First restored in the 1630s, Lal Mahal is a fort that will remind you of the forgotten charms and the heroic valour that came along with it.

Lal Mahal is located near Shaniwar Wada in Pune and is a testimonial to numerous attacks, resurgences and tales. It was Shahaji Bhosle’s initial home, and Shivaji stayed here until his glorious capture of the Torna Fort in 1645 CE. At last, he snuck out of one of the windows after his gruesome encounter with Shaistekhan.

As the illustrious Mahal entered the 17th century, it started to wear out and was metamorphosed into ruins due to hundreds of attacks on Poona; still keeping its beauty. Therefore, the Lal Mahal that we see today was only a part of the miraculous wonder that once existed. We can only imagine how massive it was or how many people it could hold. It is now reconstructed but not in the same style as the original, so, there isn’t too much information available with us. Today most of us visit the palace for the enormous museum of Maratha artefacts and oil paintings from the royal Maratha times.