You will find a lot of heritage buildings in the city of Kolkata if you are out exploring the city. These heritage buildings and structures ooze out a specific old world charm. And if you are someone who loves exploring heritage properties then a visit to the Shobhabazar Rajbari is a must. This is one of the living heritage structures in the city that still stands tall in its elegance. And the Durga Puja at Shobhabazar Rajbari Kolkata is yet another thing that makes the Rajbari even more popular. Moreover the Durga Puja here is one of the oldest in the city along with being popular.
So if you want to explore the essence of the days gone long back then try visiting this Rajbari in Kolkata once. You would instantly feel like you have been transported to a different world. Keep on reading this article to know everything you need to know about this Rajbari. This will be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip to this location soon.
Shobhabazar Rajbari Kolkata
Location: 36 Naba Krishna Street, Kolkata, West Bengal
Location on Google Map :
Timings: 8 am to 8 pm
Entry fee: There is no Shobhabazar Rajbari ticket price
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach there is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International airport. From the airport Shobhabazar Rajabari is located at a distance of 11 km. You can easily reach there in about 28 minutes from the airport. You can take buses or take a car or a cab or a yellow taxi to travel there conveniently.
By train
While travelling in a train the nearest railway station to reach the Shobhabazar Rajbari is the Sealdah railway station. From the Sealdah Station the Rajbari is located 4.6 km away and you can reach there in about 20 minutes. Another major railway station to reach there is the Howrah Railway Station. From the Howrah Station the Rajbari is located at a distance of 4.5 km. You can easily reach there in about 18 minutes. In case of the suburban railway station the Dum Dum station is the nearest railway station located 5 km away from the Rajbari. You can easily reach there in about 20 minutes. From each of the stations you will get the city buses plying on this route to reach the Rajbari. Or to reach there more conveniently you can even take a car or a cab or hire a yellow taxi as well to reach there.
By metro
It would be most comfortable to reach Shobhabazar Rajbari by metro. The nearest metro station to reach this Rajbari is the Shobhabazar metro station. From the metro station the Rajbari is only 600 metres away. It would take about 3 minutes to reach there. And if you wish to walk up to the Rajbari then it would take you around 8 minutes to reach there from the metro station.
Overview of Shobhabazar Rajbari
Shobhabazar Rajbari is a grand mansion that oozes aristocracy and charm. If you are ever visiting there you would be able to feel the grandeur of the days long gone. It is an ancient mansion also popular as the Bagh Ola Bari or the House with Lions. As the name suggests already Rajbari means the House of Royals and the name explains what this house looks like. It is a royal structure, beautifully and thoughtfully crafted. Also this is one of the oldest surviving royal houses in the city.
Another thing that makes the Rajbari even more popular is the ancient Durga Puja here. Going on for many years, almost two centuries, the Durga Puja here is one of the oldest in the city. Currently also one of the major reasons for visiting here is the Durga Puja here. During the 5 days of Durga Puja a huge number of visitors visit here to witness the grandeur of royal puja. The Puja here holds a lot of importance in maintaining the culture of Kolkata. So if you are ever visiting here do visit here during the time of Durga Puja to witness the rituals of the festival.
Another important aspect of this Rajbari is that Rajbari also serves as a wedding venue as well. For people who love reusing heritage structures for that old world charm can definitely rent this place for their weddings as well. The Shobhabazar Rajbari wedding cost starts at Rs. 60,000 and increases on the basis of demand and hours of booking. This is yet another heritage wedding venue at Kolkata which is extremely popular these days.
History of Shobhabazar Rajbari
Built in 17th century, Raja Nabakrishna Deb is the founder of this beautiful Rajbari in Shobhabazar. He was an aristocrat and an ardent member and follower of the then Brahmo Samaj. Just after the Battle of Plassey he initiated a Durga Puja here in 1757. And since then the Durga Puja has been going on here till today. During the days in the past this Rajbari was a hub of culture and traditions. Many famous personalities have attended various events and functions at this Rajbari. The list includes Rabindranath Tagore, Sister Nivedita, Raja Rammohan Roy, Warren Hastings, Roberts Clive etc. Also just after Swami Vivekananda returned from his trip from Chicago there was a civic reception here that Raja Binoy Deb Bahadur had arranged.
This Rajbari had been a witness to several cultural and social events. And since so many years this Rajbari has been a centre of the culture and tradition of the city. This heritage building is nothing but a living symbol of the bygone days. And even today this royal structure is standing in all its glory. Originally this Rajbari was a Saat Mahala house but at present only a portion of this Rajbari is intact. A space with the Thakur Dalan or the courtyard is the most prominent remaining of the old structure.
In his lifetime Nabakrishna Deb had built two palaces. One of them is the Shobhabazar Palace. And there is another palace as well located opposite the Shobhabazar Rajbari, called the Choto Rajbari. The enormous wealth and the pomp of the days gone by are still very much visible in the structure and its formation. Till today the palace looks aesthetic, grand and majestic in its appearance.
Architecture of Shobhabazar Rajbari
The structure of the Rajbari is highly impressive and till today it retains its charm as well. There is an open courtyard at the centre of this building which is the Nat Mandap. You will also find several columns here with a square base. All these columns arch around the courtyard from the sides. Previously this was the area where the various functions and festivals used to take place. Also there are double storey wings on both the sides of this courtyard as well. This area further leads to the Naach Ghar which is at the south of the structure. As the name suggests Naach Ghar is the Dancing Room and it holds a lot of prominence as well. Many talented and notable artists have performed here in the past like Noor Baksh, Miss Rangham, Gohor Jaan, Malkajaan etc.
At present the Naach Ghar doesn’t have a roof. Only a smaller portion of the original structure remains at present. The courtyard however is in a good condition even today. Along with that you will also find a temple here which is the Nabaratna Temple. It is the sanctum sanctorum of Radha Gobinda. Radha Gobinda is the family deity of the Krishna family of Shobhabazar. The zamindar family has been worshipping their family deity for over 250 years now. At present the deity is at the new rajbari which is located next to the old Rajbari. This is a rajbari that the descendents of Raja Nabakrishna Deb had built later in times.
The festival of Lakhsmi Puja is yet another important festival at the Rajbari other than the Durga Puja. This puja is like homage to Radharani Devi who is an incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi.
Shobhabazar Rajbari Durga Puja
The Durga puja in the Rajbari is definitely one of the major attractions here. Previously the idol here was golden in colour about a century ago. But for various financial issues it changed to silver. Much later in 2017 again the golden colour of the idol was brought and currently this is more popular here. One of the major features of the Durga Puja is the traditional rituals that the members follow here. They follow all the authentic Bengali rituals for the Puja. Also the idol and the worship have its specificity here. What makes the celebration even more lively is the Live Shehnai here. Artists from Varanasi come here to perform it during the days of the puja and that adds a different charm to the puja here.
Wrapping Up!
So that was everything that you needed to know about the Shobhabazar Rajbari Kolkata and now you need to visit here for this year’s Durga Puja. Plan a visit here and witness the grandeur of traditional rituals of the Puja. The Rajbari still retains its charm and a visit there would be interesting for sure. So you must not miss out on visiting this royal house. Do let me know if this article on this Rajbari is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
