It’s quieter times for the 155-year-old bonedi (ancestral) Durga Puja at the Nimtita Rajbari near Murshidabad town, made famous by Satyajit Ray’s 1958 classic Jalsaghar (The Music Room) on the life of a lonely landlord and patron of music.

Mounting pressures posed by maintenance demands of the mammoth 150-room property and lockdown restrictions imposed on the Puja celebrations this year have caused visitors — who still flock to the decrepit palace once a year to see the thakur ghar (prayer room) — to dwindle.

The family of landowners Rabindra Narayan Chowdhury (known among locals as Chhotobabu), who are settled in Calcutta, came here for a week last Wednesday to supervise what residents termed a “muted” celebration at the Rajbari.

“Initially we had thought of having a strictly family Durga Puja, barring the entry of outsiders to the palace because of the prevailing pandemic situation. However, relenting to the pleas of villagers we decided to allow them inside the palace but have imposed strict curbs on their movement,” Chowdhury said.

The entrance to the palace. Alamgir Hossain

The Chowdhurys have hired a private security agency to enforce the Calcutta High Court directives on curbing puja crowds. Not more than 20 people are allowed inside the palace, said sources.

“Despite the Rajbari’s worsening condition, the palace occupies a special place in our hearts for the residents of Nimtita. Moreover, Satyajit Ray’s film brought the palace widespread fame,” said local resident and schoolteacher Tarun Singha, 42.

Singha said that though the police were only letting 20 people into the thakur ghar at a time this year for social distancing, they were all willing to patiently wait in the queue.

“We are willing to wait for our turn. The palace might never know its former glory again, but it is our duty to be present at the yearly puja,” Singha added.

One-hundred-and fifty-five years old, the palace, like the fictional aristocrat of Ray’s film shot here, has clearly seen better days. Sources said though the palace had a team of staff, it did not receive financial assistance of any kind from the government.

“We were all quite upset this year when we learned that we would not be able to gather inside our beloved Rajbari for the Puja. No one is coming from the cities either. But still something (entry with restrictions) is better than nothing,” added the villager, standing in a short, socially-distanced queue outside one of the palace’s five courtyards.