Babu Devkinandan built this Varanasi mansion and then walked away from it forever, here's why

Babu Devkinandan built his grand haveli on 10 bigha of land in Varanasi, but walked away from it forever after failing to get one of three lifts imported from England.

Varanasi's old quarters hide more than one mansion whose stone walls carry a story worth retelling, and one of the most striking belongs to a man named Babu Devkinandan, who built a magnificent haveli with great passion but never spent even a single night inside it. The carvings on its walls still catch the eye of anyone who walks past.

Who was Babu Devkinandan?
According to senior journalist Himanshu Raj Pandey, Babu Devkinandan originally belonged to Prayagraj. During British rule, he was close to English officers, and it was the British who handed him charge of the Ramapura area of Varanasi. He served there as a tax collector, and this posting is what brought him from Prayagraj to Varanasi. He then built his grand haveli on 10 bigha of land in the city.

A dispute over a lift changed everything
At the time, the British government had placed a special order to import three lifts from England to India. Babu Devkinandan wanted one of those three lifts installed in his own haveli, and he put in his full effort to secure one. But for some reason, he could not get hold of even one of the three lifts, and the disappointment hit him hard. The episode upset him so much that he walked away from the very haveli he had built with such care, and he never returned to Varanasi again, nor did he ever set foot inside the mansion afterward.

A 150 year old mansion that still stands as heritage
The Devkinandan haveli was built roughly 150 years ago. This massive stone structure still stands today as a heritage property, though parts of it have now fallen into disrepair. The five storey mansion has a total of 48 rooms, each designed to stay well ventilated. The building carries clear traces of Indian architectural craftsmanship, with several verandas and a large courtyard. Havelis of this scale and grandeur are now rare in Varanasi.

What this means for you
• Across India: Stories like this can draw heritage and history minded travellers from across the country towards places like Varanasi.
• In Varanasi: It highlights the need for local authorities and the tourism department to protect crumbling heritage properties like the Devkinandan haveli before more of the city's unique mansions are lost.

Questions & Answers

1. Who was Babu Devkinandan?
He originally belonged to Prayagraj and served as a tax collector in the Ramapura area of Varanasi during British rule.

2. Why did Babu Devkinandan leave his haveli?
He was so upset over not getting one of three lifts imported from England for his own haveli that he left it forever.

3. When was the Devkinandan haveli built?
It was built roughly 150 years ago.

4. How many rooms does the haveli have?
The haveli has a total of 48 rooms, each designed to be well ventilated.

5. How much land was the haveli built on?
It was built on 10 bigha of land.

6. Does the haveli still exist today?
Yes, it still stands today as a heritage property, though parts of it have fallen into disrepair.

7. How many storeys does the haveli have?
It is a five storey mansion with several verandas and a large courtyard.

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