Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => Sonarong Jora Moth
[post_id] => 8450
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/sonarong-jora-moth/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SJM-1-300x240.jpg
[post_content] =>
Sonarong (means golden color) is a lovely village at Tongibari Upazila of Munshiganj district. This village belong a beautiful "Moth(মঠ)"(a place for praying by Hindu religious people) which is known as "Sonarong Jora Moth" (সোনারং জোড়া মঠ) ("twin moth"). It is used to call twin moth/temple, because it has two towers side by side. It may be around 150 feet high from the ground. There is a large pond just in front of the Moth. This moth is not functioning now a days. Interviewing local people we came to know that, there are no praying activities take place in this moth. Every side of the moth is covered with trees and that gave a lovely golden and green color's illusional view of the moth.
The larger moth was made for "Shiva"(Hindu God), and made during 1843, and the smaller one for "Kali"(Hindu Goddess), and made during 1886. It was built by a Hindu merchant named "Rupchand" (রূপচাঁদ) From stone inscriptions fixed over the temple’s entrance.
The two towers of the moth are not equal sized. One is much larger than another one. The larger tower has hundreds of holes at the top of it, and each hole is occupied by parrots. Visitors may observe hundreds of parrots from the place, and they are making sweet sound together all the day long. During the breeding season, the top of the moth become green for the numerous numbers of parrots. Both the towers of the moth are ornamented nicely with different types of leafs motif and blind alcoves.
Architectural Features:
Two temples stand side by side on a single masonry platform surrounded by a moat on three sides and an access path on the eastern side.The western temple, loftier than the eastern one, is about 15m high over the square sanctum, and measures 5.35m x 5.35m and has a 1.90m wide veranda. A low hemispherical dome covers the square sanctuary, over which rises an octagonal sikhara(শিখর) crowned by the usual pinnacle with kalasa (কলস) finials. This terminates in a trident fixed with an iron rod. The outer surface of the sikhara is decorated with a semi-circular arched pattern in plaster, which is repeated on all sides. The entire sikhara is dotted with three pigeonholes under each arch pattern. The main sanctuary has two archways, one each on the south and west sides, flanked by arched panels on both sides,and a pattern of three arches on the other two sides. The western entrance consists of a two-centered arch. The top of the archway is decorated with a frieze of blind merlons. In front of the sanctum, the veranda is covered with a flat roof supported on columns, It has three arched openings on the south, one each on its east and west side.
It is one of the important historical & archaeological places in Munshiganj District. Very recently,renovation work is on go,undoubtedly a good initiative to protect this site from further destruction.
)
[1] => Array
(
[name] => Tongir Tek Mandir Vita
[post_id] => 5895
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/tongir-tek-mandir-vita-%e0%a6%9f%e0%a6%99%e0%a7%8d%e0%a6%97%e0%a7%80%e0%a6%b0-%e0%a6%9f%e0%a7%87%e0%a6%95-%e0%a6%ae%e0%a6%a8%e0%a7%8d%e0%a6%a6%e0%a6%bf%e0%a6%b0-%e0%a6%ad%e0%a6%bf%e0%a6%9f%e0%a6%be/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_00751-300x199.jpg
[post_content] =>
A Buddhist temple has been discovered in the territory of 2500 years old fort city named Wari-Bateshwar,Narsingdi. It has been located 14 kilometer away from the mother site of Wari-Bateshwar. It has been discovered at the village of Tongir tek, Shibpur upazila, Narsingdi. After discovering, the team of Archaeologist from Jahangirnagar University named it as ‘Tongir tek Mandir Vita’. Researcher conducting excavation there, assuming that it might be 1500 years old ancient Buddhist temple. With the discovery of this feature, it has been evaluating as a milestone in Buddha religion.
Along with the extended excavation, Researcher also collecting the seeds and pollens from this site. This collection will help a broad-spectrum research to reveal the environment, life style and eventually food habits of ancient people.
Researcher came to knew about the temple in the year of 2011, and they started excavating the site in 2012 where they found a parent room (গর্ভগৃহ) of the temple. Currently, researchers said that they have completed one-fourth of the excavation. Along with parent room of this temple there are Mandap & a Corridor interconnected which is a great sign of a complete ‘Buddhist Temple’.
There is a copperplate named ‘ASHRAFPUR COPPERPLATE’ also discovered from the same Upazila, previously. Where it was mentioned that there were four ‘Buddhist Bihar or Biharika’ in that region. Now, Archaeologist trying to discover those by excavating this temple. Generally, Buddhist Bihar is a part of the Temple & located very near to the worshipping house. May be someday, Archaeologist will discover the Bihar along with this Temple which will bring a new dimension in Buddha religion of Bangladesh.
)
[2] => Array
(
[name] => Jagannath Dev Mandir
[post_id] => 1380
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/jagannath-dev-mandir/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Jogonnath-Temple-comilla-1-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Jagannath Dev Mandir is one of the ancient temples in Comilla district. King of Tripura built it. It was named 'Moharaja Radha Kishor Manikuo Bahadur' during the 16th century. The gods Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were worshiped here. Initially, the statue of gods were at Tripura temple but later it was been shifted here. Wikipedia mentioned this as Saptratna Mandir, where as the travel book writer Mustafiz Mamun has introduced this as Sotero Rotno Mandir (সতের রত্নের মন্দির). There might be a state of confusion regarding the name, but this temple is unique considering the other temples from Bangladesh.
The deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were originally installed in a temple in Tripura from where they were subsequently shifted to this temple. The terracotta brick work of the temple is in the typical Bengal style of temple architecture. Jagannath Temple is one of the oldest temples of Comilla district. It is located two km East from Comilla town, on East Bibirbazar Road, Comilla. (5km east from Comilla dist.)
This four storied, conical shaped temple is a brick built structure, constructed on a concrete octagonal base-stone. This is the only octagonal based and shaped temple of Bangladesh, and one of its type. External wall of every floor looks like octagons and were ascended like inverted Cone. It is a single spire Temple. I believe there were so many artistic terracotta all over this Mandir , from Top to bottom. I find some of the traditional Bengal design on the outside wall of third floor- a terracotta of flower, leaves and petals. Department of Archaeology renovated outside portions of Ground and first floor. Terracotta of these two floors was ruined.
There is a rumor about this ordinary looking spiritual place. Some believes there are two more floors underground, which is filled by sedimentation from Gumti River over the years. I feel this is a weak and bogus point.
This 16th Century edifice is almost 60 feet tall. There is a tank to the West of Temple premises. That Tank could be as old as the temple. The tank is also sketched in 1863 drawing [a British Library Collecton].
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => Kantaji Temple
[post_id] => 4671
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/kantaji-temple/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/kantaji-temple21-300x186.jpg
[post_content] =>
Kantaji Temple, also known as the Kantanagar Temple, is located in the graceful heart of gorgeous countryside of Dinajpur. This is a stunning block of religious artwork, and is surely one of the most impressive Hindu monuments in Bangladesh.
Built in 1704-1752 A.D. by Pran Nath, a renowned maharaja from Dinajpur, and his adopted son Ram Nath, it is the country’s finest example of brick and terracotta style. Its most remarkable feature, typical of late Mughal-era temples, is its superb surface decoration, with infinite panels of sculpted terracotta plaques.
This 15-sq-meter, three-story edifice was originally crowned with nine ornamental two-story towers, which collapsed during the great earthquake of 1897 and were never replaced. The temple is built on a high platform. This is a Nava-ratna temple. The roof of the ground floor and first floor each contains four sikharas or ratnas at their corners while the roof of second floor in its middle contains the ruins of the central sikhara.
The entire outer surface of the temple is exquisitely established with terracotta plaques which depict flora and fauna, geometric motifs, mythological scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and the contemporary social scenes and favorite pastime. The idol of Kantaji is kept in the garvagriha of the temple in its ground floor.
The department of Archaeology has been performing the necessary conservation and restoration works of Kantaji Temple since it was declared a protected monument by the Government in 1960. This is a UNESCO world heritage site.
)
)
