Menavali

Distance   93 km

District   Satara

Category   Village

Overview

Nanasaheb Phadnis - one of the cleverest in Peshwai - his house is pride of Menavali. Menavali is just 3 kms from Wai. Its a place worth to visit and see the famous old house of the genius.
From Wai, you need to turn northwest and drive another 3 km and through a tiny blanket you enter the village-town of Menavali through a large Peshwa style stone and brick gateway. Next to a temple on the left of the road is a small road leading to the Nana Saheb Phadnis Wada.
But this is not the only place to see in Menavali. The house is situated on the banks of the river Krishna and the beautifully shaped ghat behind the house presents a picturesome scene. The view of the river, the jungle on the other bank and the hills surrounding are very pretty. There are very few temples on the back side of the famous monument including the temple Menavaeshwar and Lord Vishnu. The Peshwai pictures on the walls of temple are admirable.
But the most interesting thing to watch in the temple premises is a huge bell. This bell was won by Peshwas in the war of Vasai in 1707 againt the British.
The wada house of Nana Phadnis was again in focus when shooting of film 'Mritudand' starring Madhuri Dixit took place some years back.
The bell, the temple and the surroundings of the river makes Menavali a wonderful place to watch.

Places of Interest

Nana Phadnis Wada Nana Phadnis (1742-1800) was a great Maratha Statesman and book keeper of the Peshwas. The Nana Phadnis Wada is a large six-quadrangled, perimeter-protected wada. This construction was completed circa 1780. Bhavan Rao Trymbak Pant-Pratinidhi of Aundh and Raghunath Ghanshyam Mantri (Satara) bestowed the village of Menavali to Nana Phadnavis in December 1768. Nana Phadnavis settled the village and built himself the Wada with the ghat on the river Krishna and the two temples, one dedicated to Lord Vishnu and another to Meneshwar (मेणेश्वर) Lord Shiva.
Originally, simple stone steps descending into a river, ghats evolved into an elaborate arrangement of terraces with separate areas for different activities, such as bathing, washing, filling water and performing religious rites. Temples were traditionally built on ghats.
The Peshwa-era saw architectural combinations of a Wada-type residence, a Ghat on a water-body and a Temple.
The Nana Phadnavis wada on the bank of the river Krishna at Menavali, is one of the very rare places where such a combination is preserved intact.
Nana, being the Peshwas' "Phadnavis" transcribed and maintained their documents of accounts and administrative letters in the ancient "Modi" script. These documents, known as the famous “Menavli Daptar” were preserved in this Wada at Menavali.
After Nana Phadnavis died in 1800, the Peshwa Bajirao-II, confiscated the Wada. The British General Wellesley (brother of Lord Wellesley), Duke of Wellington returned the property to the Nana's wife Jeeubai on 25th March, 1804. After her death, Sir Bartle Frere (governor of Bombay) handed over the property to Nana's descendants. The Nana Phadnavis Wada today remains with his descendants. Having split the major part of his properties between themselves, the Wada is still owned jointly by them all.
The state of disrepair of the Wada was a tragic discount to its historic importance and did a disservice to the memory of its illustrious creator.
A red tractor was parked outside the wada and the caretakers were sitting around, seemingly in a Rip van Winkle style 18th century oblivion, while civilization marched on at Pune, barely 60 km to the north.
Several Bollywood movies have been shot, using the wada as an exotic location, notably, Yudh (Jackie Shroff/Tina Munim), Mrutyudand (Madhuri Dixit), Goonj Uthi Shahnai, Jis Desh Me Ganga Rahata Hai (Govinda), Ganga-jal (Ajay Devgan), Sarja (Ajinkya Deo) and Swades (Shahrukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi).

Accommodation

Accomodation is available in nearby town of Wai.

How to Reach

From Wai, you need to turn northwest and drive another 3 km and through a tiny blanket you enter the village-town of Menavali through a large Peshwa style stone and brick gateway.
Regular buses are available from Wai Bus Station to reach Menavali.