Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => Alexander Castle
[post_id] => 21791
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/alexander-castle/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/P_20151013_170743_1_p-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
Alexander Castle is one of the most amazing and renowned structure in Mymensingh District. It was built by Maharaja Suryo Kanta Acharya Chowdhury(মহারাজ সুর্যকান্ত আচার্য চৌধুরী) in 1879 in the memory of the 1st zilla magistrate of Mymensingh Mr. N .S Alexander at the time of Jubili festival. It covers an area of 27.155 acres.
It is a nice small archaic building having two Greek statue at both sides of the front gate. Though the arms of those statues are currently broken, but still those looks great. The whole building is placed over a high plinth, probably to avoid the flood from the nearness river.
It cost 45000 taka at that time. Alexander Castle is a two storied building made by metals and woods in a high concrete base. This building was used as a rest house for the guests of Maharaja Maharaja Soshi Kanta Acharya Chowdhury. Many great personalities of the world stayed at this castle when visiting Mymensingh city. Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore arrived in Mymensingh around the midday of 15 February 1926. He stayed in the Alexander Castle as a guest for 4days. Mahatma Gandhi also stayed in this castle in 1926.
Lord carzon, Chittaranjan Das, Nawab Sir Salimullah, Kamal Pasha also visited Alexander Castle. This house was decorated by royal furnitures and items at that time. There is a big field in front of this house. You can see two fascinating silver statue which makes the place more beautiful. There is also a big garden and a pond still remains behind the castle. It is said that Maharaja used to keep big cats in his garden so he surrounded the garden with big still cages.At present this house is being used as library of teachers training college(male) in Mymensingh.
)
[1] => Array
(
[name] => Ulpur Zamindar Bari
[post_id] => 18413
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/ulpur-zamindar-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Ulpur-Jomidarbari-1-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
During 1850, the greater Gopalganj area was ruled by the Zamindar. At that time, they made hundreds of buildings for their residence and official purposes. The buildings were made in the traditional Zamindar Bari look and style. In the last 150 years, most of the houses were destroyed by erosion. After being taken by the government, the authority turned some of these houses into government buildings. Now, most of the houses are abandoned or occupied by local people.
There is a cluster of old buildings in the Ulpur Area which is situated in the Gopalgonj - Takerhat highway, not so far from the Gopalgonj main town. As soon as you cross the Ulpur bridge from Ulpur bazar, the buildings start to appear. The first one was used as the Union Land Office (Government) but is now abandoned. The local people over there are now using it to stock fodder.
The second was probably used as a duplex residential complex but now is being used as the Sub Post Office. The surrounding environment is good and the building is covered by bamboo stocks. In the main road, there is a large old building, which was probably the main building. Outside this building the words "Dinesh Dham" in Bengali is carved in a white slate. This building is currently occupied by some local inhabitants.
If we go farther, then we will see another broken house formerly used as the Upazilla Registry office, now almost completely in ruins. "Din-Dham" in Bengali is also carved outside he building in white stone.
The overall environment of this village is very good and peaceful. Walking for an hour in the silence of this area will be relaxing. The most attractive structure is the Temple. The walls of the temple is decorated with colorful glass & ceramics. The temple looks good but it is also abandoned so the temple has shifted into a newly constructed building.
)
[2] => Array
(
[name] => {:en}Shilaidaha Kuthibari{:}{:bn}শিয়ালদহ কুঠিবাড়ি{:}
[post_id] => 1875
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/shilaidaha-kuthibari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Tagore_Kuthibari-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) frequently visited and used to stay in Shilaidaha Kuthibari in connection with the administration of his Zamindari and enriched Bengali literature through his quality writing during that time. He wrote many memorable poems during his stay here. He built it as his residence/office for collecting revenue as a zamindar, from local peasants. It is now a museum under Archaeology department of Ministry of Cultural Affairs.{:}{:bn}বিশ্বকবি রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর (১৮৬১-১৯৪১) প্রায়ই এখানে আসতেন এবং অবস্থান করতেন। তিনি তাঁর জমিদারি তদারকি করার জন্য এখানে অবস্থান করতেন। এখানে অবস্থানকালে রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর তাঁর লেখনীর মাধ্যমে সাহিত্য চর্চা করতেন। এখানে অবস্থানকালে তিনি অনেক স্মরণীয় কবিতা রচনা করেন। জমিদার হিসেবে স্থানীয় কৃষকদের কাছ থেকে খাজনা আদায়ের জন্য তিনি কুঠিবাড়িকে তাঁর আবাস/দফতর হিসেবে ব্যবহার করতেন। বর্তমানে সংস্কৃতি মন্ত্রনালয়ের প্রত্নতত্ত্ব অধিদফতরের অধীনে কুঠিবাড়িকে একটি জাদুঘর হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হচ্ছে।{:}
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => Judge Bari and Ukil Bari
[post_id] => 10277
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/judge-bari-and-ukil-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/110-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
Traveling Nawabganj without paying a visit to Judge Bari and Ukil Bari (জজ বাড়ি এবং উকিল বাড়ি) (formerly known as Brojo Kutir) is nearly incomplete trip. Originally it was built as the residence of a Zamindar over a century ago, the Brojo Niketan was acquired by a judge in 1984, and henceforth became known locally as the judge bari, the residence of the judge.
Next door to the judge bari, on a corner of a sprawling playground made famous by the sheer attendance of Mahatma Gandhi in 1940, is another Zamindar’s house, which has been acquired by a lawyer, and thus taken the new name Ukil Bari.
In a small shrine between these two old palatial houses, one will come across a statue whose head has been knocked down, allegedly by the Pakistan Army during our Liberation War in 1971, supposedly of Gautama Buddha.
A little inside the Ansar controlled areas, one would come across the Brojo Kutir - the older palace of the Zamindar, and yet another palatial house of Kokil Peyari. It has now turned into a local picnic spot.
)
)