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India village houses 170-year-old castles

Sunday, January 31, 2010
DHANYAKURIA: Palatial mansions and small castles featuring an amalgamation of Gothic and Islamic architecture are features that distinguish Dhanyakuria village in India's eastern state of West Bengal.

The village, in North 24 Parganas district, stands witness to the past glory, which has been a symbol of the development since pre-independence.

Built by merchants who had settled in the place 170 years ago, the castles and mansions are highly influenced by the European lifestyle. Boasting of splendid domes, intricate filigree-work, gothic carvings, huge turrets and towers, the buildings are a visual feast for tourists and locals alike.

The descendents of the merchants' families, despite having moved to India and abroad, have maintained close ties with the villagers.

"I took a prompt action to accumulate all the young generations, along with the past generations to make a communication so that our heritage - not only our heritage but it is the heritage of our village. We know that before independence it was established, and to maintain that heritage we want to do something better," C A Gaine, descendent of one of the merchants' family.

Now the youth of the families have formed a trust to take care of the development issues, as well as the unique cultural heritage of the place.

Most family members make it a point to visit the village at least once each year during a major festival.

One of the castles now houses a girls' orphanage.
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