Array
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[0] => Array
(
[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
[post_content] =>
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.
)
[1] => Array
(
[name] => Panam Nagar
[post_id] => 11238
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/panam-nagar/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/229750_223480837697299_316414_n1-225x300.jpg
[post_content] =>
Panam Nagar (পানাম নগর), ancient Painam, a locality now in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj district. It is about 2.5 kilometre to the north of Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Mograpara point. It is said to have been the site of Hindu capital city of Sonargaon emerging in the seventh decade of the thirteenth century. The Panam area formed part of the Muslim metropolis developed on the south of the old city, and perhaps constituted the place of residence of the early Muslim governors'. After the Mughal conquest of Sonargaon (1611) the Panam area was connected with the ruling metropolis by construction of highways and bridges. Panam still possesses three brick bridges belonging to the Mughal period: Panam Bridge, Dalalpur Bridge and Panamnagar Bridge.
The existence of these bridges, and the canals enclosing the site on three sides is indicative of its being a suburban area of the medieval city. The pucca road which leads from the Mograpara crossing on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in the direction of Panam extending up to the Neel-Kuthi looks like a dividing line between medieval Sonargaon and the present Panamnagar, the only surviving relics of the Panam area. The Panam township stands on the east of this road opposite Aminpur, and a one-arched humped bridge leads from the same road over a narrow canal to the main street of Panamnagar.
In all probability the present Panamnagar grew as a by-product of the commercial activities of the english east india company and of the Permanent Settlement. The East India Company established their factory in Panam for the purchase of muslin and other cotton fabrics. The Company, for the purchase of muslin, used to distribute annually to the weavers from their factory in Panam as much as a lakh of rupees as dadni (dadni system advance), and it is estimated that there were then 1400 families of Hindu and Muslim weavers in and around Panam.
Sonargaon developed into a center of trade in cotton fabrics, chiefly English piece goods, during the colonial period, and thereby grew the new township of Panamnagar. A group of Hindu talukdars, who came into being from among the traders in the nineteenth century, chose this site for their residence. The existing brick buildings of Panamnagar, obviously the residence of the Hindu merchant-talukdars, can be dated back to early nineteenth, and the later ones to late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Panamnagar which developed in the nineteenth century, continued to flourish till the end of the Second World War.
Panamnagar, a unique township, stretched in a single street 5 meter wide on the average and 600 meter in length. All the buildings have the character of urban street front houses and are lined up on either side of this street which ends up at the Panam bazar. Fifty-two houses exist in dilapidated and disused condition having 31 in the north side of the street and 21 on the south. Panamnagar appears to be well protected by artificial canals all around. Two fairly wide canals run parallel to the street on its either side and joined by a narrow canal on the western side over which is the entrance bridge (Panamnagar Bridge). On the eastern side, the canal on the south swerves rightward and goes eastward crossing the north-south road that passes through the Panam bazar. The northern canal, the Pankhiraj Khal, runs eastward to meet the Meghna-Menikhali stream.
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[2] => Array
(
[name] => Pakutia Zamindar Bari
[post_id] => 8891
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/pakutia-zamindar-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Pakutia-Jomidar-Bari-011-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Pakutia Zamindar Bari resides under the administration of Nagarpur of Tangail district. This Zamindar Bari complex comprises of three main buildings. Out of these three, one is much larger compared to other two’s. The larger one is using as a Degree college these days and also the college authority holds the ownership of other two edifices as well. But they have rented Pakutia Zamindar Bari to other organization.
Initially the Zamindari was established by the hand of Ramkrishna Shaha Mondol at the early of 19th century. He has two sons named Radha Gobinda and Brindaban Chandra. Radha Gobinda didn't have any children but Brindaban Chandra had three. They are Brojendro Mohon, Upendra Mohon and Jogendra Mohon. Childless Radha Gobinda adopted the second son of his brother and later gave his whole property to him.
These three brothers later built three separate buildings for them in 1915 (almost 100 years from now). Each of the buildings are having extreme artwork & design, stylish columns, and small statues. Each inches of the building is having a delicate design that impresses everyone even these days. Top of the building is having a lovely sculpture type architecture that is rich in design, concept, and artwork (more if I consider the building period) in this modern days. Apart from these, there are several large ponds located at the backyard of the building.
This Zamindar family was friendly towards the villagers. They have established a school during 1916 named as Brindaban Chandra Radha Gobinda School (in short B.C.R.G. School) for their father and uncle. They have left this country during the 1947 separation. Later in 1967, the government established B.C.R.G Degree College on these buildings to commemorate the friendly Zamindar family.
Apart from the Zamindar Bari, the premise now has a temple which probably used by the families who lived here. Also there is an open theater available that was used to arrange the local play or drama known as Jatra/Pala (যাত্রা/পালা).
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[3] => Array
(
[name] => Nagar Kasba
[post_id] => 8573
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/nagar-kasba/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Nogor-Kosba-2-300x169.jpg
[post_content] => Kasba (কসবা) is an administrative unit of the Sultani rulers (1342-1576). The administrative units, such as Iqta(ইকতা), Erta (ইরতা), Iqlim (ইখলিম), and Kasba (কসবা) have been mentioned in the contemporary texts.
So far 37 Kasbas could be traced in the region of Bangladesh, most of which had been within or near about the present district towns. The distance between one Kasba from another varied. It is noticed that official titles were associated with some of the kasbas. We can exemplify Kazir Kasba (কাজীর কসবা), Kotowaler Kasba(কোতওয়ালির কসবা), Nagar Kasba(নগর কসবা) etc. Considering the location, distance of one from another, communication system with the central or Provincial Capital, attachment of official titles etc it is assumed that Kasba were administrative units and were equivalent to districts. An administrative officer, a Quazi (কাজী) and a Kotwal(কোতওয়াল) were in charge of a Kasba.
In this complex of many buildings we can detect several names of businessman who built those in different period of time in 19th Century.
While most of the Kasbas lost their former importance during the Mughal period, Munshiganj, or Bikrampur, as it was known earlier, flourished as an important district through a rich combination of education, economy, literary & cultural pursuits. Therefore, the Nagar Kasba of Munshiganj stood with its importance through the course of time. It is believed that during the British rule, especially during the later part of the 19th century, Nagar Kasba was rebuilt as a residential area of wealthy predominantly Hindu business people, who mostly traded through the river port of Mirkadim.
After the Partition of India (1947), it is believed that most of the Hindu wealthy families migrated to Kolkata. Those who decided to stay back, to tend to their established businesses soon began to find it difficult. As sporadic communal riots continued, the exodus continued till the late 1950s. Families often left silently at night, leaving behind all their belongings. Those who still chose to stay, almost completely left for India during our Liberation War in 1971.
During these dire times, most of these full-furnished wealthy houses fell vacant and remained untended for a long time. Gradually, over time, these empty houses began to be taken over by influential locals. The descendents of these grabbers now own these properties, and live in the dilapidated buildings. It therefore is not surprising that a house that looks like it was purposely built for Hindu owners now adorns the names of Muslim people.
Even in its latest hay days in the later part of the 19th century, Nagar Kasba was a row of magnificent houses, mostly of two floors, though not too large, but built in British colonial styles. The intricate designs and motifs that remain on the walls and pillars are testament to the wealth and taste of the owners. Unfortunately, almost all are now in ruins, where some have even been demolished by present day owners.
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