The Lazy Eye

After walking past a row of posh residential homes and apartments at a side street in Chatra, you will find yourself facing a cast-iron gate leading to a magnificent structure- the sprawling aristocratic 'Bonedi Bari' of the Goswami family of Serampore, an erstwhile old colonial town in the Hoogly district of West Bengal. A friendly chat with the caretaker at the gate will gain you an easy entry into this glorious mansion. Walking through a short passage from the driveway, you will find yourself at the huge courtyard, taking a peek into the glorious past of the Goswamis. The Serampore Rajbari Who were the  Goswamis?  Just like one of those many aristocratic families of Bengal, the Goswamis were an enlightened, affluent Brahmin Zamindari family in Serampore. Serampore, a peaceful village by the banks of the Hoogly, was a part of Danish India from 1755 to 1845. It was then known as  Frederiksnagore, after king Frederick V of Denmark.     Unlike most other Zam