Aga Khan’s Pune footprint: Gift of palace to nation 56 years ago

Pune: A pall of gloom descended over followers in Pune on Wednesday after the passing away of Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, known as Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary imam of the close-knit Ismaili Muslim community. As the spiritual leader of around 12 million Ismailis worldwide, with 2,000-3,000 followers in Pune alone, the Aga Khan's benevolence left an indelible mark.Koregaon Park resident Sana Lakhani said, "He was more than our religious leader. He was a visionary focused on education, sports and charity work. I had the honour of seeing him when he visited Mumbai in 2018."The spiritual leader had a deep connection with Pune. He donated the Aga Khan Palace and its grounds to the Indian govt in 1969 where a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhian principles has come up.The national heritage monument was commissioned by his grandfather Aga Khan III in 1892 to give work to people from a famine struck Pune district. The palace has a special place in the freedom struggle. It is here that Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned during the 1942 Quit India movement. His wife Kasturba and his secretary Mahadev Desai passed away here and both have their samadhi on the grounds. Some of Gandhi's ashes too are buried here. The premises has fond memories for many, including Neelam Mahajan, a former student who attended a co-ed boarding school that operated on the premises from 1953 to 1972. Mahajan recalls the Aga Khan's summer visits to the school, during which he would distribute sweets among the students and gaze at his beloved scarlet rose gardens. She said he and his wife made a handsome couple in their long coats and distinguished boots. "The couple would bring sweets for all students, and we would get holidays when he would visit. He would dine with our principal in her bungalow nearby and then visit Panchgani," Mahajan added.The school was a private one run by National Education Society on Boat Club Road. "As the number of students increased, our principal approached Aga Khan during his visit to Mumbai and asked if we could run the school in his palace. He agreed, but his only concern was the maintenance of his beautifully pruned gardens, especially the scarlet roses that drew people," she said.The students took up the gardening work. "We grew marigolds so not only would the garden look amazing, but also the school could sell them and earn money. When the Aga Khan visited us, he got all the flowers purchased on his behalf and paid the school," Mahajan said. She retired as a guide at the palace but continues to freelance.She said a photo and letter used to be on display in which the Aga Khan expressed his pride and happiness in gifting the palace to the nation, hoping that future visitors would remember Gandhi and practise his principles.She said, "Both had met during a religious conference in London before, and when the British sought his palace to keep Gandhi, his wife, and secretary under their watch, the Aga Khan agreed out of deep respect for the Mahatma."Aariz Noorani from Fatimanagar said their spiritual leader's generosity extended far beyond grand gestures. "The best way to honour him is by carrying forward his legacy of generosity and kindness. Not only did he always speak about small acts of kindness, but he also touched the lives of those around him and millions across the world with his actions," Noorani added.