Belgachia Villa,[1] also known as Paikpara Rajbari,[2] was a large garden house in what is now the Milk Colony area of Belgachia in North Kolkata. Prince Dwarkanath Tagore bought it from an Italian around 1823.[1] In 1856, it was bought by the Singhs, zamindars of Kandi, for 54 thousand rupees.[2]
History
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Belgachia Villa initially belonged to Auckland,[3] an Italian. Prince Dwarkanath Tagore bought it from him in 1823.[1] Nearly two hundred thousand rupees were spent to renovate it. In 1835, the second floor was added.[4] All the furniture was imported from England and Italy. Dwarkanath was close to the British and threw large parties here. Rupchand Pokkhi wrote a song in Bengali mocking those events.
In 1846, when he died in England it was discovered that he was heavily in debt due to his extravagant spending. To pay off his debts, his son Debendranath sold Belgachia Villa and other properties. In 1856, the Singhs of Kandi bought the villa in an auction for 54 thousand rupees.[1][2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "বেলগাছিয়া ভিলা: প্রথম পর্ব" (in Bengali). Times Group. Ei Samay. 21 February 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "বেলগাছিয়া ভিলা: দ্বিতীয় পর্ব" (in Bengali). Times Group. Ei Samay. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ Chattopadhyay, Soumitra (2016). Nirbachita Ekhhon-Vol.1 (Bengali). Saptarshi Prakashan.
- ^ "ঠাকুরবাবুদের হারানো ইতিবৃত্ত". Ananda Bazar Patrika. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.