Agakhan
Place is about 2 kms away from Bund Garden in Yerwada on Pune-Nagar
Road. Agakhan palace is of Italian arches and spacious lawns. This
building comprises of five halls. The palace covers an area of 19 acres,
out of which 7 acres is the built up area and is an excellent building
from architectural point of view. It captivates the eye of an spectator
with its magnificence and picturesque beauty. Sultan Mohammad shah
Agakhan built this Palace in 1892. It was built to help the famine
affected people, when there was a famine in Maharashtra. It took 5 years
and 12 lakhs to complete this Palace. Area of its ground floor is 1756
sq meters. That of the first floor is 1080 sq meters, whereas the second
floor has a construction of 445 sq meters. Speciality of this structure
is that ithas a corredore of 2.5 meters around the entire building.
Prince Karim Agakhan donated this palace to Gandhi Smarak Samittee in
1972 and since then Parks and Gardens organization is maintaining this
National Monumental Garden.
This place does not look like it would have been used as a prison, but
Mahatma Gandhi, Kasturba Gandhi, Shri Mahadeobhai Desai, Dr. Sarojini
Naidu, Meera Ben, Dr. GLinder, Pyarelal Nayyar, Sushila Nayyar and
others were kept under imprisonment over here during the Quit India
movement in 1942. Mahatma Gandhi was kept here for 21 months. It was
during this period that Shri Mahadeobhai Desai (15th August 1942) and
Kasturba Gandhi (22nd February 1944) breathed their last in this place.
Their Marble Memorials are beautifully designed by the famous architect
Charles Correa which can be seen over here. Statue of the Mahatma Gandhi
too stands here. Other than this the articles used by Mahatama Gandhi
like his writing desk, his bed, Kasturba's Sari, clothes and her
Footwear are preserved properly in their place of use. Pictures of
Indian Independence Movement beautify the walls.
Khadi Gramudyog Bhandar, Mahadev Chhapkhana, Rashtriya Mahila Sanstha,
Stiching classes etc. is carried out here now a days. Readymade
Garments, Embroidery, Fiber, Agarbatti, Candle and Chalk making classes
are carried out here. Poor and the Needy are given a free training and
the rest are changed a nominal fee for the training.
This place is visited by a large number of tourists. It is open on all
working days except national holidays. |