Cooch Behar Archive Welfare Society, a cultural organisation working on heritage conservation, has written to chief minister Suvendu Adhikari regarding the state’s plan to build a hospitality centre near the Cooch Behar Kalibari in Varanasi, requesting him to open a museum and a gallery on the premises and name the new building appropriately.
“We appreciate the state’s decision to develop the Kalibari area into a hospitality centre where people can stay while visiting Varanasi. But simultaneously, we want it to be named properly, preferably as Cooch Behar Bhavan or Cooch Behar Kalibari
Bhavan as it was built by the Cooch Behar royals,” said Rzhishikalpa Paul, president of Cooch Behar Archive Welfare Society.
“We have also requested the chief minister to develop a museum and a gallery at the premises so that people can learn about the history and rich heritage of the royal family of Cooch Behar,” he added.
The letter follows a visit by Purnima Chakraborty, the minister of state for tourism, along with other officials, to Varanasi and the Kalibari in Sonarpura of the city on October 7.
Following this, the state government announced that it planned to build a nine-storied hospitality centre at the site and would renovate the existing premises, with an estimated cost of ₹80 crore.
A source said the hospitality centre would have 60 guest rooms, 10 luxury suites, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a library, a banquet hall, a gymnasium and a parking space.
In his letter, Paul said the proposed construction should not impact the heritage entry gate and other old structures.
“We have mentioned that earlier, during renovation, a parapet of cement was built at Hawa Mahal, which replaced the old balustrade. This has also impacted the old lime and mortar structure, and we want the state to engage expert engineers and archaeologists this time for proper renovation and conservation,” he said.
A source said King Harendra Narayan of Cooch Behar reached Varanasi in 1836 to spend the rest of his life. In 1837, he bought an old house and adjoining land in Sonarpura. There, he built a Kali temple, a garden, and laid the foundation stone of “Thakurbari”, but died shortly after.
His successor, King Shivendra Narayan, completed the building in 1846, installed idols of Kali, and also established a “Satra”.
“There are several heritage structures and establishments contained within the temple premises. Starting from the ‘Nahabatkhana’ and gateway, which leads to the courtyard, the building to the west and adjacent to the temple once served as the ‘Kachhari’; to the east, the ‘Bhogshala’, and westwards towards the outside, the area known as ‘Fulbari ’ was once a beautiful garden. The edifice towards the south was the residence reserved for the Cooch Behar Royal family,” said Paul.
The Cooch Behar Royal Family Successors Welfare Trust has also welcomed the initiative.
“We welcome the state’s decision and hope the state government will conserve the old structures and will also give due recognition to the Cooch Behar royal family by putting an appropriate name on the premises,” said Kumar Mridul Narayan, spokesperson of the trust.