Murshidabad is a great weekend trip from Kolkata, and now you can pair it up with a heritage stay at a 250 year old ‘Rajbari’ – the Cossimbazar Palace of the Roys! In recent years, many old palaces in Bengal have been renovated and have opened up for guests – the Cossimbazar Rajbari is one of them. Located 10 km south of Murshidabad, Cossimbazar was once a great trading center of Bengal. There are two palaces in Cossimbazar – The Old Cossimbazar Rajbari, the erstwhile palace of the King which is in an abandoned condition today; and the Cossimbazar Palace of the Roys, which has been renovated and turned into a heritage stay by Mr. Pallab Roy, the scion of the Cossimbazar Roy family.
Established by Ajodhya Ram Roy in 1740, the Cossimbazar Palace has been the home of the Roy family for 11 generations since. Ajodhya Ram originally hailed from Bhagabangola and had settled in Cossimbazar near Murshidabad, the erstwhile capital of the Bengal Nawab. Cossimbazar was a bustling port city and the Roy family made its fortune in the business of silk export. The original structure and the Laxmi mandir then expanded into a whole palace complex under the watch of Ajodhya Ram’s son, Dinabandhu Roy. Dinabandhu and his son acquired more lands and constructed the Chandimandap, living quarters and the Dewan (offices). The imposing front facade of the palace with its huge iron gates, front patio and carriageway was built in the 1850s, as was the central ballroom and the North Verandah. The residential part of the palace (Purono andar), as it stands now, was built by Ashutosh Nath Roy in the early 1900s. Ashutosh Nath Roy was also awarded the title of Raja by the East India Government for his and his father’s exemplary service to the administration and hence the residence of the ROYs came to be known as the ‘rajbari’.
Booking Process
We made our booking at the Cossimbazar Palace directly with Roopkatha Resorts, the company which runs the heritage property. The booking was done on phone, and the deposit paid via bank transfer. Being a relatively unknown property, we were able to get bookings just a few days before our anticipated trip!
How to get there
We started in the morning from Kolkata towards Murshidabad via NH-34. The road until Krishnanagar is in bad condition, with multiple diversions and large craters. After Krishnanagar it improves, with four laning complete in about 80% of the stretch till Murshidabad. The last few kilometers after exiting NH-34 at Behrampore are through narrow but drivable roads. We followed Google Maps and did not face any issues.
On arrival , we found we were the only guests at the property for the weekend! The check-in is an informal process, and we were quickly shown our rooms.
We were served a set lunch at the restaurant which consisted of rice, dal, begun bhaja (fried eggplant), pNach meshali sabji (mix veg), mutton and chicken curry. The food was fresh and tasty, and the servers were very attentive.
The rooms we stayed at were on the first floor of the palace. We were given two adjacent rooms on one side of a huge living room, the Andar Mahal. The rooms were spacious and had antique four poster queen beds. The renovated bathrooms are modern and have running hot water.
The living room opened up to a terrace on one side and a long verandah on the other. The immaculately upholstered antique armchairs and couches are perfect to lounge on and to have an adda over evening tea. You can also look at the various paintings and old family photographs lining the walls.
In the afternoon, we were given a tour of the palace by Gobindo Pyne, the property manager. The ground floor of the palace has beautifully decorated rooms with heritage furniture overlooking sprawling verandahs. The rooms have been restored to their former glory and look amazing with their high ceilings and carved pillars and have many antique artifacts displayed for the visitors. There is also an ancient courtyard in the middle of the palace as well as a Sabhaghar (royal court), Majlish ghar and a Malkhana (treasury).
The back of the house overlooks a mango orchard with a majestic Nagalingam tree overlooking the two bathing ponds constructed for the gentlemen and the royal ladies. There is also a well-maintained rose garden known as Khash Bagan at the back of the house. Towards the left of the main Palace facade, lie the Radhagobindo temple complex and the Shiva Mandir, both of which are set in the midst of a garden and the deities are worshipped daily.
The Chandimandap inside has beautiful marble floors and exquisitely decorated pillared arches with crystal chandeliers and stained glass lamps dotting the ceiling.
The Chandimandap still hosts Durga Puja every year and one can imagine how resplendent it must look during the festive days. One of the most striking features of the palace is a clock tower or ghanta ghar which has a functioning antique clock.
Nearby Attractions
A short distance away, the old Cossimbazar Rajbari, also known as the Cossimbazar Boro Rajbari stands in a dilapidated condition today. Krishnakanta Nandi, the founder of the Kasimbazar royal family, built this palace in the middle of the eighteenth century. The yellow colored grand facade of the palace with the family crest atop the Corinthian columns looks regal and imposing. The spacious verandah on the first floor has elaborate wrought-iron grills and rows of green-shuttered windows while intricate cornices underline the roof. However, this beautiful edifice is not maintained and is in dire need of a renovation. Currently visitors are not allowed to enter the property.
Twenty minutes from Cossimbazar lies the main city of Murshidabad, wherein you can visit all the historical places such as Katara Masjid, Hazarduari Palace, Nizamat Imambara, Motijheel, Madina Masjid, Nashipur Rajbari, Jahan Kosha cannon and Kathgola Palace.
Few more pictures to end the story…
Information at a glance
Cossimbazar lies 10 km south of Murshidabad. The most convenient way to reach Cossimbazar from Kolkata is by road (250 kms, 5 hours). Alternatively, take the train to Behrampore and take local transport (Toto) to the Rajbari. The best time to travel is in winter or during the festival of Durga Puja. While you can do a tour of the palace by paying a nominal fee, it is highly recommended to spend a night at the heritage property and relive the golden days of Bengali Babu culture. Cossimbazar can be made a base to explore the nearby city of Murshidabad. For more details contact Roopkatha resorts at https://roopkathahotelsandresorts.com/contact-us/.
The Travelogists 