The Rajbari Bawali, Kolkata, West Bengal
About
This glorious neo-classical palace sits by a lake surrounded by farmland and is located an hour's drive from Kolkata. Replete with decorative Italian architectural motifs, breezy balconies and graceful colonnades, it was formerly the resplendent headquarters of a petty kingdom ruled by the Mondal family. Abandoned after independence due to the family falling into hard times, it fell into decay but has recently been painstakingly and thoughtfully restored by the new owner who was determined to let the building speak for itself and to let it be seen in all its original glory – what he calls ‘inspired heritage’. He has succeed brilliantly in keeping the essence of the original building intact, through ingenious restoration work which retains the crumbling lime-rendered walls and underlying rusty red bricks.""
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