Chandi Mandir

A huge number of moth (মঠ) has been found all over the places in Munshiganj District. Shyamsiddhir Moth is one of the old moth, which is located in Shyamsiddhi village, to the west of Sreenagar Bazar under Sreenagar upazila in Munshiganj district. A Bangla inscription fixed over the doorway in the south side implies that it was constructed by one Shambhunath Majumder in 1243 BS/ Shakabda 1758 (1836 AD). The math is named after by its location.

The building is square in plan, measuring 6m externally, and the walls are 1m thick. This brick built math stands on a 1.20m high platform, and is about 20m high. The moth is divided into three stages. The lower square part is the main shrine. On its south side there is an entrance with pointed arch, flanked by a rectangular panel on its either side; while each of the other three sides contains three rectangular panels in plaster, of which the central one is bigger than the flanking ones. Over the lintel level, all four sides are relieved with two semi-circular arches - one above the other - set within a rectangular frame under a large semi-circular arch. A sun emblem in plaster is depicted in the small arches.

The entire surface of the walls were originally plastered, but now have fallen at places. The shrine is covered by a dome, over which the base of the tapering shikhara (spire) is transformed into an octagonal shape at its second stage. Internally, the dome is supported on half-domed squinches and multi-cusped corner arches, while the side walls are relived with ornamented arched panels. Above these arched panels and corner arches medallions are depicted. The interior of the dome is ornamented with two bands of floral motives at the base.

At the octagonal second stage there are eight pilasters on the eight corners. The large rectangular area in each side is decorated with large window panels with closed shutters. Above the window panel runs panels containing a group of serpent hoods and floral leaf pattern alternately around the eight sides. Above each of the eight sides there is a curved chala decoration, from which the uppermost stage of the math rises in a tapering mass. The shikhara was once crowned with kalasa finial, but is now missing, although the iron trishul (trident) is still standing.

It is a typical single shikhara type of math with a series of repeated curved vertical mouldings, similar to the sonarang twin temples.

A Buddhist temple has been discovered in the territory of 2500 years old fort city named Wari-Bateshwar,Narsingdi. It has been located 14 kilometer away from the mother site of Wari-Bateshwar. It has been discovered at the village of Tongir tek, Shibpur upazila, Narsingdi. After discovering, the team of Archaeologist from Jahangirnagar University named it as ‘Tongir tek Mandir Vita’. Researcher conducting excavation there, assuming that it might be 1500 years old ancient Buddhist temple. With the discovery of this feature, it has been evaluating as a milestone in Buddha religion.

Along with the extended excavation, Researcher also collecting the seeds and pollens from this site. This collection will help a broad-spectrum research to reveal the environment, life style and eventually food habits of ancient people.

Researcher came to knew about the temple in the year of 2011, and they started excavating the site in 2012 where they found a parent room (গর্ভগৃহ) of the temple. Currently, researchers said that they have completed one-fourth of the excavation. Along with parent room of this temple there are Mandap & a Corridor interconnected which is a great sign of a complete ‘Buddhist Temple’.

There is a copperplate named ‘ASHRAFPUR COPPERPLATE’ also discovered from the same Upazila, previously. Where it was mentioned that there were four ‘Buddhist Bihar or Biharika’ in that region. Now, Archaeologist trying to discover those by excavating this temple. Generally, Buddhist Bihar is a part of the Temple & located very near to the worshipping house. May be someday, Archaeologist will discover the Bihar along with this Temple which will bring a new dimension in Buddha religion of Bangladesh.

Sonarong (means golden color) is a lovely village at Tongibari Upazila of Munshiganj district. This village belong a beautiful "Moth(মঠ)"(a place for praying by Hindu religious people) which is known as "Sonarong Jora Moth" (সোনারং জোড়া মঠ) ("twin moth"). It is used to call twin moth/temple, because it has two towers side by side. It may be around 150 feet high from the ground. There is a large pond just in front of the Moth. This moth is not functioning now a days. Interviewing local people we came to know that, there are no praying activities take place in this moth. Every side of the moth is covered with trees and that gave a lovely golden and green color's illusional view of the moth.

The larger moth was made for "Shiva"(Hindu God), and made during 1843, and the smaller one for "Kali"(Hindu Goddess), and made during 1886. It was built by a Hindu merchant named "Rupchand" (রূপচাঁদ) From stone inscriptions fixed over the temple’s entrance.

The two towers of the moth are not equal sized. One is much larger than another one. The larger tower has hundreds of holes at the top of it, and each hole is occupied by parrots. Visitors may observe hundreds of parrots from the place, and they are making sweet sound together all the day long. During the breeding season, the top of the moth become green for the numerous numbers of parrots. Both the towers of the moth are ornamented nicely with different types of leafs motif and blind alcoves.

Architectural Features:

Two temples stand side by side on a single masonry platform surrounded by a moat on three sides and an access path on the eastern side.The western temple, loftier than the eastern one, is about 15m high over the square sanctum, and measures 5.35m x 5.35m and has a 1.90m wide veranda. A low hemispherical dome covers the square sanctuary, over which rises an octagonal sikhara(শিখর) crowned by the usual pinnacle with kalasa (কলস) finials. This terminates in a trident fixed with an iron rod. The outer surface of the sikhara is decorated with a semi-circular arched pattern in plaster, which is repeated on all sides. The entire sikhara is dotted with three pigeonholes under each arch pattern. The main sanctuary has two archways, one each on the south and west sides, flanked by arched panels on both sides,and a pattern of three arches on the other two sides. The western entrance consists of a two-centered arch. The top of the archway is decorated with a frieze of blind merlons. In front of the sanctum, the veranda is covered with a flat roof supported on columns, It has three arched openings on the south, one each on its east and west side.

It is one of the important historical & archaeological places in Munshiganj District. Very recently,renovation work is on go,undoubtedly a good initiative to protect this site from further destruction.

Sri-Sri Madan Mahan Ziub Kali Mandir (শ্রী-শ্রী মদন মোহন জিউব কালী মন্দির) is situated at Gobindaganj Upazila under the district of Gaibandha. It is approximately half kilometer away from Raja Biratnagar. A banyan tree and pond is situated just in front of the Mandir Complex. Everyday many tourist from different places come to visit here. Specially, in the month of Boishakh a fair is celebrated here.