Discover the Beautiful Bangladesh "The School of Beauty "
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Tajhat Rajbari / Rangpur Museum
Just south of the city of Rangpur lies the Tajhat, a former "rajbari" or zamindar's palace. After the end of the British Raj, the building was abandoned and decayed rapidly, although it was used for a few years as a courthouse during the 1980's. In the year 2004, it was largely restored and turned into a museum with ancient inscriptions, art and coins from the area on display
Muktagachha Palace
The Muktagachha zamindars of Mymensingh were well known in this sub-continent for the various work they did and luxurious lives. People of the district remember them with respect for their contributions, especially to the education sector. Muktagachha is now a merely an upazila sadar, though at one stage 16 of the zamindar inheritors controlled their administration from this place. History says that Sree Krishna Acharya Chowdhury of Bogra was the first to establish zamindari here. He took on lease Alepshahi Pargana (estate) one of the 22 estates of Bengal in 1727 from Nawab Alibardi Khan. Later, the three parganas: Alekshahi, Momenshahi and Hossainshahi were merged into after the death of Isha Khan. It was after the merger that Sree Krishna Acharya obtained the zamindari of Alepshahi estate from Murshidabad on obtaining it, Sree Krishna returned to Muktagachha by boat along the Brahmaputra river. Mukta Ram -- a poor and humble artisan -- welcomed him with the presentation of a brass lampstand. This gesture kept alive Mukta Ram's name and the zamindar's palace was named Muktagachha. Its previous name was Binod Bari. The area at the time was hilly and full of forests abundant with wild animals. Only a few fisher families lived there. Later, Sree Krishna allowed immigrants to settle in and start cultivation. Zamindar Sree Krishna had four sons -- Ram Ram, Hori Ram, Bishnu Ram and Shiva Ram. Raghu Nandan the son of Shiva Ram allotted necessary land for the establishment of Mymensingh town in 1787. Later on, Gouri Kanta, Kashi Kanta, Suryo Kanta and Shashi Kanta -- Shiva Ram's next generation -- made greater contributions to upgrade the name and fame of zamindars of Muktagachha. Jagat Kishore Acharya Maharaja was another influential among the zamindars. He was the son of Hori Ram and a zamindar of Aatani (half portion) of the total estate. Kumar Jeetendra Kishore and Kumar Bhupendra Kishore were Jagat Kishore's sons. Jeetendra had a great liking for music while Bhupendra was devoted to drama. Raja Jagat Kishore constructed an opera house titled Bhupendra Rangapith with a revolving stage. It was the second revolving stage in the Indian sub-continent. Jagat Kishore had a collection of over 10,000 books in his library -- the largest in East Bengal. After the partition in 1947, the books were handed over to the Bangla Academy as "Muktagachha Collection". Jagat Kishore started Bidyamoyee Girls High School, which still retains its fame as a government girls school and Ram Kishore High School at Muktagachha after his mother Bidyamoyee Devi and father Ram Kishore. Suryo Kanta's lodge is now being used as Muktagachha Shaheed Smriti Govt College. Various institutions still bear testimony of Suryo Kanta. Such are Raj Rajeswari Water Works, Shashi Lodge, Alexandra Castle, Suryo Kanta Hospital and the Town Hall. Suryo Kanta also donated land worth Tk two lakh to construct the Dhaka-Mymensingh railroad. Suryo Kanta was very hospitable person. Many famous personalities of the then Indian sub-continent and outside visited his palace on various occasions. Lord Curzon, the British government representative, in a letter on February 17, 1902 wrote: "I must in leaving, write you a brief line of thanks for your hospitable entertainment to me during the last two days and regret that your illness has prevented you from taking any part in it. I should have greatly enjoyed your company both here and in Gour." The zamindars of Muktagachha constructed many temples, puja mondaps, made large ponds, gardens and nat mondirs for their subjects. But with the passage of time, memories of the zamindar's palaces and other establishments go into oblivion, because of lack of repairs and maintenance. It is difficult to even recognise that these ruined palaces were once used by zamindars, whereas all the palaces had super luxuries with various moments along with herds of elephants. But reality is that bushes, shrubs and creepers have covered the once beautiful yards of the palaces. It is way beyond anyone's imagination that human beings dwelled in these palaces. Today there is no sign of the houses of Shashi Kanta and his son Jibendra Kishore. Miscreants broke down the walls and pillars of Jibendra Kishore's house when they heard that five bricks made of gold were hidden in the house. The house where the elephants were kept, dungeons, revolving stage, courts, the places where the mummified skulls of elephants head and the bodies of two Royal Bengal Tigers were preserved, have gone on the verge of extinction. Bats are seen flying in and out of these old establishments. The Archeological Department took the charge of the palaces of Muktagachha about 12 years back but no work has yet been done. Visitors enter the palaces everyday only with permission from the authorities concerned. As the young people move here and there, accidents may take place at any moment because of the dilapidated condition. The palaces could be an attractive tourist spot with a source of income. Immediate efforts must be made to preserve our past glory for the future generations. Story: Aminul Islam, (C) Copyright thedailystar.net Shah Muhammad Mosque
Shah Muhammad Mosque is situated at Egarasindhur under Pakundia upazila of Kishoreganj district, less than half a kilometre to the east of the Sadi Mosque (1652). The mosque is now in a better state of preservation due to a series of repair works by the successive Departments of Indian, Pakistan and Bangladesh Archaeology. The mosque stands at the back of a slightly raised platform, which is enclosed by a low wall with a gateway in the east. The gateway consists of an oblong structure with do-chala roof. The mosque proper is a square structure, 5.79m a side in the inside, and is emphasised with octagonal towers on the four exterior angles. All these towers, shooting high above the roof and terminating in solid kiosks with cupolas, were originally crowned with kalasa finials, still intact in the southwestern one. The eastern facade is pierced with three arched-doorways having cuspings in their outer faces, while there is only one on either of the north and south walls. The western wall accommodates inside three mihrabs - the central one semi-octagonal and the side ones rectangular. The central doorway and the central mihrab are larger than their flanking counterparts. The mosque has four axially projected frontons, each corresponding to the centrally located doorways and the central mihrab. Each of these frontons is again distinguished by bordering ornamental turrets on its either flanks, which are carried beyond the parapets. The parapets and cornices are horizontal in the usual Mughal fashion.
The building is roofed over with a large dome on an octagonal drum, the dome being crowned with expanded lotus and kalasa finial. The drum of the dome rests directly on small half-domed squinches and blocked arches springing from the waist of the walls.
The do-chala gateway building is now smoothly plastered over, while the mosque proper is enriched with both plaster and terracotta designs. The eastern facade of the mosque depicts at either end horizontal rows of arched panels, each being marked with plant motifs in terracotta. The three eastern doorways were originally decorated with terracotta, still preserved in the central archway in decaying condition. The outer surface of the remaining three walls are distinguished by shallow large panels - both square and rectangular. Raised bands divide the corner towers, while their faceted kiosks on the top are marked with blind arched-motifs. The flanking turrets of the projected frontons depict jar-shaped pedestals. The parapets and the octagonal drum of the dome are adorned with frieze of blind merlons.
All the mihrabs are enriched with terracotta decoration. The mihrabs are arched having cuspings in their outer faces. The pilasters, supporting the mihrab arches, show a series of decorated bands topped by a frieze of petals. The spandrels of these arches, though now plain, must have been originally enriched with terracotta plaques. The mihrab niches are internally divided by moulded bands into a series of panels, which depict varieties of plants. And the whole mihrab composition is enclosed within a rectangular frame, the frame being filled with intersecting scrolls forming loops with flowers. Above the rectangular frame of the central mihrab there is a row of arched-niches filled with varieties of small trees containing flowers.
The squinches and blocked-arches, which carry the thrust of the drum of the dome, are beautifully cusped. The octagonal drum and the dome above are internally demarcated by a raised band, which is topped by a row of merlons and followed by a frieze of arched niches. And the apex of the dome inside is depicted with a large tiered rosette.
The mosque should specially be noted for its four axially projected frontons with bordering ornamental turrets, a device which must have been borrowed from the four axial iwan-type gateways of the Persian influenced north Indian Mughal standard mosques of Fathpur-sikri, Agra and Delhi. It is in this particular feature and also in plan the mosque compares well with the allakuri mosque (c 1680) at Dhaka. Stylistically therefore Shah Mohammad's Mosque at Egarasindhur may be dated sometime around 1680 AD.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Hossaini Dalan at Old Dhaka City
Husaini Dalan a Shiite shrine in the old part of the city of DHAKA, attributed to the Mughal Period. It is a common practice among the Shia community to build edifices to commemorate the martyrdom of al-Husain, at the battle of Karbala in Iraq on the tenth day of Muharram 61 AH (10 October 680 AD). The building seems to have been originally erected by one Sayyid Murad during the governorship of SHAH SHUJA, who, although himself a Sunni, was eager to preserve and patronise Shiite institutions. Traditions relate that Sayyid Murad, having seen al-Husain in a vision erecting a tazia khana (house of mourning), was inspired to raise the building, which he named Husaini Dalan. The original building may have been a small structure, expanded to its present form in later times. The EAST INDIA COMPANY repaired it in 1807 and 1810, and a portion of the building was reconstructed after the earthquake of 1897.
Rabindranath Tagore's Shahzadpur Kuthibari, Sirajgonj
Gandhi Asram
Situated about 23 km. north-west of Choumuhani town and 2 km. east of Chatkhil at Jayag in Noakhali district. This asram was established in the memory of historic visit of the Mahatma Gandhi to Noakhali and devoted to his ideology. In 1946-47 Mahatma the protagonist of Ahimsa ideology visited this region with a view to preach peace. Historical Charka and other valuables used by Mahatma are preserved in this asram and those evoke deep respect to the unique memories of the great soul.
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