Three home-museums in Kolkata history buffs must visit

When we talk about the culture of Bengal, what most of us essentially connote is an intellectual lineage that originated from the late 18th century to the early 20th century colonial-ruled Kolkata. The artistic, cultural, social and intellectual paradigm shift that took place in the region during this time is often referred to as the Bengal Renaissance. And oaring the tumultuous waters were personalities like Rabindranath Tagore, who have become almost synonymous with the culture of the region. If you too are half-enchanted and half-curious about that era, here’s something you can do the next time you are in the City of Joy.

Over the last decade, several of the ancestral homes of these intellectuals have been restored as museums and opened for visitors. If you are a history buff, these places will surely appeal to you. If not, you can simply visit them to take in the graceful colonial-period fusion architecture. As religious pilgrimages in the country grow more and more popular, perhaps this is a good time to begin a trend of literary or cultural pilgrimages in India? Here are the ancestral houses-turned-museums of three such Bengali icons that you must visit, especially if you are there on a quick trip.

Vivekananda Museum
Swami Vivekananda was born at Simla Pally — one of the oldest neighbourhoods in North Kolkata. The palatial house he was born in, built by his grandfather Rammohan Datta, is more than 300 years old. In 2004, the house was opened to the public after being restored by the Ramakrishna Mission. The materials used for restoration were similar to those used during the 18th century construction. This resulted in a house bathed in white marble with intricate designs. The space envelops you with its serenity the moment you enter. It houses a beautiful shrine on the terrace to  mark the place where Vivekananda was born, the thakur dalan (place of worship and the adjoining courtyard) and its 36 rooms. The small Vireshwar Shiva temple is believed to be the place where Vivekananda’s mother had prayed for a son, eventually getting her wish fulfilled. A lot of people come here for a brief meditation or prayer, believing their dreams will come true. The museum is also designed to make the visitors aware of major milestones of Vivekananda’s life.
Nearest metro station: Girish Park Metro Station. Nearest Bus stand: Vivekananda Road.

Netaji Bhawan
Built by his father in 1909, this house was where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose lived most of his life in Kolkata. Now, it includes archives, a museum and a library. Aesthetes will love the yellow facades, green windows and the red flooring that comes with the art-deco houses of that time.The moment you enter the space, you see the black German Wanderer Sedan that Netaji used to flee in disguise during the ‘great escape’ from his house arrest in 1941. And from relics of Netaji’s footprints to the letters that he wrote while in hiding — the museum will appeal to people who are even remotely interested in Indian history.
Nearest metro station: Rabindra Sadan. Nearest Bus stand: Elgin Road.

Jorasanko Thakur Bari
Before you judge us for suggesting such an obvious option, let us tell you why you cannot skip this even if you have visited Shantiniketan. Tucked away in a quiet corner of the otherwise buzzing College Street and surrounded by trees like Spanish Cherry and Yellow Saraca, this ancestral house of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore has been restored to reflect the way it looked when the Tagore family lived in it. Officially known as the Tagore Museum, it offers knowledge about the history of not only the poet but his family members in detail, including their role in the Bengal Renaissance, which was pivotal. The house — with its architecture style typical of the colonial period — is made of beautiful red bricks and painted white in places. The space has several libraries, with one of them featuring artworks  from the Bengal School of Art founded by Abanindranath Tagore. Don’t miss checking out mementos from Rabindranath’s visits to countries — like China, Hungary, Italy, Japan and the US — which might surprise you revealing how interesting the poet’s relations with these countries were.
Nearest metro station: Girish Park Metro Station. Nearest Bus stand: Vivekananda Road.

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