New Palace

New Palace, also known as Maharaja Palace is a beautiful palace situated in Kolhapur. It was constructed between 1877-1884 and was designed by renowned British architect Charles Mant. It is an exceptionally stunning structure made of basalt rock and sandstone. The palace’s first floor is the residence of the present Maharaja of Kolhapur. Its ground floor has been converted into a museum known an Shahaji Chhatrapati Museum, which is one of the top tourist attractions in Kolhapur.

The Shahaji Chhatrapati Museum has on display a plethora of memorabilia belonging to the rulers of Kolhapur including royal apparels and jewelry, ancient coins, weaponry, silver elephant saddles, trophies and more. The museum’s collectibles also include a sword belonging to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and a letter from the British Viceroy to the Governer General of India.

The grand Darbar Hall lies in the center of the palace and its ambience has been recreated to exhibit royal regalia and Maratha history. The side walls display lobed arches fitted with stained glass illustrations of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life. At one end of the Hall is a raised throne. Also on display are numerous photos of the royal family over the years. One section of the museum is dedicated to the royal sport of wild-life hunting. The section houses stuffed tigers, tiger heads, wild dog, sloth bear, wild buffalo, lion, black-panther, a Himalayan Black Bear, etc.

New Palace’s exteriors have been beautified with lush green landscaped gardens, fountains, a serene lake and a small zoo. Kids will be especially delighted to see the deer and peacocks inside the zoo. Birders will be in for a treat as a huge variety of migratory birds are often spotted near the palace’s lake.