“Roy-baari” or “The Roys’ house” is what the locals call it. The Bhagyakul Roy Family Mansions stand before you now. These mansions whisper tales of zamindari grandeur and a family that shaped Bengal.
Let’s step back in time to the 18th century. The Bhagyakul Roy family originally Kundu rose to prominence. They were merchants of the Tili caste. They entered the salt business and rapidly amassed wealth. They became chief landlords or zamindars of Bhagyakul. Their estates spread throughout undivided Bengal and Bihar.
But the Bhagyakul Roy family didn’t just stick to traditional landlord duties. They embraced innovation. The family established inland water navigation services complete with shipping dockyards. They even founded one of the biggest jute mills M/S Prem Chand Jute Mills Ltd. Not stopping there, the family also established the United Industrial Bank.
The British colonial government recognized their influence. They bestowed the title of Roy Bahadur upon Sri Gunendra Krishna Roy. Other family members received the Roy or Raychowdhury title. Some were even honored with the title Raja.
Later, the Bhagyakul Roy family diversified even further. They invested in steamships banking real estate and manufacturing. Family members entered public life and developed professional careers. They established institutions of social importance. The Bhagyakul Roy family had significant influence on Bengali society.
The family played a key role in founding the East Bengal Club in August 1920. The Bhagyakul Roy family also supported Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. They provided him with a loan to start Vidyasagar College.
During the colonial period the family contributed to the freedom struggle. They actively participated in the Sixth Indian National Congress session in Calcutta in December 1890. They also opposed the partition of Bengal.
The Bhagyakul Roy family produced many prominent descendants including cricketers Pankaj Roy and Ambar Roy. Subrata Roy became a noted industrialist and businessman.
One of the Bhagyakul Roy family mansions the Jorabagan Traffic Guard building stands as a magnificent example of Bengal Baroque architecture. Kolkata Police renovated it to its former glory. Passersby often stop to admire its splendid exterior. The building once belonged to Raja Janakinath Roy of the Bhagyakul Roy family. It even housed CRPF companies during Kolkata’s Naxal movement in the 1970s.
Today the Jorabagan Traffic Guard building also houses a Legacy Centre. This space hosts public events showcasing the evolution of one of Kolkata’s oldest neighborhoods.
The Bhagyakul Roy Family Mansions stand as testaments to a family’s legacy. Their story is one of enterprise social contribution and enduring influence on Bengal. The mansions remind us of a time when zamindars shaped society. They were not just landlords but also innovators and patrons of education and culture. The Bhagyakul Roy Family Mansions offer a glimpse into that world. A world where ambition and social responsibility went hand in hand.