The fort had 5 gateways (Delhi Darwaza, Mastani Darwaza, Khidki Darwaza, Ganesh Darwaza and Narayan Darwaza), 9 bastions, court halls, Diwan Khanas, fountains and gardens. In 1928 the 7 storey fort was burnt down due to an unexplainable fire which left only the foundations intact.
Legend is that when the Peshwas started building the fort, some people complained that only the Chatrapati can build a palace with stone. The Peshwas changed their plan upon the royal offer and built it with brick and wood.
At its peak the wada housed 1000 people they say. One of the most tragic events related to the wada is the murder of the fifth and ruling Peshwa Narayan by his guards on the instigation of his uncle Raghunathrao and aunt Anandibai. Legend goes that people can still hear the cries of the young Peshwa calling out to his uncle to save him.
Satish and I found that getting into the wada is not easy - entry is only through online payment and both of us didn't have online payment. So we got a young kid to pay for us and paid him cash.
Inside we roamed around the foundations, gardens, climbed the steps to the bastions and walked all around the fort on the walls. At the Delhi Darwaza there is a well preserved court room made of wood.
We walked around for an hour and came out. Time well spent.
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