The Rajbari Bawali: A Heritage Retreat with Ample Magic and Mystique

Our journey began on a rainy July morning, when I, along with my companion for the trip, none other than my very own mom, ventured out on this long trip to Bawali, a small village on the outskirts of Kolkata, which houses this extravagant property. The journey was long, and the path to Bawali wasn't exactly a smooth ride. Nevertheless, we reached our destination before the scheduled time.

The warm welcome ritual, with the staff blowing conch shells was followed by a kind gesture from the manager, Ms. Maitrayee, who offered us a complimentary early check-in. Exhausted after the long trip, we freshened up and headed for lunch soon after. The room was small but had the old-world charm promised by the brochures. At lunch, we were overwhelmed by the massive spread of the Zamindari thali. We were treated to a wholesome Bengali meal, with everything from alu posto to chicken, and bhetki paturi to kochupata chingri. The dry fruits chutney and paan were too yummy.

After a sumptuous meal, we decided to explore the property a bit. So, we took a walk around and clicked some Insta-worthy pictures at the Verandah, the bar with a view, followed by the garden and the seating area overlooking the huge pond within the property, and the terrace.

We were floored by what we saw in the evening. The whole Rajbari seemed to take on a life of its own, and the lights created drama and magic. We were informed of the shondhya aroti to be held at the courtyard and the live music that was to follow at the bar soon after, and attended the former.

As soon as the aroti ended, the evening was washed away by a spell of heavy rain. We had dinner at the Thakur Dalan restaurant, and this time, we had Chinese (the restaurant has a multi-cuisine menu and often customizes dishes as per requirements).

What I thought was the end to a fulfilling day was actually the beginning of a rain-drenched, spooky night. I was awake till 12, as I was busy retouching the pictures that I had clicked throughout the day. The lights in our room had been flickering slightly since evening. At around 12:15 am, the flickering became too strong and was accompanied by a mechanical noise (similar to that of an electric buzz or the fluctuations of a transformer). After a panicked call to the reception, they sent someone to our room who asked us not to worry and said that such power fluctuations were normal at the property. Nevertheless, both mom and I spent a sleepless night, with images of the witch of Bulbbul in our minds, and half expecting muffled cries, the sound of someone playing one of the pianos at the property, or of someone dancing to the tunes of "Aami je tomar".

It rained throughout the night, and I was afraid that the rains might play spoilsport and ruin my photo session plans for the next day. I woke up from my brief sleep at around 5:30 and heard the sound of pouring rain. As I opened the door to the common balcony, the ambience seemed bewitching.

Thankfully, the rains stopped before breakfast. I was a bit disappointed though, that the rooftop café was closed due to the weather. However, a quick session of posing at my favourite spots made my morning.

Before we checked out, I had one last spot to cover: the famed Chokher Bali room, where apparently some of the major scenes of the movie were shot. I was given a glance of the room, but was told it was being fumigated for the next guest, as it is an executive suite now.

When our cab arrived, I was feeling a little low for having to leave this majestic Rajbari so soon. What touched me most was the hospitality and warmth of the staff, and I mean everyone, right from the housekeeping, to the restaurant staff and the managerial employees, everyone made us feel as if we were visiting our own home. In fact, I was a little surprised that I, being a person who isn't easily satisfied with the service at most hotels, had no complaint whatsoever in this case.

In these dismal times, when corona and the stay-at-home mantra are all we hear of, and can think of, this place offers a safe and sanitised stay, along with top-notch hospitality. At the end of the day, I feel though the Rajbari calls itself a three-star hotel, it offers five-star service. Be it the managers Ms. Maitreyee and Ms. Zeba, or the housekeeping staff who clicked some of my most awesome pictures there, everyone worked as a team, and that reflects in the end product.

Lastly, I was floored by the before-and-after pictures of the Rajbari. The present owner seems to have converted a dilapidated ruin with a glorious past to a swanky and sophisticated Rajbari that oozes every bit of class and grandeur that it is supposed to, and yet offers all modern amenities such as a pool and a bar. Yes, the music at the bar seems a bit jarring and out-of-place at times, but then, one needs to consider that people of all ages and backgrounds are to be catered to.

I will never forget this experience, and to those who haven't yet been there, I would suggest, please don't take my word for it, go and see for yourself, and thank me later. Also, to all the Bengalis who feel their "culture" is in danger, please stop being snobs, and go and appreciate the dedication and hard work of the people behind this beauty called the Rajbari Bawali.