At a time when a fresh political controversy has erupted over the way national leaders are addressing Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay — Prime Minister Narendra Modi referring to him as “Bankim Da” and the Union Culture Minister reportedly calling him “Bankim Das Chatterjee” — a stark irony lies in the heart of North 24-Parganas.
The very building where the literary icon lived and worked as a senior administrator remains abandoned, dilapidated and shrouded in neglect. The historic Barasat Magistrate House, closely associated with Bankimchandra’s administrative career, now stands as a crumbling, ghostly structure within the district court complex. Over decades, political parties have made promises of restoration. Yet no concrete steps have been taken to protect or revive this heritage site. Bankimchandra served in Barasat in two phases — first in 1874 and again in 1882.
Appointed deputy collector on 4 May, 1874, he arrived in Barasat for the first time before being transferred later that year in September. He returned in 1882 as deputy magistrate, working from this very building, where government officials once sat on the lower floor and local residents approached him with their grievances. It was here, historians note, that the seeds of several of his timeless literary works were sown. Despite its rich legacy, the iconic “red house” has long since slipped into ruins. A proposal to convert it into a “Bankim Sangrahashala” never materialised. Locals say the building has effectively turned into a haunted, unsafe structure due to governmental apathy. The irony is sharper because the structure stands between major administrative premises — adjacent to the District & Sessions Court and only a stone’s throw from the zilla parishad office.
Senior officials and political leaders walk past the building every day, yet the memory of “Bankim Villa,” once proudly named, now lies buried under neglect. Even as India celebrates 150 years of Vande Mataram, the national song penned by Bankimchandra, the man remains overlooked in his own homeland, residents say. They question why Bengal’s political leadership has failed to honour one of its greatest cultural figures.
Barasat Municipality’s deputy chairman Tapas Dasgupta maintains that restoration work will begin soon. Meanwhile, Bar Council members Bapi Raychaudhuri and Sandip Chattopadhyay claim regular cleaning and maintenance are being carried out—claims that locals strongly dispute. Citizens of Barasat say they now wait for a moment of awakening among Bengal’s policymakers, hoping the legacy of Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay will finally receive the dignity and preservation it.
West Bengal Pradesh Congress (PCC) Committee spokesperson Soumya Aich Roy said: “The BJP is busy engaging in petty political one-upmanship with the Trinamul Congress over the legacy of a towering literary figure like Bankimchandra,” he said. “Yet neither has taken any meaningful step to preserve the places associated with his memory.” Taking a swipe at the Union culture minister, who recently referred to the writer as “Bankimchandra Das Chatterjee,” the Congress spokesperson added, “Before making such remarks, he should first visit the heritage sites in West Bengal connected to Bankimchandra’s life. Let him come to Barasat and see for himself the condition of this historic premises.”
“West Bengal’s history and literary heritage deserve respect,” Mr Aich Roy said.