Rajbari Bawali
We chose the Rajbari Bawali as the property to host our wedding because we wanted to give all of our guests, international travelers and Kolkata natives alike, an opportunity to experience the beautiful heritage and history of Bengal. The Rajbari’s history and restoration, and slight distance away from Kolkata, make it the perfect destination to ‘get away’ to enjoy our intimate wedding.
About the Rajbari Bawali
The Rajbari Bawali is a 300-year-old boutique heritage property that has been elegantly turned into one of the the best luxury resorts near Kolkata.
The Rajbari was built and inhabited by the Mondal Dynasty of Bawali which traces their history back to Shoba Ram Rai, an army officer for the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great. The Mondals settled the area of Bawali, originally a dense mangrove forest, and built this estate.
The Rajbari Bawali saw over 170 years of lavish living, but fell into a state of disrepair after becoming un-inhabited in the early 1900s. Ownership was since divided between 18 decedents of the Mondal Dynasty who had spread across the world.
Renovation to the property began in 2010, and painstaking care has been taken to use many of the traditional methods of building (lime water construction, and traditional brick making) to ensure the proper restoration and preservation of the Rajbari’s heritage.
Photo credits: Rajbari Bawali, Indian Vagabond