Serampore Palace

Haunted by the past

The palace at Serampore has become famous after it was extensively used for the shooting of the popular Bengali film, BhooterBhobishyat. The town is several centuries old and has witnessed both the growth and decline of the feudal system, the coming of the Danes and their settlement and then a cultural renaissance, known as the Bengal Renaissance, initiated by the British following the construction of the east Indian railway, along with subsequent industrial development.

Brothers Raghuram and Raghavram Goswami came to Serampore from their home village of Patuli to seek their fortune. Raghuram secured a job at the commissariat of the Danish Governor, while Raghavram became the official moneylender to the factory. Between them, they amassed a huge fortune acquired vast lands and founded an aristocratic colony on the western side of Serampore with their family. Their descendants still live in Serampore today.

A pre-colonial town on the right bank of the Hooghly River, Serampore was part of Danish India under the name Frederiksnagore from 1755 to 1845. The palace built by the Goswami clan happened later. The architectural style was typical of that period, with wide verandas and a central Thaakurdalan. High ceilings supported by ornate arches and Doric pillars ran along the length of the verandas. The zenana or the female living quarters were segregated from the rest of the palace. The glory of the palace has certainly faded. But the sudden hints of grandeur can stop you in your tracks. The chandeliers are few and far between. But imagination can make what remains behind dazzle.

Photo : Essay by Shreya Goswami