Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => Grave of Humayun Azad
[post_id] => 9595
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/grave-of-humayun-azad/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Grave-of-Humayun-Azad3-300x204.jpg
[post_content] =>
Famous writer and linguist Humayun Azad (28 April 1947 – 11 August 2004) was born in Rarikhal, Sreenagar, Munshiganj.
After his death in Germany in 2004, his body was bring back to Bangladesh and buried according to Islamic Rituals at his paternal village, though he was an anti-religion activist. Dr. Humayun Azad was also a teacher in University of Dhaka. His writings were completely different from the other writers. The topic and also the style of writing (especially word choosing) was unique which people did not receive properly. During his lifetime, several attempts were made to kill him and people did not want to bury him at Munshiganj as well after his death. Unfortunately, in 2012 there was an attempt to destroy his grave too. However, people can now visit the place where he was buried. It is very near to Rarikhal, Sir J. C. Bose Complex in Dhaka- Dohar highway.
)
[1] => Array
(
[name] => Kusumba Mosque
[post_id] => 3656
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/kusumba-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/84463426-300x199.jpg
[post_content] => Kusumba Mosque is named after the village of Kusumba, under the Manda upazila of Naogaon district, on the west bank of the Atrai River. It is inside a walled enclosure with a monumental gateway that has standing spaces for guards. It was built during the period of Afghan rule in Bengal under one of the last Suri rulers Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah, by one Suleiman who was probably a high ranking official. The inscription tablet in Arabic (only the word ‘built by’ is in Persian) dating the building to 966 AH (1558-59 AD) is fixed over its eastern central entrance.
Although built during Suri rule, it is not influenced at all by the earlier Suri architecture of North India, and is well grounded in the Bengal style. The brick building, gently curved cornice, and the engaged octagonal corner towers are typical features. The mosque, presently protected by the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh, was badly damaged during the earthquake of 1897. Although the main fabric of the building is of brick the entire exterior walls, and the interior up to the arches of the pendentives have stone facing. The columns, platform, floor, and perforated side screens are of stone. The mosque has a rectangular plan with three bays and two aisles, three entrances on the east and two each on the north and south sides.
The central mihrab is projected in the west. The interior west (qibla) wall has two mihrabs on the floor level opposite the central and southeastern entrances, but the one in the northwestern bay is above a raised platform ascended by a staircase on the east. The presence of such a platform in a non-imperial mosque indicates that not only royalty, but nobility and high-ranking officials were also separated from the general public during prayers. The mihrabs have elaborate stone carving. They have cusped arches crowned with kalasa (water pot) motifs, supported on intricately carved stone pillars which have projections and tasseled decorations hanging from chains. Bunches of grapes and vines curve in an almost serpentine manner on the mihrab frames, and kalasas, tendrils and rosettes are reduced to dots.
The platform edge has grape vine decoration, and there are rosettes on the spandrels of the arches supporting the platform, as well as on the mihrab wall. The stone used in the exterior facing is of a coarse quality and carved in shallow relief. Mouldings are most prominent decorative feature on the outside. They divide the walls into upper and lower sections, run all along the curved cornice, around the corner towers, in a straight line below the cornice, and frame the rectangular panels in the east, south and north walls. The spandrels of the central entrance arch are filled with small kalasa and rosette motifs. The north and south sides have screened windows.
)
[2] => Array
(
[name] => Armenian Church
[post_id] => 1413
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/armenian-church/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/14688097-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
The evidence says about Armenian community in the region during 17th to 18th century and their existence. Armenian Church was build in 1781 on Armenian Street in Armanitola. The site was an American graveyard before before the church built. Agaminus Catachik, an Armenian, gave away the land to build the church. Michel Cerkess, Okotavata Setoor Sevorg, Aga Amnius, and Merkers Poges helped build the church.
Mother Teresa stayed in this church during a visit to Dhaka.
In the old graveyard, among the 350 people buried there, a statue stands at the grave of Catachik Avatik Thomas, portraying his wife. The statue was bought from Kolkata and the grave is inscribed with the words "Best of Husband." Following the domination of their homeland by Persian powers of the time, Armenians were sent by their new rulers to the Bengal region for both political and economic reasons. Although the Armenian presence in South Asia is now insignificant, their presence in Dhaka dates back to the 17th century. Armenians came to Dhaka for business, and have been acknowledged for displaying a passion for trade comparable to that of the Bengalis of the time. In Dhaka, Armenian merchants traded in jute and leather, and profitability in these businesses convinced some to move permanently to Bangladesh. The area where they lived became known as Armanitola.
In 1781 the now famous Armenian Church was built on Armenian Street in Armanitola, then a thriving business district. The site was an Armenian graveyard before the church was built, and the tombstones that have survived serve as a chronicle of Armenian life in the area. Agaminus Catachik, an Armenian, gave away the land to build the church. Michel Cerkess, Okotavata Setoor Sevorg, Aga Amnius, and Merkers Poges helped build the church.
In the fifty years following the church's construction, a clock tower was erected on its western side. Allegedly, the clock could be heard four miles away, and people synchronized their watches with the sound of the tower's bell. The clock stopped in 1880, and an earthquake destroyed the tower in 1897. The Armenian played a prominent part in the jute trade in Dhaka and are reputed to be the pioneers of that trade in the second half of the 19th century. Today, the last Armenian that takes cares of the church is Mikhail Hopcef Martirossian (Micheal Joseph Martin). He was also one of the Armenian who was in the jute trade.
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => Grave of Mir Mosharraf Hossain
[post_id] => 22125
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/grave-of-mir-mosharraf-hossain/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/P_20151016_161142_p-300x169.jpg
[post_content] => Mir Mosharraf Hossain is considered as the first novelist to emerge from the Muslim society of Bengal. He was born and bred in Lahinipara, Kushtia. His Novel "Bishad Sindhu" (a tragedy based on a historical incident) is his best creation.
Early Life: Though he was born in the village of Lahinipara in Kumarkhali, Kushtia in 1847 but after that he spent most of his life in Padamdi in Baliakandi Upozila under Rajbari district. He was born in a Muslim aristocrat family.
Mid Life: He married his fathers friends daughter but it wasn't a good match. So, he got divorced and married again to Kulsum Bibi. She stayed with Mir Mosharraf Hossain till her last breath.
Bishad Sindhu: a famous literature in Bengali history. It is a novel based on the tragic death of the grandchildren of Holy Prophet Mohammad. The incidents behind "Ashura" is being well written in here.
Mir Mosharraf Hossain Memorial and his grave: Mir Mosharraf Hossain died in 1912 in Padamdi. In 1999, Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh decided to build a memorial complex in his family graveyard in Padamdi, Rajbari. In 2001, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the official construction work. In 2004, the memorial complex was handed over to
Bangla Academy for its maintenance. Then Bangla Academy built a library in there and later a bust statue of Mir Mosharraf Hossain was placed in front of the graveyard. The nearby Primary School was also renamed after his name.
)
)
