Lal Mahal

 Historically, the Lal Mahal is famous for an encounter between Shivaji and Shaista Khan where Shivaji cut off the later’s fingers when he was trying to escape from the window of the Lal Mahal.

Shivaji’s father, Shahaji Maharaj, was the one who laid the foundation of this Lal Mahal. The main reason to construct this colossal structure was the quick revival of the miserable condition of Pune.

During those days, he served in the position of Bijapur Sultanate.

After conquering a few territories, he was enthroned to rule over some Pune territories. This was the time when he felt necessary to construct a palace for his accommodation.

Eventually, in the year 1630 AD, Lal Mahal stood high with pride. From then, until he acquired Torna Fort in 1645, this was his residential palace.

This fort has also witnessed the upbringing of Maharashtra’s brave son – Shivaji Maharaj.

Yet another story is associated with this fort. It was in April of 1663 when Shivaji Maharaj, along with his battalion of 400+ soldiers, seized the palace and killed Shaista Khan's son. In the same battle, Shivaji Maharaj chopped off Shaista Khan’s fingers with his sword.

The present-day structure of the Lal Mahal was built right on the part of the land where a portion of the original one was destroyed. If you closely compare both the present day and the original Lal Mahal, there’s quite a difference.

This current monument is actually a re-construction work accomplished by the Pune Municipal Corporation in 1998. 

Location – Lal Mahal is located on the Shivaji Road in Kasba Peth of Pune. 

Opening Hours – Except for Wednesday, you can schedule your Lal Mahal visit on any day of the week. The Mahal doors remain open for the visitors from morning 09:00 am and close down by 01:00 pm for lunch. Again, at 04:00 pm, the doors are opened, which shut by 08:00 pm.

In case you want to explore every nook and corner of the fort, plan your visit early during its opening hours. This will give you sufficient timings to move without stumbling into anyone. 

Entry Fee – The entry cost for your Lal Mahal visit is 3 INR or 0.046 USD per head. 

Best Time – There’s no specific time to visit Lal Mahal as it welcomes you for all 365 days of the year. 

Average Temperature – The average annual temperature in Pune is around 25 degrees Celsius. 

Distance from Pune – Lal Mahal is at a distance of 450 meters from the mainland of Pune. This distance is easily covered with a 2-minute drive via Mote Mangal Karyalay Road & Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road.

Transportation facility – Lal Mahal is very well connected with the roads, and thus, reaching here is never an issue. 

Medical Facilities –  Lal Mahal itself doesn’t have any medical facility. However, you might get it nearby.

Network Connectivity –  Network connectivity is quite good at the Lal Mahal.