Covid took a toll on our lives. Being travel lovers we were looking for a quick yet a very refreshing gateway from Kolkata. We stumbled on this beautiful place on social media and thought to give it a try. Thus on a March morning we started our journey to Bari Kothi in Azimganj. We took the train and reached Azimganj in the morning, the journey is about 6 hours and we were greeted by two warm gentlemen at the station. We were taken to Bari kothi from there and next what I’m going to describe in this blog is a visual treat which you all must experience.

We entered the amazing heritage property and were warmly welcomed with a welcome thali and welcome drinks. To receive us there was the entire staff of Bari Kothi. After the quick introductions, we headed to our room.

The entire property is a sight to behold. Bari Kothi offers 15 suites divided across 3 categories, Heritage Suites, Royal Heritage Suites and Maharaja Heritage Suites. We stayed at the Mardana Mahal and it was indeed the most beautiful room at Bari Kothi. The room is very spacious and is well decorated with antique architecture and a heritage vibe.

The name of the house, Bari Kothi — literally meaning the Palace of the Elder, was coined in the late 1800s since it was the house of the elder (bari) brother, Rai Bahadur Budh Sing Dudhoria. The people who are the original owner of Bari Kothi are the Sheherwalis! The word Sheherwalis mean “City dwellers”. Long back, a community of businessman from Rajasthan migrated to Murshidabad. These Rajasthani businessmen called themselves “Sheherwalis” put on relentless effort worked hard and went on to become Zamindars. The Sheherwalis, over generations, adapted to the then prevalent cultural influences in the region namely, Mughal, British, Bengali and European and as such created their own unique culture, which was a confluence of all these global influences.

The Sheherwalis settled in the twin cities of Azimganj-Jiaganj . The most notable Sheherwali was Jagat Seth who was considered to be the richest man in the world at that time. The sheherwalis are known to have their own dialect, cuisine, culture and lifestyle.A typical picture of early 1900s of a Sheherwali will showcase a Rajasthani turban, a Bengal influenced dhoti, a British walking stick and a Mughal kurta-styled upper wear. Like the melange of cultures in their clothing, Sheherwali cuisine is also deeply influenced by Rajasthani, Mughal and Bengali flavours and ingredients. The Sheherwalis are now a fast dying community. The Bari Kothi Project is a stepping stone towards their tireless efforts to preserve the Sheherwali lifestyle, cuisine, culture and architecture.

When we reached the place, we saw mostly women working at the kothi, it is from these women we got to know that they have been working at this project tirelessly for years and now that it is mostly restored and built with marvellous architectural acumen, these people are retained, trained to serve guests. Honestly this project is a drive to save the community, ethos, values and culture. This in no way is done to generate profit. It is to preserve the culture, the Sheherwali experience and of course employment for the local men and women. It was lovely to see so many women getting empowered from this amazing place, who otherwise would have to face the wrath from society. After we got to hear so much about this place we were in awe of this family and these lovely heart warming people.

After checking in, we headed for lunch. We were taken to the royal dining hall which has its old charm and royalty. This hall has not undergone any major renovation and hence looks almost the same as it was during the past. This was our first experiment with Sheherwali cuisine and we tried Dal ka Paani, Moin ka Poori, Katbel Pachak, Bhujia, Goba Roti, Milao Dal, Kela Akra, Pattagobi with Matar, Aloo Dum, Vegetable Biryani with Raita, Chutney, Papad, Goli and Chum Chum. Needless to say, we loved the unique Sheherwali cuisine. For the ones who are sceptical about this, do give this a try and we assure you won’t regret !

Post that, we went across for a property tour and the entire property left me awestruck. The amazing Gaddi Ghar, Samar Mahal, Bada Angan, mango Grove are all picturesque places with intricate architecture and impeccable beauty. As they say, “We do not sell rooms, we sell experiences”. Honestly, this can’t be more true.

In the evening, we witnessed an amazing santhali dance of the local women who work at the kothi! I was overjoyed to see such talented bunch of women. The evening was nicely spent enjoying over snacks, watching the dance and retreating at their terrace with glittering stars in the sky. During our stay we interacted with Abhirup Ghosh, who was an amazing gentleman who helped us take a tour of the entire property and told us stories about this amazing place and their rich ethos and values.

Dinner was all about Khatte ka Pakodi, Kutti Mirchi Achaar, Mattar ka Puttapuri, Stuffed Capsicum, Dahi ka Sabji, Methi Tikra, Onion Pulao, Dal Fry, Aloo Bhaja, Posto Vada, Ghal ka Ladoo and a lot more. The entire spread came in a huge thali and we relished Sheherwali cuisine with love once again. Also, the dining areas are beautifully lit with a very Royal ambience, architecture and soothing soulful music.

It just sets the mood right. The property at night looks surreal with the tall mighty structure engulfing the darkness of the night and the cool breeze blowing by! We wish we could capture every moment of this stupendous beauty.

Next morning was all about waking up early and strolling through the property. For breakfast we headed to their breakfast setup by the Ganga and enjoyed an amazing view along with scrumptious food. We had fresh fruits, cornflakes, idly, Vada, poha, luchi, sabzi and coffee. It was a grand breakfast to kickstart the day. Oh also, did I mention we spotted dolphins at the river? Amazing isn’t it!!!

Such beautiful corners at this huge property prompted us to wear ethnic and capture memories whenever possible. I’m sure both of us can never experience this level of rich culture, architecture and Hospitality all at one place again.

Lunch was all about Dahi Vada, Paniphal ka Samosa, Poori, Sukha Aloo, Methi Matar Malai, Baked Gobi, Matar ka Khichdi, Parwal Akra, Chena Vada, White Chum Chum and a lot more. The food is honestly to die for and they have so many varieties. This was our third Sheherwali meal and yet all the dishes were new. We loved the food, the service, the hospitality and the menu selection. Bari Kothi goes to every extent possible to offer the best experience for its guests.

The evening was super interesting with the women at Bari Kothi doing an “Alta” Session for me. Alta is a red dye and it was applied to my feet by these warm lovely women to decorate myself as a true Bengali for a day. Also, these people are super friendly and helpful to all your ends. My saree wearing was solely possible due to them.

For dinner we had Bengali cuisine. In order to suit people with different palette, they have gone beyond Sheherwali cuisine and are serving a variety of different dishes. We had luchi, cholar dal, begun bhaja, potol bhaja, aloo bhaja, bhat, dal seddho, aloo seddho, chorchori, pulao, aloo dum, paneer sabzi, papad, tomato khejur chutney, rosogolla and sandesh. Our last meal at Bari Kothi was very special and we loved the authentic Bengali cuisine they had curated specially for us.

Post dinner we strolled at the Mango Grove and enjoyed the tranquility of the place. These two days left an imprint that can never be forgotten. This place is a true retreat in itself, gives you time to introspect on things that we don’t get to see in the citylife. We basked in the Sheherwalis way of life for two days and oh it was such a pain to come back. As all good things have an end, our trip ended shortly but the memories will last forever.

Kudos to Bari kothi for restoring this amazing property as a non profit organization and continuing to do their awesome work.