The 356-year-old Durga Puja in Jamsherpur Bagchi’s residence has immense historical significance. During the British colonial rule, revolutionaries used to secretly visit this house and offer Pushpanjali to Goddess Durga, praying to her to give them strength and power to free Mother India! They would silently disappear from the house before dawn to prevent getting arrested.
After the goddess’s immersion, family members come together to sing one of Rabindranath Tagore’s patriotic songs as a prayer to “Bharat Mata” (Mother India). This tradition which started in the early 19th century, continues even today.
During its peak, the Bagchi Bari was a vibrant cultural hub that hosted leading figures in Bengali literature and arts. Guests included Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and dramatist D. L. Roy. Leading Indian revolutionary Jatindranath Mukherjee also known as Bagha Jatin and famous revolutionary Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam have also visited this house.
Ancestral home of renowned Bengali poet Jatindramohan Bagchi
Jamsherpur Bagchi Bari was established by Srishtidhar Bagchi between 1624 and 1711 in Jamsherpur village, undivided Nadia, transforming a mud house into a sprawling royal-like palace known for its elaborate architecture and cultural significance. The Bagchis originally lived in Rajshahi district of undivided Bengal, later they settled in Jamsherpur in Nadia district of modern day West Bengal.
The Jamsherpur Bagchi Bari is the ancestral home of the Bagchi zamindar family and the birthplace of the renowned Bengali poet Jatindramohan Bagchi. Located in the village of Jamsherpur, in the Nadia district of West Bengal, the estate dates back to the late 1780s. The grand residence, though now in a dilapidated state, bears testament to a rich cultural and political history.
Over time, the massive palace may have lost its outer shine to broken walls, windows and faded colour, but it is this heritage mansion, where history comes alive on Durga Puja! The house is also associated with the memory of noted Bengali poet Jatindramohan Bagchi.
Jatindramohan Bagchi (1878–1948), was born here. A respected poet in his own right, he was a key figure in the post-Rabindranath era of Bengali poetry. The family’s Durga Puja tradition also took on a patriotic spirit during the Swadeshi movement, championed by Jatindramohan. In the early 19th century, Jatindramohan introduced a ritual where, after the goddess’s immersion, the family would sing one of Rabindranath Tagore’s patriotic songs as a prayer to “Bharat Mata” (Mother India). This tradition continues today.
Durga Puja at Jamsherpur Bagchi Bari
Zamindari system was abolished long ago but the Durga Puja is still being held in the historic Bagchi house of Nadia district, following the old customs. In 1711, the first Durga Puja was organized on the initiative of Srishtidhar Bagchi, the ancestor of the Bagchi family. Which has been going on annually ever since.
During the independence movement, the first-line revolutionaries of Bengal used to come to this house. History of India’s freedom struggle is hidden in the corners of this house. The two huge buildings of the Bagchis are an additional attraction for people who come to see the puja. Although they are now worn out due to age. However, even though it is damaged, what is still there is worth seeing.
Bagchi family worships the traditional idol of Goddess Durga where her skin colour is light yellow. Here, the lion, the vehicle of Durga, is white, the demons are green, Ganesh is pink, and Kartik is light yellow like Mother.
The goddess is worshipped according to the full Vaishnava tradition, and vegetarian food is offered for four days. However, Maa is offered cooked Hilsa fish on her final ‘Bhog’ on Dashami before visarjan.
Jamsherpur Bagchi Bari: An important heritage site of Bengal
Though currently dilapidated, the “Old Bagchi House” was once a majestic structure featuring a theatre, gardens, and a lotus pond, and was the last residence of the zamindar Gopendra Narayan Bagchi. Despite its crumbling state, the Jamsherpur Bagchi Bari remains an important heritage site, representing a significant chapter in the social, cultural, and political history of colonial Bengal.