Heritage building, Narajole Rajbari

The Narajole Rajbari, declared as heritage building by the West Bengal Heritage Commission in 2008, situated in Daspur I block of West Midnapore.

The output! A hoarding outside the Rajbari, "whoever found damaging the building will be proceeded against according to law".

Alas! No steps have been taken by the commission till now regarding repair and protection of Rajbari, monuments, and temples.

The result - over 450-year-old temples and monuments of archaeological value are in ruins. The structures are crashing down, doors and windows peeling off due to lack of security.

The Rajbari covers 360-bigha land in Narajole and Lankagarh where the three-storied Raj Palace having 250 rooms besides a 'Hawa Mahal' (ball room) is housed on 60-bigha area surrounded by parikha (ditches) in the interior fort side. The exterior fort spreads over the rest 300 bighas up to Lankagarh, nearly a km away, where the 'Jalhari', outhouse of the Rajas, encircled by parikha, is situated on 100 bighas. A total of Fifty-four temples are there in the exterior fort area where a plot was donated for building a degree college.
The temples depicts a clear picture of Indian architectural tradition with a unique combination of Bengal and European architectural style.

The former Rajas of Narajole were true patriots. The works of Raja Narendralal Khan and his son Raja Debendralal Khan deserve a special attention. Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu, Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sahid Kshudiram visited the Narajole Rajbari.