Meharunnisa, Saidpur (Nilphamari) :
Enlarge portal, two or three storied building with a mortal of sand and ancient lime, attractive pattern and designs of windows, and roofs of iron rod surrounded the building with the wall of thirty inch.
This is the structural picture of the Palace of Maharaja Girija Nath which is now only a house of the ancient time only .
The palace is facing extinction due to lack of renovation. The building is now covered and wrapped with thick jungles and it has become the dwelling place of different insects. The locals demanded renovation of the palace urgently . Now it is standing just as the witness of time though everyday hundreds of people are visiting the palace .
Kali Charan Bose (75) is a resident opposite to the palace. He is now doing business in small shop in front of the main gate. He may be called the witness of many incidents of the Rajbari.
According to Kalicharan Bose, his grandfather was the caretaker of the last Maharaja Jagadish Nath Rai Bahadur. Maharaja Giriza Nath had no child and he brought up Jagadish from Chirirbandar and crowned him as the race of his dynasty. After wards, Jaladhar Rai, the only son of Jagadish Rai died at the age of 18 in Kolkata during his treatment.
The ruling period of the last Maharaja, Maharaja Jagadish Nath Rai was 30 years (1919-1951). He silently went and settled in Kolkata due to the grief of the unexpected death of his only son and the abolition of Zamindari practice. He died in the year 1965 attacked by disease.
The wall inside the temple of this palace is also the witness of many incidents. Lots of information can be gathered by studying the walls. According to the information, half a mile away from the present Dinajpur Bus Stand the historical place Rajbari is situated. The total area of the palace is 16.53 acre. Once it was the symbol of wealth but now it is only the symbol of the abolished Zamindari.
The main attraction of the Rajbari is the Aina Mahal. It is built during the reign of Raja Pran Nath and Ram Nath. The main structure of the palace is situated within this Aina Mahal. Court Hall, Throne, Court of king, assembly for musical demonstration (Jalsa Ghar), Guest House, Royal Library, Treasury, Prince Estate and Room for Lakshmi Puja, all were the portion of this Mahal. The Queen Estate (Rani Mahal) was behind the Durga Temple but now there is no sign of it. Hira Garden (Hira Bagan) was the garden behind the Temple. It was the royal garden with different collections of rare species of trees. There are also Rani Pukur, Padma Pukur, Thakurbari which is now used as Durga Temple.
Maximum history about this Rajbari is collected from an old religious celibate. The Maharaja’s Palace was built by the first king Shri Matta Dutta (1608-1642). The next king according to heredity was MaharajaShukdeband he ruled 1642-1677 and his son Joydeb from 1677-1682. The next King Pran Nath ruled from 1682-1722, Ram Nath from 1722-1763, Baidya Nath from 1763-1779, Swaraswati the mother of minor Radha Nath from 1779-1800. Next Raja according to heredity the ruling period of the next Raja Govindo Nath was 1801-1841, Taraka Nath from 1841-1865, Shyam Mohini from 1865-1881. Giriza Nath ruled from 1882-1919. Then came the next and the last Raja of the dynasty Maharaja Jagadish Nath Rai Bahadur. His ruling period was next 30 years and the total seven Rajas ruled near about three hundred and fifty years.
By seeing the picture of today’s Raj Palace it is difficult to imagine that seven Rajas had ruled their dynasty and living in this Palace. In the year 2014, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Dinajpur and President of the Trusty Board Ahmed Shamim Al Raji, the renovation has been done but till now mass or pile of ruins are seen all throughout the Palace.
Major portions of the palace have been abolished and piled with the soil. Many parts have been extinct with the time taking many histories with them. There is no system and security for the visitors . As this is a historical place , it should
be properly cared by the government according to the people of the area. The local people of the area living beside the palace said, to keep the history alive of the Zamindar and Rajbari, it must be renovated soon .
The Palace is not only Maharaja’s house, it carries the symbol of royal and Zamindari practice which is a pride for the people of this region. The conscious citizens of the area have sought interference of the Government for the renovation and supervision of the property without any delay.
Enlarge portal, two or three storied building with a mortal of sand and ancient lime, attractive pattern and designs of windows, and roofs of iron rod surrounded the building with the wall of thirty inch.
This is the structural picture of the Palace of Maharaja Girija Nath which is now only a house of the ancient time only .
The palace is facing extinction due to lack of renovation. The building is now covered and wrapped with thick jungles and it has become the dwelling place of different insects. The locals demanded renovation of the palace urgently . Now it is standing just as the witness of time though everyday hundreds of people are visiting the palace .
Kali Charan Bose (75) is a resident opposite to the palace. He is now doing business in small shop in front of the main gate. He may be called the witness of many incidents of the Rajbari.
According to Kalicharan Bose, his grandfather was the caretaker of the last Maharaja Jagadish Nath Rai Bahadur. Maharaja Giriza Nath had no child and he brought up Jagadish from Chirirbandar and crowned him as the race of his dynasty. After wards, Jaladhar Rai, the only son of Jagadish Rai died at the age of 18 in Kolkata during his treatment.
The ruling period of the last Maharaja, Maharaja Jagadish Nath Rai was 30 years (1919-1951). He silently went and settled in Kolkata due to the grief of the unexpected death of his only son and the abolition of Zamindari practice. He died in the year 1965 attacked by disease.
The wall inside the temple of this palace is also the witness of many incidents. Lots of information can be gathered by studying the walls. According to the information, half a mile away from the present Dinajpur Bus Stand the historical place Rajbari is situated. The total area of the palace is 16.53 acre. Once it was the symbol of wealth but now it is only the symbol of the abolished Zamindari.
The main attraction of the Rajbari is the Aina Mahal. It is built during the reign of Raja Pran Nath and Ram Nath. The main structure of the palace is situated within this Aina Mahal. Court Hall, Throne, Court of king, assembly for musical demonstration (Jalsa Ghar), Guest House, Royal Library, Treasury, Prince Estate and Room for Lakshmi Puja, all were the portion of this Mahal. The Queen Estate (Rani Mahal) was behind the Durga Temple but now there is no sign of it. Hira Garden (Hira Bagan) was the garden behind the Temple. It was the royal garden with different collections of rare species of trees. There are also Rani Pukur, Padma Pukur, Thakurbari which is now used as Durga Temple.
Maximum history about this Rajbari is collected from an old religious celibate. The Maharaja’s Palace was built by the first king Shri Matta Dutta (1608-1642). The next king according to heredity was MaharajaShukdeband he ruled 1642-1677 and his son Joydeb from 1677-1682. The next King Pran Nath ruled from 1682-1722, Ram Nath from 1722-1763, Baidya Nath from 1763-1779, Swaraswati the mother of minor Radha Nath from 1779-1800. Next Raja according to heredity the ruling period of the next Raja Govindo Nath was 1801-1841, Taraka Nath from 1841-1865, Shyam Mohini from 1865-1881. Giriza Nath ruled from 1882-1919. Then came the next and the last Raja of the dynasty Maharaja Jagadish Nath Rai Bahadur. His ruling period was next 30 years and the total seven Rajas ruled near about three hundred and fifty years.
By seeing the picture of today’s Raj Palace it is difficult to imagine that seven Rajas had ruled their dynasty and living in this Palace. In the year 2014, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Dinajpur and President of the Trusty Board Ahmed Shamim Al Raji, the renovation has been done but till now mass or pile of ruins are seen all throughout the Palace.
Major portions of the palace have been abolished and piled with the soil. Many parts have been extinct with the time taking many histories with them. There is no system and security for the visitors . As this is a historical place , it should
be properly cared by the government according to the people of the area. The local people of the area living beside the palace said, to keep the history alive of the Zamindar and Rajbari, it must be renovated soon .
The Palace is not only Maharaja’s house, it carries the symbol of royal and Zamindari practice which is a pride for the people of this region. The conscious citizens of the area have sought interference of the Government for the renovation and supervision of the property without any delay.
