The short answer
Aga Khan Palace: what visitors should know first
Yes, particularly for anyone interested in the independence movement; allow around an hour for the memorial rooms and the level, tree-shaded gardens where Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai are buried, and go in the cooler part of the day since most of the visit is outdoors.
History and context
The story behind Aga Khan Palace
Built in 1892 under the patronage of Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III, the palace combined Italian-influenced arcaded architecture with a stated charitable purpose of employing famine-affected local labour during its five-year construction. It later served, briefly, as a boarding school before its most consequential role as a British internment site.
From 9 August 1942 to 6 May 1944, Gandhi, Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai were held here following the Quit India resolution; both Kasturba and Desai died during this period and were cremated on the property, where their samadhis remain. Aga Khan IV gifted the palace to India in 1969 in honour of Gandhi, and it has since been maintained as a memorial and museum.
Useful facts
Aga Khan Palace facts at a glance
- Location
- Nagar Road, Yerawada, eastern Pune
- Experience type
- Memorial palace and freedom-movement museum
- Known for
- Gandhi's internment, 1942–1944; Kasturba Gandhi's samadhi
- Architect/Built
- Built 1892 for Aga Khan III; gifted to India in 1969
- Time or schedule
- Daily visiting hours; check for holiday closures
Why it matters
Why Aga Khan Palace is worth your time
Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III built the palace in 1892, reportedly to provide paid work to people in the Pune region hit by famine, which makes its origins a piece of philanthropic history distinct from most Indian palaces built purely for royal display. Its later use turned it into something else entirely: a detention site for Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba and his secretary Mahadev Desai after the launch of the Quit India Movement in August 1942.
Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai both died in captivity here, and their memorials remain on the grounds, making the palace one of the most direct physical links in India to the final years of the freedom struggle. In 1969, the Aga Khan IV donated the building to the Indian people as a tribute to Gandhi, and it now operates as a national monument and a memorial museum under the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
The Gandhi memorial rooms
Photographs, letters and personal effects tracing Gandhi's life and the internment period at the palace.
- 02
Kasturba Gandhi's samadhi
A marble memorial in the garden marking where Kasturba Gandhi was cremated in 1944.
- 03
The arcaded courtyard
Wide Italianate arches around a central lawn, unusual among Pune's mostly Maratha-era landmarks.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
The palace itself is a long, arcaded building of Italianate arches around a central lawn, built in warm-toned stone rather than the marble of Rajput palaces. Inside, a series of rooms has been turned into a museum on Gandhi's life and the freedom movement, with photographs, letters and personal items, including some from his internment here between August 1942 and May 1944.
Walk out to the garden behind the main building, where the marble samadhis of Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai stand under old trees; both died during the internment and were cremated on the grounds. The atmosphere here is contemplative rather than touristy, and most visitors spend a while sitting quietly rather than moving quickly through.
Because the whole site is level and shaded in patches, it works well as an unhurried second stop after a more strenuous morning elsewhere in the city, and it pairs naturally with a broader look at Pune's role in the independence movement.
Plan with confidence
Small decisions that make the visit easier.
- Allow time to read the museum panels rather than rushing through
- Wear a hat; the gardens have limited shade at midday
- Combine with a nearby old-city sight to make a full but comfortable day
- Photography is generally allowed in the gardens; check current rules inside the museum rooms
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Nagar Road, Yerawada, on the eastern side of the city
- Time needed
- 45–90 minutes
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon, when the gardens are cooler
- Walking level
- Easy
- Senior comfort
- The palace and grounds are almost entirely flat and paved, with wide arched verandahs offering shade and benches under old trees near the samadhis. There are a few steps at the main building entrance, but the rest of the compound needs no climbing.
- Tickets and access
- There is a nominal entry fee, with separate rates for Indian and foreign visitors; it is a protected site managed by the Aga Khan Trust, closed on some public holidays, so check current timings before visiting.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Aga Khan Palace
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
The palace and grounds are almost entirely flat and paved, with wide arched verandahs offering shade and benches under old trees near the samadhis. There are a few steps at the main building entrance, but the rest of the compound needs no climbing.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Was Gandhi actually held at the Aga Khan Palace?
Yes. Gandhi, Kasturba Gandhi and his secretary Mahadev Desai were interned here from August 1942 to May 1944 after the Quit India Movement began.
Why was the palace built?
Aga Khan III built it in 1892, reportedly to give paid work to people from the region affected by famine, and it later became a British-administered detention site.
Is the Aga Khan Palace easy for elderly visitors to see?
Yes; the grounds are flat, shaded in parts, and require minimal walking compared with the city's hilltop or fort sites.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
