In the center of Pune, there is an old mansion built by Shrimant Bhausaheb Lakshman Jawale. His family was in the profession of dyeing royal clothes, hence he was also known by his sobriquet: Bhausaheb Rangari (rang means “color”). Bhausaheb Rangari was a prominent personality in Pune in that era. When he built his wada (mansion) in 1883, he incorporated a number of secret rooms and mechanisms into his house.
There is a secret trap door once used to conceal weapons and armaments. A number of old flintlock pistols, rifles, and bullets are on display. Quite a few of them have inscriptions on them. There is also an antique iron safe manufactured by Thomas Withers of West Bromwich.
The entrance door has a unique locking mechanism, the knowledge of which was possessed by only a few select people from the inner circles during those days, so that only they could enter the place. Within the depths of the house, there was a secret spot from where one could monitor the visitors. There is also a hidden room in the basement where a person could hide with supplies and rations for a few days.
Today, the place has been converted into a heritage museum and visitors can see the array of weapons and the secret places and mechanisms present in the mansion. All around the museum, there are information plaques explaining the history of Bhausaheb Rangari and the mansion, along with the mansion’s curious intricacies.
