World’s Largest Residence | This is the world largest residence which is housed in India and has a Bengal connection too dgtl

The Gaekwad royal family of Baroda owns this palatial house four times larger than the British royal house Buckingham Palace. This Marathi dynasty also once ruled Baroda in Gujarat.

This palace was built by King Maharaja III Swaji Rao Gaikwad of this dynasty. The name is ‘Laxmivilas Palace’. It was 1890.

Major Charles Mant, a famous British architect, was entrusted with the task of building the grand palace on 500 acres of land.

Mant became famous by building the palaces of Kolhapur and Dwarbhanga. He agreed to the proposal of the Maharaja of Baroda. But he also took a hefty salary. Because the task was much more difficult than his other tasks.

It is not a mouthful to build a huge palace of 3 crore 4 lakh 92 thousand square feet. How big it is can be understood if you compare it with the royal palace of Britain.

Buckingham Palace stands on an area of ​​only 821 thousand 821 square feet. Four such palaces would easily fit into the Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Baroda.

It is said that 1 lakh 80 thousand British pounds sterling was spent to build this palace. And today the value of this palace will be reduced to 25 thousand crores.

There are, however, many other reasons for Mante’s hefty remuneration. In those days this palace had modern and luxurious management mines.

There was an elevator in the palace built 133 years ago. A ‘ten hole golf course’ or golf course was built for the entertainment of the European guests visiting the Rajbari. There was also a club house in the spacious gardens of the palace. Now that golf course is for the uninhibited crowd.

Inside the palace were schools for princesses and princes. And special trains used to come to take them to that school. The small train and the small railway line were also built inside the palace by Maharaja Swaji Rao. The school is now a museum. Name Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum. And the engine of that train is also displayed there.

A cricket ground was built inside the Rajbari at Motibagh. But not only cricket, tennis and badminton were also arranged in that field. The badminton court was specially made with wooden floor. At one time the All India Badminton Championship was also played on this court.

Lakshmi Vilas Palace also had a gymnasium and a swimming pool in those days. All of them have been modernized now. Now inside the palace is the head office of Baroda Cricket Association.

The royal court of the palace is also worth visiting. Paintings by famous painters, sparkling crystal chandeliers, white marble colored stone floors. Fine craftsmanship on walls, pillars. Stained glass ceiling.

After the palace was almost completely built, the British architect suddenly felt that the palace would soon collapse. Out of overwhelming guilt, he committed suicide leaving the work incomplete. Although that palace has not moved from its place.

Another British architect, Robert Fellowes Chrisholm, completed the remaining work of the manor.

At present, this palace has been inherited by Maharaja Samarjit Singh Gaikwad. His wife is Radhikaraj Gaikwad.

And they are relatives of Bengali actress Raima and Riya by birth.

The source of the relationship, however, is the founder of this palace, Maharaja Swaji Rao himself.

His eldest daughter Indira Devi was married to Jitendra Narayan, prince of Cooch Behar. who later became the king of Cooch Behar.

Indira Devi was the daughter of Chimibai, Swaji Rao’s second wife. and Queen of Cooch Behar.

Among his five sons and daughters, Bharata Devavarman was the son of Eladevi, the eldest daughter. who is the prince of Tripura and married Bengali actress Suchitra-daughter Munmoon Sen.

Among the five children of Indira Devi, Jagat Singh was the king of Cooch Behar. The youngest daughter, Princess Gayatri Devi, later became the queen of King Man Singh of Rajasthan.

Ila Devi was married to Maharaja Ramendrakrishna Devavarma of Tripura. They are full of children. About Riya-Raima is the granddaughter of Ila Devi.

In other words, although one of the biggest palaces and the biggest residences in the world is in Baroda in Gujarat, Bengal is not very distant with it. Instead, one by one, Kolkata will come to Cooch Behar with a light pull on the thread.