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] => Harisachandra Pat or Rajbari
[post_id] => 6261
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/harisachandra-pat-or-rajbari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/offroadbangladeshlogo2-300x178.png
[post_content] =>
Ancient Harisachandra pat or Rajbari is located at Khutamara union in Jaldhaka Upazila of Nilphamari district. It is situated south side the river Charal Kata. Now it all ruins. There is an Elevation. On the Elevation are 5 black stone. People says that of that area those stone some time Sink and Arm in the soil. Many people says that it is a grave or building of the king. Beside this Elevation there are more two Elevation. In the north side of this pat or Rajbari there has two pond name Duyo-Suyo. Which carry the memory of two princes Anuda and Padun.
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[1] => Array
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[name] => {:en}Kalikhola Zamindar Bari{:}{:bn}কালীখোলা জমিদার বাড়ি{:}
[post_id] => 6188
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/kalikhola-zamindar-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/1Kalikhola-Jomidar-Bari21-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}
This is locally named as "Shaha Bari", built by someone rich merchant. The owner of the house left the house during the war 1971 with Pakistan. Before leaving the country, he somehow able to sell his properties.
After a few minutes of walking distance from the "Shaha Bari", there is another old house, and this one is much larger. Actually this is the mansion of the local Zamindar of here. This house is currently occupied by the local "Land Survey" section of Madaripur. 4/5 government employees used to work here. Also the old house is using by the families of these employees. From my observation, this building is not that much older compare to other Palaces from Bangladesh. But still this place is worth to visit.
Initially the people from there was apathetic to help me, and was curious about my presence here. But after a short talking with them, they started to provide information about this house. And one of the employee guided me to visit the whole Mansion.
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‘শাহাবাড়ি’ নামে স্থানীয়দের কাছে পরিচিত কোন এক ধনী বনিক এই জমিদারবাড়িটি নির্মাণ করেছিলেন। বাড়িটির মালিক ১৯৭১ সালের মুক্তিযুদ্ধের সময় বাড়ি ছেড়ে চলে যান এবং দেশত্যাগের পূর্বে জমিদারবাড়িটি বিক্রি করতে সমর্থ হন।
শাহাবাড়ি থেকে কয়েক মিনিট হাঁটলে আরেকটি বড় প্রাচীন বাড়ি আপনার চোখে পরবে যেটি স্থানীয় জমিদারেরা ব্যবহার করতেন। বর্তমানে মাদারীপুরের ভূমি জরিপের কাজে নিয়োজিত চার থেকে পাঁচজন সরকারি কর্মচারী সপরিবারে এই ভবনে বসবাস করছে। এই বাড়িটিকে বাংলাদেশের অন্যান্য জমিদারবাড়ির চাইতে পুরাতন মনে হয় না।
এখানকার স্থানীয় মানুষেরা আপনার উপস্থিতিতে প্রথমদিকে বেশ কৌতূহল বোধ করলেও তাদের সাথে কিছুক্ষন কথা বলার পর আপনাকে এই ভবনের ইতিহাস সম্পর্কে অবহিত করবে। এখানে বসবাস করা কর্মচারীরা আপনাকে পুরো ভবনটি ঘুরিয়ে দেখাতে পারে।
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[2] => Array
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[name] => {:en}Raja Shitaram Palace{:}{:bn}রাজা সীতারামের প্রাসাদ{:}
[post_id] => 1904
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/raja-shitaram-palace/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Broken-pillers-of-Raja-Sitaram-Roy-Palace1-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}
Raja Sitaram Ray (1658–1714) was a sovereign king. Raja Shitaram Palace has now almost been destroyed, but holds the history of many years in every corner of its building. He rebelled against the Mughal Empire and established a short-lived sovereign Hindu dominion in Bengal. In his early life he initiated Shaktism as he came from a Shakta family. He set up capital in Mohammadpur where the palace is located and established a Dashabhuja Temple there.
In course of time he became attracted to Vaishnavism and became a disciple of Krishna Vallabh Goswami of Murshidabad, who initiated belief in him. Sitaram established a pancharatna temple devoted to Hare Krishna in the village of Kanainagar to the west of the fort at Mohammadpur.
{:}{:bn}রাজা সীতারাম রায় ছিলেন একজন স্বাধীন রাজা। তিনি মুঘল রাজত্বের বিরুদ্ধে বিদ্রোহ করেন এবং বাংলায় একটি স্বল্পস্থায়ী হিন্দু অঞ্চল প্রতিষ্ঠা করেন। শাক্তা পরিবার থেকে আসায় তিনি জীবনের শুরুতে শক্তিবাদের প্রবর্তন করেন। মোহাম্মাদপুরে রাজধানী স্থাপন করে রাজা সীতারাম সেখানে দাশাভুজা মন্দির স্থাপন করেন। সময়ের সাথে সাথে রাজা সীতারাম বিষ্ণুবাদের প্রতি আকর্ষিত হন এবং মুর্শিদাবাদের কৃষ্ণ বল্লভ গোস্বামীর ভক্ত বনে যান যিনি রাজা সীতারামের মধ্যে বিশ্বাস স্থাপন করেন। মোহাম্মাদপুর দুর্গের পশ্চিমে কানাইনগর গ্রামে রাজা সীতারাম হরি কৃষ্ণকে উৎসর্গ করে একটি পঞ্চরত্ন মন্দির স্থাপন করেন।{:}
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[name] => Ulpur Zamindar Bari
[post_id] => 18413
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/ulpur-zamindar-bari/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Ulpur-Jomidarbari-1-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
During 1850, the greater Gopalganj area was ruled by the Zamindar. At that time, they made hundreds of buildings for their residence and official purposes. The buildings were made in the traditional Zamindar Bari look and style. In the last 150 years, most of the houses were destroyed by erosion. After being taken by the government, the authority turned some of these houses into government buildings. Now, most of the houses are abandoned or occupied by local people.
There is a cluster of old buildings in the Ulpur Area which is situated in the Gopalgonj - Takerhat highway, not so far from the Gopalgonj main town. As soon as you cross the Ulpur bridge from Ulpur bazar, the buildings start to appear. The first one was used as the Union Land Office (Government) but is now abandoned. The local people over there are now using it to stock fodder.
The second was probably used as a duplex residential complex but now is being used as the Sub Post Office. The surrounding environment is good and the building is covered by bamboo stocks. In the main road, there is a large old building, which was probably the main building. Outside this building the words "Dinesh Dham" in Bengali is carved in a white slate. This building is currently occupied by some local inhabitants.
If we go farther, then we will see another broken house formerly used as the Upazilla Registry office, now almost completely in ruins. "Din-Dham" in Bengali is also carved outside he building in white stone.
The overall environment of this village is very good and peaceful. Walking for an hour in the silence of this area will be relaxing. The most attractive structure is the Temple. The walls of the temple is decorated with colorful glass & ceramics. The temple looks good but it is also abandoned so the temple has shifted into a newly constructed building.
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