Built between 1884 and 1929, the vast Navlakha Palace complex once served as the administrative capital of the Darbhanga Raj, one of the most powerful zamindari dynasties in colonial India. Located in Rajnagar, Bihar, and spread across more than 1,500 acres, the estate was a self-contained world of grandeur, housing not only residences and administrative buildings, but also temples, gardens, ponds, ceremonial spaces, and forts—all collectively reflecting the opulence and detailed artistry that defined the palace.

The 1934 Bihar–Nepal earthquake destroyed much of this architectural marvel. The palace, never restored after the disaster, now lies in partial ruin. Yet, even in its decayed state, the remnants of the palace speak to its once-magnificent past. Today, there are very few written records or photographs documenting the original state of the Navlakha Palace. This absence of archival material was my call to embark on this photo-documentary journey, to preserve what remains, and to honour the grandeur that once was. 

Among its many striking aspects is the palace’s extraordinary craftsmanship. Structures within the complex contain multiple layers of intricate carvings. The Kali temple, located on the estate grounds, has been crafted in ivory and white marble and bears a strong visual resemblance to the Taj Mahal. The palace’s east-facing Darbar Hall, aligned with Vastu principles, sports a portico supported by four cement-crafted elephants—one of the earliest examples of cement artistry in India.

The complex houses eleven temples, each dedicated to a different Hindu deity. In my many visits, I observed that all temples, whether still functional or completely ruined, were uniformly oriented towards the south—unlike the main east-facing palace buildings. This alignment was likely designed to maximize exposure to sunlight from morning till evening, allowing light to bathe the sanctums throughout the day. The palace’s Gasaui Ghar, a sacred chamber where the family deity was once enshrined, is believed to hold the oldest surviving Mithila painting, created to commemorate the 1919 wedding of the Darbhanga Maharaja’s daughter.