Brief
Boro Katra (বড় কাটরা) was built between 1644 and 1646 AD to be the official residence of Mughal prince Shah Shuja, the second son of emperor Shah Jahan. The prince endowed it to his diwan and the builder of the serai, Abul Qasim. The word Katra may have originated from Arabic word Katara which means colonnaded building.
It is a historical and architectural monument located in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh.‘Katra or katara’ in Arabic and Persian means ‘Caravan (Karwan) Sarai’ or simply a ‘Sarai’. It is a palatial building dating to the reign of the Mughal dynasty in the Bengal region. It is situated to the south of Chowk Bazar close to the north bank of the river Buriganga.
Words from the Second inscription of north gateway: “Sultan Shah Shuja Bahadur was famed for deeds of charity-Wherefore being hopeful of the mercy of God his slave Abul Qasim al-Husainia-Tabtaba, As Simnai, Built this sacred edifice endowing it with twenty two shops attached to it, o the rightful and lawful condition that the official in charge of the endowment should expend the income derived from them upon the repairs of the building and upon the poor, and that they should not take any rent from any deserving person alighting there in, so that the pious act may reflect upon the monarch in this world and they should not act otherwise, or else they would be called on the day of retribution. This inscription was composed by Sad-ud-din Muhammad Sherazi” (Dacca, p.193 by prof. A.H. Dani)
Architectural Property: The building’s architecture follows the traditional pattern of the Central Asia’s caravanserai and is embellished as per Mughal architecture. It originally enclosed a quadrangular courtyard surrounded by shops and was overlooked by a row of 22 living cells in each wing. Two gateways were built in the northern and southern wing. The southern wing is a two-storeyed structure and extends 223′ along the river. It is marked in the middle by the southern gateway, an elaborate three storied central archway framed within a projected rectangular bay that provides access to the courtyard. The underside of the arched alcove of the gateway is adorned with intricate plasterwork. The wall surface around the spandrels with plastered panels in relief contain a variety of forms such as four-centred, cusped, horse shoe and flat arches. Each wing is two storied and the corners are marked by tall octagonal towers.
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[name] => {:en}Boktnagar Zamindar Bari and Mosque{:}{:bn}বক্তনগর জমিদার বাড়ী ও মসজিদ{:}
[post_id] => 5541
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Beside the bank of the Ichhamoti river (ইছামতি নদী), you'll find an old house that is currently abandoned. No inscription was found about the house. From the architecture of the old house, you can only guess that it was a house of a wealthy man who could have been a Zamindar (জমিদার) or a rich merchant. Boktnogor/Boktonogor(বকতনগর/বক্তনগর) is a place located near the Shikari Para(শিকারী পারা) after Bandura bazaar(বান্দুরা বাজার).
This well-built edifice has lot of rooms inside. Front side of the house is still firm, but damaged at the back sides. Still now a days the house has a lot of open spaces around including ponds. At the south-west corner of the mansion, another edifice is available. This one is an old mosque. Again it is unsure about the builder of the mosque.
If the owner of the mosque and the house is the same person, then the owner must be a Muslim. The village name is Boktnagar (বক্তনগর) which should came from Bokht Nogor (বখত নগর). Possibly someone lived there named Bokht (বখত) and sounds a Muslim name, but all are predictions.
The mosque is a small one having three domes at the top. Middle one is a bit larger compare to other twos. Just above the main gate, and inscription is found written in Arabic. The mosque has a pond at the southern side and a graveyard at the eastern side.
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ইছামতি নদীর তীরে একটি পরিত্যাক্ত ভবন দেখতে পাবেন তবে কোন শিলালিপি না থাকায় এই ভবনটি সম্পর্কে বিস্তারিত জানা যায়নি। তবে, ভবনের স্থাপত্যশৈলী দেখে বোঝা যায় এটি ছিল একটি জমিদার বাড়ি। এই ভবনটির অভ্যন্তরে বেশকয়েকটি কক্ষ রয়েছে। জমিদারবাড়ির সামনের দিকটি এখনও মজবুত থাকলেও পেছনের দিকটি বেশ ক্ষতিগ্রস্থ হয়েছে।
এখনও ভবনটির চারপাশে একটি পুকুরসহ বেশকিছু খালি জায়গা রয়েছে। জমিদারবাড়ির দক্ষিন-পশ্চিম কোনায় একটি প্রাচীন মসজিদ রয়েছে। মসজিদটির নির্মাণের ব্যাপারেও কিছু জানা যায়নি। যদি জমিদারবাড়ি এবং মসজিদের মালিক একই ব্যাক্তি হয়ে থাকেন তবে ধরে নেওয়া যায় যে তিনি ছিলেন একজন মুসলিম। ধারনা করা হয়ে থাকে যে গ্রামতির নাম বক্তনগর হয়েছে বখতনগর শব্দ থেকে। এমনও হতে পারে যে, বখত নামক কোন মুসলিম ব্যাক্তির নামে গ্রামটির নামকরণ করা হয়েছে।
এখানে অবস্থিত মসজিদটি ছোট এবং তিনগম্বুজ বিশিষ্ট। তবে মাঝখানের গম্বুজটি অন্য দুটি গম্বুজের চেয়ে বড়। মসজিদের মূল প্রবেশ পথের উপরে আরবীতে লেখা শিলালিপি দেখা যায়। মসজিদের দক্ষিনে একটি পুকুর এবং পূর্বদিকে একটি কবরস্থান রয়েছে।
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[name] => {:en}Soigaon Zamindar Bari{:}{:bn}ছয়গাঁও জমিদারবাড়ি{:}
[post_id] => 6404
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Soigaon is the famous place in Shariatpur. Soigaon Zamindar Bari stands at Soigaon Union in Bhedarganj Upazila. In the time of ‘British Ruling' there was some famous leader who took part in the Independent War of India. In the time of 1930-1934 there was some British Camp.
[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]
{:}{:bn}
শরীয়তপুরের একটি নামকরা স্থান হল ছয়গাঁও। ভারতের স্বাধীনতা আন্দোলনে অংশ নেওয়া কয়েকজন প্রখ্যাত নেতা এখানে বাস করতেন। এছাড়া ১৯৩০ সাল থেকে ১৯৩৪ সাল পর্যন্ত এখানে ইংরেজ সেনাদের ঘাঁটি ছিল। এখানে আসতে হলে আপনাকে প্রথম শরীয়তপুর জেলায় পৌছাতে হবে। সেখান থেকে ভেদরগঞ্জ উপজেলার ছয়গাঁও ইউনিয়নে পৌছাতে হবে।
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[name] => Haturia Zamindar Bari
[post_id] => 5290
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/haturia-zamindar-bari-%e0%a6%b9%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%9f%e0%a7%81%e0%a6%b0%e0%a6%bf%e0%a7%9f%e0%a6%be-%e0%a6%9c%e0%a6%ae%e0%a6%bf%e0%a6%a6%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%b0-%e0%a6%ac%e0%a6%be%e0%a7%9c%e0%a6%bf/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Haturia-Zamidar-bari-1-300x210.jpg
[post_content] =>
Haturia is the birth place of Zamindar Sekander Ali Chowdhury who was the Recognized Muslim Zamindar in British Period. Haturia is the place in Gosairhat Upazila where once upon a time, there was Stimar Station. The old structure of Haturia Zamindar Bari is now destroyed for lack of caring. If Government or any other not care it or take any steps, it will be distinct as soon as possible.
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[name] => Tahkhana Complex
[post_id] => 3614
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/tahkhana-complex/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Tahkhana-Complex42-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => Tahkhana Complex is located on the bank of a pond called Zahedulbala at a distance of 500m. towards north-west of Chhoto Sona Mosque. Two-storeyed in plan, the building called Tahkhana measures 35.35 x 11.58 m. On its first floor, there are 17 rooms of which two are octagonal. The octagonal room on the north-west was used for performing Salah, while the rest for different purposes, viz-saloon, recreation, dining, meeting hammam etc. The hammam complex proper is located on the south if the Tahkhana. There is a staircase in the south-east corner which leads down to the water level of the pond. There were provisions of supplying both cold and hot water following a channel of terracotta pipe, to the hammam complex. The entire building was constructed with small bricks laid in lime mortar. The wall of the building is decorated with niches and different kind of art motifs at its different points.
There are two views regarding the construction of this building. Firstly, Shah Shuja used to come and stay here for his administrative visit, rest and recreational purpose and to meet his spiritual guide Shah Niamatullah (R). Secondly, to provide residential accommodation to Shah Niamatullah (R) during the year 1655 AD. A mosque and tomb of Shah Niamatullah (R) are located on the north-west and north of the building respectively. At present, these buildings are protected monuments by the Department of Archaeology.
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