Shaniwarwada(anivrav) is an 18th-centuryfortificationin the city ofPuneinMaharashtra,India. Built in 1746The fort itself was largely destroyed in 1828 by an unexplained fire, but the surviving structures are now maintained as a tourist site.ConstructionPeshwaBaji Rao I, prime minister toChattrapati Shahu, king of the Maratha empire, laid the ceremonial foundation of his own residence on Saturday, January 10, 1730. It was namedShaniwarwadafrom the Marathi wordsShaniwar(Saturday) andWada(a general term for any residence complex).Teakwas imported from the jungles ofJunnar, stone was brought from the nearby quarries ofChinchwad, andLime (mineral)was brought from the lime-belts ofJejuri. Shaniwarwada was completed in 1732, at a total cost of Rs. 16,110, a very large sum at the time.Later the Peshwas made several additions, including the fortification walls, with bastions and gates; court halls and other buildings; fountains and reservoirs. Currently, the perimeter fortification wall has five gateways and nine bastion towers, enclosing a garden complex with the foundations of the original buildings. It is situated near theMula-Mutha River, inKasba Peth.Fort complexGatesShaniwarwada has five gates: Dilli DarwazaTheDilli Darwazais the main gate of the complex, and faces north towardsDelhi.Chhatrapati Shahuis said to have considered the north-facing fort a sign of Baji Rao's ambitions against theMughal empire, and suggested that the main gate should be madechhaatiiche, maatiche naahi!(Marathifor of the chests of brave soldiers, not mere mud).The strongly builtDilli Darwazagatehouse has massive doors, large enough to admit elephants outfitted withhowdahs(seating canopies). To discourage elephants charging the gates, each pane of the gate has seventy-two sharp twelve-inch steel spikes arranged in a nine by eight grid, at approximately the height of the forehead of a battle-elephant. Each pane was also fortified with steel cross members, and borders were bolted with steel bolts having sharpened cone heads. The bastions flanking the gatehouse has arrow-loops andmachicolationchutes through which boiling oil could be poured onto offending raiders. The right pane has a small man-sized door for usual entries and exits, too small to allow an army to enter rapidly. Shaniwar Wada was built by contractor from Rajasthan known as 'Kumawat Kshatriya', after completing construction they were given the name 'Naik' by the Peshwa.Even if the main gates were to be forced open, a charging army would need to turn sharply right, then sharply left, to pass through the gateway and into the central complex. This would provide a defending army with another chance to attack the incoming army, and to launch a counterattack to recapture the gateway.As the ceremonial gate of the fort, military campaigns would set out from and be received back here, with appropriate religious ceremonies. Mastani Darwaja(Mastani's Gate) orAliibahadur Darwaja, facing northThis gate was used by Bajirao's wifeMastaniwhile travelling out of the palace's perimeter wall. Khidki Darwaja(Window Gate), facing eastTheKhidki Darwajais named for an armoured window it contains. Ganesh Darwaja(GaneshGate), facing south-eastNamed for theGanesh Rang Mahal, which used to stand near this door. It could be used by ladies at the fort to visit the nearbyKasba Ganapatitemple. Jambhul DarwajaorNarayan Darwaja(Narayan's Gate), facing southThis gate was used by concubines to enter and leave the fort. It obtained its second name afterNarayanrao Peshwa's corpse was removed from the fort for cremation through this gate.

Palaces[edit]The important buildings in the palace includes the Thorlya Rayancha Diwankhana (Marathi:The court reception hall of the eldest royal, meaning Baji Rao I), Naachacha Diwankhana (Dance Hall), and Juna Arsa Mahal (Old Mirror Hall).

Since the buildings were destroyed in the fire of 1828, only descriptions of the living areas of the fort are available. All the state halls in the buildings are said to have doorways with exquisitely carved teak arches, with ornamental teardrop teak pillars shaped like Suru (cypress tree) trunks supporting the ceilings, which were covered with beautiful teak tracery, carved creepers and flowers. Exquisite glass chandeliers hung from the ceilings. The floors were made of highly polished marble, arranged in a mosaic pattern and adorned with rich Persian rugs. The walls contained paintings with scenes from the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The buildings are said to have been designed and constructed by many well-known artisans, including Shivaram Krishna, Devaji, Kondaji Sutar, Morarji Patharwat Bhojraja (an inlay-work expert from Jaipur) and Ragho (a painter).

It is said that the Shaniwarwada complex was seven storeys high. On the top floor was the residence of the Peshwa which was called Meghadambari. It is said that the spire of Jnevar temple at Alandi, 17 km away, could be seen from there.

The Fountain[edit]The complex had an impressive lotus-shaped fountain: the Hazari Karanje (Fountain of a thousand jets). It was constructed for the pleasure of the infant Peshwa Sawai Madhavrao. It was designed as a sixteen petal lotus; each petal had sixteen jets with an eighty-foot arch. It was the most complicated and intricate fountain of its time.[citation needed]

Captain More who visited the Shaniwarwada in 1791 described it as very magnificent. A hundred dancers can dance here at a time. In one corner is a marble Ganapati statue and the palace is flanked by a fountain and a flower garden..

Front gate of Shaniwar Wada

Shaniwar Wada palace's Delhi Gate

Shaniwar Wada palace Narayan's Gate

The imposing walls of the Shaniwar Wada, in an 1860 photograph

Shaniwar Wada palace walls and ruins below

Shaniwar Wada palace fountain

A hall in the first floor abovedilli darwaja(Delhi Gate)

A hall in the first floor abovedilli darwaja(Delhi Gate)

Referencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaniwar_Wada

https://vectorinkrendering.wordpress.com/2014/12/26/pune-study-tour-architecture-study-2/

http://www.maharashtratourism.net/monuments/shaniwar-wada.html