Haringhata

A 5000 years old tradition survives in 30 villages around Dhamrai and can be traced back to the Pala Dynasty (800-1100 AD), during which time both early Buddhist and Hindu settlements once flourished. It is also known as a 'Workshop of Metal Arts and Crafts in Dhamrai'. This aspect of history is explicitly reflected in each of the metal crafts produced in Dhamrai.

The artisans of the Dhamrai area practice four traditional handmade processes, lost wax method, clay casting, sand casting and hammering. Among all these, the old wax method is very demanding and practicing only by a handful of artists. In the downwards of this article, a brief of lost wax model is being described.

Metal Crafting is one of the oldest traditions in Bangladesh. Previously, there were more than 200 workshops, but now there may be 10 workshops still remaining in Dhamrai. Generation after generation it is still existing as a traditional profession. Just seventy years back, people lived through a quiet rural township. Among other natural ones, they listen to the clanging sound of metal workers, blacksmiths and artisans that made up a wonderful rhythm of beautiful working melodies.

The existence of metal crafts certainly being an important part of old Bengal's artistic tradition that dates back to over 2000 BC on the Indian peninsula. History shows that some of the greatest metal craft masterpieces of the ancient time were made here by skilled artisans and sculptors that were magnificent in design, exclusivity details and workmanship. In fact only a few in our society, nowadays, are aware of the fact that one of the main centres of such metal crafts of the sub-continent had been on this soil where only a few artisans still have been toiling to their most to revive this millennium-old art-form.

Traditionally Hindus and in lesser proportion Buddhists were the main force behind this metal art who articulated their religious and social imaginations, beliefs and messages through the artifacts. In ancient Bengal, Dhamrai was a small rural township about 40 km northwest of Dhaka and predominantly a Hindu inhabited area, and its adjacent region were the center of metal crafts where almost every family was involved in this art form using some unique 2000 year old techniques. For generations, they had been making beautiful metal objects using a variety of techniques.

These metal objects, ranging from everyday used items like culinary to religious idols of both Buddhism and Hinduism, are not only unique artworks, but also represents the centuries-old tradition of craftsmanship. Although the traditional metal industry once existed in other parts, Dhamrai had been the epic entry for centuries due to the quality, workmanship and aesthetic appeal attached to its wares. While in the early 1950's people of about 30 villages in Dhamrai-Shimulia region were in this trade but as the artisans left now only around five families, against all adversities, are trying their best to keep this trade moving.

Lost-wax casting (also called "investment casting", "precision casting", or cire perdue in French) is the process by which a duplicate metal sculpture (often silver, gold, brass or bronze) is cast from an original sculpture. Dependent on the sculptor's skills, intricate works can be achieved by this method. The oldest known examples of this technique are the objects discovered in the Cave of the Treasure (Nahal Mishmar) hoard in southern Israel, and which belong to the Chalcolithic period (4500–3500 BCE). Conservative Carbon 14 estimates date the items to c. 3700 BCE, making them more than 5700 years old. Though the process today varies from foundry to foundry, the steps used in casting small bronze sculptures are fairly standardized. (In modern industrial use, the process is called investment casting.) Variations of the process include: "lost mould", which recognizes that materials other than wax can be used (such as: tallow, resin, tar, and textile) and "waste wax process" (or "waste mould casting"), because the mould is destroyed to remove the cast item. Lost-wax casting was widespread in Europe until the 18th century, when a piece-moulding process came to predominate.

South Asia: Metal casting by the Indus Valley Civilization began around 3500 BCE in the Mohenjodaro area, which produced one of the earliest known examples of lost-wax casting, an Indian bronze figurine named the “dancing girl” that dates back nearly 5,000 years to the Harappan period (c. 3300–1300 BCE). Other examples include the buffalo, bull and dog found at Mohenjodaro and Harappa, two copper figures found at the Harappan site Lothal in the district of Ahmedabad of Gujurat,and likely a covered cart with wheels missing and a complete cart with a driver found at Chanhudaro.

During the post-Harappan period, hoards of copper and bronze implements made by the lost-wax process are known from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. Gold and copper ornaments, apparently Hellenistic in style, made by cire perdue were found at the ruins at Sirkap. One example of this Indo-Greek art dates to the 1st century BC, the juvenile figure of Harpocrates excavated at Taxila. Bronze icons were produced during the 3rd and 4th centuries, such as the Buddha image at Amaravati, and the images of Rama and Kartikeya in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. A further two bronze images of Parsvanatha and a small hollow-cast bull came from Sahribahlol, Gandhara, and a standing Tirthankara (2nd, 3rd century AD) from Chausa in Bihar should be mentioned here as well. Other notable bronze figures and images have been found in Rupar, Mathura (in Uttar Pradesh) and Brahmapura, Maharashtra.

Gupta and post-Gupta period bronze figures have been recovered from the following sites: Saranath, Mirpur-Khas (in Pakistan), Sirpur (District of Raipur), Balaighat (near Mahasthan now in Bangladesh), Akota (near Vadodara, Gujurat), Vasantagadh, Chhatarhi, Barmer and Chambi (in Rajesthan). Producing images by the lost-wax process reached its peak from 750 to 1100, and still remained prevalent in south India between 1500 and 1850. The technique was used throughout India, as well as in the neighboring countries Bangladesh,Nepal,Tibet, Srilanka & Myanmar.

Belonia is marked as the zero point at the international border between India and Bangladesh at Baspadua in Belonia, south Tripura district. A barbed wire fence is being built. The area is called Uttar Ghutuma, in Feni district, Bangladesh. Cross-border movement is routine, marriages ignoring the geographical landscape defined by maps are quite common and friendships still hold true between the two people.

A BSF border post is located opposite the spacious Government home with its jackfruit, mango and coconut trees. BSF patrols were guarding the place with the Muhuri river and Muhuri char (wasteland) setting apart the two countries.

At one time, the wasteland fed by the Muhuri River grew vegetables and sugarcane but that is over. It is a sensitive spot with both countries claiming Muhuri Char.

Trains run between India and Bangladesh could help open markets and business options could wear out the habit of political dislike. It is confirmed by a morning visit to the Akhaura border with Bangladesh, a few minutes run down the Akhaura-Agartala road.

At about 7 a.m., tempos loaded with fish drive in to Akhaura from Bangladesh, deposit their wares and turn away. Business is brisk and loud with duty-free dry fish being sold at $2 per kg for the famed Hilsa and 60 cents per kg for small fish. All other items imported into India carry an import duty ranging between 15 per cent and 30 per cent.

Over the last 20 years, the Tripura Government has been pushing New Delhi to open up trade and rail lines with Bangladesh but talks have remained talks; a waste of breath and words. The lines of Marathi poetess Amita Kokate came to mind: "Like the texture/of the canvas/is our relation/though the weaves/Are tightly interlaced, crisscross/It hurts/our fingers."

The Jet Airways flight from Kolkata to Agartala is about 30 minutes as one flies over Bangladesh at a height of 25,000 ft.; that is the lone viable link as the alternative by road going round to Guwahati and then on to Agartala can take more than 20 hours. Most do not even try it out. Sometimes one felt the State has been abandoned by all.

At least for bankers the State and its majority farming community do not exist. In a chat, Dr G.S.G. Ayyangar, Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development, Tripura Government, revealed the credit-deposit ratio was just 23 per cent. Banks were not lending and rural bank branches are rare in Tripura.

The Government has taken up the issue with the RBI and by now has become a dead Government document. Most farmers get some grants from the Center and the State with the rest brought in from outside sources. It is doubtful if the banking system has thought of routing funds to tribal practicing jhum in community-held land. Common rights on land, practiced over centuries, cannot easily be unwound. As for IT, there is little to show.

Boro Bongram, it's a new area, emerging alongside Airport road & the city also growing towards Noahata airport area. The mango crossing with RAKUB, RDA head office, new bus terminal with a commercial zone are situated here.

বড় বনগ্রাম (জায়গাটি বিমান বন্দরের কাছে) মূল রাজশাহী শহরে নওহাটার কাছে অবস্থিত। এলাকাটিকে নতুনভাবে গড়ে তোলা হয়েছে। এখানে রয়েছে আম চত্বর, রাকুব আরডিএ সদর দফতর, নতুন বাস টার্মিনাল এবং বাণিজ্যিক এলাকা।

Bijoypur Border, Netrokona (বিজয়পুর বিডিআর ক্যাম্প) is located near at the India–Bangladesh (ভারত - বাংলাদেশ) border, at Kulagora Upazila (কুলাগরা উপজেলা) of Durgapur Thana (দুর্গাপুর থানা). This camp is beside the tranquil river Shomeswari (সোমেশ্বরী). The ambient atmosphere of that area is really enthralling. Anyone can enjoy the outline hills from Indian portion from there. If you are lucky, you can see the floating clouds over the hills too. It is the season of winter, but I guess rainy season will be the best to visit that place.

Troops from BGB camp will not allow you to go beyond after that area. But if you have time, you can bypass the camp using far side route, and go further near to the border. We didn't have enough time, otherwise I might have taken that chance.

It will be a nice experience for you to ride on the boat beside the camp. Basically there is no such boats are available. You'll find few boats are crawling over the river for caring the collected coal from the river. You can hire few of those (if you can convince those reluctant boatmen). The exact GPS coordinate of Bijoypur BGB camp is (25°10'42.58"N, 90°39'23.78"E).

নেত্রকোনা জেলার কুলাগরা উপজেলার দুর্গাপুর থানার বাংলাদেশ-ভারত সীমান্তের কাছে শান্ত নদী সোমেশ্বরীর পাশে বিজয়পুর বিজিবি ক্যাম্প অবস্থিত। এখানকার পারিপার্শ্বিক পরিবেশ এক কথায় মনোমুগ্ধকর। এখান থেকে আপনি ভারতীয় অংশে অবস্থিত পাহাড়গুলোকে দেখতে পাবেন এবং ভাগ্য সুপ্রসন্ন হলে পাহাড়ের উপর ভাসমান মেঘও চোখে পড়তে পারে। বর্ষাকাল এখানে বেড়াতে আসার সর্বশ্রেষ্ঠ সময়।

ক্যাম্পে অবস্থানরত বিজিবি সদস্যরা আপনাকে ক্যাম্পের নির্ধারিত সীমানার বাইরে যেতে দেবে না তবে ক্যাম্পটিকে এড়িয়ে আরও পথ ঘুরে আপনি সীমান্তের কাছাকাছি যেতে পারবেন।

ক্যাম্পের পাশেই অবস্থিত নদীতে নৌকা ভ্রমন করার অভিজ্ঞতা অর্জন করতে পারেন। নৌকা ভ্রমনের জন্য আলাদা কোন নৌকা না থাকলেও নদী থেকে কয়লা সংগ্রহকারী নৌকায় আপনি ভ্রমন করতে পারেন। অবশ্য এজন্য আপনাকে নৌকার মাঝিকে সন্তুষ্ট করতে হবে। বিজয়পুর বিজিবি ক্যাম্পের জিপিএস অবস্থান (২৫°১০'৪২.৫৮"উ, ৯০°৩৯'২৩.৭৮"পু).