Ashrafpur Mosque

Type: Archaeological Site

Contributed By:

Brief

Ashrafpur is an ancient village of Shibpur Upazila under Narsingdi district. In this village there was two seventh century’s copperplate inscription discovered. Ashrafpur Mosque is situated 1 kilometer south to the finding place of these copperplates. An inscribed stone of this Mosque,Once which was attached to the mosque and now preserved in the Bangladesh national museum, reveals that the mosque was built in 930 AH/ 1524 AD by Dilwar Khan during the reign of Sultan Nasiruddin Abul Muzaffar Nusrat Shah (1519-1532).

The mosque, ruined by the earthquake of 1897, was abandoned, prayer in it discontinued and in course of time it got shrouded by jungle. In 1940 the jungle was cleared and the mosque recovered under the leadership of Mowlana Syed Ali. Even at that time the Mihrab and a portion of the western wall was extant. It was a single domed small mosque built in the sultanate style. Later on, a three-domed modern mosque has been built on the same site where once stood the Sultani mosque.

How to go

You can go to Narsingdi from Dhaka by Bus from Gulistan and Mohakhali. If you would like to ride on a Dhaka to Bhairab Bus then you will have to step off at Itakhola Bus stand, Shibpur,Narsingdi. If you would like to ride on a Bus from Gulistan, then you will have to step off at Shahe-Protap Bus stand and then have to find out a bus moving toward Bhelanagar/Bhairab. It may cost 10-25 BDT to go at Bhelanagar or Itakhola bus stand. And from there you can ride on CNG, Auto-rickshaw and Mini-Bus to reach Shibpur Bus-stand. From there you can hire a rickshaw to reach at Ashrafpur Mosque.

How To Reach: Narsingdi District

The communication system of this district is very good. The Dhaka-Sylhet highway, one of the important highways of Bangladesh, passes through Narsingdi. It is only 1/2 hours distance from Dhaka. Inter-district road communication is also better from here.

Water way communication is also very good as lots of river flows through Narsingdi. Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet, two most busiest rail route of the country goes through Narsingdi. People can easily go Narshingdi by boarding this buses.

From Gulistan -Meghalay Luxury, from Sydabad & Gulistan bus terminal – Monohordi Paribahan, Anna Super Service, BRTC Bus. From Mohakhali Bus stand – PPL, Chalan Bil Transport, Arabian Transport, Badsha Paribahan.

By Road
By Train

Mohakhali, Airport Bus-stand, Abullahpur, Tongi (station road):

1. BRTC
Address: BRTC Bus Depo, Kamlapur, Dhaka.
Phone: 9333803, 9002531

2. BRTC AC Bus Service
Route: Roptani-Abdullahpur-Narsingdi-Bhairab

3. Badsha Paribahan (Pvt.) ltd.
Route: Dhaka- Bhairab
Phone: 01710-856066, 01842-526223
Fare: 120-145 BDT

4. Chalanbill Tranport Limited
Route: Dhaka to Bhairab
Phone: 01715-019550
Fare-120-145 BDT

5. PPL Super
Route: Mohakhali – Narsingdi
Phone: 01817074515, 01845950701, 01831343894
Fare: 90-105 BDT

6. Meghalay Luxury
Phone: 01711-609199, 01711-523079
Fare: 80 BDT

The transportation between Dhaka City and Narsingdi district is quite fair. The distance from Dhaka city to Narsingdi dictrict is around 59.4 km. In train, it would take around 1 and half an hour to travel to Narsingdi from Capital city. It has 10 train stations inside the district.

Trains, travelling to Sylhet and Chittagong and only developed train, like Mahanagar usually stop in the Narsingdi rail stations. Where as Titash commuter and Egarsindhur stops in different stations in Narsingdi.

Where to Stay

1) Circuit House, Narsingdi (Government)
Phone: 02-9462083
Mobile: 01735-840294

2) District Council Postal Bungalow (Government)
Postal Bungalow Road, Narsingdi
Phone: 029463765
Mobile 01712-521274

3) Dak bungalows (Government)
Roads and public departments, Narsingdi
phone: 029463222

4) Rest House (Government)
Civil surgeon’s office, Narsingdi
Phone: 029463181

5) Rest House (Government)
LGED Office, Narsingdi
Phone: 029462260

6) Hotel Nirala
Library parti, Narsingdi market, Narsingdi
Phone: 029463393
Mobile: 01711-196699

7) Hotel Al-Arafat
215/1 siendabi Road, busstation, Narsingdi
Phone: 029463393
Mobile: 01712-130139

8) Hotels Mamataj
Patilbari Road, Narsingdi
Mobile: 01711-952120

9) Hotel Aziz
Patilbari Road, Narsingdi
Mobile: 01712070231

10) Hotel Riyaj
Patilbari Road, Narsingdi
Phone: 946 to 516
Mobile: 01712-609045

11) Hotel Tanim
Patilbari Road, Narsingdi
Phone: 9463982
Mobile: 01718-916143

Things to do

You can take photos of this Sultani Mosque.
Enjoy the natural beauties of the surrounding.
Never negotiate with the people about the history of the mosque as people do believe that it was built spiritually.

Eating Facilities

Referred to the food facilities in Narsingdi. Click-here

Map

Array ( [0] => Array ( [name] => Armenian Church [post_id] => 1413 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/armenian-church/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/14688097-300x225.jpg [post_content] =>

The evidence says about Armenian community in the region during 17th to 18th century and their existence. Armenian Church was build in 1781 on Armenian Street in Armanitola. The site was an American graveyard before before the church built. Agaminus Catachik, an Armenian, gave away the land to build the church. Michel Cerkess, Okotavata Setoor Sevorg, Aga Amnius, and Merkers Poges helped build the church.

Mother Teresa stayed in this church during a visit to Dhaka.

In the old graveyard, among the 350 people buried there, a statue stands at the grave of Catachik Avatik Thomas, portraying his wife. The statue was bought from Kolkata and the grave is inscribed with the words "Best of Husband." Following the domination of their homeland by Persian powers of the time, Armenians were sent by their new rulers to the Bengal region for both political and economic reasons. Although the Armenian presence in South Asia is now insignificant, their presence in Dhaka dates back to the 17th century. Armenians came to Dhaka for business, and have been acknowledged for displaying a passion for trade comparable to that of the Bengalis of the time. In Dhaka, Armenian merchants traded in jute and leather, and profitability in these businesses convinced some to move permanently to Bangladesh. The area where they lived became known as Armanitola.

In 1781 the now famous Armenian Church was built on Armenian Street in Armanitola, then a thriving business district. The site was an Armenian graveyard before the church was built, and the tombstones that have survived serve as a chronicle of Armenian life in the area. Agaminus Catachik, an Armenian, gave away the land to build the church. Michel Cerkess, Okotavata Setoor Sevorg, Aga Amnius, and Merkers Poges helped build the church.

In the fifty years following the church's construction, a clock tower was erected on its western side. Allegedly, the clock could be heard four miles away, and people synchronized their watches with the sound of the tower's bell. The clock stopped in 1880, and an earthquake destroyed the tower in 1897. The Armenian played a prominent part in the jute trade in Dhaka and are reputed to be the pioneers of that trade in the second half of the 19th century. Today, the last Armenian that takes cares of the church is Mikhail Hopcef Martirossian (Micheal Joseph Martin). He was also one of the Armenian who was in the jute trade.

) [1] => Array ( [name] => Panam Rajbari [post_id] => 11576 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/panam-rajbari/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SAM_01811-240x300.jpg [post_content] =>

Poddar bari, or according to the local people, the "Panam Rajbari". This is a bit eastern side to the panam city. If someone wants to visit the place, then there is no way except passing through the panam city. This is currently a private property, and there is a picnic spot inside the boundary of the place. The owner of the place used to live at the newly built building beside the old one. But the old one is still empty.

After getting permission you can easily enter the area. Its not known when the building was actually built. But from the structure, and the design, it appears that it was built by some rich merchant during the 1900 AD. The structure and the design is almost identical to the Sonargaon Folk art and craft Museum. Inside the building, the yard is identical to the museum building of sonargaon.

The building comprises of numerous number of rooms. And interestingly you can move from one room to another one easily. There is no window at the rooms, and also no doors, most of those are taken down, or stolen, or something else. Since its a bit darker inside the building, its a hideout for the bats. When camera flashed, we have seen several bats were flying and making noisy sound. Also there nest of other birds which are making continuum sound, but we bet you won't feel bored by those. Those are really nice to hear. So if you are at sonargaon, please don't leave the place by only visiting the panam city. It will worth if you visit the place.

) [2] => Array ( [name] => Bhai Girish Chandra Sen's Old House [post_id] => 23726 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/bhai-girish-chandra-sens-old-house/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Old-House-of-Bhai-Girish-Chandra-Sen-9-200x300.jpg [post_content] => Girish Chandra Sen also known as Bhai Girish Chandra Sen ( ভাই গিরিশ চন্দ্র সেন), a Brahmo Samaj missionary, was the first person to complete the translation of the Qur'an into Bengali in 1886. It was his finest contribution to Bengali literature. Born in the village of Panchdona of Narsingdi in 1835 in the famed Dewan Baidya clan, he learnt Persian and Sanskrit in early life and started working as a copywriter in the court of the deputy magistrate in Mymensingh. He also taught for a short while at the Mymensingh Zilla School before engaging wholeheartedly in journalism and literary activities. He was attracted to the Brahmo Samaj under the influence of Keshub Chunder Sen and Bijoy Krishna Goswami and joined it as a missionary in 1871. He traveled through India and Burma to propagate his new faith. The plasters on the walls of this two floor house have almost completely fallen off, baring the brick work, which is covered in a thick moss. The ceilings on both the floors have entirely caved in. Trees have grown all over the walls, thereby creating large cracks. The wood work from doors and windows is completely stolen. To overcome those destruction and deterioration of this old House owned by this famous Scholar, Government has taken necessary steps to renovate the building immediately. In the year of 1869, Keshub Sen chose four persons amongst his missionaries and ordained them as professors of four old religions of the world. Girish Chandra was selected to study Islam. The others selected to study different religions were Gour Govinda Ray for Hinduism, Protap Chandra Mazoomdar for Christianity, and Aghore Nath Gupta for Buddhism. This was a time, when even translating religious scripts from Islam was considered as desecration of the sanctity of the scripts. The Holy Qur’an was considered too sacred for translation, as such most of the Muslim scholars refrained from even trying. A firm believer in the basic unity of all religions, Girish immersed himself in his studies and later went to Lucknow in 1876 to study Arabic, Islamic literature and the Islamic religious texts. He was involved in intense studies for about five years. His keen interest in different religions and his liberal outlook earned him the respect of followers of other religions. On completion of his studies, he returned to Kolkata and engaged in translation of Islamic scriptures. After hard labor of six years from 1881-1886, he produced an annotated Bengali version of the Qur’an via Persian. Girish Chandra wrote and published a total of 42 books in Bengali. His books were greatly appreciated by the Muslim community which referred to him as 'Bhai Girish Chandra'. The Muslim society, in his days, respected him enormously and gave him the title of a Maulavi. Girish Chandra Sen spoke fluently in Bengali, Urdu & Persian. A simple soft-spoken person, he endeared himself to all those who came in contact with him. His autobiography, 'Atmajivani' (আত্মজীবনী), was published in 1906. He passed away in 1910. ) [3] => Array ( [name] => Balapur Zamindar House [post_id] => 17404 [post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/balapur-zamindar-house/ [thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Balapur-Zamindar-House-2-200x300.jpg [post_content] =>

In different location of Narsingdi district there are a number of Archaeological sites which attract traveler and explorer to visit these places recurrently. Balapur Zamindar House (বালাপুর জমিদার বাড়ি) is one of the old palatial buildings in this district. If someone interested to visit the oldest buried civilization area in Bangladesh named as Wari-Bateshwar, then it would be better to take a glance at Balapur Zamindar House while moving there. It’s situated at Balapur village, Madhabdi Upazila of Narsingdi district.

This Zamindar House was built by local Zamindar named 'Nobin Chandra Saha' in 1906. It is also known as Zamindar Kali Babur Bari (কালী বাবুর বাড়ি). It’s a complex of buildings scattered in a particular zone. Basically, most of the buildings are three storied and some are one or two storied. Dept. of Archaeology in Bangladesh doesn’t announced it as a protected site yet. So like many others old houses in Bangladesh it is on the way of ruining.

No matter how decorative and ornamented this house is, it’s almost abandoned and some people who living in this house are so called ancestor of Zamindari estate at Balapur. Some local people are selling all the floor tiles made by white stone desperately.

But, Still today this beautiful palace standing with its own identity and spreading the essence of colonial palatial architecture in Bengal. If proper steps being taken this structure can be preserved & conserved for the future exhibiotion.

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