(From top) Baithakkhana Bari; old cast iron gates and pillars found during the restoration work in Jorasanko. Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

The ongoing restoration work at the Jorasanko Thakurbari has revealed a treasure trove — several gate frames and pillars belonging to the time of Dwarakanath Tagore, which have been lying under a pile of rubble for years.

The cast iron pieces were exposed when workers started clearing the garbage in the south of Baithakkhana Bari.

“The custard apple motifs on the gates indicate that these were made during Dwarakanath Tagore’s time. The pieces have been slightly damaged over the years. We will install them after restoration,” said Arunendu Banerjee, the consultant architect in Rabindra Bharati University’s (RBU) Jorasanko renovation project.

The restoration of Tagore’s ancestral house, long overdue, began three months ago.

Baithakkhana Bari at 5 Dwarakanath Tagore Lane and the rear side of Maharshi Bhavan were the first to undergo a facelift. A south-facing balcony has also been revamped.

“These needed immediate attention, especially Baithakkhana Bari, which was crumbling and had cracks in the walls,” said Karuna Sindhu Das, the RBU vice-chancellor.

The first phase of work comprises structural restoration to arrest further deterioration.

“The walls and pillars of all the buildings have developed cracks and the railings have corroded. Some of the buildings have a coat of fungus,” said Banerjee.

A mezzanine hall at the back of Maharshi Bhavan, once used by the Thakurbari women to watch functions in the Nat Mandir, and a portion of the house occupied by Jyotirindranath Tagore and Kadambari Debi have been “structurally renovated”.

Next in line is the restoration of Rabindranath’s dining room and the kitchen used by Mrinalini Debi.

According to Banerjee, only 25 per cent of the restoration work could be done in the past three months as the Jorasanko house is beset with problems.

“Waterlogging over the years has hugely added to the deterioration of the buildings. The standing water has damaged the plinth arches,” he added.

Work on the Rs 15-crore project began with an initial UGC allotment of Rs 50 lakh. Das said governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi has promised to help the varsity get another central grant.

The revamp plan includes the upgrade of Aban Mancha, in Sangeet Bhavan, and adding an extra floor in Kala Bhavan.

“We are also planning music archives of Tagore’s contemporaries like Kazi Nazrul Islam and of later maestros like Ramkumar Chattopadhyay, Salil Chowdhury and Sandhya Mukhopadhyay. We have already unveiled the Manna De music archive at Sangeet Bhavan,” said Das.

The authorities hope to unveil the new-look Jorasanko in May 2011 to mark Rabindranath’s 150th birth anniversary.