Golghar

The Golghar or Gol Ghar (गोलघर), ("Round House") is a large granary located to the west of the Gandhi Maidan in Patna, capital of Bihar state, India.

Golghar
Golghar
Former namesThe Granary at Patna
General information
Architectural styleStupa
LocationPatna, Bihar, India
Coordinates
Completed20 July 1786
OwnerBihar Government
Height29 m
Dimensions
Diameter32m-35m.Not sure.
Design and construction
ArchitectCaptain John Garstin

History

According to a contemporary inscription at its base, the Golghar in Patna was intended to be just the first of a series of huge grain stores. In the end, however, no others were ever built. The granary was "part of a general plan … for the perpetual prevention of famine in these provinces"[1] ordered in 1784 by Warren Hastings, the then Governor-General of India.

The beehive-shaped structure was designed by Captain John Garstin of the Bengal Engineers, part of the East India Company's Bengal Army. Its construction was completed on 20 July 1786.

A drive to improve the appearance of the structure was begun in 2002.[2]

Architecture

Built in the Stupa architecture, the building has a height of 29 m. It is pillar-less with a wall of thickness of 3.6 m at the base. One can climb at the top of the Golghar through the 145 steps of its spiral stairway around it. The spiral staircase was designed to facilitate the passage of the workers who loaded and unloaded the grain in the granary, who had to carry grain-bags up one flight, deliver their load through a hole at the top, and descend the other stairs.

The top of the Golghar presents a wonderful panoramic view of the city and the Ganges.

Golghar has never been filled to its maximum capacity and there are no plans to do so. Some have claimed that the reason for this is a flaw whereby the doors are designed to open inwards; thus, if it is filled to its maximum capacity, then the doors will not open. However, visitors have found that the doors open outwards.[1] Presently renovation of this historical monument is underway.

Golghar was shown in 2019 Hindi film India's Most Wanted.[3]


  • Golghar, Patna, painting of 1888
  • Gol Ghar, Patna, a 19th-century painting
  • Gol Ghar, Patna 19th century painting

See also

References
  1. Morris, Jan; Winchester, Simon (1 January 2005). Stones of Empire: The Buildings of the Raj. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192805966.
  2. Development of Golghar as tourist site in limbo The Times of India, 15 February 2002.
  3. "Patna an ideal place for film shoot, says Arjun".
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