Durbar Hall, Hazarduari Palace, Murshidabad, West Bengal, India.
Hazarduari Palace is the center of major attraction among tourists and successful people. This palace has been turned into a museum, in which valuable items like special weapons, artefacts, furniture, chandeliers, etc. have been displayed.
Some interesting information related to this grand palace or the hidden facts are as follows.
In 1947, August 14 and 15 are memorable days in the subcontinent, which are celebrated as national festivals in Pakistan and India. Murshidabad West Bengal which is an integral part of India and Hazarduari from where Bengal Bihar and Orissa were administered. The Pakistani flag was hoisted at this administrative headquarters and which was exchanged by the Indian government from Khulna where Indian Tricolour was hoisted, which is today the famous city of Bangladesh, following the line of partition by Radcliffe which is a boundary line known as Radcliffe line. And on August 17, the Indian tricolor was hoisted at Hazarduari.
This palace was never inhabited by the Nawabs of Bengal as there was no separate and proper arrangement for the Royal ladies. This palace was mainly used by the Nawabs for the court, meeting with the British officials, meeting with guests, and for private parties. British officers resided in this palace.
The Bengal Subah was extremely prosperous and the Bengal Nawabs were extremely wealthy and were known for their lavish lives. The Durbar Hall of Hazarduari Palace, where court activities were carried out, amazes the tourists with its decor and elegance.
The circular Durbar Hall, its ceiling is covered with a dome, and the ceiling of this dome is royally decorated with a magnificent chandelier hanging in the center which was presented to the Bengal Nawab by Queen Victoria. Candles were used in the past to light it, but now with electric bulbs. It is said that this charming chandelier is the second largest in the world after Buckingham Palace. The furnishings displayed in this Durbar Hall, in which royal accessories and paintings hanging on the walls, etc. are prominent.
The splendor displayed in Hazarduari makes the tourists aware of the richness of Bengal and the contribution of the Archaeological Department in preserving all these heritage is very appreciable.