The Raj Wada is the 18th-century palace of the Bhonsle royal family of Sawantwadi, a handsome two-storey structure with carved wooden balconies and arched verandahs facing the Moti Talao lake. The ground floor rooms have been converted into a gallery and workshop space showcasing the royal family's ongoing patronage of traditional Konkan crafts. Entry is free and the palace complex is open to visitors during daylight hours.
Walking through, you can watch craftspeople at work painting the distinctive ganjifa cards — circular playing cards made from layers of cloth coated with natural dyes — as well as carving and lacquering the wooden toys that Sawantwadi has traded across India for generations. The craft traditions date back to the 17th century when the Bhonsle rulers actively patronised artisans and established the town as a centre of skilled production. The palace shop sells directly to visitors and the prices are fair.