Narayanpur Nilkuthi
Type: History & Culture
Contributed By:
Brief
Once there was a significant number of Nilkuthi all over the Bangladesh. Basically, rest of them located in the riverine area. Riverine area was selected for cultivating the indigo as those were more fertile than dry land. During the reign (1757-1858 AD) of East India Company, they built several Nilkuthi to collect ‘Dadon’ from the poor farmers and several indigo processing industries. Still now some portion of those processing industry existing in different areas of Bangladesh. We can exemplify by several ruins of indigo processing Chimney around the country.
One of this indigo Chimneys is situated at Narayanpur village of Belabo thana in Narsingdi District. We couldn’t reveal who built this structure and specifically when it was built. It’s nearly 75 feet tall from the surface which has grown narrower from its bottom to top and local people said there were six large furnace underneath the chimney. To release the smoke of those furnace this chimney were built.If anybody visits there, they can watch so many parrots living inside this brick structure and chirping all day long.The name of the last indigo ruler (Kuthial) in that territory was ‘G.P. Wize’.
We assume that once there might be some massive structures around this brick chimney which were used for the residence of Indigo ruler and now buried or destroyed in course of time. Some broad Spectrum research in future can reveal the story behind this structure.Recently, the place near to this chimney is named as Nilkuthi Bus stand in Narayanpur. It is nearly 80 km away from Dhaka.
Indigo planting in Bengal dated back to 1777. And it was a milestone which turned the farmers of Bengal to revolt against the Company rule. The oppressed farmers were mercilessly pursued to cultivate Indigo in their lands instead of food crops . Louis Bonard was probably the first indigo planter. As the British power expanded in the Nawabate of Bengal, indigo planting became more and more commercially profitable due to the demand for blue dye in Europe. It was introduced in large parts of Burdwan, Bankura, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and in different parts of Bengal. The indigo planters left no stones unturned to make money. They provided loans to the farmers, called ‘Dadon’ at a very high interest. Once a farmer took such loans he remained in debt for whole of his life before passing it to his successors. The price paid by the planters was meagre, only 2.5% of the market price. The farmers could make no profit growing indigo. The farmers were totally unprotected from the brutal indigo planters, who resorted to mortgages or destruction of their property if they were unwilling to obey them.
Government rules favored the planters. By an act in 1833, the planters were granted a free hand in oppression. Even the zamindars, money lenders and other influential persons sided with the planters. Out of the severe oppression unleashed on them the farmers resorted to revolt.
In February–March 1859 the farmers refused to sow a single seedling of indigo plant. The strength of the farmers’ resolutions were dramatically stronger than anticipated from a community victimized by brutal treatment for about half a century.
How to go
You can ride on a Dhaka-Bhairab Bus from Mohakhali, Airport, Abdullahpur and Tongi Bus stand. When you reach at Itakhola Bus stand of Shibpur thana, Narsingdi. Then, you may inform the supervisor of your Bus to let you step off at Nilkuthi Bus stand. From the bus stand it’s just five minutes path to reach there.
How To Reach: Narsingdi District
The communication system of this district is very good. The Dhaka-Sylhet highway, one of the important highways of Bangladesh, passes through Narsingdi. It is only 1/2 hours distance from Dhaka. Inter-district road communication is also better from here.
Water way communication is also very good as lots of river flows through Narsingdi. Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet, two most busiest rail route of the country goes through Narsingdi. People can easily go Narshingdi by boarding this buses.
From Gulistan -Meghalay Luxury, from Sydabad & Gulistan bus terminal – Monohordi Paribahan, Anna Super Service, BRTC Bus. From Mohakhali Bus stand – PPL, Chalan Bil Transport, Arabian Transport, Badsha Paribahan.
Mohakhali, Airport Bus-stand, Abullahpur, Tongi (station road):
1. BRTC
Address: BRTC Bus Depo, Kamlapur, Dhaka.
Phone: 9333803, 9002531
2. BRTC AC Bus Service
Route: Roptani-Abdullahpur-Narsingdi-Bhairab
3. Badsha Paribahan (Pvt.) ltd.
Route: Dhaka- Bhairab
Phone: 01710-856066, 01842-526223
Fare: 120-145 BDT
4. Chalanbill Tranport Limited
Route: Dhaka to Bhairab
Phone: 01715-019550
Fare-120-145 BDT
5. PPL Super
Route: Mohakhali – Narsingdi
Phone: 01817074515, 01845950701, 01831343894
Fare: 90-105 BDT
6. Meghalay Luxury
Phone: 01711-609199, 01711-523079
Fare: 80 BDT
The transportation between Dhaka City and Narsingdi district is quite fair. The distance from Dhaka city to Narsingdi dictrict is around 59.4 km. In train, it would take around 1 and half an hour to travel to Narsingdi from Capital city. It has 10 train stations inside the district.
Trains, travelling to Sylhet and Chittagong and only developed train, like Mahanagar usually stop in the Narsingdi rail stations. Where as Titash commuter and Egarsindhur stops in different stations in Narsingdi.
Where to Stay
1) Circuit House, Narsingdi (Government)
Phone: 02-9462083
Mobile: 01735-840294
2) District Council Postal Bungalow (Government)
Postal Bungalow Road, Narsingdi
Phone: 029463765
Mobile 01712-521274
3) Dak bungalows (Government)
Roads and public departments, Narsingdi
phone: 029463222
4) Rest House (Government)
Civil surgeon’s office, Narsingdi
Phone: 029463181
5) Rest House (Government)
LGED Office, Narsingdi
Phone: 029462260
6) Hotel Nirala
Library parti, Narsingdi market, Narsingdi
Phone: 029463393
Mobile: 01711-196699
7) Hotel Al-Arafat
215/1 siendabi Road, busstation, Narsingdi
Phone: 029463393
Mobile: 01712-130139
8) Hotels Mamataj
Patilbari Road, Narsingdi
Mobile: 01711-952120
9) Hotel Aziz
Patilbari Road, Narsingdi
Mobile: 01712070231
10) Hotel Riyaj
Patilbari Road, Narsingdi
Phone: 946 to 516
Mobile: 01712-609045
11) Hotel Tanim
Patilbari Road, Narsingdi
Phone: 9463982
Mobile: 01718-916143
Things to do
- You can take a look at the architectural beauty of this structure
- Don’t forget to take picture
- You will find so many parrots over there
- A long vast land is empty where you can watch greeneries and get a release from monotonous life
- You can have a conversation with the local people to know their impression about the feature
Eating Facilities
Referred to where to eat in Narsingdi, click here
