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New Palace, Kolhapur

The first place we visited in Kolhapur was the New Palace.  This is located about 2 miles from the city centre and was completed in 1881.  It was designed by Major Charle Mant, who combined elements of Hindu, Jain, Islamic and European architecture creating a style that became known as Indo-Saracenic Architecture.  The Palace is home to the Shahji Chhatrapati Museum where we saw many artefacts from the Royal Collection.  There is also a deer park in the grounds.

This is a statue of Shahaji Chhatrapati, who was the last man to be crowned as King of Kolhapur in 1947.  The Kolhapur State became part of the Indian Union in 1949, so the current head of the family Shahji's grandson no longer holds Royal status.  However the family continues to have a strong presence in the town and are involved in State Politics.

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