Aga Khan Palace Pune: History and Visitor Guide

A grand Italianate palace built as famine relief became a prison for Gandhi, and then a memorial. In Pune, few places hold so much quiet history.

Aga Khan Palace is one of the most significant monuments of Pune, situated in the Yerawada area (on the Pune-Nagar Road). The palace dates back to 1892 and was built by Sultan Mohammed Shah, Aga Khan III. There was a noble cause behind its construction. In the 1890s, the region around Pune was hit by severe famine, and the palace was built in part to provide work for people hit by the drought.

In 1969, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV donated the palace to the people of India, in honour of Mahatma Gandhi and his philosophy. Today, the grounds hold the samadhis of Kasturba Gandhi, the wife of Mahatma Gandhi, and Mahadev Desai, Gandhi’s long-time secretary. Both died at the palace, where they were imprisoned with Gandhi.

A portion of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes is also kept at the memorial. Because of its close association with Gandhi, the palace is also known as the Gandhi National Memorial, and it regularly hosts exhibitions on his life and work. A museum is located inside the palace.

The museum displays a wide collection of photographs covering many of the most important events in Mahatma Gandhi’s life. One can also see items he used, including utensils, clothes, a mala (prayer beads) and chappals (slippers). The memorial is managed by the Gandhi National Memorial Society and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Prison of the Quit India movement

On 9 August 1942, after the Congress launched the Quit India movement, the British arrested Gandhi and other leaders. Gandhi, Kasturba, Mahadev Desai, Sarojini Naidu and others were held at the Aga Khan Palace. Mahadev Desai died there within days, in August 1942. Kasturba died at the palace on 22 February 1944. Gandhi was released in May 1944. Standing in the rooms where they lived, and then walking to the simple samadhis in the garden, is one of the most moving experiences in Pune.

The building

The palace is a broad, two-storey building with arched verandahs running around it, Italianate arches and a grand roofline, set in large gardens. Its scale is striking: wide corridors, high ceilings, and long views across the lawns. Take time to walk around the outside before you go in.

What to see

The rooms of Gandhi and Kasturba: with photographs and personal belongings.
The museum galleries: photographs and documents from Gandhi’s life and the freedom movement.
The samadhis: of Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai, in a quiet corner of the garden.
The memorial to Gandhi’s ashes.
The gardens: lawns and trees that make the palace a peaceful refuge from Nagar Road traffic.

How to reach

The palace is in Kalyani Nagar/Yerawada, east of central Pune and a short drive from Pune Junction railway station and the airport at Lohegaon. Autos and app cabs are the easiest option; Pune Metro has been expanding, so check whether a station nearby suits your route. City buses also run along Nagar Road.

Best time

Pune’s pleasant months, October to February, are ideal. In April and May, visit early or late, as the gardens are warm at midday. The palace is busy on 2 October (Gandhi Jayanti) and 30 January (Martyrs’ Day), when special events are held. Check current opening hours and the weekly closing day before visiting; there is an entry fee.

Where to stay and eat

Kalyani Nagar, Koregaon Park and Viman Nagar, all close by, have a wide range of hotels, from business hotels to guesthouses, and many restaurants and cafes. Read our guide to Pune food that is not a café list for ideas.

A walk through the story

The best way to see the palace is to follow the order of events. Begin with the galleries of photographs, which trace Gandhi’s life from South Africa to the salt march and the freedom movement. Then go to the rooms where he and his companions were held during the Quit India years, simple spaces that feel small inside such a large building. Read the panels about Kasturba’s last illness and the daily routine of the prisoners: prayers, spinning, reading, letters. Finally, step out into the garden to the samadhis. Most visitors fall silent here.

The contrast is what stays with you. A palace built for a prince’s household became the place where the leaders of a mass movement were confined, and where two of them died. Today schoolchildren run across the same lawns.

For families and students

The palace is one of the best places in Pune to introduce children to the freedom movement. The photographs are clear and the stories are human: a wife, a secretary, a man spinning thread in prison. Teachers often bring school groups, and the memorial sometimes runs events and talks. A small shop has sold khadi products and books on Gandhi; check what is available on the day.

Nearby

Koregaon Park, with its leafy lanes, is a short ride away, and the old city, with Shaniwar Wada and the Peshwa-era temples, is about half an hour across town depending on traffic. Read about the lanes of the old cantonment in Camp, and the lanes behind it.

Good to know

The palace is sometimes listed as Gandhi National Memorial in maps and booking apps, so search under either name. Entry fees differ for Indian and foreign visitors, as at most protected monuments, and children and students may have concessions. The gardens are a lovely place to sit, but eating inside the monument is usually not allowed; have breakfast or lunch nearby before or after your visit. If you are coming from the airport, the palace makes an easy first stop on the way into the city.

Tips

Allow one to two hours.
Dress modestly and keep your voice down near the samadhis.
Check photography rules inside the museum.
Combine with an early morning in the old city; see the city before the weekend traffic.