




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.
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
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[0] => Array
(
[name] => Tushbhandar Zamindar Bari or Landlord House
[post_id] => 4790
[post_link] => https://offroadbangladesh.com/places/tushbhandar-zamindar-bari-or-landlord-house/
[thumb_link] => https://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Tushabhandar-jamindar-bari1-300x212.jpg
[post_content] =>
During the period of Maharaja Pran Narayan "Rsik Ray bigroho" happened in 1634 and in that time the origin of tushvandar Murari dev Ghosal Vottacharjo from 24 porgona/Kolkata's Jay nagar came in Koach bihar and in upuonchouki matter get a taluk anstarted to live here. During that time to do religious work land was given by upenchouki matter. Murari dev disagree to take the donation of the shudro king's beacuse he is a brammon. He appealed to take rent for the land. After that the queen agreed to take paddy bran as rent. Dew to give rent as paddy bran it was stored near landlord house in the east side and after it was sent to the Koachbihar kings house. With this bran many religious events happened in the king’s house. People says that, for the stored bran this place was named as tushvandar. By brammahan murari dev vottacharja the landlord of tushvandar was declared. And in 1935 with his death as long 400 years land owner was came into an end.
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[name] => {:en}Baliati Palace{:}{:bn}বালিয়াটি জমিদার বাড়ি{:}
[post_id] => 2507
[post_link] => https://offroadbangladesh.com/places/baliati-palace/
[thumb_link] => https://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Baliati-Palace-by-Tanvir-and-Asraful-Alam-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}
The great Baliati Palace (বালিয়াটি জমিদার বাড়ি) is located at the Saturia Upazila of Manikganj(সাটুরিয়া, মানিকগঞ্জ) district, in the village of Baliati. This historic building is about 200 years of old. A river named Gazikhali(গাজীখালী নদী) which is demised interim of the time, flowed at the northern side of the palace.
The palace is situated on a lush and sprawling premise, approximately 16000 square meter. There are possibly 200 rooms available inside the premise. Back side of the palace has a pond having four ghats(ঘাট). Other side of the pond has a series of sanitary lavatory.
The story starts more than hundred and fifty years ago when the Baliati Zamindars were still a force to be reckoned with in Bangladesh, situated about 35 miles northwest of Dhaka and 5 miles east of Manikgonj district headquarters. The palaces used to be also known as “Dosh-ani-Zaminder bari” due to inheritance of a portion of the main complex from Roy Chand by the well wishers of his first wife among the Zaminders. Kishorilal Roy Chowdhury and Roybahadur Harendra Kumer Roy Chowdhury realized soon enough the necessity of knowledge which compelled them to establish the Jagarnath College and K.L Jubily High school. The Baliati Zaminderbari originally consisted of five similar but separate blocks. The south façade of grand palace presents an attractive frontage of about 400 feet of the extant four blocks of the palace, the two central blocks are two-storied and the other two terminal ones are three-storied. The lofty encircling walls of the imposing Zaminderbari complex are punctuated by three superb gateways, identical in their architectural features. This remarkable complex has been acquired by the Bangladesh archeological department and has been given a new name “Baliati Palace” as a protected cultural property.In exploring the expressiveness of this marvelous structure with time, culture and mood, the attached twelve snaps tell the story by dividing it into three constituent parts. First part expresses the thematic preamble of time and prestige, and style. The second part sequentially put expedition of the underlying interior in the picture capturing architectural details, vista and shape and shadow. Last part tells the present story of the exterior in light of the surrounding at present. In short, the justification of making this sequential development to bring the whole story inside out from it’s behind theme to the present.
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রাজধানী ঢাকা থেকে প্রায় ৩৫ মাইল উত্তরপশ্চিমে এবং মানিকগঞ্জ জেলা সদর থেকে ৫ মাইল পূর্বে সাটুরিয়া উপজেলায় বিখ্যাত বালিয়াটি জমিদার বাড়ি অবস্থিত। বালিয়াটি গ্রামে অবস্থিত এই প্রত্নতাত্ত্বিক নিদর্শনটি প্রায় ২০০ বছর পুরাতন। এই জমিদারবাড়িটির উত্তরে একসময় গাজীখালী নদী প্রবাহিত হত। ১৬০০০ বর্গমিটার আয়তনের বিশাল এই জমিদারবাড়িটিতে প্রায় ২০০টি কক্ষ রয়েছে। জমিদারবাড়ির পেছনে অবস্থিত পুকুরের এক প্রান্তে চারটি ঘাট আছে এবং অপর প্রান্তে বেশকিছু শৌচাগার রয়েছে।
জমিদারবাড়ির একটি অংশ রায় চাঁদের কাছ থেকে অন্যান্য জমিদারদের প্রথম স্ত্রীদের উত্তরাধিকার সূত্রে প্রাপ্তির কারনে এই প্রাসাদটি ‘দশ-আনি-জমিদারবাড়ি’ নামে পরিচিত ছিল। জমিদার কিশোরিলাল চৌধুরী এবং রায়বাহাদুর হরেন্দ্র কুমার রায় চৌধুরী এই অঞ্চলের মানুষের মধ্যে জ্ঞান বৃদ্ধির প্রয়োজনীয়তা উপলব্ধি করেন এবং এই কারনে জগন্নাথ কলেজ এবং কে এল জুবিলী হাইস্কুল প্রতিষ্ঠা করেন। মূল জমিদারবাড়িতে পাঁচটি একই রকম কিন্তু ভিন্ন ভাগ ছিল। জমিদারবাড়ির দক্ষিনে বর্তমানে স্থায়ী ৪টি আকর্ষণীয় অংশ অবস্থিত। এগুলোর মধ্যে মাঝের দুটি অংশ হল দোতলা এবং পাশের বাকি তিনটি অংশ তিনতলা। জমিদারবাড়িকে ঘিরে থাকা সুউচ্চ প্রাচীরে তিনটি চমৎকার স্থাপত্যশৈলীর ফটক রয়েছে। বর্তমানে ‘বালিয়াতি প্রাসাদ’ নামকরণ করে বাংলাদেশ প্রত্নতত্ত্ব অধিদফতর এই জমিদারবাড়িটির অধিগ্রহন করে দেখাশোনা করছে। সময় এবং সংস্কৃতির সাথে সামঞ্জস্য রেখে জমিদারবাড়িটিকে তিনভাগে ভাগ করা হয়েছে বারোটি অধ্যায়ের মাধ্যমে। প্রথমভাগে সময়, শৈলী এবং ঐতিহ্যকে তুলে ধরা হয়েছে। দ্বিতীয়ভাগে জমিদারবাড়ির স্থাপত্যশৈলীর বিস্তারিত বিবরন ক্রমঅনুযায়ী বর্ণনা করা হয়েছে। শেষভাগে বর্তমান প্রেক্ষাপটে জমিদারবাড়ির গুরুত্বকে ফুটিয়ে তোলা হয়েছে। এক কথায় বলা যায় প্রথম থেকে বর্তমান পর্যন্ত এই জমিদারবাড়ির ইতিহাস চমৎকারভাবে ক্রমঅনুযায়ী বর্ণনা করা হয়েছে।
{:}
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[2] => Array
(
[name] => Shamadhi of Birsresta Mohiuddin Jahangir
[post_id] => 3592
[post_link] => https://offroadbangladesh.com/places/shamadhi-of-birsresta-mohiuddin-jahangir/
[thumb_link] => https://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/P_20150913_174832_1_p-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
Captain Mohi Uddin Jahangir was born in Rahmatganj village of Barisal. In 1967, 5th October he joined Kakulistan military academy of Pakistan. He earned commission in June 2nd 1968. In sector 7 of Mukti-Bahini, he was an officer. In 1971, he was killed while trying to break through the defenses. He was killed close to the Mahananda River. He was awarded Birsrestho by the Government of Bangladesh later for his supreme sacrifice during 1971. The main gate of cantonment known as the Jahangir gate is named after him. He was buried close to Choto Sona Mosque.
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[3] => Array
(
[name] => Sat Masjid
[post_id] => 7883
[post_link] => https://offroadbangladesh.com/places/satmosjid-mohammadpur/
[thumb_link] => https://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Sat-Masjid2-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Sat Masjid is located in the Mohammadpur area of Dhaka city, the building exhibits seven domes- three over the prayer chamber and four over the corner towers. Hence it is known as Sat Gombuz (seven domed) Mosque. The mosque occupies the western end of a slightly raised masonry plinth 26.82m by 25.60m, which is enclosed by a low wall with a gateway in the middle of the eastern side. This arched gateway with flanking ornamental turrets is exactly in alignment with the central doorway of the mosque proper. The top of the gateway could be approached from either the north or the south by an ascending flight of steps.
The mosque proper forms a large rectangle 14.33m by 4.88m on the inside and is emphasised with massive hollow domed towers of octagonal design on the exterior angles. The prayer chamber is entered through arched doorways - three in the east and one each on the north and south sides.
Corresponding to the three eastern archways there are three semi-octagonal mihrabs inside the western wall. Beside the central mihrab there is a three-stepped masonry pulpit. The central archway and the central mihrab, including two other archways on the north and south walls, have outwardly projected frontons depicting ornamental turrets on either flank.
The interior of the mosque is divided by two wide arches into three conventional divisions - a large central square bay and a smaller rectangular bay on either side. The roof is covered with three slightly bulbous domes on octagonal drums, the central one being bigger than its flanking counterparts. The large central dome is supported by the wide arches together with the two blocked arches over the central mihrab and central archway and the triangular pendentives on the upper angles. But in covering the side rectangles with domes a clever method has been adopted. In order to make a circular base for the dome, the rectangular space has first been made square above by creating half-domed vaults on the east and west walls. These half-domed vaults together with a further series of pendentives on the corners directly support the small domes.
The corner towers have flanking turrets like those in Khwaja Shahbaz’s Mosque and musa khan mosque, both in Dhaka city. Each of these consists of two storeys and is a monument by itself. The lower storey is pierced with four cardinally set arched openings in the north-south and east-west axis. Internally the roof of the lower storey is domical, but its reverse side is flat and forms the floor of the upper storey.
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