Aga Khan Palace, Pune – Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and more

Legacy of Aga Khan to Mahatma Gandhi and India freedom movement

Nestled amidst the bustling city of Pune, Aga Khan Palace stands as a testimony to history, heritage, and architecture. It also narrates the tale of generosity, kindness and philanthropy. It also connects to the history of the Indian freedom struggle, linking the Quit India Movement and Mahatma Gandhi.

Aga Khan Palace, Pune

Aga Khans: The Aga Khan is the hereditary title of the spiritual leader (Imam) of the Nizari Ismaili Shia Muslims, a global community of 12-15 million people. They trace their lineage back to the Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and son-in-law Ali.

Left: Aga Khan III (Sultan Muhammad Shah)
Right: Aga Khan IV (Shah Karim al-Hussaini)

The title of Aga Khan, which translates to “Great Leader” or “Grand Commander”—was first bestowed upon Hasan Ali Shah (Aga Khan I) in the early 19th century by the Persian King Fat’h Ali Shah Qajar.

The present title of Aga Khan is held by the Aga Khan V (Rahim al-Hussaini), who took charge on 4 February 2025 following the passing of his father, Aga Khan IV (Shah Karim al-Hussaini)

The plan for Aga Khan Palace, Pune: The elegant palace with its grand edifice was constructed in 1892 by Aga Khan III (Sultan Muhammad Shah) (In office: 1885 – 1957. The building was commissioned to provide employment to the villagers of the famine-stricken area in and around Pune. The construction involved about a one lakh workers and took 5 years to complete at a cost of ₹12 lakhs.

Corridors and towers of Aga Khan Palace, Pune

Architecture: The grand building follows the Indo-Saracenic architecture and has its share of turrets and pediments. The building also houses huge halls and long balconies lined with arches supported by slender decorative columns. The building stands in the middle of a 19-acre sprawling campus with manicured lawns dotted with flower beds & fountains and crisscrossed by tree-lined pathways.

Tree lined roads leading to the Aga Khan Palace, Pune

Prison for leaders of Quit India Movement: During the Quit India Movement, several leaders of the Indian freedom movement were kept under internment at the Aga Khan Palace. They included Mahatma Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba. Also in the list was Sarojini Naidu, Mahadev Desai (Gandhi’s secretary), along with a few others. Kasturba and Desai both died during their internment period and Naidu was released on 21 March 1943 because of ill-health. The rest served their entire term, starting from 9 August 1942 to 6 May 1944.

Galleries of Aga Khan Palace, Pune – Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders of Quit India Movement

Post-Independence: After independence, the Aga Khan Palace served as a residential school (1953 – 72). But, Gandhi always wanted to convert the place of his wife’s death into a place of Emancipation of Women.

Samadhis (left to right) Mahadev Desai, Kasturba Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi

His dreams finally came true on 2 October 1969, when the Aga Khan IV (Shah Karim al-Hussaini) (In office: 1936 – 2025) donated the palace to the Indian people as a mark of respect to Gandhi and his philosophy. The school moved out in 1972 and on August 15, 1972, a Gandhi Museum cum Picture Gallery was inaugurated at The Aga Khan Palace.

Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi

In 1980, the Aga Khan Palace, along with the museum and gallery, came under the management of the Gandhi National Memorial Society.

Over the years, several galleries, complete with statues and artefacts, were added to the museum. In 2003, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declared Aga Khan Palace as a monument of national importance.

Aga Khan Palace today: Today, the sprawling lawns and the magnificent architecture of Aga Khan Palace are a prime tourist attraction of Pune and attract tourists from far and wide. Today, the Gandhi Museum at Aga Khan Palace is spread across 6 galleries exhibiting several statues of Gandhi and others. The galleries contain elaborate write-ups and photos describing the history of Quit India Movement.

Aga Khan Palace and gardens

It exhibits a statue of Quit India Movement procession and another depicts Gandhi lifting an untouchable child. The most touching statue is of Gandhi sitting in front of a framed photo of Kasturba. The compound contains the samadhi (memorials housing the ashes) of Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai. These are simple octagonal structures with inscriptions in English, Hindi and Urdu. In 1992, a portion of Gandhi’s ashes was shifted to the Aga Khan Palace grounds and a marble samadhi was built over it. The three samadhis are today enclosed inside a wall compound with marble flooring. The compound also houses a khadi shop and a small canteen.

Necessary Information:

Timings: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm, open all days of the week
Tickets: ₹5 for Indian adult, ₹2 for Indian children and ₹100 for foreigners
Photography: Cameras are not allowed; however, there is no restriction on mobile photography

Note: This tour was part of a Familiarization (FAM) tour organised by Indian Tourism, Mumbai office. The trip included R K Laxman Museum, Pune University Heritage Walk, Saniwar Wada, Pune Zero Stone, World War Memorials and Cemetery of Pune and Shinde Chhatri

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