Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary: Aga Khan Palace to reopen

Aga Khan Palace in Pune is all set to reopen after it was closed for revamping and restoration work of Mahatma Gandhi Museum in August. Palace will reopen from October 2. Mahatma Gandhi had a close association with Pune during freedom struggle, and following launch of Quit India movement, Aga Khan Palace served as his prison from August 1942 to May 1944.

Palace will reopen with new features 

Mahatma Gandhi lived re with wife Kasturba, secretary Mahadev Desai and Sarojini Naidu. Kasturba and Desai died in Palace premises." museum was closed for revation in August after an order from Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It will w reopen with some new features which will shed light on life story of Gandhiji including key moments such as 'Chale Jao' agitation, 'Dandi March', and some speeches of Gandhiji in a new audio format," said an ASI official.

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monument will illuminate on Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary  

official also said re will also be information about his fasts, imprisonments and his letters will be on display." life story of Gandhiji is so ermous that it is difficult to incorporate each and everything but efforts have been made to present some major milestones of his life in various forms such as text, documentaries, pictures and audio-visual features with help of some modern gadgets," he said. Selected documentaries will also be screened at Palace, he said. re are plans to illuminate monument to mark 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji, he added.

number of visitors increased in recent years

Aga Khan Palace also houses some personal belongings of Gandhi."We hope that when monument opens, people will experience something new," official said. "Over years, we have ticed an increase in number of visitors to Palace," he added.

Aga Khan Palace was built in 1892 by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan in Pune. It has an import place in Indian History as it was used as a jail for Mahatma Gandhi, his wife and Sarojini Naidu. In 1969, Aga Khan Palace was donated to  Indian people by Aga Khan IV as a mark of respect to Gandhi and his philosophy. Today palace houses a memorial on Gandhi where his ashes were kept. 

(With inputs from PTI)

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