Navlakha Palace

Rajnagar Palace
Rajnagar Palace
	A Durga temple in the Navlakha palace campus
Type	Palace
Location	Rajnagar, Bihar, India
Coordinates	26°24′11″N 86°10′13″E / 26.40306°N 86.17028°E
Area	1,500 acres (610 ha)
Founder	Darbhanga Raj
Built	19th century
Demolished	15 January 1934
Architectural style(s)	Mithila Art
Owner	Darbhanga Maharaja
	Location in Bihar Location in India

Navlakha Palace, also known as Rajnagar Palace, is a royal Brahmin palace in the town of Rajnagar, near Madhubani in Bihar, India. The palace was built by Maharaja Rameshwar Singh of Darbhanga.

History edit

It was built by Rameshwar Singh, the younger brother of Maharajah Of Darbhanga, between 1884 and 1929 to serve as the Darbhanga Raj's administrative capital. This complex covers 1,500 acres (610 ha). It includes 11 temples to gods and goddesses and several forts and palaces. It suffered significant damage during the 1934 Bihar–Nepal earthquake and has never been rebuilt.

Architecture edit

Up to 22 layers of carving were used in the construction of the monument, greater than the Taj Mahal, which has a maximum of 15 layers. Its Kali temple is made of ivory and white marble that resembles the Taj Mahal. The portico has arches standing on four elephants built from cement and is allegedly one of the first cement structures in India. The oldest surviving Mithila painting is found in the Gasauni Ghar (the room where the family deity is kept) of the palace. Made in 1919 on the occasion of the Maharaja's daughter's wedding, there are very few written or photographic records of the palace.

Present condition edit

The palace is currently owned by the Raj Darbhanga . Following the 1934 earthquake, it was never repaired. It is continually suffering from encroachment. Locals have long demanded that it be turned into a tourist site.

Navlakha Palace

Contents

History edit

Architecture edit

Present condition edit

See also edit

References edit

External links edit