Dighapatia Raj
Encyclopedia
Dighapatia Raj was a zamindari in present day Rajshahi
, which was ruled by this dynasty
of 7 generations of Rajas
from late seventeenth century till the mid-twentieth century; when the democratic government took power after the end of the British Monarchy’s
rule in India, in 1950, the East Pakistan
government
abolished aristocracies
and the zamindari system in present day Bangladesh
. The family was seated at the Dighapatia Palace.
The family contributed largely to the development in education, infrastructure and culture of Rajshahi
and North Bengal
. They were especially famous for their generosity and public spirit. The Rajas
built the Varendra Research Museum
among other institutions of culture and education. The rajas
of Dighapatia were seated at the Dighapatia Palace. They received royal titles
and titles of honor
from the British Crown such as Raja
, Maharaja
and Raja
Bahadur
.
was Dayaram Roy who, at a very young age, received the help from Raja
Ramjivan Roy, the first Raja
of Natore Raj family
, and eventually became his dewan
. Raja Dayaram led the army
of Raja Ramjivan in aid of the Nawab of Bengal
in 1716 and overthrew the rebellious Raja Sitaram Ray
, who was a zamindar
(and later king, raja
) of neighboring Bhusna state. The sack of Muhammadpur, Raja Sitaram's capital, later enabled him to ultimately lay the foundation of the Dighapatia dynasty. For his loyalty, he received large tracts of land in Rajshahi
and Jessore as grants and later acquired zamindari in Bogra
and Mymensingh
.
Nawab Murshid Quli Khan
, who was the nawab of Bengal
under Emperor Aurangzeb
conferred on him the title
of 'Rai-Raiyan
' in recognition of his services. When the Earl Cornwallis
introduced the Permanent Settlement
Act, a large number of the old feudal lords
and zamindars created during the time of the Nawab
Murshid Quli Khan
could not meet land revenue standards and thus became defaulters. Their estates were sold up to a new class of wealthy lords. The Dighapatia Raj was one of the few remnants of the old decaying 'jagir
dars'. They were avidly following European dress, wine
, horse race and various such other external glamour of life. The princely western influence is reflected not only in their palace
architecture
but also in their furniture
and other interior decorations
. However, during certain ceremonial occasions they donned extravagant robes
, jeweled
turbans and carried priceless inlaid swords
in dainty scabbard
tucked at theirs waists, following the bygone fashions of the Mughal
nobility
even when the Mughal
dynasty and their imperial
rule had faded.
Pran Nath Roy and Pramada Nath Roy were some of the important zamindars of Dighapatia..
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Uttara Gano Bhaban also known as The Maharaja's Palace or Dighapatia Palace (or Rajbari) is a historic, formerly royal palace
in Natore
, Bangladesh
. It was built by the Raja
of Dighapatia
but is used as the official residence
of the heads of states of Bangladesh
in North Bengal
. In the north, it serves as an official Presidential Palace
. Various historic meetings took place at the palace, during the British Raj
, East Pakistan
era and finally after the independence of Bangladesh.
, it is located about 2.40 km away from the Natore town. Raja Dayaram Roy constructed the main structure of the palace along with a few wings; but it was Raja Pramada Nath Roy rebuilt the whole palace complex after the catastrophic earthquake of 1897
.
The Dighapatia Palace was made 'Dighapatia Governor House' on July 24, 1967 by Abdul Monem Khan
, the Governor
of erstwhile East Pakistan
. Later, after the country's independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President of Bangladesh
declared the Dighapatia Governor House as Uttara Gonobhaban on February 9, 1972. Before the split of Pakistan
and Bangladesh
, President
Ayub Khan resided at the Palace.
area occupies around 43 acres (174,015 m²) of land or around 25 bighas
, enclosed within a moat and a high perimeter wall. The estate also contains few lakes and greenery
. The front gate entrance houses an imposing four-storied pyramidal gateway with a clock tower
. It is also contains a series of arched openings on three storeys
and two circlet
s flanking the clock on the top storey.
The 'E' shaped east facing facade
is over a 100 ft (30.5 m) long and has a prominently protruding porch
in the center. In addition, two slightly projecting wings exist on both ends. The facade is decorated with floral designs in its plasterwork
. A series of pointed trefoil
arched openings provide access to the building across a running balcony
in front. The parapet
on the roof
is decorated with merlon
s. The hemispherical dome
with a sharp finial
atop covers the central foyer
.
The palace block houses nine sleeping chambers
, a durbar hall
, a dining hall and a dance
room
. The ceiling of the durbar hall
is over 25 feet (7.6 m) from the floor
and is much higher than the flanking apartments. The ceiling
is decorated with painted floral motif
in wood set in bays. Although the palace ground was plundered in various times in history, there are still some beautiful pieces of relics such as the neo-classical
bronze
Greek statues
, flower vases
, chandeliers, carved wooden bedstead and princely furniture
. The main foyer
also displays two armoured knights.
The southern wing of the palace is similarly designed in the shape of an 'E'. There is a large garden
in the front with a fountain
and a few life-size marble female sculptures located at the four corner porticoes. A broad verandah
in front leads to a large foyer and beyond, to a series of apartments. The roof of the verandah
is carried on semi-Corinthian
columns alternated by trefoil
arches
. A rear verandah on the western end of the block overlooks a part of the moat
. The bathroom
is made entirely of marble
.
The 'Kumar Palace' (literally Prince's
Palace
) located to the southeast, close to the main palace compound is a two-storeyed
building that houses four main bedrooms and a dressing room on the upper floor and a series of apartments on the ground floor. The small treasury
hall
stands directly behind the Kumar Palace. There also exists the single storeyed 'Rani Mahal' (Queen's Palace
) to the south of the main palace block, originally occupied the vast fortified area of the palace. The guesthouse, stables, the servants quarters
etc. have all disappeared with time and at the aftermath of the earthquake of 1897.
Rajshahi
The city of Rajshahi is the divisional headquarters of Rajshahi division as well as the administrative district that bears its name and is one of the six metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. Often referred to as Silk City and Education City, Rajshahi is located in the north-west of the country and...
, which was ruled by this dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
of 7 generations of Rajas
Rajas
Rajas ) is, in the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy, one of the three gunas. Of these, rajas, is responsible for motion, energy and preservation...
from late seventeenth century till the mid-twentieth century; when the democratic government took power after the end of the British Monarchy’s
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
rule in India, in 1950, the East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
abolished aristocracies
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
and the zamindari system in present day Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. The family was seated at the Dighapatia Palace.
The family contributed largely to the development in education, infrastructure and culture of Rajshahi
Rajshahi
The city of Rajshahi is the divisional headquarters of Rajshahi division as well as the administrative district that bears its name and is one of the six metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. Often referred to as Silk City and Education City, Rajshahi is located in the north-west of the country and...
and North Bengal
North Bengal
North Bengal is a term used for the northern parts of Bangladesh and West Bengal. The Bangladesh part denotes the Rajshahi Division. Generally it is the area lying west of Jamuna River and north of Padma River, and includes the Barind Tract. The West Bengal part denotes Cooch Behar, Darjeeling,...
. They were especially famous for their generosity and public spirit. The Rajas
Rajas
Rajas ) is, in the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy, one of the three gunas. Of these, rajas, is responsible for motion, energy and preservation...
built the Varendra Research Museum
Varendra Research Museum
Varendra Museum is a museum, research center and popular visitor attraction located at the heart of Rajshahi town and maintained by Rajshahi University in Bangladesh.-History:...
among other institutions of culture and education. The rajas
Rajas
Rajas ) is, in the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy, one of the three gunas. Of these, rajas, is responsible for motion, energy and preservation...
of Dighapatia were seated at the Dighapatia Palace. They received royal titles
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
and titles of honor
Rai (Indian)
Rai is a title of honour in India and is also used as a surname mainly by Rajput, Jat of North India and Bunts of coastal Karnataka and Kerala in south India.It is also used as a surname by Bhumihar of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.It is derived from Raja and the Marathi/Telugu variant is Rao, while...
from the British Crown such as Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
, Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
and Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
Bahadur
Bahadur
Bahadur * Banda Singh Bahadur , a Sikh warrior and martyr* Coote Bahadur was a name given the Irish soldier Sir Eyre Coote by his troops* Bahadoor , a comedic actor in Malayalam-language films...
.
History
The first RajaRaja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
was Dayaram Roy who, at a very young age, received the help from Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
Ramjivan Roy, the first Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
of Natore Raj family
Rajshahi Raj family
Rajshahi Raj was a large feudatory kingdom which occupied a vast position of Bengal . It was the second largest zamindari with an area of about 33,670 sq km, after the Burdwan Raj...
, and eventually became his dewan
Dewan
The originally Persian title of dewan has, at various points in Islamic history, designated various differing though similar functions.-Etymology:...
. Raja Dayaram led the army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
of Raja Ramjivan in aid of the Nawab of Bengal
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
in 1716 and overthrew the rebellious Raja Sitaram Ray
Raja Sitaram Ray
Raja Sitaram Ray was an autonomous king, vassal to the Mughal Empire, who revolted against the Empire and established a short lived sovereign Hindu dominion in Bengal.-Ancestry:...
, who was a zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
(and later king, raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
) of neighboring Bhusna state. The sack of Muhammadpur, Raja Sitaram's capital, later enabled him to ultimately lay the foundation of the Dighapatia dynasty. For his loyalty, he received large tracts of land in Rajshahi
Rajshahi
The city of Rajshahi is the divisional headquarters of Rajshahi division as well as the administrative district that bears its name and is one of the six metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. Often referred to as Silk City and Education City, Rajshahi is located in the north-west of the country and...
and Jessore as grants and later acquired zamindari in Bogra
Bogra
Bogra is a town, and one of the oldest towns in northern Bangladesh. It is a centre of commerce and trade within the Bogra District and located under the Rajshahi Division. Bogra is sometimes described as the nerve centre of Northern Bangladesh. Amongst many notable activities, it has been hosting...
and Mymensingh
Mymensingh
Mymensingh , pronounced moy-mon-shing-haw, is a city of Bangladesh situated on the river Brahmaputra. It is the headquarters of the administrative unit Mymensingh District. Mymensingh is the anglicized pronunciation of the original name Momenshahi, referring to a ruler called Momen Shah. The cadet...
.
Nawab Murshid Quli Khan
Murshid Quli Khan
Murshid Quli Khan was the first Nawab of Bengal. In fact circumstances resulted in his being the first independent ruler of Bengal post the death of Emperor Aurangzeb...
, who was the nawab of Bengal
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
under Emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
conferred on him the title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
of 'Rai-Raiyan
Rai (Indian)
Rai is a title of honour in India and is also used as a surname mainly by Rajput, Jat of North India and Bunts of coastal Karnataka and Kerala in south India.It is also used as a surname by Bhumihar of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.It is derived from Raja and the Marathi/Telugu variant is Rao, while...
' in recognition of his services. When the Earl Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
introduced the Permanent Settlement
Permanent Settlement
The Permanent Settlement — also known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal — was an agreement between the East India Company and Bengali landlords to fix revenues to be raised from land, with far-reaching consequences for both agricultural methods and productivity in the entire Empire and the...
Act, a large number of the old feudal lords
Lords
- Places :*Lord's Cricket Ground, English Cricket Ground and home of Marylebone County Cricket Club.- Politics :*House of Lords, upper house of the British parliament*Lords Spiritual, clergymen of the House of Lords...
and zamindars created during the time of the Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
Murshid Quli Khan
Murshid Quli Khan
Murshid Quli Khan was the first Nawab of Bengal. In fact circumstances resulted in his being the first independent ruler of Bengal post the death of Emperor Aurangzeb...
could not meet land revenue standards and thus became defaulters. Their estates were sold up to a new class of wealthy lords. The Dighapatia Raj was one of the few remnants of the old decaying 'jagir
Jagir
In historic India, a jagir was a small territory granted by the ruler to an army chieftain in fairly short terms usually of three years but not extending beyond his lifetime, in recognition of his military service...
dars'. They were avidly following European dress, wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, horse race and various such other external glamour of life. The princely western influence is reflected not only in their palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
but also in their furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
and other interior decorations
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
. However, during certain ceremonial occasions they donned extravagant robes
Robes
Robes is an electronic indie new wave synth band from Carrboro, North Carolina. Members include Patrick Cudahy and Chris Williams. They've been in various bands over the last decade or so with lots of funny names: Joby's Opinon, Jacuzzi Brothers, Smooth Hedges, The Soft Drink. Sound reference...
, jeweled
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
turbans and carried priceless inlaid swords
Swords
A sword is a cutting/thrusting weapon made of metal. Sword or swords may also refer to:* Swords, County Dublin, Ireland* Suit of swords, a suit in Latin-suited playing cards and Tarot decks* SWORDS, a ground-based military robot...
in dainty scabbard
Scabbard
A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. Scabbards have been made of many materials over the millennia, including leather, wood, and metals such as brass or steel.-Types of scabbards:...
tucked at theirs waists, following the bygone fashions of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
even when the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
dynasty and their imperial
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
rule had faded.
Pran Nath Roy and Pramada Nath Roy were some of the important zamindars of Dighapatia..
Architecture
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
in Natore
Natore District
Natore is a district of Rajshahi Division located in northern Bangladesh. It borders the metropolitan city of Rajshahi, and used to be part of Rajshahi district.-History:Natore was the District Head Quarter of Rajshahi since 1769-1825...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. It was built by the Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
of Dighapatia
Dighapatia Raj
Dighapatia Raj was a zamindari in present day Rajshahi, which was ruled by this dynasty of 7 generations of Rajas from late seventeenth century till the mid-twentieth century; when the democratic government took power after the end of the British Monarchy’s rule in India, in 1950, the East Pakistan...
but is used as the official residence
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
of the heads of states of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in North Bengal
North Bengal
North Bengal is a term used for the northern parts of Bangladesh and West Bengal. The Bangladesh part denotes the Rajshahi Division. Generally it is the area lying west of Jamuna River and north of Padma River, and includes the Barind Tract. The West Bengal part denotes Cooch Behar, Darjeeling,...
. In the north, it serves as an official Presidential Palace
Presidential Palace
A Presidential Palace is the official residence of the president in some countries. However, some countries do not call the official residence of a head of state a presidential palace...
. Various historic meetings took place at the palace, during the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
era and finally after the independence of Bangladesh.
History
Originally used as the residence of the Rajas of DighapatiaDighapatia Raj
Dighapatia Raj was a zamindari in present day Rajshahi, which was ruled by this dynasty of 7 generations of Rajas from late seventeenth century till the mid-twentieth century; when the democratic government took power after the end of the British Monarchy’s rule in India, in 1950, the East Pakistan...
, it is located about 2.40 km away from the Natore town. Raja Dayaram Roy constructed the main structure of the palace along with a few wings; but it was Raja Pramada Nath Roy rebuilt the whole palace complex after the catastrophic earthquake of 1897
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
.
The Dighapatia Palace was made 'Dighapatia Governor House' on July 24, 1967 by Abdul Monem Khan
Abdul Monem Khan
Abdul Monem Khan was the governor of erstwhile East Pakistan before being independent Bangladesh— from 28 October 1962 to 23 March 1969. He was a loyal aide of Ayub Khan and infamous for repression on the Bengali nationalists during the regime...
, the Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of erstwhile East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
. Later, after the country's independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President of Bangladesh
President of Bangladesh
Since 1991, the President of Bangladesh is the head of state, a largely ceremonial post elected by the parliament. Since 1996, the President's role becomes more important after the term of the government has finished, when his executive authority is enhanced as laid down in the constitution of the...
declared the Dighapatia Governor House as Uttara Gonobhaban on February 9, 1972. Before the split of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, President
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
Ayub Khan resided at the Palace.
Architecture
The palacePalace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
area occupies around 43 acres (174,015 m²) of land or around 25 bighas
Bigha
The bigha is a unit of measurement of area of a land, commonly used in Nepal, Bangladesh and in a few states of India including Uttaranchal, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Rajasthan etc. The precise size of a bigha appears to vary considerably...
, enclosed within a moat and a high perimeter wall. The estate also contains few lakes and greenery
Greenery
Greenery may refer to:* Any foliage of a plant, either live, freshly cut, or artificial. The term is used in the landscaping, interior design, and florist industries.* A houseplant used for its foliage.* A slang term for marijuana....
. The front gate entrance houses an imposing four-storied pyramidal gateway with a clock tower
Clock tower
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
. It is also contains a series of arched openings on three storeys
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
and two circlet
Circlet
A circlet is a crown with neither arches nor a cap ....
s flanking the clock on the top storey.
The 'E' shaped east facing facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
is over a 100 ft (30.5 m) long and has a prominently protruding porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
in the center. In addition, two slightly projecting wings exist on both ends. The facade is decorated with floral designs in its plasterwork
Plasterwork
Plasterwork refers to construction or ornamentation done with plaster, such as a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls. This is also sometimes called pargeting...
. A series of pointed trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
arched openings provide access to the building across a running balcony
Balcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
in front. The parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
on the roof
Roof
A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
is decorated with merlon
Merlon
In architecture, a merlon forms the solid part of an embattled parapet, sometimes pierced by embrasures. The space between two merlons is usually called a crenel, although those later designed and used for cannons were called embrasures.-Etymology:...
s. The hemispherical dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
with a sharp finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
atop covers the central foyer
Foyer
A foyer or lobby is a large, vast room or complex of rooms adjacent to the auditorium...
.
The palace block houses nine sleeping chambers
Bedroom
A bedroom is a private room where people usually sleep for the night or relax during the day.About one third of our lives are spent sleeping and most of the time we are asleep, we are sleeping in a bedroom. To be considered a bedroom the room needs to have bed. Bedrooms can range from really simple...
, a durbar hall
Durbar Hall
Durbar Hall is a place where Indian Kings had their formal and informal meetings. The famous ones belonged to Great Emperors and Kings. In the North, places like Udaipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Agra have palaces that adorn such magnificent halls. The Mughal Emperor Akbar had two halls; one for...
, a dining hall and a dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
room
Room
A room is any distinguishable space within a structure.Room may also refer to:* Room , by Emma Donoghue* Room, Nepal* Room for PlayStation Portable, a social networking service* Thomas Gerald Room , Australian mathematician...
. The ceiling of the durbar hall
Durbar Hall
Durbar Hall is a place where Indian Kings had their formal and informal meetings. The famous ones belonged to Great Emperors and Kings. In the North, places like Udaipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Agra have palaces that adorn such magnificent halls. The Mughal Emperor Akbar had two halls; one for...
is over 25 feet (7.6 m) from the floor
Floor
A floor is the walking surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology...
and is much higher than the flanking apartments. The ceiling
Ceiling
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
is decorated with painted floral motif
Motif
Motif may refer to the following:In creative work:* Motif , a perceivable or salient recurring fragment or succession of notes* Motif , any recurring element in a story that has symbolic significance...
in wood set in bays. Although the palace ground was plundered in various times in history, there are still some beautiful pieces of relics such as the neo-classical
Neoclassical sculpture
Neoclassical sculpture was a sculptural style of the 18th and 19th centuries. The neoclassical period was one of the great ages of public sculpture, though its "classical" prototypes were more likely to be Roman copies of Hellenistic sculptures. The neoclassical sculptors paid homage to an idea of...
bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
Greek statues
Ancient Greek sculpture
Ancient Greek sculpture is the sculpture of Ancient Greece. Modern scholarship identifies three major stages. They were used to depict the battles, mythology, and rulers of the land known as Ancient Greece.-Geometric:...
, flower vases
Vase
The vase is an open container, often used to hold cut flowers. It can be made from a number of materials including ceramics and glass. The vase is often decorated and thus used to extend the beauty of its contents....
, chandeliers, carved wooden bedstead and princely furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
. The main foyer
Foyer
A foyer or lobby is a large, vast room or complex of rooms adjacent to the auditorium...
also displays two armoured knights.
The southern wing of the palace is similarly designed in the shape of an 'E'. There is a large garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
in the front with a fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
and a few life-size marble female sculptures located at the four corner porticoes. A broad verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
in front leads to a large foyer and beyond, to a series of apartments. The roof of the verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
is carried on semi-Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
columns alternated by trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
arches
Arches
-Places:* Arches National Park in the U.S. state of Utah* Arches, Cantal, a commune of the Cantal département, in France* Arches, Vosges, a commune of the Vosges département, in France-Other:* Arches of the foot...
. A rear verandah on the western end of the block overlooks a part of the moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
. The bathroom
Bathroom
A bathroom is a room for bathing in containing a bathtub and/or a shower and optionally a toilet, a sink/hand basin/wash basin and possibly also a bidet....
is made entirely of marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
.
The 'Kumar Palace' (literally Prince's
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
Palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
) located to the southeast, close to the main palace compound is a two-storeyed
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
building that houses four main bedrooms and a dressing room on the upper floor and a series of apartments on the ground floor. The small treasury
Treasure
Treasure is a concentration of riches, often one which is considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered...
hall
Hall
In architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...
stands directly behind the Kumar Palace. There also exists the single storeyed 'Rani Mahal' (Queen's Palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
) to the south of the main palace block, originally occupied the vast fortified area of the palace. The guesthouse, stables, the servants quarters
Quarters
Quarters is a popular drinking game which involves players bouncing a quarter off a table in an attempt to have the quarter land in a certain place, usually into a shotglass on that table. The game is popular at parties, especially in colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, as...
etc. have all disappeared with time and at the aftermath of the earthquake of 1897.