Puthia Royal Palace Complex
Puthia in Rajshahi upazila in Rajshahi is the place that has the largest concentration of heritage buildings in Bangladesh.
Puthia zamindari (feudal estate) was established by Zamindar Pitambar in late 16th century, making it one of the oldest in Bengal. His son, Nilambar received the title of Raja (king) from Mughal Emperor Jahangir in the 17th Century. Later, the estate was partitioned in 1744 when the eldest son received a majority share, while the rest was divided equally among three other sons.
Besides nine different temples, the Puthia Rajbari (royal palace) complex includes two different palaces, a gateway, a secluded residence for the queen and a bathing place for women. It is a huge compound and you will need at least four hours to see all of it.
The main palace, Panch Ani Zamindarbari, was initially built by Raja Nilambar in the mid 1600s as his residence cum office. The original edifice collapsed during the great Assam earthquake of 1895. There is an inscription above the main door of the present palace which states that it was reconstructed in 1895 by Rani Hemanta Kumari Devi. It is a massive two-storied building with superb Corinthian columns and hanging balconies. The exterior wall of the palace is elegantly adorned with floral patterns, statuettes and coloured tiles. It is one of the most beautiful royal palaces in Bangladesh.
The Char-Ani Rajbari is almost on the verge of destruction. An inscription above the main entrance says 1293 BS (1886 AD). There is a small Shingha Duwar (lion gate) there, too, which is almost destroyed.
The residence of Rani Hemanta Kumari was built in the early 20th Century and it is in good condition. It now houses the upazila land office. There is a bathing tank for women, known as Rani Ghat, in front of the Ranis residence.
