Brief
Nawab Faizunnesa Choudhurani (1834–1903) was Zamindar of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon Estate in present-day Comilla District, Bangladesh. She is most famous for her campaign for female education and other social issues. In appreciation of her social work, in 1889 Queen Victoria awarded Faizunnesa the title of “Nawab”, making her the first female Nawab in South Asia.
Early life and background: Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani was born in 1834 in the village of Pashchimgaon under Laksham in the district of Comilla. Her father was Ahmed Ali Chowdhury, a descendent of the Mughal emperors and zamindar of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon estate. Faizunnessa was raised in a conservative Muslim family, where the women would maintain a strict purdah system. She received no formal education but she educated herself in her library during leisure time. She was proficient in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit and Bengali language. In 1860, Faizunnesa was married to a distant cousin and neighboring Zamindar, Muhammad Gazi, becoming his second wife. But the couple became separated for an unknown reason and Faizunnesa began to live with her paternal family.
Career and philanthropy: After her mother’s death in 1883, Faizunnesa inherited her property and became Zamindar of Pashchimgaon. She became increasingly involved in social work after becoming Zamindar. In 1873, Faizunnesa Choudhurani established a high school for girls in Comilla, which is one of the earliest female schools privately established in Indian subcontinent, which is now called Nawab Faizunnesa Government Girls’ High School. She also founded a school at Pashchimgaon that was later upgraded to a college and now named as Nawab Faizunnesa Degree College.
In 1893, Faizunnesa established a charitable dispensary in her village for women in purdah, particularly destitute women. She also built a hospital for women, Faizunnesa Zenana Hospital in Comilla. In addition, she built mosques and contributed towards the development of roads and ponds. Faizunnesa patronized different newspapers and periodicals, including Bandhab, Dhaka Prakash, Musalman Bandhu, Sudhakar, and Islam Pracharak. Before her death in 1903 she donated her entire property to the nation.
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[name] => Haturia Zamindar Bari
[post_id] => 5290
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Haturia is the birth place of Zamindar Sekander Ali Chowdhury who was the Recognized Muslim Zamindar in British Period. Haturia is the place in Gosairhat Upazila where once upon a time, there was Stimar Station. The old structure of Haturia Zamindar Bari is now destroyed for lack of caring. If Government or any other not care it or take any steps, it will be distinct as soon as possible.
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[name] => Shoshi Lodge ( Women Teachers Training College)
[post_id] => 22126
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[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Shoshi-Lodge-4-300x169.jpg
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Shoshi Lodge (শশী লজ) is located at the center of Mymensingh city which is also known as the Residential Palace of Moharaja Shoshi Kanto Acharya (মহারাজা শশীকান্ত আচার্য). This palace is very close to the river Brahmaputra which is being used as Women Teachers Training College from the year 1952.
According to the history, most of the rulers from Zamindar family have adopted babies in different era and those adopted child ruled the area later. For example Gourikanta(গৌরীকান্ত) was adopted by Roghunondon(রঘুনন্দন). Son of Gourikanta was Shashikanta(শশীকান্ত) and his wife adopted Surjokanta (সূর্য্যকান্ত) as she was childless. Later, Surjokanto became the prominent Zamindar of Mymensingh district. People used to call him as Moharaja(মহারাজা).
Moharaja Surjokanto Acharya was the Zamindar in Mymensingh region for long 41 years. During the reign of his Zamindari he did so many work for social welfare and made a remarkable change in infrastructural development.
He started to build an unique two storied building on an area of nine acre at the end of nineteenth century. Childless Zamindar Surjokanto named after this building in the name of his adopted son Shoshi Kanto Acharya. After completion of construction this building was extensively damaged by a destructive earth quake on the year 1897. Zamindar Surjokanto was immensely worried at this great loss.
Later Zamindar Shoshi Kanto Acharya re-built this building with many additional features in the year 1905 and did more renovation work in 1911. This unique classical architecture and its surrounding will certainly attract a traveler to explore this place recurrently.
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[name] => {:en}Rayerkati Zamindar Bari{:}{:bn}রায়েরকাঠি জমিদার বাড়ি{:}
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Around 300 years ago, a landlord family established this Zamindar bari by their name. Parliament, ball-room, guest house and many Hindu temples were constructed near that landlord house. The number of places were amounting to almost 200. Among them, 40-50 were large. In 1658, Kaali (Hindu God) Mandir or temples were established here and The biggest Shiva Linga is also located here, weight is around 1000 kg.
Though this is a Zamindar Bari, but these days there is nothing left behind. Only few temples around (or probably there were few remnants). These are old temples which are in ruin, probably carrying the mark of 300 years or more. As per the reference, it should have the largest phallus of lord Shiva. There is a newly temple built beside the old ones and few people go there for the prayer. As per their information, it is an Iskon Temple (ইস্কন মন্দির).
[This spot needs more detail. If you have more information and photos, please be advised to add in our website. Your name will be published as a Content Contributor]
{:}{:bn}৩৫০ বছর পূর্বে এখানে একটি জমিদার পরিবার বাস করত। এখানে আইনসভা, বলরুম, অতিথিশালা, বেশকিছু হিন্দু মন্দিরসহ প্রায় দুইশর অধিক স্থাপনা নির্মাণ করা হয়েছিল। যেগুলোর মধ্যে চল্লিশ থেকে পঞ্চাশটি স্থাপনা ছিল বিশালাকৃতির। ১৬৫৮ সালে এখানে কালী মন্দির নির্মাণ করা হয়। দেশের সবচেয়ে বৃহৎ শিবলিঙ্গটি এখানেই অবস্থিত, যার ওজন প্রায় ১০০০ কেজি।{:}
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[name] => Dayarampur Rajbari
[post_id] => 17288
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/dayarampur-rajbari-2/
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Dayarampur Rajbari (দয়ারামপুর রাজবাড়ি) is located in Bagatipara Upazila, inside of the Qadirabad Cantonment under the administration of Bangladesh Army. After taking the oath of the Zamindari, Pramadanath (প্রমদানাথ) Roy (1873-1925), the elder son of then Dighapatia King Promothonath (প্রমথনাথ) Roy (1849-1883), established the Junior Raj Dayarampur Estate in a place named Nondikuza (নন্দীকুজা) on the bank of river Boral and built this Rajbari for his three younger brothers. They are Kumar Bosontokumar Roy (1874-1925), Kumar Sharatkumar Roy (1876-1946) and Kumar Hemendrakumar Roy (1877-1943).
This place was named after Dayaram (দয়ারাম) Roy (1680-1760), the great efficient Dewan of Queen Bhabani (1716-1795) of Natore and the establisher of Dighapatia Royal Family. After the death of Kumar Bosontokumar Roy, Kumar Sharatkumar Roy took the responsibility of the whole Dayarampur Estate and stayed this palace till death. After the eradication of Zamindar dominion, they went to India.
Source: History of Natore, by Samar Pal
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