Shashi Lodge: Palace Residence of the Muktagacha Maharajas
Site at a Glance
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- 4.1
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- Bangladesh
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- British
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Palace
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History
Shashi Lodge is a palace-residence in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, rebuilt in 1905 by Maharaja Shashikant Acharya Chowdhury as the residence of the head of the Muktagacha estate. The lodge was associated with the estate’s ruling family during British colonial rule in India.
The Muktagacha succession
Shri Krishna Acharya Chowdhury founded the Muktagacha zamindari, a landed estate and land-revenue institution in South Asia, and held the title of Maharaja, a South Asian royal title. His great-grandson Raghunandan, the fourth Maharaja, had no biological children. He adopted Gaurikant to prevent the British government from confiscating the estate, and Gaurikant succeeded him as the fifth Maharaja.
Gaurikant also had no biological children. After his death, his widow Bimala Devi adopted Kashikanta, who became the sixth Maharaja. Kashikanta died childless, and his widow Lakshmi Devi adopted Chandrakant, the seventh Maharaja. When Chandrakant died young, Lakshmi adopted Purnachandra Majumdar, who became the eighth Maharaja under the name Suryakant Acharya Chowdhury.
During Suryakant’s roughly 41-year rule, the Brahmaputra riverbank became fertile and brought substantial agricultural revenue to the estate. He supported philanthropic work through its management and established buildings in Mymensingh. The original mansion took the name Shashi Lodge from an adopted son of Shashikant Acharya Chowdhury.
Rebuilding and later use
The Great Indian Earthquake of 12 June 1897 damaged the original mansion. In 1905, Shashikant, the ninth Maharaja, built a replacement with a new design on the same site. Renovations intended to beautify the lodge were completed in 1911, after which it served as a luxurious palace.
Following the 1947 partition, East Bengal became the eastern wing of Pakistan. The East Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950 abolished the zamindari system. From 1952, Shashi Lodge was used as a training center for women teachers, a role it continued after Bangladesh became independent. As the building deteriorated, it ceased to serve as a training center. On 4 April 2015, the Directorate of Archaeology of Bangladesh acquired it to establish a museum.
Remains
The lodge stands beside the Brahmaputra River in central Mymensingh. The original mansion was a two-story building on a 3.6-hectare property, while the present lodge building has deteriorated. A statue of Venus, the Roman goddess associated with love and beauty, stood at the lodge and was described as more than 200 years old. After Sheikh Hasina left office on 5 August 2024, the statue was destroyed and its head taken away.
