Darbhanga was the largest and best run zamindari (landowners) in British India.

 

The 'royal family' (as they are called by the local people) funded many public works, institutions, and supported the arts. But since there was no heir and after the death of the last 'Maharaja', many of the buildings are under public use. This building had people living in it and was inside a fort where many people had encroached and built private homes.

 

As for the town... long long powercuts, terrible roads, garbage and waterlogging everywhere. This is a swampy part of north Bihar and prone to flooding. I had never seen so many mosquitoes and was horrified to think of how many people come down with malaria. I heard that the kala azar disease was coming back too since the WHO program to combat malaria had been stopped. But when I expressed my dismay at the situation, people said - wait till the rains...

 

And yet amazingly everyone spoke with a sense of hope. Till recent past things were really terrible. Now things were looking up.

 

I couldnt even start to imagine how it must have been...