• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Startups
  • News
    • PC Bypoll 2021
    • Loksabha 2019
    • Assembly Elections
      • Search Name in Voters List
      • Know UR Polling Booth
    • Business
    • Letters to Editor
    • Vishwa Kannada Sammelana
    • Education
      • Did u know this
  • Infra
    • Real Estate
  • Lifestyle
    • History
      • Old Photos
      • Then & Now
    • Travel
    • Picnic spots
    • Ganesh Darshan
    • Food & Drink
    • Movies
    • ULB Polls
  • Specials
    • Stars of Belagavi
    • Trivia
    • Sports
  • City Guide
    • Weather
    • Air
    • Train
    • Bus
    • FAQ
    • IT Companies
    • KLE Centenary
    • iamBelagavi
    • Bapu – Bittoo
  • Food
  • Jobs
  • Covid19
All About Belgaum

All About Belgaum

Belagavi - Belgaum Latest News Online

belagavi
belagavi

The story of Rangubai Bhosale and her Rangubai Palace

Dec 7, 2020 by Editor Dec 4, 2021 11 Comments

belagavi

Courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/heritageofbelgaum/

Rangubai Bhosale was born to Ramachandra Rao and Balabai Bhosale,a farmer family,in 1895 in Balekundri village. Rangubai lost her father at the age of 5 and this fateful event brought Balabai with little Rangu to Belgaum.

With no place to stay,they took shelter at the steps of the Basavanna temple for over a month. Rangubai was enrolled in a school at an early age and was a seeker of knowledge.

rangubai palace

Shree Rangubai Palace, Ramling Khind Galli

Balabai started selling butter in the weekly Saturday markets to make ends meet. Business flourished and Balabai would travel frequently to Pune to deliver butter to Chiman Shethji, sometimes accompanied by Rangubai.

During one of their visits,Rangubai was intrigued with Shethji’s other business of assessing the genuinity of pearls and diamonds. He taught her the art and also helped in setting up her own shop in Pune. She was appreciated for making her mark in the otherwise male-dominated profession.

128872663 214140326897436 6953146524762092240 n.jpg? nc cat=110&ccb=1 5& nc sid=8bfeb9& nc ohc=zXsWRESo0b4AX9ZOeOn& nc ht=scontent.fblr1 4

In 1920, Laxmanrao Bhosale of Nagpur visited Pune and was impressed with Rangubai’s skills of assessing the pearls/diamonds. He invited her to settle in their Wada in Nagpur. During their stay, Laxmanrao’s mother fell ill and Rangu started studying Ayurveda and later started her own manufacturing unit producing Ayurvedic medicines.

Few personal events led to Rangubai returning to Belgaum. She started her own ‘Maharashtra Aushadh Kaarkhaana’ in 1924.

130190166 214140460230756 5248199805638812189 n.jpg? nc cat=107&ccb=1 5& nc sid=8bfeb9& nc ohc=efsovU6iq34AX u9mn7& nc ht=scontent.fblr1 5

As the business grew, Rangubai started planning a bigger space and with the help of Engineer Raosaheb Aaraas, the foundation stone of the present-day Rangubai Palace was laid in 1927.

Rangubai Palace Ramling Khind Galli Belagavi
Rangubai Palace Ramling Khind Galli Belagavi

The building has an eclectic nature with elements of neo-Gothic and neo-classical coming together. The cast iron railings were custom made with the name of the palace and Rangubai’s portrait. The construction is in a combination of black basalt and beige coloured stones with jack arch slab construction.

The palace was set within a compound wall with a pair of marble lions stationed at the gate. The compound was taken over during road widening. The second floor was planned as a Diwaankhaana with galleries for women to sit and hall for various cultural programmes.

130202624 214140636897405 870747490451485297 n.jpg? nc cat=104&ccb=1 5& nc sid=8bfeb9& nc ohc=9EUXoldgmmgAX NbXJG& nc ht=scontent.fblr1 4

Rangubai also had her own theatre company ‘Chittarkarshak Naatak Company’ for a brief period. On 8th June 1929,Laxmanrao Bhosale inaugurated the palace. However,work in the palace was over only by 1932.

A printing press was set up in the palace by the name ‘Lokamitra’ during the election period in 1937 in which she contested. She lost the elections but was the first woman to be elected in the Belgaum Municipality later.

The palace was used as a recruiting centre by the Maratha Light Infantry during WWII.

12th October 1962 Rangubai passed away in Miraj and was brought to Belgaum for her last rites. She believed that only education can empower citizens and eradicate poverty. Rangubai Saheb Bhosale Trust was made in 1937 and she kept her promise of donating her life savings to the betterment of the Bahujans. Since 1966, Rangubai Bhosale Girls Schools runs in the palace.

Source – T. B.Pingat’s ‘Tyagamurti Rangubai Bhosale’

Location – Shree Rangubai Palace,Ramling Khind galli

belagavi
Follow us on Google News google news belagavi

About Editor

Writes about the cozy town of Belagavi and captures all the important happenings of the city. Since 2007 have been writing on AllaboutBelagum on varied topics and impactful stories.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dileep Kamat says

    Dec 12, 2020 at 11:18 AM

    There is another story regarding Ms Rangubai I heard from the widow of the founder of Chitra talkies (Laxmi Theatre was the initial name) that married women were afraid of their husbands becoming very friendly with Rangubai!

    Reply
    • Mansi says

      Mar 26, 2022 at 4:22 PM

      Dileep Kamat-You should be very ashamed of yourself of posting something which truly a pathetic rumor and utter nonsense about a respectable queen of Belgaum. She was known to be a messiah for girls in a country where there a something Di is gusting misogynists like you!! She believed in educating girls back then probably your mothers was also benefited. A man who doesn’t respect women should not be allowed to express his sick views!!

      Reply
  2. vk says

    Dec 9, 2020 at 6:03 PM

    most of the officials politicians are interested in smart city rather than maintaining such historic places and even the compound wall is demolished why they should have left that little space. it is like this that even temple premises or any historic premises are not maintained but any super power person premises are protected and maintained

    Reply
  3. Chandrakant Sontakke (Khanapur) says

    Dec 9, 2020 at 2:40 PM

    Very very informative article and inspiration of Rangubai life history. It’s a new lesson of information to be learnt on a prominent building in the heart of Belgaum city. Really our Belgaum city is blessed with so many great personalities and their contribution for making Belgaum a historical place. Her history should be motivation and inspiration to women in building up their personalities with good quality and culture. Its a pride to be a belgaumite………..

    Big thanks to AAB for publishing valuable information….

    Reply
  4. Dr Rohit Mutkekar says

    Dec 8, 2020 at 12:35 PM

    Very informative article. Belgaum is blessed with so many such wadas and buildings. These truly reflect the soul of our beloved city.

    Reply
  5. Ulhas Panse says

    Dec 8, 2020 at 9:40 AM

    Most of the Belgaumians do not know about this heritage building. Good piece of information. We wish its splendour and significance are always maintained.

    Reply
  6. Anupa Kowshik says

    Dec 7, 2020 at 7:50 PM

    Very interesting
    ….must visit on our next trip to belgaum

    Reply
  7. Uday Mohite says

    Dec 7, 2020 at 7:19 PM

    This is nice article. Most of belgaum people don’t know. Her history should be motivation to women. Thank u

    Reply
  8. Amruta Kanagali says

    Dec 7, 2020 at 6:20 PM

    Nice article, creates more interest among readers.

    Reply
  9. Satish R says

    Dec 7, 2020 at 4:48 PM

    I am one of the ex student in this school. ….

    Reply
  10. Nandan Herlekar says

    Dec 7, 2020 at 3:00 PM

    Good information on a prominent building in Belgaum city.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

July 2022
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Jun    

About Us  |  Contact us  | Advertise  |  Terms