




Brief
During 1850, the greater Gopalganj area was ruled by the Zamindar. At that time, they made hundreds of buildings for their residence and official purposes. The buildings were made in the traditional Zamindar Bari look and style. In the last 150 years, most of the houses were destroyed by erosion. After being taken by the government, the authority turned some of these houses into government buildings. Now, most of the houses are abandoned or occupied by local people.
There is a cluster of old buildings in the Ulpur Area which is situated in the Gopalgonj – Takerhat highway, not so far from the Gopalgonj main town. As soon as you cross the Ulpur bridge from Ulpur bazar, the buildings start to appear. The first one was used as the Union Land Office (Government) but is now abandoned. The local people over there are now using it to stock fodder.
The second was probably used as a duplex residential complex but now is being used as the Sub Post Office. The surrounding environment is good and the building is covered by bamboo stocks. In the main road, there is a large old building, which was probably the main building. Outside this building the words “Dinesh Dham” in Bengali is carved in a white slate. This building is currently occupied by some local inhabitants.
If we go farther, then we will see another broken house formerly used as the Upazilla Registry office, now almost completely in ruins. “Din-Dham” in Bengali is also carved outside he building in white stone.
The overall environment of this village is very good and peaceful. Walking for an hour in the silence of this area will be relaxing. The most attractive structure is the Temple. The walls of the temple is decorated with colorful glass & ceramics. The temple looks good but it is also abandoned so the temple has shifted into a newly constructed building.
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[name] => {:en}Shilaidaha Kuthibari{:}{:bn}শিয়ালদহ কুঠিবাড়ি{:}
[post_id] => 1875
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/shilaidaha-kuthibari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Tagore_Kuthibari-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) frequently visited and used to stay in Shilaidaha Kuthibari in connection with the administration of his Zamindari and enriched Bengali literature through his quality writing during that time. He wrote many memorable poems during his stay here. He built it as his residence/office for collecting revenue as a zamindar, from local peasants. It is now a museum under Archaeology department of Ministry of Cultural Affairs.{:}{:bn}বিশ্বকবি রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর (১৮৬১-১৯৪১) প্রায়ই এখানে আসতেন এবং অবস্থান করতেন। তিনি তাঁর জমিদারি তদারকি করার জন্য এখানে অবস্থান করতেন। এখানে অবস্থানকালে রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর তাঁর লেখনীর মাধ্যমে সাহিত্য চর্চা করতেন। এখানে অবস্থানকালে তিনি অনেক স্মরণীয় কবিতা রচনা করেন। জমিদার হিসেবে স্থানীয় কৃষকদের কাছ থেকে খাজনা আদায়ের জন্য তিনি কুঠিবাড়িকে তাঁর আবাস/দফতর হিসেবে ব্যবহার করতেন। বর্তমানে সংস্কৃতি মন্ত্রনালয়ের প্রত্নতত্ত্ব অধিদফতরের অধীনে কুঠিবাড়িকে একটি জাদুঘর হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হচ্ছে।{:}
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[1] => Array
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[name] => Ghoshal Bari Zamindar Palace
[post_id] => 11775
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/ghoshal-bari-zamindar-palace/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_20150527_135541718-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
Ghoshal Bari Zamindar Palace, About 150 years old (now rebuilt) zamindar bari is located just nearby the Radha-Krisna temple with its outstanding view at Khilpara, South Betka village, Tongibari Upazila, Munshiganj District.
[This spot needs more information. If you have information, please be advised to add in our website. Your name will be published as a Content Contributor]
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[name] => Khelaram Datar Kotha
[post_id] => 10252
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/andharkotha-khelaram-datar-kotha/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/18-225x300.jpg
[post_content] =>
Previously, the actual color of Khelaram Datar Kotha (খেলারাম দাতার কোঠা) was reddish (first three photographs added). But after a renovation done by the Department of archaeology, it is colored white now.
Possibly the most intriguing, interesting and uniquely confusing archeological structures of Nawabganj is the Khelaram Daata’r Kotha, which has recently been renovated. Yet they have not put up a sign board describing the building.
It is confusing, who was Khelaram? What was he known for? What is this building all about? What is the story behind it? When was it built? One could come up with several such questions, but apparently there isn’t much available documentation. It’s hardly possibly to rely on local folklore, as that is far more fiction than facts. To start with some confusion, some say the name of the founder of this structure was Khelaram Dutta, Banglapedia mentions him as Khelaram Dada, while the locals say he was known as Khelaram Daata.
According to Banglapedia he was a Zamindar, but the locals claim he was a dacoit. Since Banglapedia mentions nothing about him apart from naming him as Zamindar Khelaram Dada. So, there isn’t any other way except relating oral history along with the information of Banglapedia.
Some 200 years ago, there lived a ferocious dacoit named Khelaram, who was dreaded by the rich, but loved by the poor, because similar to Robin Hood, he generously donated much of his spoils from each mission amongst the poor people. Hence he was known as “Daata” the beneficent. But he still retained quite a bit and needed to store the loot. So he built this structure consisting of many rooms just overnight (within a short time). The building had five floors (it now has only two) and the roof had a large tank. There still is a large pond nearby. Poor people had to come to this pond to bathe, and anything they asked for was granted.
Oral History Or Myth :
Khelaram was extremely obedient to his mother. She once wanted to drink some milk and eat some ripened bananas, so Khelaram arranged the rooftop tank to be filled to the brim with ripened bananas and pure milk, so she could swim there and eat and drink to her heart’s content. But one day something Khelaram did severely angered his mother. She sternly rebuked and cursed him and then left for a bath in the pond. But as soon as she left the building, three floors of the building simply sank into the ground, leaving only the top two floors to be seen over the surface. Khelaram was not seen any more from then. Some believe he got trapped in one of the lower floors. Some believe he drowned in the pond, trying to save his mother. Within a short time, all his belongings got stolen, leaving behind just an empty house.
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[name] => Sonargaon Folk Art and Craft Museum
[post_id] => 11157
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/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.
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