Aga Khan Palace, Pune

Visitor Information

• Famous for: Sightseeing, Photography, Historic Significance, Prison for Mahatma Gandhi, Italian Style of architecture, Sprawling Gardens, Experience Seeking and Wandering, Educative Tours, School excursions, Connoisseurs.
• Entrance Fee: The cost of getting inside this beautiful palace is a meager amount of Rs 15 for Indian adults and Rs 5 for children. Foreigners pay Rs 200 to get in.
• Visiting Time: From 9AM to 5:30PM, this palace is pretty much open throughout the day inviting the wanderers whenever they feel like getting a breath of fresh yet archaic air and a beautiful view.
• Visiting Duration: Between 2 to 3 hours is the average time of duration that you might spent here. But it totally depends upon personal interest and taste.

The young city of Pune in Maharashtra, which is famous for its tremendously outgoing youth population, happening night life with high end pubs and bars, college atmosphere all around you might think that’s the only aspect of the city. But as hip as the heart of Pune is, its outskirts provide equally archaic and historical buildings that seem to have trapped with themselves all the essence of the past. From wadas of the Shivaji to museums, the city covers everything. 7kms away from the city’s pulse is the Aga Khan Palace built by Sultan Ahmed Shah Aga KhanIII in 1892, is today known for housing the remains of Kasturba and Mahatma Gandhi. Of national importance, the beautiful palace now also serves as a museum.

Traveler Tips

• Cleanliness of the palace is impeccable. The rooms are so well maintain and pristine clean. Only the ground floor rooms are open for public discretion.
• The room where Gandhi was imprisoned has glass doors. This means it cannot be accessed from inside, tread cautiously.
• Khadi options can be purchased at the souvenir shop inside the palace. You could buy original stuff highlighting Indian culture at that time.
• Come to visit the gardens of this palace preferably during morning hours or early afternoon.
• Enjoy a good picnic lunch with your family in the tree shaded garden here.
• There is not a lot of tourism directed towards this palace, but make sure to collect all information and do check out the massive palace.
• There is need of maintenance inside the palace and hence help the administrators by not ruining any of the existing marvels.
• Canteen service is also available inside the palace. So you don’t have to worry in case you’re hungry.
• Photos are allowed to be taken inside the premises.

Things to Do

• Explore the 19 acre palace and learn everything about its history and peek through the life of our freedom fighters.
• There remain in its archives photographs and evidence of our freedom fighters and their lifestyle. It is a treat to get to watch that.
• Skim through the rich artistic pictures on display on the walls of the Museum here inside the palace.
• Also get a chance to look at personal belongings of the freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi.
• Picnic with your loved and dear ones on the sprawling lawns of this palace and have a wonderful time under the sun and among green shrubs.
• Buy Khadi and local handloom textiles at the shop inside and get to take away a beautiful handicrafted souvenir for everyone back at home.

Availability of Guides

Since the palace is neglected by the government to some extent, there are no guides available to give you a tour down the halls and corridors.

Best Time to Visit

Months between July to September offer amazing sightseeing opportunities in Pune city with slight drizzle and pleasant weather. You may avoid summers.

How to Reach

7 kilometres away from the center of Pune city, the Aga Palace you can hop onto a city bus that will bring you in a slightly longer time but give you glimpses of the rest parts of Pune or call an auto rickshaw or a cab which will take you directly to the palace. The nearest airport is Pune airport and railway station also at Pune itself.

Interesting Facts and Trivia About the Aga Khan Palace

• It was donated to India by Aga Khan in the year 1969.
• Remains of Kasturba Gandhi, the wife of the great Mahatma has been preserved here.
• During the infamous Quit India Movement during the year 1942, the Aga Khan Palace served as a prison to capture the freedom fighters. The walls of this palace have felt some of the most sensational breaths.
• Islamic and Italian both styles of architecture can be seen in the tinges of this place.
• It falls under the list of top 17 things to do in the city of Pune.
• The Sultanate who donated the palace, Aga Khan did it with the purpose of helping out rehabilitating and refurbishing the famine struck poor people.
• The palace has been supposedly constructed on a budget of a whooping Rs 1.2 million over a period of 5 years.
• The 2.5 meters of corridors running around the palace is a unique feature here.
• Martyr’s Day, Mahashivaratri, Independence Day, Republic Day and Mahatma Gandhi Janam divas are some of the few dates off the calendar which are celebrated with fervor inside the palace.
• Mahadeo bhai, Mahatma Gandhi’s secretary also died here and his remains too have been stored here.

Nearby Attractions

• Bhaja Caves
• Bhedse Caves
• Osho Ashram
• Kondeshwar Temple
• National War Museum
• Vishrambaug Wada
• Parvati Hills
• Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum
• Rajmachi Fort
• Shaniwar Wada
• Bhushi Dam
• Tungarli Lake

Nearby Restaurants

• Chingari
• Spice Kitchen
• Paasha
• Baan Tao
• Malaka Spice
• Vaishali Restaurant
• Dario’s Kitchen
• Bene
• Kangana
• Alto Vino

Just one visit to closely evaluate our freedom fighter’s lives and goosebumps are guaranteed for all alike. Aga Khan Palace definitely tops the list of weekend getaways for the residents of Pune.