This winter, travel back in time in West Bengal’s heritage ‘rajbaris'

Kolkata, then known as ‘Calcutta,’ was known as the ‘City of Palaces’ around a century ago. If you've seen the Vikramaditya Motwane-directed Lootera, the Netflix original Bulbul, or even Piku, you've likely seen the opulent palace mansions that bring West Bengal's past to life.

During the British Raj, these rajbaris, or royal residences, belonged to the landed nobility of West Bengal, known as zamindars. But, long after the British left India and zamindari was abolished, some of these great structures still stand, while others have fallen into disrepair. Rajbaris are perfect examples of English-design-meets-local-architecture, with Corinthian pillars meeting majestic arches, enormous clustered courtyards, arcaded verandahs, and marble sculptures on top.

Take a peek at some of these beautiful rajbaris, many of which have been rebuilt as heritage hotels and are dripping with nostalgia, history, and recollection.

This rajbari, owned by the Mondal family and located barely two hours from Kolkata, is an architectural masterpiece brimming with past splendour. It was discovered in a condition of disorder by current owner Ajay Rawla in 2008, and he repaired it, opening its doors to a genuine Bengali experience, complete with Bengali cuisine, rural walks, cultural performances in the courtyard, and much more in this heritage hotel.

The Itachuna Rajbari, near Hooghly’s Itachuna village, is the princely estate from Lootera. It was built in 1766 and is still operated by the Narayan Kundu family, who rebuilt it with the assistance of the State Tourism Department. For those wishing to get away from the city for the weekend, the rajbari has been converted into a heritage homestay.