Mastani Mahal

While I didn't even know Mastani before I saw the movie Bajirao Mastani, since the movie, I think I totally love her.

The moment I knew I was going to Pune, visiting Mastani Mahal got added into my To Do's for the trip. Once the work part of trip was accomplished, we ( Sagari and me) set off to Shaniwar Wada, as I somehow presumed that Mastani Mahal was either within or close to Shaniwar Wada.

As we get there, we realize through talking to the cab driver that it wasn't in Shaniwar Wada. Well, we searched Google and we read on some site that it was in Kothrud, so we head there. And as we get close, we're still frantically reading because there is no specific location and Sagari's like, 'this is nuts, Kothrud is a big area, how are we going to find it' 

We split some sites between us and read on our phones and realize that the entire Mastani Mahal had been dismantled in the sixties and shifted to a museum called Kelkar museum.

Finding Kelkar museum again was tough because of so many one ways and the narrow streets of old Pune, but finally when it's almost closing time we get there. The guy at the counter is like...bandh hone wala hai. But we still buy our tickets and are finally in.

Within minutes, we're wondering......has the Mastani Mahal been converted into museum or is it 'in ' the Museum? So I'm back at the ticket counter and asking the ticket guy.... when there's this gentleman someway in behind the counter, with his back to me who turns and says...come in here at the back. Very mysterious. I go and tell Sagari that he's asked us to come peeche. And she's like, 'jeez, kya hua? Did we do something? What did you say? He said nicely or weirdly? '

We go in and find that he's the Director of the museum and when he realized we were really interested he took us to his office.......and he told us the story of Mastani Mahal. And was it fascinating. To him Mastani Mahal is real, part of life and he knows the story in real time. He hasn't even seen the movie, the only reference he made to the movie was to say that Sanjay Leela Bhansali had visited the Mastani Mahal.

And the wonderful part of it was that the story he told us was almost the same as the one from the movie, except maybe the first meeting which was dramatized, but the rest of the love story was as deep and as intense.

And then came the coup. He's like...the Mastani Mahal is under restoration, and not open to public. Would you still like to see? Imagine our joy...I was like, Yes please, if needed we can even come back tomorrow. He took us right then......and just the feeling of being there.

Here's the rest in pictures:

This is Rekha Hari Ranade

She is the daughter of Dr.Kelkar, who founded the Kelkar museum. Mr.Sudhanva Ranade Kelkar, the Director, was nice enough to not just show us Mastani Mahal, yet under restoration, but also introduce us to his mother.

He said, my grandfather who was an optician (Dr Kelkar) founded the museum, and he went about with such focus that people called him paagal aadmi (madman), and my grandmother and mother ( in picture) have devoted their entire lives to the museum.

It felt like such an honor meeting her, as well as him. As he said himself, it was not just coincidence, he said it was intended, and it sure felt that way too.

Portraits of Dr.Kelkar and his wife that greet you at the entrance of the museum

 

Sudhanva Kelkar Ranade, Director of the Kelkar Museum, and Rekha Hari Ranade

Restoration work on in the Mastani Mahal

On the way back, we happened to pass the Shaniwar Wada, and though it was closed, I got off to get a nice picture of the Peshwa...... well, the statue of the Peshwa.

An interesting outcome of the long conversation with Sudhanva,......we're now working along with him on a project on the Mastani Mahal. Starting the evening not even knowing where Mastani Mahal was, to finding it..... and then ending the evening with a commitment to a project on it. Well, life does have it's ways.