Shimla’s 140-year-old Bantony Castle thrown open for public
The over 140-year-old Bantony Castle, the erstwhile summer palace of the Maharaja of Sirmaur, will stand resurrected after three years of restoration work.
Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri threw open the castle with a light- andsound show, organised by the Director Art Language, on Tuesday.
The central two-storey structure was constructed in the mock Tudor style of architecture, has a chalet and is crowned with a sloping roof and mini-towers. The building is said to have been designed by TEG Cooper under the watchful eyes of Raja Surender Bikram Prakash. Before its construction began in 1880, the site had a cottage belonging to Captain A Gordon, which housed army officers.
During the two World Wars, the rulers of Sirmaur allowed the colonial government to use the premises for military purposes.
During the Second World War, here lay the Prisoner of War section attached to All India Radio for handling messages of mostly Italian prisoners.
The Bantony Castle was passed into the hands of the Maharaja of Darbhanga, shortly before the Indian Independence. In 1957-58, Maharaja Sir Kameshwar Singh of Darbhanga rented the property out to the Punjab government and various wings of the Punjab, and later, the Himachal Police were based here for several years. The Police Officers’ mess was also located on the premises.
Shortly after Independence, a Punjab-based national daily shifted its base from Lahore to the building before shifting to Chandigarh.
While still with the police in 1968, the estate was purchased by a prominent local business family of Ram Krishan and Sons. The Himachal government acquired this 19,000 sq m estate and structures in 2017, to create the elaborate complex that it now houses.
The Bantony Castle has now been restored at a cost of ₹29 crore to house the proposed heritage museum, multipurpose hall as well as an art and craft and light-and-sound show space at its 3,700 sq m area.
In the main building of the castle, a digital museum will be opening very shortly, which is expected to be innovative, people-oriented and immersive.
Light-and-sound show opening
The 30-minute light-and-sound show (in separate Hindi and English versions) chronicles various facets of the historical town of Shimla. The show, a first for the hilly town, shall serve as a major attraction for locals and tourists alike in days to come.
The proposed show will be the first production to use digital art technology to depict the history of Shimla through the eyes of Bantony Castle. The show is a dramatic retelling of Shimla’s story from its foundation to the modern day. Bollywood actor Anupam Kher narrates the show, which will be showcased to the general public in English and Hindi languages with a seating arrangement of 70 people for a one-time watch.