Fire breaks out near historic Shaniwar Wada in Pune, causes minor damage to ‘Narayan Darwaja’

“We doused the flames and brought the situation under control within 15 minutes. The cause of the fire could not be confirmed,” he added. Chowdhari was accompanied by firemen Sachin Wagh and Atish Naiknaware, driver Samir Shaikh, and staffer Sanjay Gaikwad.

After the fire was extinguished, the security personnel at Shaniwar Wada and the Fire Brigade officials opened the door to check for serious damage. Fire officials said that the door was blackened due to the flames, but major damage was averted as the fire was extinguished immediately.

Fire brigade officials said similar fire incidents had been reported at Shaniwar Wada in the past, too. “It is important to take essential precautions like clearing the dry foliage and garbage around the Shaniwar Wada regularly to prevent fire incidents,” a fire officer said.

The seat of the Peshwas

Shaniwar Wada was constructed in 1732 by Peshwa Bajirao I. It is known to be the seat of the Peshwas of the Maratha Confederacy till 1818. A part of Shaniwar Wada was destroyed during a fire in 1828. The remaining part is now maintained as an archaeological and tourist site.

As per information shared by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Shaniwar Wada is a “large building with rooms around an open courtyard, balconies, carved pillars, classic timber supports leading to stairways and halls, latticed windows, sculpted ceilings, decorative Jejuri limestone wall niches and Hazari Karanje (fountain of thousand spouts) along with massive wooden doors. The murals on the main gate walls are delicate Maratha masterpieces….”.