Dhanyakuria, located about 52 kilometres from Calcutta is a little less known village housing probably some of finest specimens of Bengali and colonial architecture. It boasts of imposing Gothic palaces and mansions portraying the lifestyle of the affluent babus or the Zamindari elite class of pre-independence period.
You could never imagine that while driving around the Bengal countryside, you could actually chance upon an old village filled with Anglo-Indian architectural wonders. It was just what had happened to us- while on a weekend drive to Taki, we chanced upon Dhanyakuria, and decided to explore the place.
What looks like an English castle, straight out of a Disney film, locked behind an imposing gateway, is the Gayen Bari, the garden retreat for the Gaine Zamindari family. It resembles an English Mansion with turrets and on top of the gate is a structure of two Europeans fighting a lion.
The palace is surrounded with vegetation and you might easily get the feels of being in an Yorkshire Countryside in England. However, entry without permission is usually prohibited.
A little way from the Gaine Bari, is the actual Gaine mansion, painted in a shade of pink, with a huge courtyard and towers. It is the official residence of the Gaine family and a marvelous example of colonial Bengali architecture. On each corners of the structure are domes which add to the splendor of the palace. The building is two storeyed and is lavishly decorated with light stands and Corinthian pillars, fountains, and a huge driveway.
The exterior of the palace has tower like structures and also a temple for the household deities. Entry inside the main building is not allowed, the building being a residential place. The place is a shooting hotspot and many notable Bengali period dramas have been filmed in this location.
The next stop is the Sawoo Mansion. Painted in white, the building has beautiful colonial style arched windows with stucco decor on the arches. The courtyard has Corinthian pillars and is a beautiful structure to behold. Like most affluent homes of Bengal, the Sawoo Mansion has a Thakurdalan or the Natmandir supported by pillars. The structure is moderately well maintained and is in good shape. According to the locals, the place is opened up during Durga Puja, the biggest festival of Bengal and hosts a get-together of the present generation of the Sawoos.
Next, we walk to the Ballav Mansion or the Ballav Bati. It is painted in green and white and is very well-maintained. The builders of the Ballav mansion traded and made their fortune in Jute. On the roof of the palace are a few figurines, an European figure on each corner of the roof. Just above the entrance is the figure of a monarch with a crown, possibly a Western monarch, with two Asian figures on either side. This was probably a sign of loyalty to the British crown from the Bengal land gentry. The idols have given it the name of Putul Bari (house of dolls).
In the grounds of the Ballav Mansion are a row of old, dilapidated rooms, quite in contrast to the main building. They might have served as an outhouse or servants quarters. The left part of the grounds is relatively old and in ruins, it has a narrow, low-ceilinged side entrance and a three-storey tower in the exterior.
A weekend trip to Dhanyakuria is ideal if you are interested in history, architecture or simply in exploring. It is enthralling to visualize and feel the once glorious lifestyle of the Bengali merchants which has now either crumbled to dust beneath the ruins of their palatial homes or framed forever in the rolls of our cameras.
How to reach Dhanyakuria?
The location is a two hour drive from Calcutta and can be easily journeyed by car. Also, there are trains from Calcutta; the Bashirhat Local will take a little over a couple of hours to reach Dhanyakuria.