Location: West of Girish Park
Address: 286, Rabindra Sarani, North Kolkata,
Time to Visit: During office hours (10A.M. to 5P.M.)
Admission Fee: Rs 10 per person
How to Reach: Any bus to Bentick Street can bring you here. One can also avail of the tram services to Jorasanko Thakurbari.
Photography / Video charges: Photography is strictly prohibited
Nearest Railway Station: Howrah
Nearest Metro Station: Girish Park
Nearest International Airport: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
Time required for sightseeing: 1 hour

Jorasanko Thakurbari is an integral part of the cultural history of Bengal. It is a sprawling brick-red mansion which is the ancestral home of the Tagores. It is located in north Kolkata and is named after Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore.

Built in 1784 by Prince Dwarkanath Tagore, the grandfather of the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, the Thakurbari was the heart of Bengal's cultural mileu for well over a century. From the early nineteenth century, the Jorasanko Thakurbari was a pioneer in social reforms. Not only were the men of this household progressive and dynamic, but even the women were far ahead of their times. They travelled to England and America for scholarly pursuit, took part in the freedom movement and worked towards the emancipation of women. Digambari Devi, the wife of Dwarknath Tagore, is supposed to have consulted Brahmin Pundits on whether a wife could refuse a husband who had forsaken traditional values. Maharishi Debendranath sent his daughter, Saudimini, to Bethune College as one of its first students, setting an example for other Bengali families. The very first progressive Brahmo Samaj wedding was also held in this household.

The Rabindra Bharati Museum, which is housed inside the Thakurbari, was inaugurated on the 8th of May, 1961 by the then prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The museum has a trio of imposing galleries. The first gallery covers the life and activities of Rabindranath Tagore who was not only born in this mansion and passed a great deal of his childhood here, but also passed away in its vicinities. The second gallery portrays the illustrious members of his family like Dwarkanath Tagore, Maharishi Debendranath Tagore and Abanindranath Tagore. The third gallery narrates the tale of the Renaissance of nineteenth century Bengal and the part played by the eminent pioneers in diverse fields.

The Assembly Hall of Jorasanko Thakurbari was the venue for religious gatherings of the Tagore household. On the stage, there's an engraved message reminding everyone that there is indeed one God who prevails.

The Thakurbari also holds a Light and Sound program in the evenings. Tapes containing Rabindranath Tagore's recitations are also played for visitors.

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