There are palaces that preserve history behind glass, and then there are palaces where history still wakes up every morning, lights a lamp, prepares festive meals, and welcomes Lord Ganesha home. That is what unfolds at Sawantwadi Palace, one of Maharashtra’s last living royal residences, where the Sawant Bhonsle family continues to celebrate festivals much like their ancestors did generations ago.
Inside Sawantwadi Palace, Where Royal Traditions Live On
When we asked Ranisaheb Shubhada Devi Sawant Bhonsle which festivals are the biggest at the palace, she didn’t have to think twice.
“Dussehra, Diwali, and Ganpati,” she said, adding that Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated for one-and-a-half days inside the palace.
But unlike the grand public pandals that everyone gets cuckoo over, the celebrations here are very organic and very real. The Ganpati idol is installed in the palace’s Devghar, the family’s private shrine that has stood as the spiritual centre of the royal household for generations.
In traditional Maratha homes, the Devghar is far more than a prayer room; it is the sacred space where family deities reside and where every important ceremony begins.
The idol itself reflects another tradition the family has consciously held on to. Every year, Lord Ganesha arrives in the form of an idol made entirely from natural clay. Yes, no plaster of Paris and no artificial materials. It is just earth moulded into divinity, before eventually returning to the earth again.
And then comes what every Indian festival eventually circles back to…food.
Also Read: Did You Know Jaipur Has A Palace Thats Been Underwater For 200 Years?
A Royal Feast Rooted In Konkan’s Culinary Heritage
When we asked Ranisaheb whether she still cooks, she laughed before admitting that she absolutely enjoys it. There was a time when she spent far more hours in the kitchen. These days, however, she has happily handed over much of the responsibility to the rest of the family. It is hardly surprising.
The Sawant Bhonsles are, in many ways, a family of food lovers. The younger generation has formally studied culinary arts, while recipes carefully preserved over centuries continue to be cooked at home.
The result is a festive table that feels very delicious and very Konkan!
Every dish speaks of the coast, from recipes lovingly handwritten and passed down through generations to ingredients sourced from the region itself.
The grandeur is undeniable, but it never overshadows the rituals. And that might be the most awe-striking aspect here.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Internal
FAQs
Which festivals are celebrated at Sawantwadi Palace?
The Sawant Bhonsle royal family celebrates Dussehra, Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi, with Ganesh Chaturthi being observed for one-and-a-half days inside the palace.