I had heard about it but hadn’t had the opportunity to visit Dhanyakuria. Located 55km to the north-east of Kolkata, along the Barasat-Taki Road, it takes just about two hours to reach Dhanyakuria by car. It is an unusual place which does not find any mention in the pages of history books, yet it exists to showcase architectural beauties, borrowing heavily from English and European styles.
It is a village where the past and the present are juxtaposed with a flourish. It stands as a testimony to the determination and enterprise of a few Bengali traders who moved away from neighbouring Calcutta (now Kolkata), the capital of one of the most powerful empires in the world at that time (19th century).
This village and its palaces seem to be straight out of a fairy tale, making it an intriguing subject to explore, particularly its history. Not much, however, is known about Dhanyakuria’s origins and its socio-economic-cultural background, except through a few newspaper articles, blogs and research papers. It is believed that in 1742, one Jagannath Das arrived with his family and settled at Dhanyakuria, which was then part of the Sunderbans, the famed mangrove forest of India-Bangladesh.
It is mentioned in one of the few available articles, that, when the Bargis…the mercenary Maratha marauders attacked Bengal (then undivided), its people wanted a safe refuge. Jagannath Das came away and was followed by the families of Mandal, Sawoo, Gaine and the Ballav. Most of them were essentially traders and/or agriculturists. Apart from them, the Sens, Lahas, Roys and the Bhattacharyas made this village their home.
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These successful Bengali entrepreneurs built mansions in classical European styles with Corinthian or Ionian pillars, towers and figurines. In fact, today they stand as living evidence of their entrepreneurial skills and financial wellbeing. The profits they earned were invested, not only in building these magnificent mansions, but also in creating educational and healthcare facilities. Primarily it was the three merchant families of Gaine, Sawoo and Ballav which played important roles.
The importance of Dhanyakuria as a trading and healthcare centre can be understood from the fact that the Martin Burn Company, which operated private trains on the Hasnabad-Shyambazar section of the Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway, had a stoppage at a station named Dhankuria G. Garden in their Hasnabad Shyambazar line of the Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway.
It was in 1820, that Ramkishore Gaine came to settle at Dhanyakuria. Ramkishore, along with the Sawoos and Ballavs, initiated business ventures, and started trading in ghee, sugar, jute and jaggery. The village began to prosper thereafter. The profits were invested in real estates and other business operations. Time moved on, and so did the members of these families in pursuit of different occupations.
Dhanyakuria, in recent times, has been gaining steady popularity as a tourist destination, more so, with the Government of West Bengal exploring the scope of tourism at the heritage sites located in and around the Dhanyakuria, the village of castles. The palaces that were constructed by these wealthy traders have remained as showpieces of fusion architecture, and some of them are still well looked after.
This village and its palaces seem to be straight out of a fairy tale, making it an intriguing subject to explore, particularly its history.
It is the Gaine Bagan Bari, or the Garden House, located on Taki Road (connecting Kolkata to Basirhat town), which stands as a derelict example of a splendorous past. Spread across 12 acres of land, the Gaine Bagan Bari was built in the mid-19th century. It is believed that this castle was built to entertain the British ‘business’ partners. Expensive materials were sourced from abroad to build this impressive edifice.
Even in its dilapidated state it stands impressively as an imitation of English (and European) castles of that time. Built by Mahendranath Gaine, a wealthy businessman, this vintage structure is one of the most notable of Dhanyakuria’s buildings. Popular as the ‘Gaine Castle’, it belonged to the Gaine family before the Government of West Bengal Government acquired it in the 1960s. The building once housed a state-run orphanage, but that shut down a few years ago.
On our recent visit, we found the gate of the Gaine Bagan Bari locked. From the road we were able to get a glimpse of the mansion, surrounded as it was with a vast dishevelled garden. The pond, which finds mention in various articles, was not visible, and the detailing of the castle was impossible to see. On close observation of the main gate, one can still see twin towers with an arched gate in the centre, atop which one can see figures of two Englishmen fighting a lion barehanded.
The Gaines had built another mansion in Dhanyakuria, at Benepara Road. This road leads to the still well-maintained mansions of the Gaine, Ballav and Sawoo families. The light pink-coloured, L-shaped Gaine Rajbari is a fine example of the brilliant fusion of architectural styles, typical of many colonial-era buildings constructed by affluent Bengalis/Indians.
Over 200 years old, the Gaine Rajbari was once the residence of the entire Gaine family, but presently only a few members reside, namely Monjit Gaine, a teacher and a writer, and his family. The mansion is one of the most beautiful landmarks of Dhanyakuria, with 21 massive pillars that stand to highlight its regal personality. On speaking with the caretaker (no family members were available), we found out that there are a total of 60 rooms in the mansion.
On one side of the garden is the Thakur Dalan and the Shyamsundar Jiu temple. Built in 1821, this temple is also L-shaped and coloured pink.
The Gaine Rajbari has featured in many Bengali, Hindi and foreign films. It is a popular venue for film and TV serial shoots. The money thus earned is used for maintaining the building. The Gaine Rajbari, without doubt, is one of the best maintained mansions of Dhanyakuria.
Visitors are not allowed to enter the inner precincts of this mansion. On the left of the main gate, inside the premises, stands a beautiful three-storied domed tower named Nazar Minar. Its architectural features are a fine amalgamation of Islamic and European styles.
On the lane opposite the Gaine Mansion is the sprawling, white Sawoo Mansion. It was built by Patit Chandra Sawoo. Unfortunately, the main gate was locked, and one could not enter to explore. Corinthian pillars, window arches along with stucco work are the prominent features of the Sawoo Mansion.
None of the members of the Sawoo family reside here, but some of them attend the Durga Puja celebrations. A closer look through the main grilled entrance revealed a stained-glass archway adorning the entrance to a courtyard. This property does need a facelift; even the small garden in front seemed neglected.
Just behind the Sawoo Mansion, and past a small pond is the two-storied mansion of the Ballav family. Ballav Mansion, also known as Ballav Bati, was built by Shyamacharan Ballav around the same time as the Gaine Mansion. It is often called the putul bari by the locals as many figurines adorn its front facade. Most of the present generation do not live here, except for a few relatives.
Painted in green, white and gold, the mansion has exquisite iron gates and fencing in front. Interesting figurines greet visitors at the entrance, standing atop the lunette with a stucco-work peacock. It is a trio with a cape-wearing princely figure in the centre, and two turban-wearing men by his sides. Apart from huge Corinthian pillars, the front of the building has rows of stucco over the corridors on both floors.
Just outside the premises of the mansion, at one end is a three-storied tower like the Nazar Minar of the Gaine family. In the absence of a caretaker, it was difficult to enter the premises.
Besides these mansions, one can also see the Rasmancha, close to the Ballav Mansion, which comes alive during the Vaishava Ras festival, and the various educational and health institutions built by these benevolent business families.
Even though one feels sad about the tattered condition of the Gaine Bagan Bari, one feels heartened on hearing the news that the West Bengal Heritage Commission has, in recent years, taken an interest in restoring the property to attract tourists.
References: journal.iccua.com
Image Credit:- Mousumi Duttaray
