West Bengal • 2 monuments
Hazarduari Palace (also called Bara Kothi) is a 19th century architectural wonder; both for its grand stature boasting of magnificent Indo-European architecture as well as for the tricks it can play with the visitors. Literally, the palace’s name translates to ‘the palace with 1,000 doors’. In reality, there are only 100 real doors, while 900 are false doors that the architect must have planned to deceive the enemy. Accessible by 37 stone stairs (designated as India’s largest with the lowermost measuring about 33 m.), the palace is a part of the Nizamat Fort complex situated stunningly on the bank of River Bhagirathi. One of the most popular attractions of the palace is the huge cannon, notoriously called the Bacchawali Tope. The cannon when fired would make such unbearable noise that the pregnant women would give deliver premature babies (bacche). The palace nowadays is a renowned museum, with 20 galleries showcasing more than 1,000 exhibits. Some of the most amazing items on display include valuable paintings, armoury, bronze statues, brassware, furniture and thrones, vases, lamps, manuscripts and memorabilia belonging to the royals and the British. Stuffed crocodile, camel carriages, Victorian carriages and vintage cars are other worth exploring collections on display. The world’s second largest crystal chandelier is also exhibited here. For a truly splendid view of the palace, watch it when illuminated at evening. Other attractions in the fort complex include mosques, Clock Tower, Bada Imambara and lush green gardens.
Built between 1723 and 1724, Katra Mosque is famous as a significant centre for Islamic learning. The area had a big bazaar (market) around the mosque, which made the constructor name it as Katra Masjid - a mosque in the market. The beauty of this mosque lies in the way it is designed. The magnificent mosque has 4 octagonal minarets that capture visitor attention. The huge main gate, interestingly carved larger courtyard and big central dome are the major attractions of the mosque. One of the most intriguing stories associated with this structure is that the mosque was constructed by a Hindu with the materials collected after demolishing Hindu temples. Other nearby attractions includes Hazarduari PalaceWasef Manzil and Bachchawali Tope etc.
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