Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => Joy Kali Temple
[post_id] => 10073
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/joy-kali-temple/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/P_20150610_1817041-169x300.jpg
[post_content] =>
The Joy kali Temple of Dhaka, is situated in a place between Thathari (ঠাটারি) Bazar and Wari. The road was named after this temple itself. Now, literally it is 24 Joy Kali Temple street. Joy Kali Temple is a Hindu temple devoted to Goddess Kali Ma for worshipping. People of Hindu religion of every age come to this temple to worship Goddess Kali. The statue of Goddess Kali is of great significance to the Hindus. The visitors and committee members of this temple gather money for occasions, where sweets are later distributed among them which is called 'Prasad'.
History:
This temple is about 400 years old, established in the Bengali year 1001. During the reign of the Nawabs, Dewan of Nawabs Tulsi Narayan Ghosh and Nabh Narayan Ghosh established this temple with the inspection of Bancharam Saint. At that time they established twenty-one statues of Shiva, Kali, Lakshmi narayan, three Shalgram Chakra, Bandurga etc. A few beautiful monuments like Pancharatna, Nabratna, temple of Shiva, guest house, were built in the house of Joy Kali. Even market named Nawabpur Joy Kali bazar, and a market situated at the south of Kaliganj hut was dedicated to Joy Kali Devi.
Present condition:
The first caretaker of this Joy Kali Devi was Bancharam Saint, the third caretaker was Panachenand, who suffered a decline, so the responsibility to serve the Devi got into the hands of Bhraman Tanyar. Later the landlords of that time seized some of the land of this temple. Starting from that time the temple started to erode, due to lack of maintenance and shortage of money. This temple was damaged during the strike of 1990’s. The temple was renovated later on by Goddess Kali’s followers. Now the temple is much smaller than it was when it was first established. The temple was burgled and valuables looted by thieves in 2010.
Architectural significance:
Inside the boundary of this temple there is basically two temples. One of the temples is of Kali Devi, the other one, which has a dome, is of Shiv. The dome was made out of plaster and is visible from outside. Locals of that area refer to this dome as the Joy Kali Temple. The front of the temple complex is a busy stop for human haulers that go into old Dhaka. The temple has tiles on the walls all around, and the floor is made out of mosaic. There are pictures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses printed on the tiled walls of the temple. The entrance to the temple is welcomed by a logo made of stainless steel saying 'Om'- which is a Hindu divine symbol. In front of the Kali Devi statue is a bell hanging from above, it is a ritual to ring the bell after entering the temple and before leaving.
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[1] => Array
(
[name] => Maijpara Moth
[post_id] => 9597
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/maijpara-moth/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Maispara-Moth-1-169x300.jpg
[post_content] =>
Maijpara Moth (মাইজপারা মঠ) belongs to 300 years old long history, situated just beside the Babu Bari dighi (large pond). During the reign of Dewan Murshid Kuli Khan, this Moth was being constructed on the grave of Zamindar Tara Prashad Ray (তারা প্রসাদ রায়) . Later in Bengali year 1212, this moth was being reconstructed.
Interviewing local folks we came to know that, this 200 feet high moth's apex was being broken by three days long rain few years ago due to the lacking in care of conservation and preservation.
At the apex there were two copper pitcher being torn down lately and a rumor spread that there were some very precious treasure inside of it. Local people gathered to see. Sreenagar Thana police brought those to the police station. After cutting the pitcher with the help of oxygen Gas cutter, they found some sort of limes & brick mortars inside of it.
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[2] => Array
(
[name] => Jagannath Dev Mandir
[post_id] => 1380
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/jagannath-dev-mandir/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Jogonnath-Temple-comilla-1-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Jagannath Dev Mandir is one of the ancient temples in Comilla district. King of Tripura built it. It was named 'Moharaja Radha Kishor Manikuo Bahadur' during the 16th century. The gods Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were worshiped here. Initially, the statue of gods were at Tripura temple but later it was been shifted here. Wikipedia mentioned this as Saptratna Mandir, where as the travel book writer Mustafiz Mamun has introduced this as Sotero Rotno Mandir (সতের রত্নের মন্দির). There might be a state of confusion regarding the name, but this temple is unique considering the other temples from Bangladesh.
The deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were originally installed in a temple in Tripura from where they were subsequently shifted to this temple. The terracotta brick work of the temple is in the typical Bengal style of temple architecture. Jagannath Temple is one of the oldest temples of Comilla district. It is located two km East from Comilla town, on East Bibirbazar Road, Comilla. (5km east from Comilla dist.)
This four storied, conical shaped temple is a brick built structure, constructed on a concrete octagonal base-stone. This is the only octagonal based and shaped temple of Bangladesh, and one of its type. External wall of every floor looks like octagons and were ascended like inverted Cone. It is a single spire Temple. I believe there were so many artistic terracotta all over this Mandir , from Top to bottom. I find some of the traditional Bengal design on the outside wall of third floor- a terracotta of flower, leaves and petals. Department of Archaeology renovated outside portions of Ground and first floor. Terracotta of these two floors was ruined.
There is a rumor about this ordinary looking spiritual place. Some believes there are two more floors underground, which is filled by sedimentation from Gumti River over the years. I feel this is a weak and bogus point.
This 16th Century edifice is almost 60 feet tall. There is a tank to the West of Temple premises. That Tank could be as old as the temple. The tank is also sketched in 1863 drawing [a British Library Collecton].
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[3] => Array
(
[name] => Gurudwara Nanak Shahi
[post_id] => 10226
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/gurudwara-nanak-shahi/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Guru-Duara-11-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
Gurudwara Nanak Shahi (গুরুদুয়ারা নানকশাহী) is a Sikh Gurudwara in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It is considered to be the only official Sheikh Prayer Hall in Bangladesh. It is located at the campus of the University of Dhaka and considered to be the biggest of 9 to 10 Gurdwaras in the country.
According to the commemorating, the visit of Guru Nanak (1506-1507), founder of Sikh religion, it is the most important historic place. It is said to have been built in 1830. The present building of the Gurudwara Nanak Shahi was renovated in 1988-1989. The parkarma verandah had been constructed on all four sides of the original building to provide protection. You can go there in every Friday afternoon to pay a visit and see their rituals.
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)
