Brief
Birulia is a very small village under Ashulia Thana of Savar Upazila. Legends say that Birulia was once a very rich residential area with a complex of Buildings belonging to the classical essence of architecture.
It is located on the banks of the Turag River, once was an important part of the Bhawal Estate. It has been said that Birulia was a center for Zamindars who were responsible to govern a broader area nearby Savar and parts of Kaliakoir, adjacent areas of Sripur, some other areas of Gazipur, and Mirpur and Gabtoli area, which are under Dhaka presently.
Besides Governing, it is well known that Birulia was later also chosen as a good residential & business area by several business magnates of the time, because of its close proximity to a few river, such as Turag, Bangshi and Dhaleswari.
Names found who were governing from Birulia estate:
- Kali Kumar Saha
- Tarak Chandra Saha
- Gopi Babu
- Nitai Babu
- Rajani Ghosh are some such names.
Some of their Palace like houses, Temple etc. were built over a century ago, evidences still remaining in Birulia. However, these complex of buildings are in a state of ruining.
In recent days, there are so many poor families living in these complex of building, who were probably homeless by river erosion. Some of them insist that they are the inheritor of traders family.
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[name] => Ishwar Chandra High School
[post_id] => 15702
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[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/I-C-high-School-3-300x188.jpg
[post_content] =>
Ishwar Chandra High School (ঈশ্বর চন্দ্র উচ্চ বিদ্যালয়) is situated at Saturia Upazila of Manikganj District, very near to the Baliati Palace. This school was named after Ishwar Chandra Ray Chowdhury, one of the famous Zamindars in Baliati. According to the locals, this school was found by Horendra Kumar Ray in the year 1915-1916. From the history, it can be said that Horendra Kumar Ray was the Son of Ishwar Chandra Ray Chowdhury. Once, this school was named as Ishwar Chandra English High School, but in later time, the name has been changed.
It is said that Horendra Kumar Ray Chowdhury spent around fifty thousands taka at that time to build this ornamented & large school building. which was certainly a big amount to pay at that contemporary time. In recent time, this school has been conducted by a committee consisting of local people.
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[name] => Sonargaon Folk Art and Craft Museum
[post_id] => 11157
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/sonargaon-folk-art-and-craft-museum/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SAM_00541-300x240.jpg
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There is a folk art and craft museum for the visitors & tourist travelling in Sonargaon. Sonargaon Folk Art and Craft Museum remains open from morning to afternoon (9 AM to 5 PM). Wednesday and the Thursday, this museum is closed for weekend. This is prosperous with several unique collection those you'll never find at any other place. Some are lost from our country, and only those are remains. The main museum building is placed at the "Sardar Bari". "Sardar Bari" was built by a Hindu Zamindar of Sonargaon in 1901. Alike the other Zamindar house of that period, this one also looks like Indian houses, but the shape of the house was looked like the European Palaces. The baroque decoration and the elaborated painting on the plaster of the building are really eye catching.
Lok Shilpa Jadughar (Folk Art and Craft Museum) of Sonargaon was established by Bangladeshi painter Joynul Abedin on March 12, 1975.
It will cost you 10 taka to enter the museum area. Its a vast area, and will take you lots of time to round the area. You'll find a art gallery of "Zainul Abedin" inside the museum area. There are two Exhibition Galleries inside the museum. Both of them consist of some status showing the local life of Bangladeshi people, for example farming, woman working etc. Also you'll find the miniature version of the several boats from my country, which are now a days vanished after competing with the mechanical vehicles.
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[name] => Mirkadim Bridge
[post_id] => 8217
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/mirkadim-bridge/
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Mirkadim bridge (মীরকাদিম ব্রিজ) spans the Mir Kadim canal (creek) which runs from Mir Kadim to Tangibari. It connects the village Abdullahpur and Panam area of Rampal Union Parishad under Munshigonj District. It is situated at a distance of about 5.50 km from the district headquarters. The local tradition claims it to have been built by King Ballal Sen, but the architectural features belie the local tradition. The bridge can architecturally be attributed to the Mughal period, not earlier than 17th century. The 53m long bridge consists of a central pointed arch of 4.40m span with two side arches of 2.25m span each. The central arch is 0.40m high from the water level of the creek and at present 31m wide. It is 6.15m wide with each wing measuring 16.80m in length. The central arch is flanked by an octagonal pilaster on each side. Similarly each of the side arches has a pilaster each crowned with a cupola. The plasters of the side arches rise above the spandrel of the arch but those of the central arch are shorter and so not reach the archivolt. The pier is 1.85m thick. It is reported that on either end of the bridge there were circular pillars but now these are buried under earth. It appears that there are 6 piers on each side of the bridge. The central arch is loftier and wider than the side ones and is set in a deep rectangular panel with plain plastered spandrel. Base of the arches provided with cut waters. The hump backed bridge rises to a central point from which its back gently slopes to either side. It has a 70 cm high parapet wall on either side. The surviving thickness of the bridge measures 4.34m.
It has been protected and repaired extensively by the Department of Archaeology.
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[name] => Sonarong Jora Moth
[post_id] => 8450
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Sonarong (means golden color) is a lovely village at Tongibari Upazila of Munshiganj district. This village belong a beautiful "Moth(মঠ)"(a place for praying by Hindu religious people) which is known as "Sonarong Jora Moth" (সোনারং জোড়া মঠ) ("twin moth"). It is used to call twin moth/temple, because it has two towers side by side. It may be around 150 feet high from the ground. There is a large pond just in front of the Moth. This moth is not functioning now a days. Interviewing local people we came to know that, there are no praying activities take place in this moth. Every side of the moth is covered with trees and that gave a lovely golden and green color's illusional view of the moth.
The larger moth was made for "Shiva"(Hindu God), and made during 1843, and the smaller one for "Kali"(Hindu Goddess), and made during 1886. It was built by a Hindu merchant named "Rupchand" (রূপচাঁদ) From stone inscriptions fixed over the temple’s entrance.
The two towers of the moth are not equal sized. One is much larger than another one. The larger tower has hundreds of holes at the top of it, and each hole is occupied by parrots. Visitors may observe hundreds of parrots from the place, and they are making sweet sound together all the day long. During the breeding season, the top of the moth become green for the numerous numbers of parrots. Both the towers of the moth are ornamented nicely with different types of leafs motif and blind alcoves.
Architectural Features:
Two temples stand side by side on a single masonry platform surrounded by a moat on three sides and an access path on the eastern side.The western temple, loftier than the eastern one, is about 15m high over the square sanctum, and measures 5.35m x 5.35m and has a 1.90m wide veranda. A low hemispherical dome covers the square sanctuary, over which rises an octagonal sikhara(শিখর) crowned by the usual pinnacle with kalasa (কলস) finials. This terminates in a trident fixed with an iron rod. The outer surface of the sikhara is decorated with a semi-circular arched pattern in plaster, which is repeated on all sides. The entire sikhara is dotted with three pigeonholes under each arch pattern. The main sanctuary has two archways, one each on the south and west sides, flanked by arched panels on both sides,and a pattern of three arches on the other two sides. The western entrance consists of a two-centered arch. The top of the archway is decorated with a frieze of blind merlons. In front of the sanctum, the veranda is covered with a flat roof supported on columns, It has three arched openings on the south, one each on its east and west side.
It is one of the important historical & archaeological places in Munshiganj District. Very recently,renovation work is on go,undoubtedly a good initiative to protect this site from further destruction.
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