Historic Matiabag Hawa Mahal of Gauripur to be converted to a Museum: Assam CM
Family members of Padmashree Pratima Baruah Pandey handed over the house to Cultural Department of Assam
AT Photo
Dhubri, Jan 3: The family members of folk legend Padmashri Pratima Baruah Pandey, on Monday, ceremonially handed over her matrimonial house and icon of Gauripur Zamindari Estate- the Historic Matiabag Hawa Mahal to the Assam State Cultural Department, for its restoration and preservation.
The family handed over the land at Matiabag along with the historic Hawa Mahal for the establishment of a museum to preserve the life and fame of the legend- Padmashri Pratima Barua Pandey along with film maker Pramathesh Chandra Barua and the history of the Gauripur Zamindari Estate.
Along with the Hawa Mahal which consists of 24 rooms, the government also acquired many rare photographs, oil paintings, old weapons, historic items belonging to the historic Gauripur Estate and used by Pratima Barua Pandey along with film maker Pramathesh Chandra Barua. An amount of Rs 15,20,82,000/- was paid by the Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma to the family.
CM Sarma while attending the program of official handover in presence of Bimal Borah, State minister of Cultural Affairs and Guardian Minister of Dhubri district Jayanta Mallabaruah stated that, "Preservation of this historic house and it's items is very important for the cultural and social development of the society at large. Hawa Mahal brings in a lot of experiences with it".
"We will safeguard all the historic places of the state and we will have to get over religion caste and creed," added the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister urged the State minister of Cultural Affairs Bimal Borah to complete the museum within 1st January 2024 and said that the museum will be looked after by Shrimanta Sankardev Samaj.
The palace was built in 1914 by Prabhat Chandra Barua of the Gauripur royal family on a small hill-top at Matiabagh, Gauripur on the banks of the Gadadhar river. Construction of the palace began in 1904 and took 10 years to complete.
The Hawa Mahal was built by Chinese carpenters from China Town in Kolkata at a cost of Rs 3,40,000/-, the palace features elements of Hindu, Mughal and British architecture. Hawa Mahal was used mainly as a royal guest house and summer residence by the royal family of Gauripur, from the time of Zamindar Raja Prabhat Chandra Barua.
Meanwhile, there has been a long pending demand of the people of Gauripur to preserve the area and convert it into a centre of cultural importance.
