Gandhi was kept in the Aga Khan Palace by the British government as a *political prisoner* during the Quit India Movement in 1942. He was confined there along with his wife, Kasturba Gandhi, and his secretary, Mahadev Desai, to suppress the movement and isolate him. Both Kasturba and Mahadev Desai passed away during their imprisonment at the palace.
Reason for imprisonment: The British government ordered the arrest of Gandhi and other leaders to halt the Quit India Movement, a major civil disobedience campaign against British rule. Duration: Gandhi and his associates were held at the palace from August 1942 until May 1944. Tragic events: The palace became a place of personal tragedy as well, as both Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai died within its walls. Memorials: Memorials to Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai are located on the grounds, as is a simple memorial to Gandhi. Current status: The palace is now a protected historic site and a national monument, housing a museum and art gallery dedicated to the Indian freedom struggle. Aga Khan Palace, Pune (arrest 1942; detained 1942–1944) Context: After the August 1942 “Quit India” resolution, British authorities arrested Gandhi and most Congress leaders to crush the movement quickly. Why a palace? The Aga Khan Palace was a large, secure colonial-era building owned by Aga Khan III and requisitioned by the government on public-order grounds. Its size, isolation, medical facilities (Gandhi’s wife Kasturba and secretary Mahadev Desai fell ill there), and relative seclusion made it suitable for long internment without attracting crowds or permitting easy contact with supporters. Political logic: Internment there minimized martyrdom spectacles and curtailed Gandhi’s ability to coordinate protests, while allowing the colonial state to present the detention as confinement in a respectable, humanitarian facility rather than a prison. Yerwada Jail (Poona/Pune) and other formal prisons in palace-like premises Many British-era jails occupied repurposed grand buildings. Gandhi was jailed repeatedly (e.g., 1922, 1930, 1933, 1942) for sedition, civil disobedience, and other offences under colonial law. Administrative choice: Authorities sometimes used well-appointed cantonment/palace-type buildings for high-profile detainees to combine security with controlled accommodations and to avoid the political fallout of harsh imprisonment. Other notable “palace” detention instances elsewhere During colonial and princely-state responses to nationalist leaders, rulers occasionally confined activists in palaces or haveli compounds to keep them under guard while maintaining an appearance of honor and avoiding trials that might inflame public opinion. Why rulers used palaces rather than ordinary prisons Security and supervision: Large palatial houses were easier to isolate and guard. Medical/social optics: Detaining a respected leader in a dignified setting reduced accusations of brutality and could be presented as humane custody. Logistics: Palaces offered accommodation, kitchens, and space to hold family/attendants if authorities chose, simplifying long-term internment. Political calculation: Sequestering a leader away from political centers cut off their influence without creating immediate prison-martyr narratives in city jails. Gandhi’s confinement in palace-like sites such as the Aga Khan Palace resulted from a mix of British administrative convenience, security considerations, and political optics during episodes (notably the Quit India crackdown) when the colonial state wanted to neutralize him while avoiding the sharper public backlash that might follow imprisonment in a common gaol. K Rajaram IRS 271025 On Sun, 26 Oct 2025 at 22:11, 'N Sekar' via KeralaIyers < [email protected]> wrote: > Aga Khan Palace... This is the prison where the so-called 'Mohandas > Karamchand Gandhi' was subjected to severe torture for two years. > > The punishment was so severe that Gandhi had to bathe in a 10x10 foot > marble bathroom. > > The punishment was so severe that Gandhi was forced to sleep on an 8x8 > foot soft velvet bed. > > The punishment was so severe that he was forced to roam the lush green > grass of the 20-acre Aga Khan Palace. > > The punishment was so severe that he was forced to write on the finest > English paper in a 12x12 foot study room with a luxurious table and chair. > > And yes, the punishment was so severe that Gandhi's wife also lived with > him. > > The punishment was so severe that Gandhi was forced to travel to and from > his residence in a Mercedes car. > > The punishment was so severe that he had to drink black coffee with > British officers. > > And on the other hand, Veer Savarkar was given such an easy punishment... > His hands and feet were tied with iron chains and he was sentenced to two > lifetimes of Kalapani, and in that too, he had to extract oil from the oil > press every day. > > Gandhi became the Mahatma and Bapu of the country, and Veer Savarkar > became the apology hero who apologized to the British!!😏.. > > Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer > <https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&c=US_Acquisition_YMktg_315_SearchOrgConquer_EmailSignature&af_sub1=Acquisition&af_sub2=US_YMktg&af_sub3=&af_sub4=100002039&af_sub5=C01_Email_Static_&af_ios_store_cpp=0c38e4b0-a27e-40f9-a211-f4e2de32ab91&af_android_url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.mail&listing=search_organize_conquer> > > -- > On Facebook, please join https://www.facebook.com/groups/keralaiyerstrust > > We are now on Telegram Mobile App also, please join > > Pattars/Kerala Iyers Discussions: https://t.me/PattarsGroup > > Kerala Iyers Trust Decisions only posts : https://t.me/KeralaIyersTrust > > Kerala Iyers Trust Group for Discussions: > https://t.me/KeralaIyersTrustGroup > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "KeralaIyers" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/keralaiyers/340321598.598172.1761496881021%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/keralaiyers/340321598.598172.1761496881021%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZopviGZH0wSfC_yg%3D4XLaikm_ktn_%3DXibyQXE-DEsPJ6Sg%40mail.gmail.com.
