Menawali is a village about three kilometres from Wai

Wai

Wai or WAI may refer to:*Wai, Maharashtra, a town in India*Wai, an alternative name for the Nuristani people, speakers of the Waigali language*NO WAI, a phrase that is part of the O RLY? Internet meme.*Wai, a form of Thai greeting...

 in Satara district

Satara district

Satara District is a district of Maharashtra state in western India with an area of 10,480 km² and a population of 2,808,994 of which 14.17% were urban . Satara is the capital of the district and other major towns include Wai, Karad, Koregaon, Koyananagar, Rahimatpur, Phaltan, Mahabaleshwar...

 and is known for
a Peshwa era "Wada" (Fortified Mansion) built by Nana Fadnavis, the great Maratha

Maratha

The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...

 statesman of the Peshwa

Peshwa

A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...

 period.

Bhavan Rao Trymbak Pant-Pratinidhi of Aundh and Raghunath Ghanshyam Mantri (Satara) bestowed the village of Menawali to Nana Fadnavis in December 1768. Nana built for himself a Wada and a ghat on the River Krishna
along with two temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Shiva.

The Wada now belongs to Nana's descendents and is still in relatively good shape. It has all the hallmarks of a typical Wada belonging to a High ranking minister of the Peshwa

Peshwa

A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...

 Regime.

From the rear entrance of the Wada, we can directly approach the Krishna river with a breathtaking view of the ghat and temple complex. The bell house of the temple houses a massive bell captured by Bajirao’s brother Chimnaji Appa

Chimnaji Appa

Chimnaji Appa was the son of Balaji Vishwanath Bhat and the younger brother of Bajirao Peshwa. He was an able military commander who liberated the western coast of India from Portuguese rule...

 from a cathedral in the Portuguese fort at Bassein. Dated 1707, the five-alloy bell bears a bas-relief of Mary carrying the infant Jesus Christ cast into it.

The ghat and temple complex have proved to be an exotic location for Bollywood with many films notably among them Gangaajal

Gangaajal

Gangaajal was 2003 Hindi film, directed by Prakash Jha, and was the brain child of Mr. Mahendra Lalka, starring Ajay Devgan, Gracy Singh, and Mukesh Tiwari...

and Swades

Swades

Swades: We, the People is a 2004 Indian film written, produced and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The film stars Shahrukh Khan and debutante Gayatri Joshi...

being shot extensively here.