3. Panchakote Fort Palace at Purulia, West Bengal -
A Geo-Exclusive DESTINATION
PANCHAKOTE
FORT PALACE
Panchakote Fort Palace at Purulia, West
Bengal, has the potential to be a exclusive
Heritage Property with a Museum cum Palace
Hotel within a sprawling Fort Complex.
Offering top of the line Luxury the standard of
Hospitality can be benchmarked with similar
leading properties in rest of India.
The only difference shall be there exists no
geographical competition.
The solitary characteristics of the property
makes it stand out with what can be a beacon
on the Luxury and Heritage Hospitality
scenario of Eastern India.
Not a single state sharing border with West
Bengal has a comparable property or even
something remotely close to it, with a few
small exceptions.
While the subject property warrants to emerge
as a Destination in itself, the few exceptions
that exist are all but heritage buildings turned
hotels within Urban vicinity.
4. Clustering: luxury &
heritage properties | india
State Property Location Type
GOA The Welcomheritage Panjim Inn Panaji Heritage
GUJARAT Balaram Palace Resort Palanpur Heritage
HIMACHAL PRADESH Clarkes Hotel, Shimla Shimla Heritage
HIMACHAL PRADESH The Palace Solan Heritage
HIMACHAL PRADESH The Castle Naggar, Kullu Kullu Heritage
HIMACHAL PRADESH The Oberoi Cecil Shimla Heritage
KERALA Coconut Lagoon Kumarakom Heritage
KERALA Old Harbour Hotel Kochi Heritage
KERALA Palakkad Heritage Hotels Palakkad Heritage
KERALA The Hillway Heritage Thiruvananthapuram Heritage
KERALA Heritage Methanam Kochi Heritage
KERALA Kunnathur Mana Ayurveda Heritage Thrissur Heritage
KERALA Surya Samudra Private Retreats, Kovalam Thiruvananthapuram Heritage
KERALA The Tower House Kochi Heritage
RAJASTHAN Suroth Mahal Karauli Heritage
RAJASTHAN The Royal Heritage Haveli Jaipur Heritage
RAJASTHAN The Bagh Bharatpur Heritage
RAJASTHAN Devi Garh Rajsamand Heritage
RAJASTHAN Welcom Heritage - Koolwal Kothi Rajgarh Heritage
RAJASTHAN Hotel Samode Place Jaipur Heritage
RAJASTHAN Neemrana fort Palace Alwar Heritage
RAJASTHAN Ranbanka Jodha Hotels Pvt. Ltd. Jodhpur Heritage
RAJASTHAN Fateh Prakash Palace Udaipur Heritage
RAJASTHAN Shiv Niwas Palace Udaipur Heritage
TAMIL NADU Hotel Visalam Karaikkudi Heritage
GOA Acron Waterfront Resort Baga Luxury
HIMACHAL PRADESH Wildflower Hall, Shimla in the Himalayas Mashobra Luxury
J&K Gomang Boutique Hotel Leh Luxury
KARNATAKA Orange County, Coorg Siddapura Luxury
KARNATAKA Orange County Resorts Kabini Mysore Luxury
KARNATAKA The Oberoi, Bangalore Bengaluru Luxury
KERALA Parakkat Nature Hotels & Resorts Pallivasal Luxury
RAJASTHAN The Oberoi Vanyavilas Sawai Madhopur Luxury
RAJASTHAN Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur Jodhpur Luxury
RAJASTHAN Taj Lake Palace Udaipur Udaipur Luxury
RAJASTHAN The Leela Palace Udaipur Udaipur Luxury
RAJASTHAN The Oberoi Rajvilas Jaipur Luxury
RAJASTHAN The Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur Luxury
UTTAR PRADESH The Oberoi Amarvilas Agra Luxury
UTTARAKHAND Soulitude in the Himalayas Gagar Luxury
5. Government of West Bengal, Tourism Department floated a
request for proposal (RFP) No. 508 (10)- TW-2/P/1/13 dated
26th April 2013 for “Development of Heritage Hotel at
Kashipur Rajbari, Garpanchakot, Purulia” to the transaction
advisors empanelled by the finance department, Government
of West Bengal for Tourism Sector.
Knight Frank (India) Pvt. Ltd. submitted its financial offer
and was declared as selected consultant by the client vide
letter- 817-TW-2/P/1/13 dated 19th July 2013.
On appointment as “Transaction Advisor” for the proposed
development, the scope of engagement was:
• Market Appraisal & Concept Plan: Conduct a detailed
market appraisal, and accordingly envision a concept plan
to meet the envisioned objectives along with ensuring the
viability for both for the operator and government.
• Financial Analysis: Conducting a financial analysis of the
proposed concept, accounting for the estimated capital
expenditure, possible revenue streams, and operating
expenses. The analysis is to comment on the financial
feasibility of the project, suggesting suitable amendments
in the structure, and identifying additional sources of
revenues to enhance the viability of the project.
• RFQ and RFP Documents: Preparation of RFP and RFQ
documents, and assisting Tourism Department,
Government of West Bengal in managing the entire bid
process.
• Concession/Lease Agreements:: Preparing a “draft
concession/lease agreement”
• Conducting Bid Process Management: Reaching out to the
potential developers to market the project, and assisting
DoT in handling the pre-bid meetings, RFP evaluation, and
finalization of “Concession/Lease Agreement”
6. Request for Offer
While this Information Document is being circulated for
‘prospecting’, we invite potential investors and sectoral
players. Vide this Request for Offer, proposals for
Development are sought for converting the subject property
for Commercial Development.
We envision the initiative to being a Development Project at
the sub-regional level. Given the demography, history and
ecology of the subject area, we aspire to have an ‘inclusive’
approach towards the development activities that would
bring to form a Project of such a magnitude.
A perfect blend of unique experiences and benchmark luxury,
the aim is to create a distinct identity with its aura, that an
draws people to the region and around the region.
Through a planned and phased approach the compounding
returns will come through these very spinoffs where
development encapsulates not only the subject property but
also the areas and the populace.
We term this the enclave approach where while focus is
within geographical limits but there is involvement of
sectoral stakeholders:
• Local Administration
• Gram Panchayat
• Tourism Department
• Hospitality Operators
• Captive workforce population
• Infrastructure Providers: Power, Roads, PHE, Aviation
The Development shall be Museum-centric to begin with.
Sensitivity towards local ethos and practices originates from
it as a symbolic nucleus and stakeholders are introduced as
the subsets stack up.
Museum
Palace Hotel
Palace Fort
Peripheral Facilities
Subregional Developments
8. India has always been diverse
with as many as incredible 565
kingdoms at one point of time
in the past.
While the richest and most
grandiose of these were the
Rajput kingdoms, located in
desert state of Rajasthan, their
influences reached as far as
Orissa and Bengal.
The Pachakot Raj had initially
ruled from their capital at Garh
Panchkot from 940 to 1750 AD.
Due to adversities around 1600
AD from Bir Hambir of the
Bishnupur Malla dynasty,
around 1750 AD, Panchakot
Raj family shifted to Kashipur
and have been here since then.
Panorama shot of the erstwhile Garhpanchkot at Purulia
9. The Panchkote Estate has been one of the
influential ancient kingdoms in Eastern India
spanning ~ 1900 years until India became an
independent republic.
With a lineage that can be traced back as early
as 81 AD. the Panchkote Scions are the direct
descendants of the great Kshatriya clans of
Parmar Rajputs, who hail from Dhar, a district
within central India.
The Panchkot Jagir (also known as Zamindari
Raj of Panchkot or Chakla Panchkot) was
founded about the year 81 AD by Damodar
Sekhar Deo of the Dhonagarh Raj family in
North Western Frontier Province.
Amongst the recent rulers were:
•Raja Bahadur Jyoti Prasad Singh Deo ruled from 1901-1938
•Raja Kalyani Prasad Singh Deo ruled from 1938-1945
•Raja Shankari Prasad Singh Deo ruled from 1945-1956
•Raja Bhubaneswari Prasad Singh Deo ruled from 1956-1972.
Raja Jyoti Prasad Singh Deo
11. This attractive architecture was built in 1917
at Kashipur, the capital of the state of
Panchakot, under the reign of Maharaja Jyoti
Prasad Singh Deo.
The grand palace was built at the cost of INR.
3,00,000 by Martin and Burn Company and
took 13 years for completion of construction.
A one of it's kind mansion like structure
having an European style architecture and
fittings, with arched windows and doors fitted
with colored glasses and it had the most
modern furniture and fittings of past era
including a coal powered captive power plant/
12. Beyond the fortified
outreaches, there are
a number of water
reservoirs and land
appurtenant thereto,
that served various
purposes those days:
Workers & Sepoys
Dwelling,
Agriculture,
Religious and
Cultural Events.
There is also an secret
escape that can be
accessed from
underneath the Palace
staircase. Unexplored in
recent times, the
subterranian route that
is almost half a kilometre
in length terminates at
an undisclosed location
somewhere within the
Raban Burning Field,
towards the North West.
Foundation stone
laying of Kashipur
Palace
18. Connectivity:
Panchkote Fort Palace
Kolkata City 275 Kms +5 hrs. # 5 hrs. 4 Hours +45 min. #
Andal Airport 95 Kms — 2 hrs. 90 min. + 15 min. #
Asansol 55 Kms — 50 min. 45 min. +10 min. #
Adra Rly Stn 8 Kms — +15 min. +15 min. —
# Denotes further last mile connectivity to
Panchkote Fort Palace from 3 sides as relevant:
•NH2 at Raniganj till Kashipur via Raghunathpur
and Adra.
•Purulia via Hura to Kashipur
•Kashipur to Bankura
20. Durbar Hall at Panchkote
Palace with Mirrors and
Consoles from F. &
C .Osler, Birmingham, U.K.
Hunting entourage at Kila Dalijola, Orissa
The Governor of Bengal
at Panchkote Palace
Governor of Bengal with
Raja Jyoti Prasad Singh Deo
at Panchkote Palace
21. The Panchkote dynasty has had their contributions
towards India’s first struggle for independence
since 1857 by way of significant donations.
Civil Disobedience Movement 1930.
Independence Day
15th August 1947
Michael Madhusudan Dutt (1824-1873), was
a Bengali poet and dramatist. He popularized
sonnet and black verses in Bengali poetry.
At one point of time he used to be the Estate
Manager of the Panchkote Fort Palace,
Kashipur
22. (Currently owned by Industrialist - Cyrus Poonawala)
Custom-built for the
Maharaja, this seven-
seater convertible, the
single word ‘Panchkote’
in place of the rear
number plate betrays
this car’s royal past, for
i t w a s o r i g i n a l l y
commissioned by the
Maharaja of the state of
Panchkote.
The car is powered by a
7, 3 3 8 - c c n a t u r a l l y
aspirated V12 engine
and remained the only
Rolls-Royce to feature a
V12 powerplant until
the introduction of the
Silver Seraph in 1998.
Recent feature in The Economic Times 2013
The 1937
Rolls Royce
Phantom III