The proposed Cooch Behar Kalibari hospitality centre in Varanasi has triggered a heritage conservation appeal, with the Cooch Behar Archive Welfare Society asking the West Bengal government to protect the site’s old structures and create a museum and gallery on the premises.
The society has written to chief minister Suvendu Adhikari after the state announced plans to develop the Kalibari area in Sonarpura into a nine-storied hospitality centre at an estimated cost of ₹80 crore. The proposed facility is expected to include 60 guest rooms, 10 luxury suites, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a library, a banquet hall, a gymnasium and parking space, according to a source cited by The Telegraph India.
The appeal also seeks an appropriate name for the new building, preferably Cooch Behar Bhavan or Cooch Behar Kalibari Bhavan. Rzhishikalpa Paul, president of the Cooch Behar Archive Welfare Society, said the Kalibari was built by the Cooch Behar royals and that its historical association should be reflected in the project’s identity.
“We appreciate the state’s decision to develop the Kalibari area into a hospitality centre where people can stay while visiting Varanasi. But simultaneously, we want it to be named properly, preferably as Cooch Behar Bhavan or Cooch Behar Kalibari Bhavan as it was built by the Cooch Behar royals,” Paul said.
Paul also asked the government to establish a museum and gallery at the premises so visitors can learn about the history of the Cooch Behar royal family. The society has specifically urged the state to ensure that the proposed construction does not affect the heritage entry gate or other old structures within the complex.
The request follows a visit by Purnima Chakraborty, minister of state for tourism, and other officials to Varanasi and the Kalibari on October 7. The government subsequently announced its plan to construct the hospitality centre and renovate the existing premises.
The society has cited earlier renovation work at Hawa Mahal as a warning. Paul said a cement parapet installed during that work replaced an old balustrade and affected the historic lime-and-mortar structure. He has asked the government to appoint expert engineers and archaeologists for the proposed renovation and conservation work at the Kalibari.
The site’s history dates back to the 19th century. According to information cited in the report, King Harendra Narayan of Cooch Behar travelled to Varanasi in 1836 and bought an old house and adjoining land in Sonarpura the following year. He built a Kali temple and garden and laid the foundation stone of Thakurbari, but died soon afterwards. His successor, King Shivendra Narayan, completed the building in 1846, installed the idols of Kali and established a Satra.
The complex includes the Nahabatkhana and gateway leading to the courtyard, a former Kachhari building to the west, a Bhogshala to the east, the former Fulbari garden area and a southern building that served as a residence for the Cooch Behar royal family, Paul said.
The Cooch Behar Royal Family Successors Welfare Trust has welcomed the state’s project. Its spokesperson, Kumar Mridul Narayan, said the trust hoped the government would conserve the old structures and give due recognition to the Cooch Behar royal family through an appropriate name for the premises.
The government’s next steps will determine how the new hospitality facilities are integrated with the existing heritage structures. The proposed renovation and construction are expected to proceed alongside the society’s requests for specialist conservation expertise, a museum and a gallery.
