Amadpur Chaudhuri Zamindar Bari
| Amadpur Chaudhuri Zamindar Bari | |
|---|---|
 Durga dalan of the Zamindar Bari | |
General information | |
| Type | Zamindar mansion |
Architectural style | Bengali architecture |
| Location | Amadpur, India |
Completed | 17th century |
| Owner | Chaudhuri family |
Amadpur Chaudhuri Zamindar Bari is a historic zamindar mansion in Amadpur, Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, India. Established in the 17th century, it is the ancestral residence of the Chaudhuri family. Their zamindari extended across parts of present-day Purba Bardhaman and Hooghly districts. The estate comprises a main mansion, a Baithakkhana, a Durga dalan, a Dolmancha, and several terracotta temples.[1] The mansion features Bengali architecture.[2]
The zamindar bari is well known for its annual Durga Puja, which has continued for more than three and a half centuries and is distinguished by several unique customs and rituals.[3] In addition to Durga Puja, the estate also hosts other pujas like the Kali Puja, Dol Yatra, and Ratha Yatra. Parts of the Baithakkhana were converted into a heritage homestay in 2017, allowing visitors to stay within a restored section of the historic mansion.[4]
History
According to the family history, the family's original surname was Sen Sharma, and their ancestors came from Tehatta. The Amadpur branch traces its lineage to Sribatsa Sen Sharma, who is said to have migrated to the Kingdom of Gour during the late 11th or early 12th century.[5] In the 17th century, Krishna Ram Sen Sharma was granted the title of "Chaudhuri" by the Mughal administration after he received the zamindari of Amadpur along with estates in present-day Purba Bardhaman and Hooghly. He subsequently settled in Amadpur, and over time Chaudhuri replaced Sen Sharma as the family's surname. The family's zamindari was later recognised under the Permanent Settlement of 1793 during British rule, after which its influence extended towards Serampore.[6][7]
Notable family members
Several members of the family were also associated with education and literature. Duhi Sen Sharma, Sribatsa Sen Sharma's grandson, served as a court poet to Lakshman Sen of the Sena dynasty and was honoured with titles including "Kavisikshapati", "Chakravarti", and "Pandit Ratna" for his literary work Pawan Doota. Another notable member was Mohes Chunder Chaudhuri, a scholar, philanthropist, lawyer, and social reformer. In the mid-19th century, he founded Amadpur High School, which was formally inaugurated by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, who is said to have been a close associate of Mohes Chunder Chaudhuri.[8]
Architecture and layout
The estate reflects the layout of a traditional Bengali zamindar residence, with the residential quarters, religious structures, and water bodies integrated within a single complex. The architecture of the mansion dispalys Bengali architecture. It is a three-storeyed mansion.[8] Architectural features of the house include an ornamented pediment, a long veranda fitted with louvered awnings to reduce direct sunlight, carved wooden doors with decorative panels, and rainwater spouts crafted in the form of tiger heads.[7]
The Durga dalan has entrances on both sides and features high ceilings supported by wooden rafters. The estate includes a large pond, a mango orchard, a Dolmancha, and three brick-built atchala temples decorated with terracotta architecture.[9]
Its architectural features include red-tiled floors, large wooden doors, shuttered windows, and a pond-facing sitting area. The ground floor contains multiple rooms, including a dining hall and another furnished room with antique wooden furniture, while the upper floors have ten double-occupancy rooms overlooking the pond.[6]
Durga puja
The Durga Puja at the Amadpur Zamindar Bari has been celebrated for over three hundred and sixty years and remains one of the family's principal annual observances. Although many descendants now reside in different parts of India and abroad, they continue to return to their ancestral residence for the annual Durga Puja.[10]
The scale of the celebrations has diminished over the years but several traditional rituals continue to be observed, including the use of nahabat (ceremonial music), chandeliers, and rituals performed in accordance with the Kalika Purana. Chandra Sekhar Chaudhuri, a descendant of Anadiram, is said to have moved from Murshidabad to Amadpur after the Bargis' raids. He brought the family's presiding deity, Radha-Madhav, from Murshidabad, established a temple for the deity, and founded the family's Durga Puja. The puja was initially conducted in a room adjoining the Radha-Madhav Temple before being shifted to the Durga dalan.[11]
Rituals
The Durga Puja at the Amadpur Chaudhuri Zamindar Bari is marked by several distinctive rituals. Unlike the more common five-day observance, the family's Durga Puja extends over 19 days. Preparations for the festival begin a week before Mahalaya with the commencement of rituals and daily recitations of the Chandi mantras. The festivities begin with the sound of the dhol and performances of shehnai, rather than the more commonly used dhak.[11] The goddess is offered fourteen varieties of traditional sweets, while a sugarcane offering serves as a symbolic substitute for animal sacrifice. The idols are distinguished by the absence of the traditional animal mounts of Lakshmi and Saraswati, and by the omission of chandmala ornaments.[12]
On the morning of Shashthi, women of the Chaudhuri family traditionally collect small quantities of rice and lentils from neighbouring households. These are ground into a paste and used to create alpana in the Durga Dalan. The goddess is ceremonially invoked on the evening of Shashthi, while the Kolabou ritual is performed on Saptami. Sandhi Puja is marked by the bursting of fireworks. On Vijaya Dashami, the family organises a community meal for the villagers. On the day of the immersion, torchlight processions and performances by local Adivasi dancers accompany the ceremonial carrying of the idol through the village before its immersion.[12][13]
Ratha Yatra and other festivals
Kali Puja, Kartika Puja, Saraswati Puja, Dol Yatra, and Ratha Yatra are also celebrated annually at the estate. Adjacent to the Baithakkhana stands the family's atchala Radha Madhav Temple, built in 1739 and dedicated to the family's presiding deities. A later-built Natmandir obscures much of the temple's terracotta decoration, leaving the pillars and lower panels as the most visible original features. During the annual Dol Utsav, the Radha-Madhav deities are ceremonially taken from the Radha Madhav Temple to the nearby Dolmancha.[6][14]
As part of the tradition, mud collected from the wheels of the Radha-Madhav chariot is symbolically used in the preparation of the first clay framework of the Durga idol. At the Durga dalan, a symbolic puja is performed in front of the newly made framework of the Durga idol.[7]
During the annual Ratha Yatra, the family's presiding deities, Radha Madhav, are ceremonially brought from the adjacent Radha Madhav Temple to the chariot amid the sounds of dhak, shehnai, and conch shells. After the deities are installed, devotees traditionally pull the chariot through the village as part of the procession. The previous 13-spired chariot was replaced by the present one in 2001. The festival also coincides with a village fair that attracts visitors from the surrounding region.[15]
Restoration efforts
The 18th and 19th-century terracotta temples have undergone repairs, although full restoration has been limited by the specialised craftsmanship required and the associated costs. Replacement tiles installed during conservation were designed with floral motifs, animal figures, and scenes from everyday life to reflect the style of the original terracotta ornamentation.[7]
Heritage homestay
For much of the year, the mansion remained unoccupied except during the Chaudhuri family's annual Durga Puja celebrations. In 2017, part of the property was converted into a heritage homestay by Shiladitya Chaudhuri, one of the members of the Chaudhuri family. Accommodation is provided in five to six rooms on the first and second floors within the mansion.[16] They retain several original architectural features, including high ceilings supported by wooden rafters and walls approximately 32 inches (81 cm) thick, which help keep the interiors cool. The rooms are fitted with old-day long-hanging ceiling fans. Some of the elevated beds are fitted with wooden steps for easier access.[7]
References
- ↑ Peterson, J.C.K (1910). Bardhaman Jelar Itihas O Lokosanskriti Vol. 1. Calcutta: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "টলটলে দিঘি, সঙ্গে জমিদার বাড়ির আমোদ! সপ্তাহান্তে ঘুরে আসুন বর্ধমানের আমাদপুর থেকে". Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 4 January 2022. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ Chattopadhyay, Ekkari (October 2000). Bardhaman Jelar Itihas O Lokosanskriti Vol. 1. Calcutta: Radical Impression. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "5 Boutique Heritage Stays Near Kolkata To Book This Independence Day Long Weekend". Outlook Traveller. 30 July 2025. Archived from the original on 7 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ Dasgupta, Shomik (28 January 2022). "This 375 Years Old Magnum Ops Heritage Rajbari In Burdwan Is A Reflection Of The Bygone Richness Of Bengal". Whats Hot. Archived from the original on 11 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- 1 2 3 Gupta, Amitabha (8 July 2022). "Amadpur Baithak Khana – A hark back to 'desher baris' of the past". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Gangopadhyay, Uttara (17 March 2017). "West Bengal Amazing Amadpur". Outlook Traveller. Archived from the original on 13 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- 1 2 Halder, Indranil (15 September 2020). "375-year-old zamindar bari of Amadpur and its bonedi barir Durga Puja". Get Bengal. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ Bose, Tuhin (29 June 2025). "Heritage, History, & Royalty: The Zamindar Palaces Of West Bengal". Patralok. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ Mitra, Dipawali (25 September 2022). "Bengal's rural heritage homes set to welcome back puja tourists". Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- 1 2 Roy, Rituparna (30 September 2022). "6 traditional pujos that are worth the drive from Kolkata". Condé Nast Traveller. Archived from the original on 23 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- 1 2 "আজও ঝাড়লণ্ঠনের আলোতে আমোদপুরের জমিদার বাড়িতে চলে দুর্গাপুজো". News18 (in Bengali). 27 September 2017. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ "ষষ্ঠী থেকে সদর দরজায় বসবে নহবত, আমাদপুর জমিদার বাড়ির পুজোর ৩৬০ বছর পার". ABP Ananda (in Bengali). 9 October 2021. Archived from the original on 16 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ McCutchion, David (1972). Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal. Asiatic Society. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ Mukherjee, Sreecheta (25 December 2012). Temples of Bengal. Aesthetics Media Services. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "5 Heritage Stays & Resorts Near Kolkata". Outlook Traveller. 24 March 2025. Archived from the original on 9 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.