Lal Mahal alias Red Palace is situated in the center
of Pune at Shaniwar Peth, next to Shaniwar Wada. It was built with red
bricks by Sahaji Bhonsale(Dadaji), in the year 1634 as a residence for
his wife Jijabai and son Shivaji. Shivaji stayed in the palace for several
years till he captured his first fort, Torna fort in 1643. Lal Mahal of
Pune is said to be the place where Shivaji Maharaj defeated Shaistekhan,
a Mughal invader by cutting his fingers.
Lal Mahal houses a large collection of marvelous pictures of Shivaji
in different forms and also numerous relics belong to the 16th century.
There is a beautiful structure showing Shivaji in his youth plowing with
a golden plough with his mother Jijabai and Guru Dadoji Konddev looking
at him. The main attractions of the palace are the four umbrellas on the
terrace, statues of Jijabai and the beautiful Jijamata Garden, which has
now been used as a leisure park for the kids. A fiber model of Raigad
fort with horsemen and a huge map of Maharashtra indicating the forts
of Shivaji are the other attractions. In 1998 Lal Mahal was renovated
by the Pune Municipal Corporation.
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Maharashtra 
