Situated about 45 kms away from the West Bengal capital Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), Bansberia is a city and municipality of Hooghly district in India. This place is famous among the tourists for three historical monuments namely, Hangseshwari Temple, Ananta Basudev Temple and Zafar Khan Ghazi Masjid. However very few knows about the Deb Dutta Zamindars who were gifted and then redesigned the present Bansberia; as well as their abode (the Zamindar Bari) which is now in ruins just opposite to the glorious Hangseshwari temple.
The history of this place and the Deb Dutta family dates back to the year 1656, when the then Mughal ruler Shah Jahan appointed Raghab Deb Datta of Patuli as the zamindar of Bansberia area. The legend about the name of this place goes by this that, Raghab’s son Rameshwar Deb Dutta had to clear out a large area of bamboo (Bans in local term) thicket before building up their fort here, therefore inspiring the name Bansberia. This place not only thrived, but also prospered under the Deb Duttas’ and gradually grew up to an important port town in medieval Bengal. However the Deb Dutta family continued staying in Patuli and came to Bansberia only when in 1673, Patuli came on the verge of obliteration into the Ganges due to severe land erosion. Then Mughal emperor Aurangzeb gifted this 400 Bigha (250 Acres) land and its Zamindari to Rameshwar Deb Dutta along with the prestigious title of King – Raja Mahashaya. Bengal was ruled by Nawab Shayesta Khan (1664-78 & 1679-88) at that time. The Hangseshwari Temple and the Ananta Basudeb Temple are the two invincible works of art by Raja Nrisingha Deb Dutta (Graet grandson of Rameshwar Deb Dutta) and his wife Sankari. Later Roy was the title given to them by the British rulers. The temple is now taken over as a heritage site by the Archaeological Survey of India; However, the remains of Deb Datta palace are now in ruins, and all that can be seen are the fragments of arches and broken walls. I think Archeological Survey of India should take some initiative to protect this historical landmark. What do you think?
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