Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani and Nawab Bari
[post_id] => 5531
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/nawab-faizunnesa-chowdhurani-and-nawab-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Choudhurani-Nawab-Faizunnesa11-201x300.jpg
[post_content] =>
Nawab Faizunnesa Choudhurani (1834–1903) was Zamindar of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon Estate in present-day Comilla District, Bangladesh. She is most famous for her campaign for female education and other social issues. In appreciation of her social work, in 1889 Queen Victoria awarded Faizunnesa the title of "Nawab", making her the first female Nawab in South Asia.
Early life and background: Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani was born in 1834 in the village of Pashchimgaon under Laksham in the district of Comilla. Her father was Ahmed Ali Chowdhury, a descendent of the Mughal emperors and zamindar of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon estate. Faizunnessa was raised in a conservative Muslim family, where the women would maintain a strict purdah system. She received no formal education but she educated herself in her library during leisure time. She was proficient in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit and Bengali language. In 1860, Faizunnesa was married to a distant cousin and neighboring Zamindar, Muhammad Gazi, becoming his second wife. But the couple became separated for an unknown reason and Faizunnesa began to live with her paternal family.
Career and philanthropy: After her mother's death in 1883, Faizunnesa inherited her property and became Zamindar of Pashchimgaon. She became increasingly involved in social work after becoming Zamindar. In 1873, Faizunnesa Choudhurani established a high school for girls in Comilla, which is one of the earliest female schools privately established in Indian subcontinent, which is now called Nawab Faizunnesa Government Girls' High School. She also founded a school at Pashchimgaon that was later upgraded to a college and now named as Nawab Faizunnesa Degree College.
In 1893, Faizunnesa established a charitable dispensary in her village for women in purdah, particularly destitute women. She also built a hospital for women, Faizunnesa Zenana Hospital in Comilla. In addition, she built mosques and contributed towards the development of roads and ponds. Faizunnesa patronized different newspapers and periodicals, including Bandhab, Dhaka Prakash, Musalman Bandhu, Sudhakar, and Islam Pracharak. Before her death in 1903 she donated her entire property to the nation.
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[1] => Array
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[name] => {:en}Natore Rajbari{:}{:bn}নাটোর রাজবাড়ি{:}
[post_id] => 3706
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/natore-rajbari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/IMG_20150723_053634-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}
Natore Rajbari (also known as Pagla Raja's Palace, Natore Palace) was a prominent royal palace in Natore, Bangladesh. It was the residence and seat of the Rajshahi Raj family of Zamindars. Famous queen Rani Bhabani lived here and after the death of her husband, expanded both the estate and the palace.
Natore Zamindars was one of the largest Zamindaris of Bengal. The originators of this Zamindari were Ramjivan and Raghunandan both sons of Kamdev. Ramjivan's daughter-in-law was Rani Bhabani (1716-1795), a legendary name in Bengal politics in the 18th century and an endearing personality in every home of the country due to her boundless generosity and public spirit. After becoming Zamindar Ramjivan built his Rajbari at Natore occupying a huge area of 50.42 acres of land and it is enclosed within two rings of defensive moats-one within the other. The moats are now dotted with large tanks, orchards and flower gardens surrounding the derelict ruins of the seven surviving detached palaces. Of these only four deserve description while the rest are in advanced stage of disintegration and are of no architectural significance.
After the death of the great queen, her adopted son Ramkrishna ruled the area. After his death, his two sons Sibnath and Vishwanath became the co-sharers of the Natore Zamindari in 1778. The whole Zamindari was divided between them, and the part of the eldest son was known as "Boro Taraf" and the part of the youngest son was known as "Chhoto Taraf". The Rajbari was protected on all sides by ditches. There were nine buildings in this Rajbari. They are the palace of Boro Taraf, The palace of Choto Taraf, Kachari Bhavan and Guard House of Boro taraf, Kachari Bhavan of Choto Taraf, Rani Bhavan, Guest House, Madhu Rani Bhavan etc.
The main palace block (Boro Torof), now housing the newly created deputy commissioner's office, faces a large open lawn to the south. Two other single-storied blocks, placed on the west and the south, look over the lawn and are laid out in the form of an English "U" with the open side on the east. The main northern block, facing south, has a frontage of about 100'-0" with a prominently projecting porch in the middle and two slightly projecting bays at either end, all carrying triangular pediments above. The elegant central porch is supported on a series of Corinthian columns and semi-circular arches in the typical classical Roman style and the veranda in front of the apartments are also similarly relieved. The whole facade is tastefully decorated with geometric and floral panels in plasterwork. This block contains twelve spacious apartments, disposed on either side of the large reception hall (7.47m × 16.01m) which is located in the middle. The access to the reception hall (60'-0"x 30'-0") is gained through another large hall and is backed by a 10'-0" wide veranda on the north.
The lofty ceiling of the central hall, rises to a height of 30'-0" and is lit by eighteen clerestory windows, originally fitted with colored glass panes, whilst the roof of the other rooms are considerably lower in height. The entire floor of this block is laid in black and white imported marble. The back veranda is supported on twenty pairs of Corinthian columns, the capitals of which contain within its acanthus leaves, some classical nude female figures. The western block, placed at right angles to the main block, has about a 200'-0" frontage and faces the lawn on the east. It is also a single-storied building with an arched projecting bay in the middle. A strip of veranda, supported on a series of paired Doric columns, runs the entire length of the block. Entering through the arched central bay there is access into an open of longed court, occupied by typical 'nat-mandap'. Beyond and further to the west, is a Krishna temple. This family shrine has a 50’-0” wide frontage, backed by a 10’-0” wide veranda which carried on a series of double Corinthian columns.
This ‘nat-mandap’ has a humped tin roof supported on a series of iron pillars. Placed at right angles to this block is another north facing single-storied building, which is about 150’-0” long and has central projecting porch. The porch entrance leads on to a long veranda running the entire length of the building behind which there are a series of apartments of varying sizes, somewhat similarly disposed as the former. A long veranda to the rear of this building overlooks a large tank. A series of Corinthian columns, which support veranda, projects as a semi-circle in the middle. The rear of this handsome block is tastefully decorated in plasterwork. The building at present is occupied by the office of the superintendent of police.
To the south-west rears of the second block a couple of very ruined single-storied residential buildings overlook a large tank from its northern bank. The smaller of these two structures presenting a 50’-0” frontage with a veranda, is relieved with a series of paired Doric columns while the larger adjacent block has a 100’-0” frontage with a veranda carried on a row of double Corinthian columns. Sadly both these ruins are now thickly covered with encroaching thickets and accumulating debris. However, the main palace block of the ‘Chhota-Taraf’, perched picturesquely on the western bank of this large tank and now occupied by the District Judge’s Court, is an imposing structure. The 70’-0” long façade has a prominently projecting central triple-arched portico.
The central part of the building, occupied by the reception hall projects above the flanking wings and is crowned by a pyramidal roof with clerestory windows. The parapet of the porch is decorated in plasterwork with two short projecting bays at either end of the building, each decorated with two pairs of Corinthian columns, which are topped by triangular pediments. Entering this palace block though the porch one encounters a long 10’-0” wide veranda with a black and white marble floor. Behind the veranda there is a row of apartments which lead on to the vast reception hall, measuring 7.32 meter x 15.55meter.
The lofty ceiling of reception hall is another hall measuring 50’-0”x20’-0” with a projecting balcony at the far end which overlooks the encircling moat. Although there are fifteen apartments including the central hall. The rear of the building also is tastefully relieved with Ionic capitals, floral motifs and bearded human heads in stucco. The two large halls of the palace, probably flagged in marble, are now devoid of their original floor, but the other apartments have white and black marble floors. Curiously the capitals most of the columns are of composite character with acanthus leaves intertwining Ionic roundels.
{:}{:bn}
নাটোর রাজবাড়ি পাগলা রাজার প্রাসাদ বলেও বহুল পরিচিত যেটি রাজ জমিদার পরিবারের বাসস্থান হিসেবে ব্যাবহার করা হত। রানী ভবানী এখানে বাস করতেন এবং মৃত্যুর পর তাঁর স্বামী এখানকার চা বাগান ও প্রাসাদের উন্নয়ন করেন। সাতটি আলাদা প্রাসাদের পরিত্যাক্ত ধ্বংসাবশেষ ঘিরে থাকা পরিখাগুলোতে এখন দেখা যায় ট্যাংক, অর্কিড এবং ফুলের বাগান। এই প্রাসাদগুলোর মধ্যে মাত্র চারটি এখন টিকে আছে কিন্তু বাকিগুলো ধ্বংসের দ্বারপ্রান্তে। রানীর মৃত্যুর পর তাঁর দত্তক পুত্র রামকৃষ্ণ এই এলাকা শাসন করেন। রামকৃষ্ণের মৃত্যুর পর তাঁর দুই পুত্র শিবনাথ এবং বিশ্বনাথ নাটোর জমিদারবাড়ির যৌথ মালিক হন ১৭৭৮ সালে। পুরো জমিদার বাড়ি তাদের তাঁদের মধ্যে ভাগ করে দেওয়া হয়। এরপর রাজবাড়িতে বড় পুত্রের অংশকে বলা হত “বড় তরফ” এবং ছোট পুত্রের অংশকে বলা হত “ছোট তরফ”।
রানী ভবানীর বড় পুত্র বড় তরফ নামে এবং ছোট পুত্র ছোট তরফ নামে পরিচিত ছিলেন। রানীর মৃত্যুর পর তাঁর দুই পুত্রের মধ্যে জমিদারী ভাগ হয়ে যায়। এখানে অনেক স্মৃতি স্তম্ভ আছে।
বাংলার অন্যতম বৃহত্তম জমিদারী ছিল নাটোরের জমিদারী। এই জমিদারীর সূচনা করেছিলেন কামদেবের দুই পুত্র রামজীবন এবং রঘুনন্দন। রামজীবনের পুত্রবধু ছিলেন রানী ভবানী। ১৮শ শতকে বাংলার রাজনীতিতে রানী ভবানী ছিলেন এক কিংবদন্তি। তাঁর জনপ্রিয়তা ও উদারতার কারনে দেশের প্রতিটি ঘরে তিনি আকর্ষণীয় ব্যাক্তিত্তে পরিণত হয়েছিলেন। জমিদার হবার পর রামজীবন ৫০.৪২ একর জায়গার ওপর দুই স্তরের পরিখার মধ্যে এই রাজবাড়িটি নির্মাণ করেন।
রাজবাড়িটির চতুর্দিক পরিখার মাধ্যমে সুরক্ষিত ছিল। রাজবাড়িতে নয়টি ভবন ছিল যেমনঃ বড় তরফের প্রাসাদ, ছোট তরফের প্রাসাদ, বড় তরফের কাচারি ভবন ও প্রহরী কক্ষ, ছোট তরফের কাচারি ভবন, রানী ভবন, অতিথিশালা, মধু রানী ভবন ইত্যাদি। ছোট তরফের প্রাসাদটি ১৯৮৪ সালে নাটোরের জজ কোর্ট হিসেবে ব্যাবহার করা হয়েছে। এখানে বেশ কিছু পুকুর আছে যার মধ্যে একটি ছিল ছোট তরফের এবং আরেকটি বড় তরফের।এখানে রানীমহল নামে একটি পরিত্যাক্ত প্রাসাদ আছে যেখানে রানী বাস করতেন।
{:}
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[2] => Array
(
[name] => {:en}Hemnagar Zamindar Bari{:}{:bn}হেমনগর জমিদার বাড়ি{:}
[post_id] => 5284
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/hemnagar-zamindar-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Hemnagar-Zamindar-Bari2-LonelyTraveler1-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}
Hemnagar Zamindar Bari (হেমনগর জমিদার বাড়ি) is a less highlighted edifice from Bangladesh. Not that much tourists use to travel here despite of having everything to become a promising tourist attraction from Bangladesh. Only local people from around use to visit here. It was built by the prominent Hindu Zamindar (জমিদার) from Tangail (টাংগাঈল) district named Hemchandra Choudhury (হেমচন্দ্র চৌধুরী) at 1890.
The Main building at the front side has two small statues of angel at the top. That's why local people know this as Porir Dalan (পরীর দালান) which means a Palace of Angel. Main building of this Zamindar Bari (জমিদার বাড়ি) is currently using as an administrative building of Hemnagar (হেমনগর) Degree College, but the other buildings at the back side is empty right now. There it has approximately 25 rooms inside.
Front side of the building is having the best styles from the whole premise. It is highly ornate at the walls using colorful glasses. Every inches of the walls, pillars, and the archways are flourished with flowers, vines, stars, etc formed using those colorful glasses.
The Zamindar (জমিদার) was slight cruel and rude on the peasants. They were coerced to follow few rules. For example, if anyone wanted to pass this palace premise, he/she must had to continuously keep vowing and walking backwards with bare feet. Such things must have poured the heart of locals with hatred and grief. That's why the powerful Zamindar (জমিদার) had to escape from the place during the country's separation. Along with the buildings, the whole premise was having 7 massive ponds (only few are right now available). Local people say those 7 ponds are for the seven ladies (daughters and sisters of the Zamindar). Dhonbari Zamindar Bari is very near from this place.
{:}{:bn}
বাংলাদেশের অন্যতম আকর্ষণীয় পর্যটনস্পটে পরিনত হওয়ার সকল যোগ্যতা থাকার পরও হেমনগর জমিদার বাড়ি খুব একটা সুনাম অর্জন করতে পারেনি এবং খুব বেশি পর্যটকও এখানে আসেন না। মূলত এখানকার আশেপাশে স্থানীয় বসবাসকারীরা এখানে আসেন। ১৮৯০ সালে টাঙ্গাইলের বিশিষ্ট হিন্দু জমিদার হেমচন্দ্র চৌধুরী এই জমিদারবাড়িটি নির্মাণ করেন।
জমিদারবাড়ির মূল ভবনের সামনে দুটি পরীর ছোট মূর্তি রয়েছে আর এ কারনেই স্থানীয়রা এই জমিদারবাড়িকে বলে থাকে পরীর দালান। এই জমিদারবাড়ির মূল ভবনটি বর্তমানে হেমনগর ডিগ্রী কলেজের প্রশাসনিক ভবন হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হচ্ছে তবে এখানকার পেছনদিকে অবস্থিত ভবনটি বর্তমানে খালি পড়ে আছে। জমিদারবাড়ির অভ্যন্তরে প্রায় ২৫টি কক্ষ আছে।
জমিদারবাড়ির সামনের দিকটি সবচেয়ে দৃষ্টি নন্দন। রঙ্গিন কাচ দিয়ে ভবনের দেয়ালে নকশা করা হয়েছে। জমিদারবাড়ির দেয়াল, পিলার, ফটকের প্রতিটি ইঞ্চিতে রঙ্গিন কাঁচ ব্যবহার করে ফুল, তারা, গাছ ইত্যাদি সৃষ্টি করা হয়েছে।
জমিদার তার এলাকার মানুষকে কঠোর হাতে শাসন করতেন এবং তাঁদের কিছু নিয়ম মানতে বাধ্য করা হত যেমনঃ কাউকে জমিদারবাড়ির মধ্যে দিয়ে অতিক্রম করতে হলে তাঁকে খালি পায়ে ক্রমাগত মাথা ঝুঁকিয়ে আনুগত্য প্রকাশের পাশাপাশি উল্টো হয়ে হাটতে হত এবং এ কারনে স্থানীয়দের মনে জমিদারের উপর চরম ক্ষোভ ও ঘৃণার সৃষ্টি হয়। এই ঘৃণা এবং অসন্তোষের পরিপ্রেক্ষিতে জমিদার দেশবিভাগের সময় জমিদারবাড়ি থেকে পালিয়ে যান।
মূল জমিদারবাড়ির পাশাপাশি এখানে সাতটি বিশালাকারের পুকুর ছিল যেগুলোর মধ্যে মাত্র কয়েকটি বর্তমানে টিকে রয়েছে। স্থানীয়রা বলে থাকে যে সাতটি পুকুর ছিল জমিদারের সাত ছেলে মেয়ের জন্য। ধনবাড়ি জমিদারবাড়ি এখান থেকে বেশ নিকটে অবস্থিত।
{:}
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => Bhetarbandh Zamindar Bari
[post_id] => 6317
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/bhetarbandh-zamindar-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Bhetarbandh-Zamindar-Bari-by-Shipon-Borua1-300x184.jpg
[post_content] =>
Bhetarbandh Zamindar Bari or landlord house is located at Bhetarbandh village in Bhetarbandh union about 16 km far from Nageshwari sub district of Kurigram district. At the primary period of British ruling time, the headquarter of bhatarbandh pargana was at Rajshahi. After banned Permanent settlement law the bhatarbandh pargana headquarter transferred to Nageshwari sub district of Kurigram district. Wood made half part of the Landlord house is now lost. Now another half part of the house use as a union council office.
[This spot needs more detail. If you have more information and photos, please be advised to add in our website. Your name will be published as a Content Contributor]
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