We wind our way down Mukhtaram Babu street in north Calcutta and find ourselves outside a palatial nineteenth-century mansion: Marble Palace.
It is strange that I have lived in Calcutta for decades but know just a few people who have visited this magnificent monument, that’s less than a 30-minute ride from Park Street, the city’s nerve centre. And yet each time I have visitors from abroad, it is a must-do on their list, thanks to the Lonely Planet guide.
A Treasure Trove
Built in 1835 by an extremely affluent Bengali merchant, Raja Rajendra Mullick, this is a veritable treasure trove. As we take off our shoes and step on the Italian marble, I find the layers of dust significantly less than on my last visit less than a year ago.
A slightly built, dhoti-kurta clad man announces with a deadpan expression, “I am guide. Come.” Like robots we follow.
If my guests from London are amused, they try not to show it. Besides the Lonely Planet guide, they had read about the Marble Palace in Geoffrey Moorhouse’s book on Calcutta. They gape at the chandeliers and the art objects that transport us into a different time. But the three of us are truly startled when our guide loudly thumps on a table covered with a protective sheet and loudly announces, “Billiard table”.
We want to soak in the ambience and savour each treasure. But he is a man in a rush and strides into the hall, pointing at an enormous statue that is virtually touching the ceiling, “Queen Victoria, one piece wood”. He marches on pointing to another, “Napoleon Bonaparte”.
My guests and I can no longer keep a straight face. This roll call of luminaries in a sharp, strident voice is not what we need. Sadly, there are barely any labels, or captions to guide us, to tell us a little bit about each piece. Neither is there a methodical arrangement as exquisite chandeliers, antique gilded carved clocks, urns, busts of kings and queens huddle together.
A Visual Treat
As you walk up the stairs, you have to crane your neck as paintings reach the ceiling. Among the masterpieces are paintings by Sir Joshua Reynolds and two works by Rubens, one above the other, ‘The Marriage of St Catherine’ and ‘The Martyrdom of St Sebastian’.
There are no pamphlets or brochures. I try to make conversation with our guide in Bengali. He tells me that he has been here for 30 years. His expression is still impassive. Maybe ennui has set in after three decades on the job.
As though reading my thoughts, he gets a fresh burst of energy and leads us into another area, “Dancing room, one piece Belgian glass.” We marvel at the 20 feet by 15 feet mirror on both ends of the large hall. ‘The Last Supper’ adorns the other wall.
While just one section is open to the public, Raja Rajendra Mullick’s descendants continue to reside in the other section of the stately home he created. With a charming combination of the traditional Bengali open courtyard and a Neo-Classical building with imposing pillars and intricately embellished verandahs, Marble Palace is a visual treat.
The Magnificent Palace Deserves More
The courtyard is lined with decrepit wooden cages with the most exquisitely colored birds from Uruguay, Brazil and Australia. The compound has a sprawling garden and a small zoo with several species of deer.
There is no entry fee to visit this storehouse of priceless curios, paintings and a glimpse into a bygone world, just an easily available written permission from the West Bengal tourism office. As I walk away, I can’t help but wonder what the man behind this monument would feel if he visited it today. His passionate collection randomly displayed in a chaotic clutter.
Marble Palace deserves better.
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