Situated behind Shaniwarwada, next to Vasant theatre, the place where Nanasaheb Phadnis lived and managed the Peshwa's empire. As you enter this building a sadness fills you. For what else can it be to see a magnificent heritage building rotting at its core?

The majestic balcony with a dome shaped ceiling is almost crumbling. The carved wooden arches, the pillars, the intricate carvings on the ceilings have withstood the ravages of time, pollution, misuse and even modernisation. But the rest of the structure is simply lying wasted. Once you enter, on the left is an open space covered with putrid water that one has to negotiate to reach the stairs.

The wooden steps are in such a pathetic condition that there are some steps that are missing and the whole thing is so rickety that it actually sways dangerously as you go up. Upstairs, the only thing that surprisingly has remained unspoiled is the carved ceiling. Intricate carvings on the jet black wooden ceiling are the only pointer that mutely claim their days of glory.

The floors are covered with dust and in some places have broken down. The rooms below are presently being used as a garbage bin of sorts. Discarded paper, cycles, tin, Mangalore tiles, broken sinks, and so on lie in a heap in the corner. On the front side lives Shatrughana Khandale, the residential watchman and his family. Says he, ``I feel proud to live in the building which was once upon a time a prime institution.''

He states that the building had, what was then called the Kerunana Chattri, which was an observatory to observe the sky and the stars. This chattri was situated above the darbar which now lies locked. Says Khandale, ``The reason why the wooden structures has not yet deteriorated is because it was put for a year in linseed oil, then water, and then exposed to the Sun.''

With the exception of the lower portion that is used by Khandale, the rest of the Wada is locked. Steep steps lead to the hall upstairs and it is painful to watch the paintings and carvings on the wall outside the darbar rotting. All that is visible is the reddish background with ivory paintings depicting men and horses, all lined by intricate borders. At some places these grand paintings have been covered with yellow oil paint.

In 1907 the British laid the foundation stone for the building that was built as an extension of Nanawada. It was meant for the New English School.

Today this building houses the records office of the PMC, the Nutan Marathi Primary school, the L.N. Kinkar Night School and a day-care centre for the aged. The house where Nanasaheb lived? That's being taken care of by Time.