Shaniwar Wada! The name instantly reminds you of the legendary Bollywood movie Bajirao Mastani. Yes, it’s the very fortress where Bajirao’s strength, power, and love still echo! Such was the legend of Bajirao! While moviegoers remember the splendor of the Peshwa court, the real Shaniwar Wada is known more for its haunted legends.Once, an old man passing near Shaniwar Wada claimed to hear the faint, heartbreaking cries of a child echoing through the halls. “Kaka! Mala vachva! (Uncle! Save me!),” the voice pleaded, sending chills down his spine. He panicked, but he knew it wasn’t someone calling him for help—it was meant for someone else! This is a cry heard by many who pass by Shaniwar Wada.
Whose cry was it? Who was calling out to his uncle in such pain? What secrets does Shaniwar Wada hold? How did this once mighty fort, known for power, strength, and love, become the center of haunted tales? Let’s uncover the spooky side of Shaniwar Wada Pune.
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The history of Shaniwar Wada is fascinating! It is a historic fort in Pune, India, built in 1732. It was the seat of the Peshwas, the leaders of the Maratha Empire, and became the center of Indian politics in the 18th century.Shaniwar Wada was originally designed as a seven-story palace for the Peshwas, with plans to build it entirely of stone. However, after the first floor was completed, the people of Satara, the capital, complained to Chhatrapati Shahu I (the emperor), saying that only the emperor could approve the construction of a stone monument, not the Peshwas. As a result, the Peshwas were instructed to complete the rest of the building using brick instead of stone.
By 1758, over a thousand people lived within the fort. In June 1818, Peshwa Bajirao II gave up his throne to Sir John Malcolm of the British East India Company.