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Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Hidden Stories: How wada architecture united art and science, community and conquest
In Pune, where the soundscape is an endless loop of construction, and jagged high-rises pierce the sky, it is evident that the city is fascinated with buildings. Even as new homes take over the landscape, however, the historic ones are crumbling. The number of wadas, a type of climate-friendly residential structures that are postcards from the past, has been reducing over the years. This is, both, a sign and an outcome of a disappearing way of life. We delve into some of the salient features of wada architecture: A Peshwa-era legacy Wadas have not been a part of the Pune landscape from the beginning. 'The wadas are not known at the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Lal Mahal, Shivneri fort, Raigad Fort, Pratapgad Fort and Raigad are the names that are more familiar,' writes Kiran Kalamdani, a Pune-based architect, urban designer and conservation expert, in the essay, The Wada (Manor House) of Maharashtra: A Unique Legacy. It is only in the beginning of the 18th century, that wadas became popular status symbols. Noblemen at the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj lived in houses made of stone, mud and lime mortar. The architectural typology of wadas that came in with the Peshwas was based on a grid system that was repeated across the entire area. 'The entire structure was load bearing. There used to be a high plinth built in stone and thick walls. The superstructure was mainly in brick and lime mortar, with a lime wash or lime plaster on top of it,' says Shreeamey Phadnis, Co-founder and Partner at Studio Gestalt. The beams and columns were in cinder or solid teak wood that was, normally, brought from forests or imported from regions that had good quality teak wood. 'The timber was grown like a kind of a crop. The grandson would use the timber that the grandfather had planted 60 to 70 years back,' says Kalamdani, whose firm, Kimaya: The Alchemy, has worked on conserving a number of wadas in and around the city. Kalamdani adds that the tradition of adding a timber frame to the masonry of buildings had travelled from Central Asia where timber was found to offer resistance to earthquakes. A home with a view A courtyard was a fundamental part of a wada, its number depending on the social status, wealth and the requirement of the owner. The simplest wada had a single courtyard, which was open to the sky and where various activities would take place. If the wada was built by an aristocrat, there would be three or more courtyards. The outer courtyard would be for the public, i.e. officials and members of the community who were visiting. 'It was accessible to the public and rooms were built accordingly,' says Phadnis. The middle courtyard would be a transitional space, where some private and some public activities and meetings were held. The furthest courtyard would be private, used only by family members to install the family deities or carrry out special activities. 'Similarly, depending on the wealth and status of the family, a wada owner would increase the number of floors or the stories. The simple wadas would be one or two storeys, but Rajwadas, which belonged to aristocrats, would be three, four, five and, sometimes, like Shaniwar Wada, seven stories,' he adds. Why the wada fulfilled a need for the joint family system, it also became places of diplomacy and meetings for the community. There would be a darbar hall and a diwan khana. When Ganeshotsav began to be celebrated in the late 1800s, the wada became the space to host the city's earliest celebrations. The Muzumdar wada, for instance, would have their Ganpati celebration in their darbar hall because it could accommodate 80 to 100 people at the same time. 'Many times this would be called the Ganesh hall also,' says Phadnis. Ultimately, a wada reflected the family's social status and economic background. 'In case, there is a wada in Ravivar Peth, a bazaar area, we have wadas that have shops in front and the wada at the back. In this case, it was easier to have your work right next to your house. If it is a group of wadas on a street, we would have a tree that was an informal space for people to sit under and socialise. The architecture and planning was very socially oriented,' says Archana Deshmukh of the architecture firm Nasadeeya that has been working on various types of wadas for the last 15 years. A magnet for artisans The wada architecture, which peaked during the tenure of Nanasaheb Peshwa, between 1740 and 1760, attracted a lot of artisans, craftsmen and masons from all over India. A lot of them, from Rajasthan, Gujarat and other parts of North India, belonged to generations of craftsmen who had inherited the skills working in mansions. Wada architecture featured a lot of art in the columns and beams, among others. 'The brackets would be very ornamental, typically with banana flowers. The columns would be shaped like fluted cypress tree trunks,' says Phadnis. There was gold gilding, silver gilding, and false ceiling work. The ornamentation plays an important functional role. The embellishments of peacocks, parrots and stylized floral patterns are related to the longevity of the timbers. 'The unprotected and unornamented edges of beams dry out faster with the wetting and drying cycles and lose their oils at a faster rate. Covering with ornamentation not only prevents such deterioration but gives it a cultural meaning and functional role. The bell shaped stone pedestals (talkhada) that support the timber shafts of columns protect them from termite attacks that are common in tropical situations,' writes Kalamdani. A fixed address As the Maratha power increased and spread, from Delhi or Attock, Afghanistan, in the north to Tanjore in the south, the footprint of Maratha architecture kept pace. Wadas rose outside Maharashtra, many of which can be seen to this day. Phadnis, who has worked in Ahilyabai Holkar's wada in Madhya Pradesh, says that, even after the British crown and the East India company came into India, there were princely states and the Maratha confederacy. 'We had the Holkars in Indore, the Puars in Devas and the Gaekwads in Baroda, among others. All of them had their own Rajwadas. They took certain local elements, materials and artisans but the inspiration or blends was clear,' says Phadnis. He adds that, in the 1800s, a lot of western influence came in with the British. Wadas began to incorporate elements of palace architecture. 'We have been working on a wada in Dewas in Madhya Pradesh, called the Zuna Rajwada. You can see a clear gradation and timeline in the Wada style. The oldest section is from the early 1700s, and is a very typical Maratha style-wada that one can see in Pune. Then, we see the transition spaces. Finally, the last part of the wada is more a palace than a wada,' says Phadnis. While Shaniwar Wada no longer houses a family, Pune has many wadas where people still live. They face issues of plumbing and wiring. Very often, they will see a crack or leakage. In certain, very serious cases, there would be a wall collapse or the floor caves in. 'It takes a lot of upkeep to maintain a wada,' says Phadnis
Indian Express
12-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Hidden Stories: a Peshwa-era Pune temple that is looking to influencers for survival
Also by Kavyaa Masurkar A sculpture of three British soldiers near a chained rhinoceros serves as a reminder of the grim days of India's colonisation, especially the Battle of Plassey in 1757 after which the British captured Bengal. Another sculpture points towards a little-known myth of Lingodbhava in which Shiva takes the form of a column of fire to resolve an argument between Vishnu and Brahma over who was superior. These stories, carved in stone, can be found in a surprising location – the Shri Trishunda Ganpati Mandir in Somwar Peth. Multi-storeyed buildings tower over Shri Trishunda Ganpati Mandir on all sides, but like a timeless cave that it resembles, the temple effortlessly dominates the landscape. Made entirely of basalt rock and richly studded with sculptures, the temple was constructed between 1754 and 1770. Though Pune has undergone great changes over the centuries, the temple has stood the test of time. Devotees flock here for darshan every day but the temple also attracts a crowd that is curious over the late Peshwa-era architecture, the blend of Rajasthani, Malwa and South Indian elements in the entrance design and the intriguing carvings that connect with 250 years of history. A mahant's vision The Shri Trishunda Ganpati Mandir was the vision of Bhimjigiri Gosavi, a mahant from Dhampur near Indore who had moved to Pune. The chief deity is Trishund Mayureshwar Ganapati, i.e. Lord Ganesh with three trunks – trishund – and six arms, sitting astride a peacock. 'We believe the idol is from the Peshwa era, but there is no documentation for this or any information of when or how it arrived here,' says Harshad Vijay Barlal, a sevak of the temple trust. Another unique feature of the temple is an underground chamber that contains the samadhi of Bhimjigiri Gosavi. Only once a year, on Guru Purnima, is this part of the temple opened to the public and queues form from the early hours. 'The disciples of Bhimjigiri Gosavi used to come on Guru Purnima to meet him, starting the tradition of the basement chamber being opened only on this day,' says Sachin Pawar, karyakarta of the temple and the Trishunda Ganapati Vijay Mandal Trust. On Guru Purnima this year, which fell on July 10, the temple received a record number of visitors. 'There were 75,000 to 1 lakh people who waited for five to six hours to enter,' says Pawar. The basement sanctum is accessed through narrow passage ways, halls, steep steps and a natural spring – making the temple one of its kind in the city. Significantly, the temple contains two inscriptions in Sanskrit and one in Farsi, the former mentioning its construction period and the consecration of Lord Rameshar (Shiva) while the latter states that the temple is dedicated to Gurudev Dattatreya. It is at the temple that one can also find a sculpture of the mythical guardian creature, Gajasimha, who has the face of an elephant and the body of a lion. Efforts towards preservation and publicity Look closely, however, and you will notice the signs of age catching up with the temple. The elements have eroded the stonework in places, flattening or breaking the surfaces and several sculptures. 'Maintenance is a challenge. The temple was built in a different era and needs special care. If we put marble or paint, we would be destroying its original aesthetics. But it needs treatment. We are making a project in consultation with historians and architecture experts. There are a number of new temples being constructed in India but, here we are, struggling to preserve this historic one,' says Pawar. The committee has approached the Pune Municipal Corporation and the collector's office, among others, for support. 'Around 15-20 years ago, we realised that nobody was going to donate a large sum of money to the temple. We decided to make efforts to spread awareness about the temple. It was ironic that few people in Pune were aware of the Trishunda Ganapati Mandir, including people in our neighbourhood,' he says. The karyakartas began to talk about the temple, creating word-of-mouth publicity. They distributed pamphlets in shops and public spaces. They made the most of the Internet. 'Social media has come as a boon. In the last five or six years, there have been many viral reels of the Trishunda Ganapati Mandir. These get lakhs of views. Suddenly, we are hearing about the Trishunda Ganapati Mandir from different people in different parts of the country,' says Pawar. The crowds have increased. Influencer feeds are boosting the popularity of the temple. 'On Guru Purnima this year, I spoke to people who had come from villages and towns far outside Pune. The interest of the people gives us hope that the mandir that has lasted 250 years will be here for the next 250 years as well,' says Pawar. Dipanita Nath is interested in the climate crisis and sustainability. She has written extensively on social trends, heritage, theatre and startups. She has worked with major news organizations such as Hindustan Times, The Times of India and Mint. ... Read More
Indian Express
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
After MP's ‘demand', Pune's Sarasbaug Garden closed by civic body
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Sunday kept the famous Sarasbaug garden in the heart of the city closed for the day, allegedly on the demand of BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni, who cited that Bakri Eid celebrations in the garden would disturb the sanctity of a historical temple in the centre of garden. The PMC administration had closed the gate of Sarasbaug garden with a board on display saying the garden was closed for the day and eating food was not allowed here. The civic administration did not respond to calls seeking reasons for the garden's closure. In a communication to PMC on June 6, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kulkarni said, 'There is a Peshwa-era Ganesh temple in Sarasbaug and is a place of worship for lakhs of Hindu people. The garden is situated around the temple. It has been observed that people of Muslim community turn up in large numbers in Sarasbaug Garden and consume meat by violating garden rules. This hurts sentiments of Hindu community.' Various Hindu organisations have become aggressive towards the consumption of meat in the garden, she said, adding that they too had decided to hold a social event at Sarasbaug on June 8. 'There is a possibility of communal tension between the two communities if they come face to face. There seem to be truth in complaint by Hindu organisations as many people of the Muslim community come together and consume meat, which is spoiling the sanctity of temple. This can't be tolerated,' said Kulkarni. The BJP MP said, 'The PMC should keep the garden closed on Sunday and only allow temple visitors through the gate. This should be done to avoid any untoward incident that would disturb the peace. However, the temple should be kept open for the Hindu community.' Activist Anwar Sheikh has sought an explanation from the PMC on the exact reason why Sarasbaug Garden was closed. 'The decision to close Sarasbaug on the demand of an MP has violated the rights of the Muslim community. The PMC's decision to close the garden on the occasion of Bakri Eid is against the fundamental right of people of the Muslim community. If the people of the muslim community are paying tax to the PMC, then they have the right to use public spaces like gardens and parks. Keeping them out due to the demand of an MP goes against the values of democracy,' he said. He said that Muslims take their families to the garden the day after Eid to celebrate, but this year, Sarasbaug Garden was kept closed without giving any reason. Sheikh has urged the PMC to not take such decisions in future to avoid hurting feelings of any religious community, protect the rights of Muslims and not to fall prey to the pressure of elected representatives. 'The incident is sending a message that it was done to target only people of one community,' he said.
