Padmashri late Pratima Barua Pandey's royal 'Hawa Mahal' to be preserved, Cabinet decides

News Desk:
The residence of the late Padmashri Pratima Barua Pandey, the empress of Goalpara folk music, has been neglected for a long time.The state cabinet has taken an important decision to preserve the royal 'Hawa Mahal' of Matiabag near Gauripur in Dhubri and the cultural contributions of the artist as an eternal and heritage centre.
The meeting also approved the acquisition of 12 bighas, 3 katha and 18 lechas of land at Matiabag for the construction of a museum at a cost of Rs 15 crore to perpetuate the life and works of Pratima Barua Pandey.
It is hoped that this decision of the Government will play a significant role in preserving the rich cultural and folk heritage of Assam.
The building was built in 1914 by Prabhat Chandra Barua of the Gauripur royal family on a small hill called Matiabah on the banks of the Gadadhar river.  Construction began in 1914 during World War I and took 10 years to complete.
The palace was built by Chinese carpenters from China Town in Kolkata at a cost of Rs 3,40,000  .The palace now has elements of Hindu, Mughal and British architecture.