Array
(
[0] => Array
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[name] => Jora Kali Temple of Muktagacha
[post_id] => 22247
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/jora-kali-temple-muktagacha/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/P_20151014_134059_1_p-169x300.jpg
[post_content] => Sri Sri Anondomoyi (শ্রী শ্রী আনন্দময়ী) Kali temple is located at the nucleus of Muktagacha Upazila. This temple is dedicated to Nirmola Debi (নির্মলা দেবী), Mother of Maharaja Shoshikanto Acharya (শশীকান্ত আচার্য). A traveler may get confused by the name of this temple as it comes with different words in websites and it's place. In websites, it is known as Sri Sri Anondomoyi (শ্রী শ্রী আনন্দময়ী) Kali temple where as in place, it’s named as Sri Sri Shiva Moheshwar (শ্রী শ্রী শিব মহেশ্বর) Temple and locally it is known as Jora kali Temple of Muktagacha.
Whatsoever the name is, ORB Team came to know from different places and later visited this attraction physically to reveal it's history. It was established in the year 1820 by the patronize of Shoshikanto Acharya (one of the great Zamindars of Muktagacha). Basically this two adjacent temple is a great example of mirror structure in Bengal. It has three arch shaped doorways at the front side. From the surface level, it is almost 1o meter high with so many decoration in its wall. The structural design of this temple is look like the other Moth (মঠ) structure in Bengal.
There is a large pond in the temple premises and it was dug at the time of establishment. Maharaja Shoshikanto Acharya donated his many assets for the daily expenses of worshipping in the temple. Among those lands significant areas are in Muktagacha Upazila, Gabtoli and Khamar Bazar area. Though none of those assets now owned by the temple.
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[1] => Array
(
[name] => Sat Masjid
[post_id] => 7883
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/satmosjid-mohammadpur/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Sat-Masjid2-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Sat Masjid is located in the Mohammadpur area of Dhaka city, the building exhibits seven domes- three over the prayer chamber and four over the corner towers. Hence it is known as Sat Gombuz (seven domed) Mosque. The mosque occupies the western end of a slightly raised masonry plinth 26.82m by 25.60m, which is enclosed by a low wall with a gateway in the middle of the eastern side. This arched gateway with flanking ornamental turrets is exactly in alignment with the central doorway of the mosque proper. The top of the gateway could be approached from either the north or the south by an ascending flight of steps.
The mosque proper forms a large rectangle 14.33m by 4.88m on the inside and is emphasised with massive hollow domed towers of octagonal design on the exterior angles. The prayer chamber is entered through arched doorways - three in the east and one each on the north and south sides.
Corresponding to the three eastern archways there are three semi-octagonal mihrabs inside the western wall. Beside the central mihrab there is a three-stepped masonry pulpit. The central archway and the central mihrab, including two other archways on the north and south walls, have outwardly projected frontons depicting ornamental turrets on either flank.
The interior of the mosque is divided by two wide arches into three conventional divisions - a large central square bay and a smaller rectangular bay on either side. The roof is covered with three slightly bulbous domes on octagonal drums, the central one being bigger than its flanking counterparts. The large central dome is supported by the wide arches together with the two blocked arches over the central mihrab and central archway and the triangular pendentives on the upper angles. But in covering the side rectangles with domes a clever method has been adopted. In order to make a circular base for the dome, the rectangular space has first been made square above by creating half-domed vaults on the east and west walls. These half-domed vaults together with a further series of pendentives on the corners directly support the small domes.
The corner towers have flanking turrets like those in Khwaja Shahbaz’s Mosque and musa khan mosque, both in Dhaka city. Each of these consists of two storeys and is a monument by itself. The lower storey is pierced with four cardinally set arched openings in the north-south and east-west axis. Internally the roof of the lower storey is domical, but its reverse side is flat and forms the floor of the upper storey.
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[2] => 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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[3] => Array
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[name] => Ghoshal Bari Zamindar Palace
[post_id] => 11775
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/ghoshal-bari-zamindar-palace/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_20150527_135541718-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
Ghoshal Bari Zamindar Palace, About 150 years old (now rebuilt) zamindar bari is located just nearby the Radha-Krisna temple with its outstanding view at Khilpara, South Betka village, Tongibari Upazila, Munshiganj District.
[This spot needs more information. If you have information, please be advised to add in our website. Your name will be published as a Content Contributor]
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