Nana Rao Peshwa Smarak Park, Bithoor: History, highlights and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind Nana Rao Peshwa Smarak Park

After the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the East India Company exiled Baji Rao II to Bithoor and let him keep a large household supported by a pension. He adopted Nana Saheb in 1827. After Baji Rao's death the Company refused the pension under the doctrine of lapse. Major Stevenson occupied the palace on 19 July 1857, and it was burned in December 1857 after Nana fled with much of his treasure. The memorial park now occupies the site.

Useful facts

Nana Rao Peshwa Smarak Park facts at a glance

Location

Site of Nana Saheb's palace, Bithoor

Experience type

Memorial park with a small museum

Known for

Statues, ruined walls, freedom-struggle displays

Architect/Built

Palace destroyed 1857; park is modern

Time or schedule

Hours unverified; check on arrival

Why it matters

Why Nana Rao Peshwa Smarak Park is worth your time

Bithoor was where the East India Company exiled Peshwa Baji Rao II, who lived there with a large household on a pension. His adopted son Nana Saheb inherited the palace, but the Company refused to continue the pension after Baji Rao's death. In 1857 Nana Saheb became a leader of the rebellion at Kanpur.

British forces occupied Bithoor in July 1857, and the palace was burned in December that year after Nana had fled. What remains is a memorial, a few walls and the question of what happened to Nana next. Visiting the park gives the town a second, secular layer of meaning beside its pilgrimage identity.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   Nana Saheb's statue

   A prominent statue of Nana Saheb marks the park.

2. 02

   The small museum

   Holds an image of Rani Lakshmibai and material on the 1857 struggle.

3. 03

   The palace site

   Ruined walls and open ground show where the Peshwa household lived.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Treat this as the history stop of the day. The park is laid out where Nana Saheb's palace stood before British forces burned it in 1857. Start with the statues of Nana Saheb and associated figures of the uprising, then walk toward the crumbling walls that survive at a distance.

Inside the small museum you will find an image of Rani Lakshmibai and displays on the freedom struggle. It is modest rather than comprehensive, so do not expect a major museum; its value is that you are standing on the site where much of the story happened.

After the park, return to Valmiki Ashram or the ghats. The pairing makes sense: this is the Maratha and 1857 Bithoor, and the ashram's white Peshwa-era temple is the surviving religious side of the same household.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Where Nana Saheb's palace once stood, Bithoor

Time needed

45–60 minutes

Best time

Morning or late afternoon, October to March

Walking level

Easy

Senior comfort

The park is largely level with paths and some shade, which makes it the easiest stop in Bithoor for elders. Seating is available in places. Midday is hot in summer; go early or late.

Tickets and access

A small entry fee has been reported by aggregator sites, but I could not confirm current fees or hours from an official source. Check on arrival; museum and park timings may differ.

Plan it with

FAQs