The
visit to Aga Khan Palace, at Pune, in Maharashtra State, was part of “Rock Cut
Cave Temples of Maharashtra Visit”, from 28th February to 3rd March 2026.
This
palace played an important role in the freedom of our country. Mahatma Gandhi,
his wife Kasturba, and his Secretary Mahadevbhai Desai were interned at the
palace for 2 years. Mahatma Gandhi’s wife, Kasturba and his secretary passed
away at this place when they were interned.
THE
HISTORY OF AGAKHAN PALACE
The
Agakhan Palace, also known as the Gandhi National Memorial, was built in 1892 by the 3rd Agakhan, Sultan Mohammoad Shah Agakhan, who was the 48th spiritual head of the Khoja Ismaili religion. He constructed this palace, intended to be a source of employment for the famine-struck villagers in the
surrounding areas. It took about five years to complete the work of this palace, and one thousand people were employed, and they were given full-hearted wages
for their livelihood, and twelve lakhs was the cost. In the year 1969, Prince
Karim El Hussenim Agakhan IV came to India and donated this palace with
surrounding land to the Government of India, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, New Delhi, in
memory of Mahatma Gandhi and his philosophy. This palace is a national monument
of India's freedom movement. Following the launch of the 'Quit India Movement' in
1942, Gandhiji, his wife Kasturba, and Secretary Mahadevbhai Desai were interned at
the palace from August 9, 1942, to May 6, 1944. Mahadevbhai and Kasturba passed
away while in captivity at the Agakhan Palace, and their "Samadhis"
are located in the palace campus. This monument is a simple memorial to Gandhiji
and his life. The museum inside the palace complex has a rich collection of
pictures and photographs of the important incidents of his life. There is also
a wide assortment of his personal items, including utensils, clothes, mala,
slippers and also a letter written by Gandhiji on the death of his secretary. A
small amount of Gandhiji's ashes is kept near the samadhis of Kasturba Gandhi
and Mahadevbhai Desai.
The
Agakhan palace has been declared as a monument of national importance by the
Archaeological Survey of India vide Govt. of India Gazette Notification No. SO
255 (E) dated 3.3.2003.
Archaeological
Survey of India
INDIA’s
FREEDOM MOVEMENT
August.
1942 The fervour for freedom was at its peak, anger was brewing against a brute
Empire, and it was then that. Gandhi called out, "We shall either free
India or die in the attempt. We shall not live to see the perpetuation of our
slavery. In response, the British arrested Gandhiji along with a few of his
associates and detained him for 21 months at the Aga Khan Palace. While outside
these walls, the country was left leaderless, the movement for freedom from
slavery was guided by the spirit and principles advocated by Gandhi. This
place became the centre point of the 'Quit India Movement. It was here that
Mahadev Desal & Kasturba breathed their last.
This
memorial museum is dedicated to Gandhiji and showcases in detail the entire 21
months that Gandhiji was detained here. The 12 galleries spread over 3 floors
will transport the visitor to those tough times that our beloved father of the
nation spent behind bars and yet guided the freedom movement.
'QUIT
INDIA' Resolutions passed
Amidst
an uprising of a nation-wide resistance, meetings of the Congress Working Committee
were held at Sevagram (Wardha) in July 1942. Gandhiji attended the meetings and
shared his views. After discussions for several days with the Committee
members, the 'Quit India' resolution took shape as drafted by Gandhiji. The
resolution was passed and published on 14th July, 1942. Gandhiji was to lead
the country in the struggle. It was clear that, though he had changed his mind
on the question of immediate withdrawal of Allied troops from India, he
insisted on immediate abdication of British rule.
The
conclusion of the 'Quit India' resolution read:
Should,
however, this appeal fail, the Congress cannot view without the gravest
apprehension the continuation of the present state of affairs involving a
progressive deterioration in the situation and the weakening of India's will
and power to resist aggression. The Congress will then be reluctantly compelled
to utilise all the non-violent strength it might have gathered since 1920, when
it adopted non-violence as part of its policy for the vindication of the
political rights and liberty. Such a widespread struggle would inevitably be
under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. As issues raised are of the most vital
and far-reaching importance to the people of India as well as to the peoples of
the United Nations, the Working Committee refer them to the AICC for final
decision. For this purpose, the AICC will meet in Bombay on the 7th of August,
1942.
The
Diaries of MAHADEV DESAI: Mirror of Mahatma Gandhi's Work & Thoughts.
Mahadev
Haribhai Desai joined the journey of Truth & Non-violence with Gandhiji in
November 1917. He followed Mahatma Gandhi as his shadow till his last breath
on 15th August 1942. Desai not only remained with Gandhiji as his personal
secretary, but also merged himself completely with his master.
Mahadev
Desai began writing his diary on 13th November 1917, and continued writing
until 14th August 1942, the day before he died. These diaries contain anecdotes
about Gandhiji's life, his peculiarities and his philosophy of life. In these
diaries, one can also find comments about the books Gandhiji read and a lot of
intriguing citations from certain books. The diaries also offer great insight
into Gandhiji's experiments of Satyagraha, penance of Truth & Non-violence,
fight for freedom, words of silent days, sacrifice of fast-days and connection
of Charkha & Khadi. Though the diaries had very raw details, they offered the most authentic insight into Gandhiji's life. The diaries hold foremost place
because of the grandeur of the subject matter and its style of presentation.
They are a mirror of Mahatma Gandhi's work & thoughts!
Mahadev Desai's memorial is along with Kasturba's memorial
Epic
Fast of 21 Days
After
Gandhiji's arrest in August 1942, people became restless and angry. They began
to put their might behind the mantra of Quit India 'Do or Die'. Thousands of
processions ensued across India. The colonial government banned the Working
Committees and declared them illegal.
One of the display boards of a room records the following...
महात्मा गांधी और पूज्य कस्तूर बा बंदीकी हालतमें इस
कमरेमें रहते थे । (१९४२ से १९४४) कस्तूर बा इसी कमरेमें परलोक सिधारी |
(दि.२२ फरवरी १९४४ महाशिवरात्री के दिन)
MAHATMA GANDHI & KASTUR BA USED THIS ROOM DURING INTERNMENT
(1942-1944) KASTUR BA EXPIRED IN THIS ROOM ON 22nd FEBRUARY 1944 (MAHASHIVRATRI)
A
Request to the Government on Kasturba's Funeral, from Mahatma
Gandhiji.
"The body should be handed over to my sons and relatives, which would mean a public
funeral without interference from the government.
If
that is not possible, the funeral should take place as in the case of Mahadev
Desai, and if the Government allows relatives only to be present at the
funeral, I shall not be able to accept the privilege unless all friends who are
as good as relatives to me are also allowed to be present.
If
this is also not acceptable to the Government, then those who have been allowed
to visit her will be sent away by me, and only those who are in the camp
(detenus) will attend the funeral
It
has been, as you will be able to bear witness, my great anxiety not to make any
political capital out of this most trying illness of my life companion. But I
have always wanted whatever the Government did to be done with good grace. I am afraid. has been hitherto lacking. It is not too much to expect that
now that the patient is no more, whatever the Government decide about the
funeral will be done with good grace
(Gandhiji's
Correspondence with the Government. Letter dated February 22. 1944)
Kasturba: An Ideal Life Partner
In
Mohandas journey from a common man to Mahatma, Kasturba has played an integral
role. Though her name is often lost in the face of Gandhiji's leadership, she
was his pillar of support, the first individual who was a part of him like no
other. If he could convince her to give up her notions of caste and
untouchability, he could convince others of the same. She was perhaps the only
person who could disagree with him and point out his mistakes. She was his
companion, his wife, his caretaker, and later in life, his representative too.
Gandhiji
wrote in his autobiography 'She is blessed with one quality to a very
considerable degree, a quality which most Hindu wives possess in some measure.
And it is this willingly or unwillingly, consciously or unconsciously, she has
considered herself blessed in following in my footsteps and has never stood in
the way of my endeavour to lead a life of restraint."
Paying
respect to his wife. Gandhiji once remarked, "If anything, she stood above
me. But for her unfailing co-operation, I might have been in the abyss. She
helped me to keep wide awake and true to my vows. She stood by me in all my
political fights and never hesitated to take the plunge. In the current sense
of the word, she was uneducated, but to my mind, she was a model of true education.
She was a devoted Vaishnav. But she had obliterated all feeling of caste from
her mind and regarded a Harijan girl with no less affection than her own
children. She personified the Kasturba Gandhi ideal, which Narsimha Mehta has
sung in the Vaishnavajana hymn. There were occasions when I was engaged in a grim
wrestle with death. During my Aga Khan Palace fast, I literally came out of death's jaws. But she shed not a tear, never lost hope or courage, but prayed to
God with all her soul.
Kasturba
Gandhi Smarak.
During the Quit India Movement in the freedom struggle of India, Mahatma Gandhi, his wife
Kasturba and Secretary Mahadev Desai and others were interned in the Agakhan
palace as house arrest for a period of two years. On 15th August 1942, Mahadev
Desai died due to a heart attack, and Kasturba passed away on 22nd February 1944.
Their mortal remains were enshrined here.
Gandhi Ji's holy ash is kept in this memorial
Gandhiji
wrote letters to the Viceroy regarding the massive repression unleashed by the
Government. The Viceroy replied: "There is evidence that you and your
friends expected this policy to lead to violence; and that you were prepared to
condone it..." Gandhiji regarded the Viceroy's letter as "an
invitation to fast". Gandhiji observed a 21-day fast from 10th February to
2 March 1943; in protest against Government propaganda that the responsibility
for the disturbances after the arrest of leaders was that of the Congress.
The
Government offered to release Gandhiji "for the purpose and for the
duration" of the fast. But he refused the offer, explaining that the fast
"was not conceived to be taken as a free man" and therefore, if he
was released, there would be no fast.
Many
visitors came to meet Mahatma Gandhi during this epic fast. Gandhiji said
before breaking the 21-day fast, "I do not know why Providence has saved
me on this occasion. Possibly, it is because He has some more mission for me to
fulfil."
Sarojini Naidu occupied this room
One of the oldest fountains
---
OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
