The Rajwada Palace was constructed in 1747 A.D. by the founder of the Holkar Dynasty, Malhar Rao Holkar. The palace was once the center of all the trading activities in the city. Rajwada has been burnt three times since its construction. The lower three floors of the palace are made of stone, while the top levels are made of wood. This material used for construction made the building very vulnerable to destruction by fire. It was set on fire for the first time in 1801 by the commander Sarjerao Ghadge of the Sindhiya Dynasty.
Reconstruction occurred between 1818 and 1826, and five floors were reconstructed during this time. In 1834, a second fire occurred, and the topmost floor was destroyed. The last fire, which broke out in 1984, had caused the maximum destruction to the structure and the back side of the palace was destroyed entirely. The temple of Malhari Martand, which is located inside the palace, was also wholly ruined during the riots of 1984.
Now, only the front part of the original structure remains. The palace has recently been renovated, which has managed to bring back the old glory to some extent. A beautiful garden has been created in the palace’s rear part. It contains fountains, an artificial waterfall, and some magnificent pieces of 11th-century sculpture. The palace hall is now used for art exhibitions and classical music concerts as well.
