Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => {:en}Baba Adam Shahid Mosque{:}{:bn}বাবা আদমের মসজিদ এবং দরগা {:}
[post_id] => 7979
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/baba-adam-shahi-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/baba-adam-300x169.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}
Baba Adam Shahid Mosque (বাবা আদম শহীদ মসজিদ) is an archaeologically significant mosque situated in Munshiganj District.
Baba Adam's Mosque shows all the decorative and architectural characteristics of the sultanate architecture of Bengal. This mosque, in fact, bears the mature form of the sultanate mosque style of this region (Bangladesh).
It is a six-domed mosque. An inscription, fixed above the central doorway in the east, records 888 AH/1483 AD as the date of construction of the mosque. Malik Kafur built it during the reign of Sultan Fateh Shah. Baba Adam's Mosque is now protected monument under the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh. It has been renovated and is in a comparatively good state of preservation. Besides the mosque there is a tomb known as Baba Adam's Mazar, where, according to a legend, baba adam shahid, who died in a holy war, was buried. It is difficult to ascertain the historicity of this tomb due to lack of authentic sources. There is a newly built small tomb structure situated on the south-east side of the courtyard of the mosque. Previously, there was no roof over the tomb.
The present tomb is square in plan (7.62m a side) and is undated and without any inscription tablet. The simple grave has no feature of architectural importance and the Department of Archaeology is not responsible for preserving it.
{:}{:bn}
বাবা আদমের মসজিদ এবং দরগা মুন্সীগঞ্জ জেলার রামপাল থানার রিকাবিবাজার ইউনিয়নের কাজী কসবা গ্রামে অবস্থিত। বহুগম্বুজবিশিষ্ট আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার এই মসজিদটির ভেতরের অংশের আয়তন ১০.৩৫ মিটার গুণিতক ৬.৭৫ মিটার এবং বাইরের অংশের আয়তন ১৪.৩০ মিটার গুণিতক ১১.৪৫ মিটার। মসজিদটির দেয়ালের পুরুত্ব প্রায় ২ মিটার। বাবা আদম মসজিদের তিনটি সারিতে প্রবেশের জন্য মোট দুটি পথ রয়েছে। এই মসজিদের পশ্চিম দিকের দেয়ালের পেছনের অংশের তিনটি স্তর রয়েছে এবং মাঝখানের স্তরে নকশাকরা বহুখাঁজবিশিষ্ট খিলানের প্যানেল রয়েছে। মসজিদের ছাদে দুই সারিতে তিনটি করে মোট ছয়টি একই ধরনের গোলাকার গম্বুজ রয়েছে। বাবা আদম মসজিদে দুটি সরু স্তম্ভ রয়েছে যেগুলো কালো অগ্নিয়গিরিজাত শিলা দিয়ে নির্মিত। এই স্তম্ভগুলোর গোড়া অষ্টভুজাকার, ষোল পার্শ্বযুক্ত এবং শিকল ও ঘণ্টার আদলে নকশাকৃত। বাবা আদম মসজিদের মুসলিম আমল পূর্ববর্তী পাথরের পিলারগুলোর উপর মসজিদের সরু প্রজাতির খিলানগুলো দাড়িয়ে আছে যেখান থেকে ছয়টি গম্বুজের উদয় হয়েছে। মসজিদটি ইটের তৈরি হলেও এটির পিলার এবং আয়তাকার স্তম্ভগুলো পাথরের তৈরি।
সুলতানি আমলের বেশীরভাগ স্থাপনার মত এই মসজিদের কার্নিশ এবং ছাদ বক্ররেখা বেষ্টিত। মসজিদের পশ্চিম দিকের দেয়ালের মিহরাবের সাথে সমান্তরালভাবে পূর্বদিকে তিনটি চমৎকার বক্রাকার ফটক রয়েছে।
বাবা আদম মসজিদের খিলান ও ছাদের মধ্যকার স্থানে গোলাপের নকশা রয়েছে এবং ছাঁচের নকশায় প্রস্তুতকৃত কুলুঙ্গির সারি রয়েছে। মসজিদে সবকটি ফটক এবং মিহরাবে আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার নকশা খোদাই করা আছে এবং উত্তর ও দক্ষিন দিকের দেয়ালে আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার কুলুঙ্গি রয়েছে। মসজিদটিতে কোন মিনার নেই এবং মাঝখানের ফটকের দুই পাশেই বহু খাঁজবিশিষ্ট দুটি আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার প্যানেল রয়েছে। ছোট পিলারসমূহের উপরে বাবা আদম মসজিদের খিলানগুলো দাড়িয়ে আছে যেগুলোতে টেরাকোটার চমৎকার ঝুলে থাকা ফুলের নকশা করা আছে। বাবা আদম মসজিদের বহিরাংশের মত নকশা সিরাজগঞ্জের শাহজাদপুর মসজিদের বহিরাংশেও দেখা যায়।
বাবা আদমের মসজিদের নকশা এবং স্থাপত্যশৈলীতে সেসময় বাংলায় সুলতানি আমলের স্থাপত্যশৈলীর চরিত্র দেখতে পাওয়া যায়। এই অঞ্চলের (বাংলাদেশের) মসজিদগুলোতে সুলতানি স্থাপত্যশৈলীর পূর্ণ রুপের মসজিদ ছাড়াও এখানে একটি দরগা রয়েছে যেটি বাবা আদমের মাজার নামে পরিচিত। লোককথায় আছে যে বাবা আদম শহিদ একটি ধর্মযুদ্ধে নিহত হবার পর তাঁকে এখানে দাফন করা হয়। নির্ভরযোগ্য সূত্রের অভাবে এই দরগার ইতিহাস সঠিকভাবে জানা যায়নি। মসজিদের উঠানের দক্ষিন-পূর্বদিকে একটি নবনির্মিত ছোট দরগা রয়েছে। পূর্বে দরগার উপর কোন ছাদ ছিল না। বর্তমানে অবস্থিত দরগাটি বর্গাকার (যার প্রতিটি বাহু ৭.৬২ মিটার এবং এটিতে কোন শিলালিপি নেই তাই কবে এটি নির্মিত হয়েছিল তারও কোন তারিখের উল্ল্যেখ নেই। দরগার পাশে অবস্থিত কবরটি অতি সাধারণ তাই এটির কোন স্থাপত্যশৈলীর দিক দিয়ে কবরটির কোন গুরুত্ব নেই আর তাই প্রত্নতাত্ত্বিক অধিদফতর কবরটি সংরক্ষণও করছে না।
{:}
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[1] => 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.
)
[2] => Array
(
[name] => Mirkadim Bridge
[post_id] => 8217
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/mirkadim-bridge/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mirkadim-Bridge-11-300x200.jpg
[post_content] =>
Mirkadim bridge (মীরকাদিম ব্রিজ) spans the Mir Kadim canal (creek) which runs from Mir Kadim to Tangibari. It connects the village Abdullahpur and Panam area of Rampal Union Parishad under Munshigonj District. It is situated at a distance of about 5.50 km from the district headquarters. The local tradition claims it to have been built by King Ballal Sen, but the architectural features belie the local tradition. The bridge can architecturally be attributed to the Mughal period, not earlier than 17th century. The 53m long bridge consists of a central pointed arch of 4.40m span with two side arches of 2.25m span each. The central arch is 0.40m high from the water level of the creek and at present 31m wide. It is 6.15m wide with each wing measuring 16.80m in length. The central arch is flanked by an octagonal pilaster on each side. Similarly each of the side arches has a pilaster each crowned with a cupola. The plasters of the side arches rise above the spandrel of the arch but those of the central arch are shorter and so not reach the archivolt. The pier is 1.85m thick. It is reported that on either end of the bridge there were circular pillars but now these are buried under earth. It appears that there are 6 piers on each side of the bridge. The central arch is loftier and wider than the side ones and is set in a deep rectangular panel with plain plastered spandrel. Base of the arches provided with cut waters. The hump backed bridge rises to a central point from which its back gently slopes to either side. It has a 70 cm high parapet wall on either side. The surviving thickness of the bridge measures 4.34m.
It has been protected and repaired extensively by the Department of Archaeology.
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => Tokani Pal House
[post_id] => 8643
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/tokani-pal-house/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/TPP-12-300x200.jpg
[post_content] =>
Munshiganj, or Bikrampur as it was formerly known as home to a number of rich landlords and merchants, who lived in palatial houses, built on large estates. Most of these perished in course of time as the mighty Padma River devoured most of Bikrampur. Of all that remain in today’s Munshiganj, the largest is the house at Abdullahpur, known as Tokani Pal House (টোকানী পাল বাড়ি). There isn’t enough source to know about who built this house, but Tokani Pal, an elderly merchant from Barisal, bought this 7 acre estate and moved in here sometime in the early 1890s. His second wife Nabanga Sundary and all six sons from his two marriages accompanied him.
The estate now consists of 11 buildings and six ponds. The sprawling gardens have hundreds of trees – fruit bearing, medicinal, or for wood itself. And there were once several hundreds of flowering plants. But when Tokani arrived, the estate was in a mess. Kamini Pal, the eldest son of Tokani,took charge of cleaning up the estate. He chose a place to set up a temple, dedicated to Radha-Shyam, of whom they had been followers for generations. By this time, the masons of Abdullahpur had made a name in craftsmanship and expertise, and Arfan Ostagar was the most revered of all. He was hired, for a daily fee of five quarters and a pack of tobacco. His designer had to be paid an additional three quarters. A 15X6 feet room was planned to build, with a wide sprawling varanda, where followers could sing devotional songs every evening. The room would have a large platform, on which would rest a large metal statue of Radha-Shyam. The exterior wall would be decorated with fine ceramic designs. Once completed, the temple became a marvel, people from far and wide came over to see.
The Pal’s principal business was surrounded around the Kamala river port of Bikrampur, which was known as the Second Kolkata. Betelnuts, mustard, lentils etc would arrive from Barisal or Chandpur, and would be traded with Kolkata. Almost 20,000 laborers worked daily at this port, where the second largest wholesalers were the Pals. They set up warehouses at places as far as Barisal, Jhalokathhi or Shwarupkathhi, or Chandpur. Kamini Pal also became the most prominent money-lender. Dwarkanath became a prominent dealer in Kerosene oil. Other brothers also chipped in here and there. Business for the Pals was running well.
After the Partition of India, a large section of the family moved to Kolkata. Those who remained to protect the family businesses, soon found it difficult, as business with Kolkata became complicated. They had to explore new business avenues, but that wasn’t too easy.
In 1971, Hindus were being tortured or killed, their businesses were being shut down, their houses were being torched. The Pal estate being protected with a strong high boundary wall became a safe refuge, not only for members of this family, but for members of extended families, and also for friends and their families. About 500 people had found safe shelter here, until one dark night, when the Pakistani Army entered the compounds, killed several family members, and set the main houses of fire. The entire clan moved to India through Agartala.
Almost two years later, Shashadhar Pal, the second son of Dwarkanath Pal, who by then was head of the clan, returned with his family. But by this time major parts of the estate had been grabbed and taken over by others. He tried to revive some of the businesses, but did not quite succeed. His family members went back to Kolkata, but he decided to stay back, reminiscing his childhood memories, and gradually selling off part of their properties. He lived either in one of the houses within this estate, or in the other Pal House, which also was built by his uncle Kamini Pal several decades ago. He passed away in the late 1990s.
)
)
