This very interesting trail begins at Sovabazar Rajbari, one of the oldest royal houses in the city, constructed by Raja Nabakrishna Deb, the tutor of Lord Clive. This palatial structure is best known today for the Durga puja celebrations that take place in October-November. Some of the notable features of this monument are the Nat Mandap, which is a centrally located open courtyard. Sovabazar Rajbari was built in 1700 and is a mix of Moorish, Hindu and colonial styles of architecture. One then goes on to Jorasanko Thakur Bari or the House of the Thakurs, which is the ancestral home of poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's family. Tagore was born in this house and spent much of his childhood here. Today, the house has been restored and turned into Tagore Museum, which makes for an exciting visit. One can find several historical nuggets about the Tagore family here, including their contribution to the Bengal Renaissance and the Brahmo Samaj. Of note are 700 paintings exhibited here, along with a self-composed invite of Tagore's wedding. Divided into three galleries, the museum also houses various books, manuscripts and antiques. The next stop is the Jorasanko Rajbari with its verandahs, terraces and delicate cast-iron grills, which belonged to Rajendra Narayan Roy. One will then visit the residence-turned-museum that used to be owned by Rajendra Nath Mullick. Located at 46, Muktaram Babu Street, this elegant mansion was built in the 19th century. The trail ends at Kumartuli, a unique neighbourhood in Kolkata that is renowned for its tradition of making clay idols for the Durga puja celebrations. Located on the banks of the Hooghly river, this potter's hub is home to around 30 women artisans and many talented male artisans, who create beautiful clay idols of Hindu gods and goddesses. These are supplied to barowari pujas around the city and surrounding areas and are also exported. A few weeks before Durga Puja, the focus is on making idols of the goddess. And the Puja at Kumartuli itself is well-known as one of the oldest in Kolkata.

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