DINAJPUR RAJBARI

The origin of this rajbari remains unclear. The property was reportedly formed by Kasi Thakur during the Mughal period. His descendants would have increased the family fortune and developed it over the centuries. The three main palaces, the Aina Mahal (mirror palace), the Rani Mahal (Queen's Palace) and the Thakurbadi Mahal, fall into ruins and are eaten by the vegetation. You enter the enclosure by the western door, a majestic arch of Mughal style. On your left, an ochre and green door leads to the temple of Krishna, still active. The large Hindu community in the region comes here for the pujas (offering ceremonies) and is engaged in the maintenance of the building. His impeccable stucco and vivid colours testify to the importance of this temple. You will have to leave your shoes at the entrance and a small bakchich to the guardian. On the right of the entrance, a passage leads to an inner courtyard in which another Hindu temple is located, dedicated to Durga, the wife of Shiva. The sanctuary of this temple still has some Hindu statues. You will reach the three main palaces by climbing inside the enclosure. The mixture of Mughal, Hindu and European styles seems to indicate that all buildings are not dating back to the same time. At its peak, the rajbari consisted of beautiful gardens, a zoo and a tennis court, as well as buildings for employees whose traces remain.