Soul of the City - Shanivarwada Fort
For many people, Shanivarwada Fort identifies Pune and its past. It's almost like the soul of the city lies within its hallowed ramparts and ruins. And the proud Punekar will be able to rattle off facts about the fort whenever asked - from the laying of the foundation stone by Peshwa Bajirao I on January 10, 1730, right up to its destruction in a fire in 1828. Fortunately, the walls surrounding the the fort survived the flames and continue to provide a glimpse into the lavish lives of the people living within.
Although the Chhatrapati's were actual rulers of the Maratha kingdom, it was the Peshwa's, or prime ministers, who actually controlled and managed day to day workings of the empire. The foundation stone of this palace-fort was laid by Peshwa Baji Rao I on January 10, 1730.
The complex housed luxurious palaces, servant's quarters and stables for the entire Peshwa clan, surrounding by a strong wall and teak-wood doors. The main gate is called 'Dilli Darwaza' because it faces Delhi, capital of the Mughals with whom the Maratha's were constantly at war. When Chhatrapati Shahu came to hear of this layout of the fort, he is said to have expressed his concern with the words "Chhatiche, maatiche naahi", which in Marathi means that the walls must be built out of the strong chests of brave soldiers, and not just mud.
Fort Gates
The Dilli Darwaza is 21 feet tall, large enough for an elephant outfitted with a howdah to enter. It's teakwood doors are armoured with 72 sharp, 12-inch steel spikes to prevent enemy elephants from charging in through closed doors. Bastions on either side of the gate have arrow loops and machicolation chutes for scalding the bejeezus out of enemy soldiers trying to scale the ramparts.
The other four gates of the fort are called 'Alibahadur Darwaza' or 'Mastani Darwaza' after the mistress of Peshwa Bajirao, 'Khidki Darwaza' for its armoured window, 'Ganesh Darwaza', which faces towards the nearby Kasba Peth and was used by the royal family when visiting the Kasba Peth Ganapati temple and 'Jhambul Darwaza' or 'Narayan Darwaza' which was used by the funeral procession of Narayanrao Peshwa in 1773.
Palaces
The most important buildings in the fort were the 'Thorlya Rayancha Diwankhana', meaning reception hall of the eldest royal in Marathi, 'Naachacha Diwankhana' or the dance hall, 'Juna Arisa Mahal' or the hall of the old mirror and 'Ganesh Rang Mahal'. It is said that famous artists from all over the country were commissioned to build exquisitely carved teakwood pillars, arches and ceiling panels, glass chandeliers, marble mosaic tiles and murals from the epic Ramayana and Mahabharata on the walls.
A lotus-shaped fountain with sixteen petals, called 'Hazaari Kaaranje' or fountain of a thousand jets adorned the palace lawns.
Decline and Destruction
Peshwa Bajirao II abdicated the throne and the fort to Sir John Malcolm of the East India Company in June 1818 and went into exile at Bithoor near Kanpur. Ten years later, on February 28, 1828, a fire mysteriously broke out inside the palace which raged on for seven days. It destroyed the entire palace in its wake, leaving only the ramparts, gateways and foundations of the buildings inside.