Itachuna rajbari---A trip worth making for those who love tranquaility


The bougainvillea is the star, falling like Rapunzel's locks from the top, trying to catch   attention as we walked in through the gates. Used as we are to stay confined in flats measuring in barely hundreds of Sq ft, a zamindar's mansion standing over 20 Acres of land inspired an awe and prompted us to plan a visit to this place. The zamindars of Itachuna built this place way back in 1700 after having probably had enough of the marauding lifestyle and intending to settle down to a life of regulated income flowing from agricultural taxes imposed on villagers. The mansion has all that is associated with houses of rich zamindars and Kings of yore; an imposing structure with the inner living areas  separated from the outer areas, the naach ghar and the offices, the stables and the kitchens and the mandir with the courtyard that was the stage for many a performance in times of festivals. The palace itself is set on sprawling acres of land replete with ponds, used by the Zenana in the past to bathe, horse stables and areas to store and process mounds of grain. The old has long been smothered by silence and time has lost its way within the sprawling acres and the warren of rooms of the mansion. The new today is trying to take baby steps and reach out to the world from underneath the shroud of silence. Silence does strike back sometimes and during your stay at the mansion it might confront you from darkened nooks and half opened wooden window shutters. It tries to communicate through portraits of the house's inhabitants, adorning the walls, as you stand in its presence in moments of solitude. 


But I loved Itachuna Rajbari. Loved the way the person in the office stood up with folded hands to welcome us when we walked in, loved the antique furniture in the room that once housed Chhoto Pishi, loved the thought that had gone in to provide a fan inside the bathroom that was devoid of a window, loved the touch of bangaaliana in the kaanshaar thaala-baati and the sukto and begun bhaajas served during meals, loved the warmth in the way someone told us "aabar aashben" as we were leaving the place. For those who are inclined to being close to nature, itachuna strives to please all such by dishing out mellifluous array of bird's twitter and laying out dirt tracks meandering through rice  fields. 

As I watched the sun set in the distant horizon from the roof top and witnessed the darkness take possession of the corners of the rooftop, a poem began to swirl inside my head. I would love to go back to itachuna once again, to free the poem trapped inside my head.

For those in Kolkata who love to escape from the busy, cacophony of a city life, this place is ideal for a night's bliss. I am available at gdutta17@gmail.com for any feedbacks and suggestions.

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