Pal Bari

Type: History & Archaeology

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Brief

Pal Bari (পাল বাড়ি) is one of the renowned historical places in Munshiganj. According to the current inhabitants of the Pal House at Abdullahpur, Kamini Pal and Dwarkanath Pal, the eldest two sons of Tokani Prasad Pal, possibly one of the richest business persons of Bikrampur, established this house around the end of the 19th century.

They added a few more blocks to the house over the years, but lived within the compounds of their father’s house, several miles away.

During the liberation war, many of their family members were brutally tortured and killed, prompting the entire clan to leave for Kolkata,India. A few years later Dwarkanath returned, to wind up his businesses here. Dwarkanath Pal, therefore chose to spend his last few years at this house. He decided to stay back in Munshiganj, but could not live in his own house. Many others had occupied most of that property.

How to go

It’s about 5km north from Tongibari Upazila. Anybody can ride on a Rickshaw or Auto-rickshaw to reach there from Tongi Bari Upazila.

How To Reach: Munshiganj District

There are several transport is available from Dhaka to Munshiganj. The bus services are “Nayan Paribahan”, “Dighir par Paribahan” and “Dhaka Transport”, all of the buses used to start from “Gulistan” of Dhaka. It will cost you 60-80 taka, and will require 1 hrs to 2 hrs bus journey depending upon the road traffic.

Also you can hire CNG auto rickshaw from the “Postogola”, and it will take you 250-350 to take you at Muktarpur bridge. Remember, if you are hiring CNG, make sure who will provide the toll of the bridge. For you information, the toll fee is 20 taka. So negotiate with the driver of CNG about who will provide the toll.

Where to Stay

Though the district is just beside the Dhaka, still its hard to find a suitable hotel from the district. The main reason, may be people from dhaka used to come this place for a single day trip. But anyway, if you need to stay at Munshiganj town, that case I’ll suggest you to stay at “Hotel Comfort” this one is the best from the town. Also you there is another one which is “Hotel three star international”. But the quality of the rooms of this hotel is not that much good. For both cases, it will take 100-700 taka per night depending upon the room.

1. Mawa Resort

Contact: Md. Ali
Phone: 01711676058

2. Padma Resort

Contact: Mohammad Ali
Phone: 01713033049

3. Padma Rest House

Bridge Division, Ministry of Roads and Communications
Executive Engineer
Phone: 01715561933

Things to do

Enjoy the sight seeing while move toward the Landlord house
Observe the way of living in a very ordinary village
Observe the architectural feature of that house
Compare the differences with others Zamindar house

Eating Facilities

You may find some local restaurants and hotels at Tongibari. Where they offer very local cuisine.

Map

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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.

) [1] => Array ( [name] => Autshahi Moth [post_id] => 9406 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/autshahi-moth/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_20150527_114118396_HDR1-300x169.jpg [post_content] =>

Autshahi Moth (আউটশাহী মঠ) is a spiritually very prominent Hindu Religious structure among the local community. Local Hindu people has a strong belief and they always practice some rituals centering two temple, built at the base of Moth. Two temples containing distinguished deities. One is occupied by Devi Durga and another one is a fusion between Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati.

It is About 300 Years Old an island stylistic Moth,Beside Autshahi Radha Nath High School at Chander Bazar, Autshahee, Tongibari, Munshiganj. If someone wants to reach there at the temple, then there is no other options except the subway of wooden bridge which connects this feature with the highway.

In the early 18th century Bijoyram Kor built this temple covering his mother's tomb. Struck by different natural calamities, this temple lost its surrounding parts, even it gets curve leaving shape on its exterior.

) [2] => Array ( [name] => House of Mithu Kalu Bepari [post_id] => 10739 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/house-of-mithu-kalu-bepari/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_20150527_150048194-300x169.jpg [post_content] =>

House of Mithu Kalu Bepari, About 150 years old house, is located near to the Sonarong Jora Moth at Tongibari Upazila of Munshiganj District. It was built by a renowned Merchant named Mithu Kalu Bepari. This old house is abandoned now. It is being used as store house for reserving fire woods.

[We need more detail information of this spot. If you have more information, then please be advised to add and share in our website. Your name will be published as a Content Contributor]

) [3] => Array ( [name] => Betila House: The Forgotten Palace of Manikganj [post_id] => 17193 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/betila-house/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Betila-House-2-300x163.jpg [post_content] =>

The Betila (বেতিলা) House in Manikganj was built about a century ago by Jyoti Babu (জ্যোতি বাবু) and Satya Babu (সত্য বাবু), a couple of affluent merchants involved in the trade of Jute, the golden fibre of Bangladesh. This palatial house is located in a remote area named Betila which is within the parameters of the modern day Manikganj proper. Explorers/travelers searching for heritage sites in Manikganj over the internet may come across several links of the famous Baliati Zamindar’s Palace but never find any links on Betila. This is primarily because the Betila House was not a Zamindar’s (Land Owner) palace, and secondly since it is located in such a remote area, people hardly know about it. Rich people of those era are known to build such palatial houses in remote areas and live lavish lives, even though they were not 'Zamindars' or royalty.

For someone looking for heritage sites, the Betila Mitra Union of Manikganj would be a fabulous one to come across. It’s situated in semi rural setting (being not too distant from urban areas) and doesn't seem particularly unique on first impression but once you begin to explore it's culture and heritage, beautiful places like the Betila House amongst several others begin to surface. The seemingly tame Betila Canal runs across the area, connecting two major rivers Kaliganga (কালিগঙ্গা) and Dhaleshwari (ধলেশ্বরী) but like most waterways of Bangladesh, one can anticipate its ferocity in full monsoon season when rising water levels which is also evident in the way it has eroded both its banks, specially at the lone bridge that was constructed some time back.

On both the banks one will come across a series of heritage buildings, the pinnacle being on the eastern bank, the Betila Palatial house surrounded by rich foliage. It’s a combined structure of two separate buildings both of which are two-storied, standing almost intact, side by side and with an expansive open field before them.

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