I had the privilege of visiting the gorgeous Sawantvadi Palace in 2008 with my daughter who was four years old then.
We drove through the front main gate which is imposing enough to not need any watchmen
This is the side view of the entryway. I love how the ivy trails along the stone.
You can see glimpses of the Moti Talao lake.
Isabella sat at our feet as we drank tea under the main entryway arch. She seemed quite at home there with her little sketchpad.
After tea and some delicious cucumber sandwiches we strolled through the palace and its grounds.
There are numerous structures made out of stone, brick and metal dotting the five acres. This arch caught my attention with its simplicity.
One of the buildings had a massive inner courtyard that was enclosed by an imposing iron gate with an equally threatening canon pointed at it from the inside to deter intruders.
This is how the gate looks like from up close.
And this is what it looks like with my precocious four year old in it.
Another part of the palace had this beautiful inner courtyard on a smaller scale.
I cannot imagine what kind of festivities and events took place there.
One of the upstairs windows.
And another one.
An interior staircase. By the way the skins on the wall are real. Shot by members of my friend's family
The former Grand Hall now houses local artisans who sit and execute their craftwork during the day.
For more information about the artists and their art check out my blog on the Handicrafts of Sawantwadi
