Arpara Munshi Bari

Type: Palace

Contributed By: Nayeem

Brief

Arpara Munshi Bari (আড়পাড়া মুন্সীবাড়ী) is located near at Arpara (আড়পাড়া) of Gopalganj district. This is situated beside a man-made straight canal named ‘Beel Route Canal‘. This is mainly a two stored building and not that much older. But due to lack of care (and also the owner shifted to new place) it is a haunted house now a days.

The windows of this house are missing, doors are gone; trees have grown over this building and started covering it. You can hear lot of chirping sounds of birds; but it is actually a hideout for the bats. Thousands of bats you can see hanging upside down from the roof, and lot of them are flying randomly around and making the noise. It looked slight scary, but an amazing thing to watch.

Probably it’s around 50-60 years of old building and built by a rich family having family/surname Minshi (মুন্সী). They are still powerful, and prominent there by status and wealth. There are few other buildings available near this one and people are living there. Possibly they have shifted from here.

How to go

This Arpara Munshi Bari is located at Arpara village which is slight far from the main Gopalganj town. We have gone there through the Nimtoli Mor (23° 2’5.37″N, 89°48’24.12″E) and returned back through another way. It will be better if you visit this place using the path that one we have used for exit. Here we go:

1) Get down from the bus at the place near Arpara on the Dhaka-Gopalganj or Tekerghat-Gopalganj highway. GPS coordinate of the dropping point is (23° 3’3.16″N, 89°49’1.04″E).

2) Cross the river (actually it’s a canal) using the boat. Its 2 taka per person. But the boatman is a handicap guy and if you pay him more, it will be helpful for him.

3) Arpara Munshi Bari is just at the other side of the canal, and GPS coordinate of the house is (23° 3’3.13″N, 89°48’50.81″E).

How To Reach: Gopalganj District

Gopalganj district is located 140 km away from Dhaka via Mawa Ferry Ghat.

By Road

1. Modhumoti Paribahan

Gopalganj to Saydabad/Gulistan via Mawa Ferry Ghat
Mobile: 01716019937 (Gopalganj)
01711900619 (Dhaka)

2. Tungipara Express

Gopalganj to Saydabad/Gulistan via Mawa Ferry Ghat
Mobile: 01716479631 (Gopalganj)
01716211642 (Dhaka)

3. dola Paribahan

Gopalganj to Saydabad/Gulistan via Mawa Ferry Ghat
mobile: 01711311756 (Gopalganj)
01199030181 (Dhaka)

4. Comfort Line
Gopalganj to Saydabad/Gulistan via Paturia Ferry Ghat
Mobile: 01716453061

Where to Stay

1. Circuit House, Gopalganj
Contact to: Nejarot ( নেজারত ) Deputy Collector
Phone: 02-6685234 & 02-6685565

2. Zilla Parishad Cottage, Gopalganj
Contact to: Chief Executive Officer, Zila Parishad
Phone: 0668-61204

3. Hotel Modhumoti, Tungipara, Gopalganj
Contact to: Mr. Sheikh Ahmed Hossain Mirza
Phone: 02-6656349
Mobile: 01712-563227

4. Hotel Rana, Chourangi, Gopalganj
Contact to: Mr. Siraj Uddin Ahmed
Phone: 02-6685172

5. Hotel Shohag, Post Office Road, Gopalganj
Contact to: Mr. Shohrab Hossain
Phone: 0668-61740

Eating Facilities

You can find many more hotels and restaurant here to stay and eating. Referred to where to eat in Gopalganj district, click here

Map

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R N Saha House is located at Nawabganj, which is now owned by a local businessman, under renovation. This house is situated just beside the river Isamati. The name of the house is named after a rich Merchant named Radha Nath Saha. It is believed that, this place will be turned into a tourist attractive spot very soon.

Sree Dulal Chandra Saha owned this palatial house, informed that the house was built in the middle of 1825 to 1850 at the time of Late Nagendra Chandra Saha (a Merchant).This house was built by Nabo Kumar Saha, father of Nagendra Kumar Saha. This family was a Merchant Family, Trading was their main business. They have established more business center in Kolkata, Madangonj, Barisal, Serpur and Murshidabad.

The merchants of this Palatial house once maintained family relation with many elite Zamindar familys of undivided India, i.e Baliaty, Nagarpur, Chadda rashi, Vaggo kul and Mr.R.P.Saha.

) [1] => Array ( [name] => Tushbhandar Zamindar Bari or Landlord House [post_id] => 4790 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/tushbhandar-zamindar-bari-or-landlord-house/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Tushabhandar-jamindar-bari1-300x212.jpg [post_content] =>

During the period of Maharaja Pran Narayan "Rsik Ray bigroho" happened in 1634 and in that time the origin of tushvandar Murari dev Ghosal Vottacharjo from 24 porgona/Kolkata's Jay nagar came in Koach bihar and in upuonchouki matter get a taluk anstarted to live here. During that time to do religious work land was given by upenchouki matter. Murari dev disagree to take the donation of the shudro king's beacuse he is a brammon. He appealed to take rent for the land. After that the queen agreed to take paddy bran as rent. Dew to give rent as paddy bran it was stored near landlord house in the east side and after it was sent to the Koachbihar kings house. With this bran many religious events happened in the king’s house. People says that, for the stored bran this place was named as tushvandar. By brammahan murari dev vottacharja the landlord of tushvandar was declared. And in 1935 with his death as long 400 years land owner was came into an end.

) [2] => Array ( [name] => Pakutia Zamindar Bari [post_id] => 8891 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/pakutia-zamindar-bari/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Pakutia-Jomidar-Bari-011-300x225.jpg [post_content] =>

Pakutia Zamindar Bari resides under the administration of Nagarpur of Tangail district. This Zamindar Bari complex comprises of three main buildings. Out of these three, one is much larger compared to other two’s. The larger one is using as a Degree college these days and also the college authority holds the ownership of other two edifices as well. But they have rented Pakutia Zamindar Bari to other organization.

Initially the Zamindari was established by the hand of Ramkrishna Shaha Mondol at the early of 19th century. He has two sons named Radha Gobinda and Brindaban Chandra. Radha Gobinda didn't have any children but Brindaban Chandra had three. They are Brojendro Mohon, Upendra Mohon and Jogendra Mohon. Childless Radha Gobinda adopted the second son of his brother and later gave his whole property to him.

These three brothers later built three separate buildings for them in 1915 (almost 100 years from now). Each of the buildings are having extreme artwork & design, stylish columns, and small statues. Each inches of the building is having a delicate design that impresses everyone even these days. Top of the building is having a lovely sculpture type architecture that is rich in design, concept, and artwork (more if I consider the building period) in this modern days. Apart from these, there are several large ponds located at the backyard of the building.

This Zamindar family was friendly towards the villagers. They have established a school during 1916 named as Brindaban Chandra Radha Gobinda School (in short B.C.R.G. School) for their father and uncle. They have left this country during the 1947 separation. Later in 1967, the government established B.C.R.G Degree College on these buildings to commemorate the friendly Zamindar family. Apart from the Zamindar Bari, the premise now has a temple which probably used by the families who lived here. Also there is an open theater available that was used to arrange the local play or drama known as Jatra/Pala (যাত্রা/পালা).

) [3] => Array ( [name] => {:en}Boktnagar Zamindar Bari and Mosque{:}{:bn}বক্তনগর জমিদার বাড়ী ও মসজিদ{:} [post_id] => 5541 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/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.

{:}{:bn}

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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