Raj Bhavan Kolkata westbengal.

1. RAJ BHAVAN,
KOLKATA
A LIKITH
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2. Raj Bhavan, Kolkata
 Raj Bhavan is the official residence of the governor of West Bengal,
located in Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Built in
1803, it was known as Government House before Indian independence.
 Since independence in 1947 it serves as the official residence of the
Governor of West Bengal and came to be known as the Raj Bhavan, a
name it shares with the official residences of other states' governors.

3. History
 In the early nineteenth century Calcutta (Kolkata) was at the height of its golden age. Known as the City of
Palaces or St. Petersburg of the East, Calcutta was the richest, largest and the most elegant colonial cities of
India.
 It was during this time that one of Calcutta's finest colonial structures, Government House (later Raj Bhavan),
was constructed.
 After four years' construction it was completed at a colossal cost of £63,291 (about £3.8 million in today's
estimate).

4. Architecture
 Designed by Capt. Charles Wyatt and on the lines of the Curzon’s family mansion of the Kedleston
Hall of Derbyshire.
 The raj bhavan follows a neoclassical style with distinct baroque overtones.
 The plan comprises a central core with four radiating wings. The state rooms located in the central core are
accessed from the outside by a flight of grand steps on the north.
 On the south is another portico surmounted by a colonnaded verandah with a dome above.
 The four wings accommodate the various offices and residential quarters along with four sets of staircases.
 The entire compound is surrounded by a balustraded wall with a grand arched gateways.

5.  The Raj Bhavan covers an area of 7,800 square metres (84,000 square feet) and is surrounded by a
compound of 11 hectares (27 acres).
 The Raj Bhavan has six gateways, one each on the north and south and two each on the east and
west.
 The four gates on the east and west have grand archways topped with lions, while the minor
archways on the side are topped with sphinxes.
 A long walk past a decorated Chinese cannon leads to a flight of stairs to the portico crowned with the
triangular pediment supported by six ionic pillars.
 An inscription on a marble plaque reads “The peace dictated to the Emperor of China under the walls
of Nanking by the military force of England and of India.

6. Interior
 The three-storeyed Raj Bhavan building has a huge central area consisting of large halls having curved
corridors on all four sides radiating to detached wings, each constituting a house in itself.
 There are about 60 rooms in Raj Bhavan, besides public halls, verandahs, porticos, banquets & halls
and the cavernous Throne room.

7. Throne Room
 The Throne Room, as the name suggests, contains the throne of Wellesley (was an Anglo-Irish
politician and colonial administrator.)
 Next to it is the throne of Tipu Sultan.
 The room contains oil paintings of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal
Nehru, Dr B C Roy. It also contains an Urn used to carry the Mahatma Gandhi's ashes.

8.  Council Chamber: The Governor General used the Council Chamber to preside over the executive and later
the Legislative Council.
 Now it is used by the governor to hold large meetings. A small dining room known as the Bharat Ratna Room
and a billiard room is located just outside the Council Chamber.
 The Marble Hall: Located on the ground floor of the Raj Bhavan, this is used for state and private meetings.
 The Banquet Hall: The Banquet Hall with rows of Doric pillars on each side, flowering chandeliers and
black Mahogany tables has entertained eminent guests like Queen Elizabeth.

9.  Yellow Drawing Room: Located on the first floor of the Raj Bhavan, the beautiful drawing room has some
wonderful paintings.
 Blue Drawing Room: An elegantly furnished room used by the governor to meet guest.
 Brown Dining Room: Adjacent to the Blue Dining room, it is used for small conferences and meetings.