today in the older parts of [[Pune]]. | ||
By 1758, at least a thousand people lived in the fort. | By 1758, at least a thousand people lived in the fort. | ||
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On 27 February 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/travel-pune-and-its-ghosts/20150719.htm |title=Pune and its ghosts |date=19 July 2015 |publisher=[[Rediff]] | access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref> | On 27 February 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/travel-pune-and-its-ghosts/20150719.htm |title=Pune and its ghosts |date=19 July 2015 |publisher=[[Rediff]] | access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref> | ||
According to Haricharitramrutsagar, a biographical text of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, he had visited Shaniwarwada on the insistence of Bajirao II in 1799.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/pune/punes-iconic-dance-festival-held-at-shaniwarwada/articleshow/63158060.cms|title=Pune's iconic Dance Festival held at Shaniwarwada - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/things-to-do/punes-pride-shaniwarwada/as23046375.cms|title=Pune's pride: Shaniwarwada|work=Times of India Travel|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/amenities-elude-visitors-at-iconic-shaniwarwada/articleshow/60980518.cms|title=Amenities elude visitors at iconic Shaniwarwada - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/academy-moves-forward-with-details-on-standards-of-conduct/articleshow/63831201.cms|title=Shaniwar Wada to be recreated for 'Panipat' - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/things-to-do/know-why-you-should-avoid-visiting-punes-shaniwarwada-fort-on-full-moon-nights/as63998053.cms|title=Know why you should avoid visiting | According to Haricharitramrutsagar, a biographical text of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, he had visited Shaniwarwada on the insistence of Bajirao II in 1799.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/pune/punes-iconic-dance-festival-held-at-shaniwarwada/articleshow/63158060.cms|title=Pune's iconic Dance Festival held at Shaniwarwada - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/things-to-do/punes-pride-shaniwarwada/as23046375.cms|title=Pune's pride: Shaniwarwada|work=Times of India Travel|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/amenities-elude-visitors-at-iconic-shaniwarwada/articleshow/60980518.cms|title=Amenities elude visitors at iconic Shaniwarwada - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/academy-moves-forward-with-details-on-standards-of-conduct/articleshow/63831201.cms|title=Shaniwar Wada to be recreated for 'Panipat' - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/things-to-do/know-why-you-should-avoid-visiting-punes-shaniwarwada-fort-on-full-moon-nights/as63998053.cms|title=Know why you should avoid visiting Pune's Shaniwarwada Fort on full moon nights|last=Sengar|first=Resham|work=Times of India Travel|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref> | ||
==Construction== | ==Construction== | ||
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:The ''Delhi Darwaza'' is the main gate of the complex, and faces north towards [[Delhi]]. Infact, Shaniwar Wada is the only fort structure in India to have its main gate facing Delhi, the mideaval imperial capital of [[Mughal Empire]]. Even [[Chhatrapati Shahu]] is said to have considered the north-facing fort an indication of Baji Rao's ambitions against the Mughal Empire, and suggested that the main gate should be made of ''chhaatiiche, maatiche naahi!'' ([[Marathi language|Marathi]] for "of the chests of brave soldiers, not made of mud"). | :The ''Delhi Darwaza'' is the main gate of the complex, and faces north towards [[Delhi]]. Infact, Shaniwar Wada is the only fort structure in India to have its main gate facing Delhi, the mideaval imperial capital of [[Mughal Empire]]. Even [[Chhatrapati Shahu]] is said to have considered the north-facing fort an indication of Baji Rao's ambitions against the Mughal Empire, and suggested that the main gate should be made of ''chhaatiiche, maatiche naahi!'' ([[Marathi language|Marathi]] for "of the chests of brave soldiers, not made of mud"). | ||
:The strongly built ''Delhi Darwaza'' gatehouse has massive doors, large enough to admit elephants outfitted with [[howdah]]s (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 boiling oil 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. Shaniwar Wada was built by a contractor from Rajasthan known as 'Kumawat' belongs to | :The strongly built ''Delhi Darwaza'' gatehouse has massive doors, large enough to admit elephants outfitted with [[howdah]]s (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 boiling oil 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. Shaniwar Wada was built by a contractor from Rajasthan known as 'Kumawat' belongs to Vadar Sub-caste, after completing construction they were given the name 'Naik' by the Peshwa.{{cn|date=August 2021}} | ||
: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. | :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. | ||
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* ''Mastani Darwaza'' (Mastani's Gate) or ''Aliibahadur Darwaja'', facing north | * ''Mastani Darwaza'' (Mastani's Gate) or ''Aliibahadur Darwaja'', facing north | ||
:This gate was | :This gate was the entrance leading to [[Bajirao I]]'s wife [[Mastani]]'s palace and was used by her while travelling out of the palace's perimeter wall.<ref name="Deccan Herald"/> | ||
*''Khidki Darwaza'' (Window Gate), facing east | *''Khidki Darwaza'' (Window Gate), facing east | ||
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*''Ganesh Darwaza'' ([[Ganesh]] Gate), facing south-east | *''Ganesh Darwaza'' ([[Ganesh]] Gate), facing south-east | ||
:Named for the Ganesh Rang Mahal, which used to stand near this door. It | :Named for the Ganesh Rang Mahal, which used to stand near this door. It was used by ladies at the fort to visit the nearby [[Kasba Ganapati]] temple.<ref name="Deccan Herald">{{cite news |last= Podder|first= Tanushree|date=18 March 2017|title=In Bajirao's backyard|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/602037/in-bajiraos-backyard.html|newspaper=Deccan Herald}}</ref> | ||
*''Jambhul Darwaza'' or ''Narayan Darwaja'' (Narayan's Gate), facing south | *''Jambhul Darwaza'' 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 [[Narayanrao Peshwa]]'s corpse was removed from the fort for cremation through this gate. | :This gate was used by concubines to enter and leave the fort. It obtained its second name after [[Narayanrao Peshwa]]'s corpse was removed from the fort for cremation through this gate.<ref name="Deccan Herald"/> | ||
===Palaces=== | ===Palaces=== | ||
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===The Fountain=== | ===The Fountain=== | ||
The complex had an impressive [[ | The complex had an impressive [[Nelumbo nucifera|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.{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}} | ||
Shrimant Anandrao Rudrajirao Dhulap-More (an admiral of Maratha navy in 18th century) 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.". | Shrimant Anandrao Rudrajirao Dhulap-More (an admiral of Maratha navy in 18th century) 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.". | ||