Aga Khan Palace, Gandhi's abode in Pune, to reopen on Oct 2

Closed for revamp and restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi museum for over a month, the Aga Khan Palace here, where the Father of the Nation was under detention, will reopen from October 2.

Gandhi had a close association with Pune during the freedom struggle, and following the launch of the Quit India movement, Aga Khan Palace served as his prison from August 1942 to May 1944.

He lived there with wife Kasturba, secretary Mahadev Desai and Sarojini Naidu. Kasturba and Desai died in the Palace premises.

"The museum was closed for renovation in August after an order from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It will now reopen with some new features which will shed light on the life story of Gandhiji including key moments such as 'Chale Jao' agitation, 'Dandi March', and some speeches of Gandhiji in a new audio format," said an ASI official.

He said there will also be information about his fasts, imprisonments and his letters will be on display.

"The life story of Gandhiji is so enormous that it is difficult to incorporate each and everything but efforts have been made to present some major milestones of his life in various forms such as text, documentaries, pictures and audio-visual features with the help of some modern gadgets," he said.

Select documentaries will also be screened at the Palace, he said. There are plans to illuminate the monument to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji, he added.

The Palace also houses some personal belongings of Gandhi.

"We hope that when the monument opens, people will experience something new," the official said.

"Over the years, we have noticed an increase in the number of visitors to the Palace," he added.