Rose Garden Palace

This Zamindar Bari (জমিদার বাড়ী) is currently known as Manob Babur Bari (মানব বাবুর বাড়ী) as the current owner's name is Manab Babu (মানব বাবু) who is the last descendent of the Gangatia Zamindar (গাংগাটিয়া জমিদার). Manob Babu (মানব বাবু) has fisheries project near from his house. You can also visit the project with its owner if he is available.

According to the Manob Babu (মানব বাবু), they are the possible smallest Zamindar (জমিদার) from the Bangladesh. Their forefathers came here from India, a Brahmin family (very strictly following Brahmin). During the war of 1971, the Pakistani armies and their Bangladeshi allies have done lot of damage to their house. Right now he is living there with his wife and sister. Neither he nor his brothers (all his brothers are passed away) have any children.

Gangatia Zamindar Bari (গাংগাটিয়া জমিদার বাড়ী) is mainly a small house that is having an array of Roman styled columns at the front. The architecture and the style of the building from the front side is amazingly beautiful. Very few travelers use to visit here. This Zamindar Bari (জমিদার বাড়ী) is a small one, but it has a massive boundary. The front door is also decorated and stylish. (গাংগাটিয়া জমিদার বাড়ী).

গাংগাটিয়ার জমিদারের সর্বশেষ বংশধর মানব বাবু বসবাস করার কারনে বর্তমানে এই জমিদার বাড়িটি মানব বাবুর বাড়ি নামে পরিচিত। জমিদার বাড়ির কাছেই মানব বাবু মাছ চাষ করেন। আপনি চাইলে তার সাথেই মাছের খামার ঘুরে দেখতে পারবেন।

মানব বাবুর ভাষ্যমতে তারা হলেন এদেশের সবচেয়ে ছোট জমিদার পরিবার। তারা হলেন ব্রাহ্মণ গোত্রের এবং তাঁদের পূর্বসূরীরা এখানে ভারত থেকে এসেছিল। ১৯৭১ সালের মুক্তিযুদ্ধের সময় পাকিস্তানী হানাদার বাহিনী ও তাদের এদেশীয় দোসররা জমিদার বাড়িটির ব্যপক ক্ষতিসাধন করে। বর্তমানে মানব বাবু এখানে তার স্ত্রী ও বোনকে নিয়ে বাস করছেন। মানব বাবু এবং তাঁর পরলোকগত কোন ভাইয়েরই কোন সন্তান নেই।

গাংগাটিয়া জমিদার বাড়ির সম্মুখভাগে রোমান স্থাপত্যের কলাম রয়েছে। সামনে থেকে এই জমিদার বাড়িটির স্থাপত্যশৈলী এক কথায় অসাধারণ। এখানে খুব কম পর্যটক বেড়াতে আসেন। ছোট এই জমিদার বাড়িটি বিশাল এলাকার উপর অবস্থিত। জমিদার বাড়ির সম্মুখ দরজাটি নকশায় পরিপূর্ণ।

বাংলাদেশের বেশীরভাগ হিন্দু জমিদার বাড়ি বেশ নাজুক অবস্থায় রয়েছে। বেশীরভাগ হিন্দু জমিদার ধর্মীয় অস্থিরতা এবং অন্যান্য প্রতিকুল পরিস্থিতির কারনে এদেশ ত্যাগ করতে বাধ্য হন। তবে, স্থানীয়দের বন্ধুত্বসুলভ আচরণ এবং সার্বিক সহযোগিতায় এখনও কিছু হিন্দু জমিদার পরিবার গর্বের সাথে বসবাস করছে।

Murapara Zamindar Palace was built during 1890 by Ramratan Banarjee. He was a trusted person of a British Indigo Planter during the British Colonial period. At that time when the indigo planter left the country after the death of his daughter, he gifted plenty of gold and money to Ramratan. Using those, he built this mammoth palace. During the war 1971, many ornate portion of the palace was plundered by people. We came to know that there were two statues of lions at the gate of the palace boundary, and both of them stolen that time. After the war, this palace was used as a refuge camp for the non-bengali people & local people established a college using the building.

This building was renovated several times, and now a days, it just lost all it's heritage. But still you can visit the palace for your weekend or any other holidays. There are two large ponds loacted at the palace premise. One at the front side and another one at the back side. You can take your sit at the bench made from stone (once upon a time, now no stone existing, only brick) to get some fresh air. In addition there is an old temple available inside the palace premise. It’s just in front of the pond . This palace is just beside the highway, and after that you can easily see the river Shitalakkhya (শীতলক্ষ্যা).

Korotia Zamindar Bari (করটিয়া জমিদার বাড়ি) is located at the Korotia of Tangail (করটিয়া, টাঙ্গাইল). The famous Zamindar (জমিদার) of Tangail, Wajed Ali Khan Panni (ওয়াজেদ আলী খান পান্নি) built that palace beside the Putia River (পুটিয়া নদী) at Korotia (করটিয়া). The whole Zamindar palace premise having 1000m x 500m dimension comprises of lot of old buildings and ponds.

The main gate of the building is currently locked and no outsiders are entertained to have an entry. So if you go there, make sure you can have an entry, or you have to return from there without visiting that archaic building. According to the local people, the palace is open for public at 1st and 12th boishak (বৈশাখ) of Bengali calendar, and the two Eid days.

Near the Zamindar Bari (জমিদার বাড়ি) an old mosque is available. The mosque is having eight domes in two rows. First row is having five equal sized smaller domes and the second one is having three domes where middle one is the largest. At the eastern side of the mosque, a 15 feet tall minaret is available with old stairs. I don't know the exact built date of the mosque. If you know, you can share as a comment at below.

টাঙ্গাইলের করটিয়ায় পুটিয়া নদীর পাশে ওয়াজেদ আলী খান পন্নী এই বিখ্যাত জমিদারবাড়িটি নির্মাণ করেন। ১০০০ মিটার x ৫০০ মিটার এলাকায় অবস্থিত জমিদারবাড়ির আশেপাশে বেশকিছু প্রাচীন ভবন ও পুকুর রয়েছে।

জমিদারবাড়ির মূল ফটকটি বর্তমানে তালাবদ্ধ রাখা হয় এবং বাইরের কাউকে এখানে ঢুকতে দেওয়া হয়না। তাই এই জমিদারবাড়িটি দেখতে গেলে নিশ্চিত করে যাওয়া উচিত যে আপনি ভিতরে ঢুকতে পারবেন। অন্যথায় এই ঐতিহাসিক স্থাপনাটি আপনাকে না দেখেই ফিরতে হবে। স্থানীয়দের কাছ থেকে জানা যায় যে, বাংলা বৈশাখ মাসের এক এবং বারো তারিখে ছাড়াও দুই ঈদের দিন জমিদারবাড়িটি জনসাধারণের জন্য উন্মুক্ত করে দেওয়া হয়।

জমিদারবাড়ির কাছেই রয়েছে একটি প্রাচীন মসজিদ। মসজিদটিতে দুই সারিতে আটটি গম্বুজ রয়েছে। প্রথম সারিতে পাঁচটি একই আকারের ছোট গম্বুজ রয়েছে এবং দ্বিতীয় সারির তিনটি গম্বুজের মধ্যে মাঝেরটি আকারে বড়। মসজিদের পূর্বদিকে পুরাতন সিঁড়ি বিশিষ্ট একটি ১৫ ফুট উঁচু মিনার রয়েছে। মসজিদটির নির্মাণের সময় সম্পর্কে জানা যায়নি।

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.