Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => Raja Viratnagar
[post_id] => 4446
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/raja-biratnagar/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC08731-Copy-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Raja Viratnagar (রাজা বিরাটনগর) palace is the most valuable historical place of Gaibandha. Raja Virat and Panchopandob (পঞ্চপাণ্ডব) whose name are seen in the play Mahabharat. In 1960, Major Sherwill mentioned this as a “Brad Rajar Ghar”. Once upon a time, there was a huge fort in this place.
Great historian Rakhaldas Bondopaddhay (রাখালদাস বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়) published a report in 1925-26 where he mentioned five bronze sculptures and 4-5 mound which were discovered in during the year 1910. Raja Virat had a huge barns (গোশালা) and about 60000 cows were about. The two younger brother of Panchapandob, namely Nakul (নকুল) and Shodeb (সহদেব), had the responsibility to take care of that barns. For that reason, the word Gaibandha came from the word barns.
)
[1] => Array
(
[name] => Bardhan Kuthi
[post_id] => 4413
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/bardhan-kuthi/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC08632-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Bardhan Kuthi (বর্ধন কুঠি) is one of the historical places of Gaibandha district. It is situated near the Gobindaganj Upazila of Gaibandha. During the reign of British East-India company Raja Harinath (রাজা হরিনাথ) ruled the Bardhan Kuthi. During the separation of Indian subcontinent the last Ruler of Bardhan kuthi Raja Shoilesh Chandra (রাজা শৈলেশ চন্দ্র) Migrated to India from Bangladesh.
Due to the establishment of Gobindaganj college in this place, We can only observe the relics of Bardhan Kuthi. But it demands more research and discussion, By which we can discover the continuation of distinguish dynasty in Bardhan Kuthi. We may also reveal the valuable information of contemporary Zamindar’s and their lifestyle as well.
Sanjib Roy, grandson of Raja Shoilesh Chandra (রাজা শৈলেশ চন্দ্র), and his family are residing in the following address:
32-Keota Latbagan
Post Office:- Sahaganj
District :-Hooghly
West Bengal
India-712104
To know the original historical Scripture of Bardhan Kuthi,
Click Here
)
[2] => Array
(
[name] => Kusumba Mosque
[post_id] => 3656
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/kusumba-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/84463426-300x199.jpg
[post_content] => Kusumba Mosque is named after the village of Kusumba, under the Manda upazila of Naogaon district, on the west bank of the Atrai River. It is inside a walled enclosure with a monumental gateway that has standing spaces for guards. It was built during the period of Afghan rule in Bengal under one of the last Suri rulers Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah, by one Suleiman who was probably a high ranking official. The inscription tablet in Arabic (only the word ‘built by’ is in Persian) dating the building to 966 AH (1558-59 AD) is fixed over its eastern central entrance.
Although built during Suri rule, it is not influenced at all by the earlier Suri architecture of North India, and is well grounded in the Bengal style. The brick building, gently curved cornice, and the engaged octagonal corner towers are typical features. The mosque, presently protected by the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh, was badly damaged during the earthquake of 1897. Although the main fabric of the building is of brick the entire exterior walls, and the interior up to the arches of the pendentives have stone facing. The columns, platform, floor, and perforated side screens are of stone. The mosque has a rectangular plan with three bays and two aisles, three entrances on the east and two each on the north and south sides.
The central mihrab is projected in the west. The interior west (qibla) wall has two mihrabs on the floor level opposite the central and southeastern entrances, but the one in the northwestern bay is above a raised platform ascended by a staircase on the east. The presence of such a platform in a non-imperial mosque indicates that not only royalty, but nobility and high-ranking officials were also separated from the general public during prayers. The mihrabs have elaborate stone carving. They have cusped arches crowned with kalasa (water pot) motifs, supported on intricately carved stone pillars which have projections and tasseled decorations hanging from chains. Bunches of grapes and vines curve in an almost serpentine manner on the mihrab frames, and kalasas, tendrils and rosettes are reduced to dots.
The platform edge has grape vine decoration, and there are rosettes on the spandrels of the arches supporting the platform, as well as on the mihrab wall. The stone used in the exterior facing is of a coarse quality and carved in shallow relief. Mouldings are most prominent decorative feature on the outside. They divide the walls into upper and lower sections, run all along the curved cornice, around the corner towers, in a straight line below the cornice, and frame the rectangular panels in the east, south and north walls. The spandrels of the central entrance arch are filled with small kalasa and rosette motifs. The north and south sides have screened windows.
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => Nagar Kasba
[post_id] => 8573
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/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.
)
)
