Shaniwarwada back in the reckoning

A bonanza of a 8220;Light and Sound8221; show at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore is all set to make this historical monument glow dazzlingly. The shabby and dusty ground, bang in front of the wada, which has had politicians and other celebrities waxing eloquent during public rallies, is being spruced up with a landscaped garden and a permanent stage for speakers.

Shaniwarwada, a must see on the tourists8217; itinerary, particularly if one takes the Pune Darshan bus, is actually a big let down for sight-seers. Its old world charm has slowly become a thing of the past, largely due to the beastly skyline that surrounds it: of mutli-storeyed cemented structures that have ugly facades. However, recent efforts of the Pune Municipal Corporation promises to turn a new leaf for this monument. No sanctions are being given to high rise buildings around this wada.

As you approach this monument through a maze of traffic, you encounter the ubiquitous roadside stalls including the bhelwalas and the keymakers, and an army of idlers squatting lazily along most part of its facade. The open ground, now filled with construction workers, is otherwise a dusty, open land, highlighting neglect. In one corner of the ground, women with babies in arms cook under the sky making it their home. One portion of the wada8217;s facade has been completely covered by a huge banyan tree 8211; the only thing that looks beautiful.

The tale of the four generation of Peshwas, who lived in this once-glorious wada of seven storeys high and studded with magnificent mahals, is punctuated with conspiracies, murders and love-affairs. However, there are no tell-tale signs!

As you enter the Dilli Darwaza, you hardly get an insight into the heydays of this monument. For, the fires that ravaged the beautiful wooden structures in the early 19th century took away its sheen. Instead manicured lawns, bordered by stalwart trees greet your eyes. And that8217;s a large enclosure of around six acres.

Why would a visitor to this city want to idle away his time picnicking in a sight-seeing place which is of tremendous historical significance in Maratha history? He would like to have a peek, maybe through a series of paintings of the original glory of Shaniwarwada or then of the Peshwai history that was written amidst these stone-walled premises. Well, there is a plaque that tells you a story of this wada and its inhabitant in about 300 words. You get an idea, but are you satisfied? You ask for a brochure or a booklet. The ticket office sells none.You climb up the Nagarkhana and what you see is congested lanes and buildings all around you. There is no way, you can stand and stare to spin back into the glorious past. The cacophony of the vehicular flow and sight-for-sore-eyes that is the concrete structures, do not give you a peace of mind for any instrospection. It8217;s physical location apparently cannot change because Shaniwarwada8217;s situated in the very heart of the city and they say you cannot stopdevelopment.

However, thanks to the efforts of the Archeological Survey of India, Pune Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation and now, the National Culture Fund, its worth and beauty promises to be enhanced by better upkeep and presentation. In the recent years, other modern landmarks were threatening to obliviate this traditional one. But now it seems, the revival of the Shaniwarwada will again inspire Puneites to use its facade, as a logo whenever they want to depict Pune. Like they have been doing, for many, many years.