Reworking of A Type To Think Ecologically 

Introduction   

The text tries to delve upon the Nana Fadanvis wada, Menavli, its spatial organisation and the reasons for its specificity seen in the scale of the courtyards. The paper traces the change made in the type to rework the standards of scale and intimacy to create affordances which are more private but also to create gendered segregation. The paper further studies the wada through a lens of ecology as it studies water as an ecosystem that shaps the type in the rural context. 

History of Nana Fadnavis wada

The Nana Fadnavis wada is located in the Menavli village, Wai taluka of the Satara district, Maharashtra. Geographically Wai lies between Pune and Satara (86 Kms from Pune and 36 Kms from Satara). Balaji Janardan Bhanu was born in chitpawan brahmin family in Satara in 1742 and was nicknamed 'Nana', According to the peshwas recommendation Mahadji was awarded the title of Phadnavis (one of the Ashtapradhan) by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. Nana hence continued to be the Phadnavis, or the finance minister, for the Peshwas keeping records, transcribing and maintaining their documents of accounts and administrative letters in the ancient script "Modi".

Bhavan Rao Trymbak Pant-Pratinidhi of Aundh and Raghunath Ghanshyam Mantri (Satara) bestowed the village of Menavali to Nana Phadnavis in December 1768. Nana Phadnavis settled the village and built a wada for himself in 1780 along with the ghat on the river Krishna with two temples, one dedicated to Lord Vishnu and another to Meneshwar (मेणेश्वर) Lord Shiva. The wada is a large six-quadrangular, perimeter-protected wada, with thick walls and bastions (burunj) as the defense wall (tatbandi). The architectural combination of a fortified Wada-type residence, a Ghat on a water-body and a Temple was typical of the Peshwa era and the Nana wada depicts this spatial organisation very clearly. The front of the wada has the dindi darwaja, which stagers the line of vision as one enters inside. The older version of the wada housed a padvi running all over the length of the fortifying walls (3 sides) and very close to the main structure, making the space very intimate. Narrow staircases to the upper level, hidden between walls with significant temperature difference between the interior and the exterior.

The typical typology of the wada housing in that time period included many rooms usually around two courtyards one for administrative and the other for private activities. The political and economic stability achieved under the Peshwas after the fight for independence by Chatrapati Shivaji Bhosle led to socio-cultural progress. Nana built this wada as a second home but at the same time as an important structure to keep the administration records (Menavli daftar) and navigate easily to both of the power centers in the 18th century (Satara and Pune)

Changes made in the existing type, reworking standards of scale and intimacy to create new affordances

The prerequisites of building the wada can be thoroughly seen through intimacy bought in by the scale of the wada and the layering done with the spaces. The six courtyards of varying scale and openness to the sky create different nuclii of spaces within the structure that looks like a mass from outside but actually having a lot of porosity within. To understand the type as a rest house and an administrative hub, some of other wadas in Maharashtra are the key. 

The Shaniwar wada in Pune, a large landlocked, fortified complex, being the primary residential space for the Peshwas was used to administer and rule. The structures built inside were not visible from the exteriors showcasing the privacy and security needed. Unlike Shaniwar wada the Nana wada has spaces between the fortifying wall and the wada acting as inert spaces but an intimacy can be perceived due to the presence of the padvi along the wall. Another example is that of Vishrambaug wada in Pune built by the Peshwas as a rest home away from Shaniwar wada. Vishrambaug wada varies in scale with large courtyards, multiple levels and stylistic elements because of the prerequisite of the social status of Peshwas living in the wada. However Nana wada is observed to rework this type with smaller and more numerous courtyards, smaller openings even though he held an important status in the society and belonged to the same time period. A reworkingof the typology can be seen to create affordances for a more  private experience in the wada.

Water as an ecosystem

 The Krishna river flows along the rear end of the wada where it meanders. The wada overlooks this view creating a relaxing experiece. The shape of the ghat present here tries to make it private and exclusively accessible from the wada.The ghat has two temples used by nana for his private rituals outside the wada. Presence of numerous temples on the ghats is seen in this period, including other parts of Krishna river specifically. Further the walls of the ghat have niches for the oil lamps showing the details incorporated to make this space active even in the night. The inkling landscape of the river bank is used to build the ghats, which modulate the structure and open up the view towards the river for the uppermost rooms. At the same time these are hidden from the front by the presence of the nagarkhana (a house for the drums, usually above the main door). Water systems in the interiors include karanja (fountain) and an octagonal well, exist in many wadas.  

The spaces ruled through gender

In the specific context men used to occupy the sadarecha chauk and sopa (place to carry out administrative meetings), pangatachi kholi (space for having food) and the upper level with Nana’s private room, whereas womens used to be in the swayampakgruha (kitchen). After British rule the wada was handed over to Nana's wife after his demise. She modified a lot of the parts of the wada like the Haldikunkvacha chauk, which is quite private but the most beautiful space in the wada with a fountain in the courtyard, niches all over the wall for oil lamps. Even though this space is private it unifies the rural women who used to often visit this space on festivities for the ceremony of haldi-kunku. Many other spaces in the wada saw dominance of women and children like the backyard which was maintained to be a garden later by Nana’s wife. The native african Baobab tree planted by nana near the dindi darvaza was perceived as a symbol of power in the village. It was used as a landmark and as an important space where the men from the village used to gather, again connecting the wada with the rural context. 

References

• (“Nana Phadnavis Wada and Menavali Ghat in Wai” 2021)

• (“The Architecture of Wadas of Maharashtra”, n.d.)

• (“Nana Phadnis Wada: Restoration & Heritage Management”, n.d.)

• (Pandya, n.d., #)