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Decaying palaces turned into boutique hotels in India – think chandeliers, gazebos, lots of mahogany and Greco-Roman columns

Influenced by European architecture, the grand palaces in West Bengal, India, were once the property of royal families and zamindars – wealthy landowners

After falling into disrepair, some of them are now being restored and turned into boutique hotels that emphasise their heritage and former grandeur

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Rajbari Bawali outside of Kolkata. Some of these former Indian palaces are being restored into boutique hotels. Photo: Kalpana Sunder

Published: 8:15am, 23 Jul 2022

A conch is blown, bells ring, drums are beaten and sonorous religious chants sound out against the backdrop of traditional Indian oil lamps – called diyas – that are lit by women clad in white and red saris.

The Hindu worship ritual Sandhya aarti takes place like clockwork every dusk at The Rajbari Bawali boutique hotel. Sitting on the lawn in the middle of the complex’s large courtyard are the guests, being transported back to an era in which the prominent family that once called this rajbari home would have congregated in this place every evening.

Rajbari is the name given to a particular kind of Indian palace. Strictly speaking, a rajbari housed royalty during the pre-colonial era, while the former homes of affluent landlords are called “zamindar baris”, although the words are used interchangeably.

After Indian independence in 1947, many landowning zamindars and royals lost their wealth, and some rajbaris were repurposed to generate income, either as film locations or as theatres. Many fell into disrepair and some of those with multiple owners became the object of family feuds.

The Belgachia Rajbari in North Kolkata is somewhat derelict, but the old palace’s former glory can be seen in its imposing columns, shuttered windows and magnificent rooms. Photo: Kalpana Sunder

Only a few are still occupied by the families that originally owned them; others are being converted into heritage stays or boutique hotels such as the 35-room Rajbari Bawali.

“Rajbaris were [...] generally inspired by Roman and Greek as well as European architecture, which wealthy people saw on their travels either for trade or studies in those days and were aspirational,” explains Ashish Acharjee, a Kolkata-based architect who works on conservation projects and is writing a book about rajbaris.

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