Brief
Nawab Faizunnesa Choudhurani (1834–1903) was Zamindar of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon Estate in present-day Comilla District, Bangladesh. She is most famous for her campaign for female education and other social issues. In appreciation of her social work, in 1889 Queen Victoria awarded Faizunnesa the title of “Nawab”, making her the first female Nawab in South Asia.
Early life and background: Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani was born in 1834 in the village of Pashchimgaon under Laksham in the district of Comilla. Her father was Ahmed Ali Chowdhury, a descendent of the Mughal emperors and zamindar of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon estate. Faizunnessa was raised in a conservative Muslim family, where the women would maintain a strict purdah system. She received no formal education but she educated herself in her library during leisure time. She was proficient in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit and Bengali language. In 1860, Faizunnesa was married to a distant cousin and neighboring Zamindar, Muhammad Gazi, becoming his second wife. But the couple became separated for an unknown reason and Faizunnesa began to live with her paternal family.
Career and philanthropy: After her mother’s death in 1883, Faizunnesa inherited her property and became Zamindar of Pashchimgaon. She became increasingly involved in social work after becoming Zamindar. In 1873, Faizunnesa Choudhurani established a high school for girls in Comilla, which is one of the earliest female schools privately established in Indian subcontinent, which is now called Nawab Faizunnesa Government Girls’ High School. She also founded a school at Pashchimgaon that was later upgraded to a college and now named as Nawab Faizunnesa Degree College.
In 1893, Faizunnesa established a charitable dispensary in her village for women in purdah, particularly destitute women. She also built a hospital for women, Faizunnesa Zenana Hospital in Comilla. In addition, she built mosques and contributed towards the development of roads and ponds. Faizunnesa patronized different newspapers and periodicals, including Bandhab, Dhaka Prakash, Musalman Bandhu, Sudhakar, and Islam Pracharak. Before her death in 1903 she donated her entire property to the nation.
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[name] => Kakina Zamindar Bari
[post_id] => 4781
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/kakina-zamindar-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/kakina-Zamindar-Bari-1-300x216.jpg
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Kakina Zamindar Bari is situated about 30 km distance from Lalmonirhat district in Kakina Union at Kakina moujai. Maharaja Mod Narayan's time Kakina was a Chakla of kocabihar. Indra Narayana Chakraborty was then the cakaladara of kakina. In 1687 the Fouzdar Ebadat khan declared war against King Mod Narayan and went to koachbihar and that time two sons of Raghu Ram Raghabendo Narayan and Ram Narayan took the support of the Fouzdar. After being filed in this war of Moghals Endra Narayan was removed from the post of Chakladar and Raghabendra Narayan was elected for Porgona 62 and Ram Narayan was elected for Kakina. As this the Chakladari of Indra Narayan Chakrawarti was finished. In 1687 that estate started in time of Ram Narayan finished in the period of Mahendra Ranjon for his unforeseen costs. When he failed to back the revenue of government his estate was sold in auction in 1925 and go under court of words. After that he left Kakina as a destitute state. He breathe last in Karsiang. For image, Click here
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[1] => Array
(
[name] => Deo Bari
[post_id] => 8713
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/dao-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Dao-Bari-11-300x200.jpg
[post_content] =>
There is a significant number of old houses found in Munshiganj district. Which has enriched the historical & Cultural importance of this district among the others in Bangladesh. It’s assumed that in earlier phase it was a prominent center for trading all over the country as it is standing beside the mighty river Meghna. So, historically still this place contains the plenty of evidences of growing business trend at that time.
One of the most old houses built by the Merchant is Deo Bari ( দেউ বাড়ি) at Abdullahpur, Tongibari, Munshiganj. It’s about 120 Years Old Historical House (Adjacent to Pulghata Bridge). Shokti de (শাক্তি দে) and Vokto de (ভক্ত দে) built this 3 storied building. Still 45 rooms found in this derelict building.
The most fascinating part of this house is its brick-work with some fabulous design & decoration. which has become exposed now that the plasters have fallen off at many places.
This building is now on the way of decaying. Many parts of its has already broken because of lack in proper care and conservation. Immediate steps should be taken to preserve it from further destruction.
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[2] => Array
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[name] => Teota Zamindar Palace
[post_id] => 13757
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/teota-zamindar-palace/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Teota-Zamindar-Palace-2-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Teota Zamindar Palace (তেওতা জমিদার বাড়ী) is located at the Shibalaya (শিবালায়া) Upazila of Manikganj District. This palace is locally known as Teota Rajbari (তেওতা রাজবাড়ি) and Teota Zamindar Bari (তেওতা জমিদার বাড়ী). This palace is possibly over 300 years old. This old dilapidated palace was the home of two brothers named Babu Hemsankar Ray ( বাবু হেমসংকর রায়) and Babu Joy Sankar Ray (বাবু জয় সংকর রায়) who were the ruler of Teota. The whole premise has over 50 rooms. Currently those are occupied by the homeless people.
At the Western side of the building, there is a large pond and beside the pond a temple is located named as Noborotno Temple (নবরত্ন মন্দির). The temple is a four storied building having a glorious example of classical architecture.
The whole palace is situated just beside the bank of mighty river Jamuna. After a few miles from the palace premise, the river merged with another big river, Padma. The palace is a two storied building and from the roof you can easily see the Jamuna river.
This palace is the birth place of Promila Debi (প্রমীলা দেবী), the wife of our national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam (নজরুল ইসলাম). Poet first saw her in this palace when he came here to visit Promila's cousin-Dhiren Sen (ধীরেন সেন).
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[name] => {:en}Boktnagar Zamindar Bari and Mosque{:}{:bn}বক্তনগর জমিদার বাড়ী ও মসজিদ{:}
[post_id] => 5541
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/boktnagar-zamindar-bari-and-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/boktonogor-jomidar-bari-bandura-11-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}
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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