I have been posting some old photos and notes about historic structures of Dhaka in the Dhaka Landmarks thread, but I thought they would be better served in their own thread. To begin with, I will repost some pictures from the Landmarks thread but with some supplementary material.

Dhaka was founded as the Mughal provincial capital in 1608 or 1610 and remained the capital for most of the 17th century, and was known initially as Jahangir Nagar after the emperor. During the Mughal period Dhaka prospered as the centre of Bengal’s lucrative textiles industry. The importance of Dhaka declined somewhat after the shift of power to Murshidabad in 1717, but it remained prosperous until the destruction of the textiles industry after the onset of British rule in 1757. Thereafter it declined rapidly, until the jute boom in the latter half of the 19th century restored some measure of economic growth.

The first pictures of Dhaka which we have, are a series of sketches by Charles D’Oyly, who was "collector" of Dhaka between 1808 and 1811. They were published in four volumes between 1814 and 1827, "The Antiquities of Dacca". By this time Dhaka was largely a collection of Mughal period ruins. Another important series of pictures was by Fritz Kapp in 1904, a photographer for Viceroy Curzon on his trip to Dhaka that year. At this time, Dhaka was just starting to awake from its long slumber, a quiet but elegant colonial period town.

Lalbagh Fort

The most important Mughal relic is the Lalbagh Fort. This was perhaps not so much a military fort as a secure garden complex where the Mughal governor, or nawab, could attend to business or leisure. Bengal was the wealthiest province of the Mughal Empire, and its governor was usually someone important. Construction was begun in 1678 by Prince Mohammed Azam, son of Emperor Alamgir (aka Aurangzeb), who was Nawab at the time, then continued by his successor Shaista Khan, Alamgir’s highest ranking nobleman. According to popular legend, when Khan’s daughter, Iran-Dukht, suddenly died in 1684, he suspended work on the Fort, and built her tomb within its walls. Iran-Dukht, who had been betrothed to Prince Azam, was also known as Pari Bibi ("Fairy Lady"), and her tomb bears this name today. When D’Oyly sketched the ruins of the fort around 1814, the Buriganga River still flew past its southern ramparts. What you see here is the southwest corner of the fort. I am not sure what these massive pillars supported:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/lalbagh.jpg

Here is a view of the south face (river front) of the main gate in the 1870s. This gate is located in the southeast corner of the fort. Today we normally only see the rear of the main gate, as the area outside the fort is filled with buildings, such as the area from which this photo is taken. Note the chhattris and guldastas on the south face, which do not survive today:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/019PHO000001019U00002000SVC2.jpg

This last pic (I believe) is one of the Fritz Kapp series from 1904. Note that the chhattris and guldastas no longer exist. This may simply reflect the passage of time, but Dhaka was also badly damaged by a tornado in 1888, so that may have been the cause of the damage.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/019PHO000430S31U00029000SVC2.jpg

Today Lalbagh Fort is one of the rare stories of successful conservation in Old Dhaka. The surviving structures within the fort include an audience hall / hammam (bathhouse) complex, the tomb of Pari Bibi, and a mosque. The mosque actually predates the fort itself, being built during the reign of Shah Jehan, but the original domes were damaged and were replaced by the fluted variety more popular under Alamgir. Since there are many beautiful exterior shots in the Dhaka Landmarks thread, I will only repost a few here (from Tmac's postings) for reference. Clockwise from top left - interior of the main gate; Pari Bibi's tomb with the domes of the mosque peeking out from behind it; rear view of the audience hall / hammam; and a section of the battlements:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/def4.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/def3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/def5.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/def2.jpg

However, I have not seen pics of the interiors of these buildings posted elsewhere in Skyscrapercity, so I will post some here. The audience hall / hammam is a two storied structure with the hall on the upper floor and the hammam (bathhouse) on the lower floor. In Mughal times, hammams were not only for bathing but were also a place where meetings could be held in a climate controlled environment (hot water would provide warmth in winter, and vice versa). A couple of pictures of the interior of the hammam:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0080.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/zulu.jpg

Below left, pic of the roof of the upper storey audience hall. This is a chau-chala style roof (modeled after the roofs of village huts in Bengal), a homegrown archtiectural motif later adopted and used extensively by the Mughals. Below right, a pic from early in Alamgir's reign showing Muhammad Azam as a child, at the foot of the throne on which his father is sitting. Standing behind him (purple tunic) is Shaista Khan.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0083.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/azam.jpg

Finally, here are some pictures of the interior of Pari Bibi’s tomb. The first picture is of the cenotaph and the last is of the interior of the dome. Note the use of marble and stone, rare in Bengal as neither are available locally:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0087.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/zulu2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0090.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/zulu3.jpg
More to come later!

this should be a fine thread. Looking forward to seeing and learning more.

Great pics and notes Tanzirian.

Good idea of opening this thread Tanzirian. Keep 'em coming!

Hey tanzirian thanks for what your doing and excellent work. Its really great to learn about the history of Dhaka and actually see some pictures of historic dhaka (which btw i have no clue how you found, great work). My families been living in or had significant connections to Dhaka for as many generations as i can trace back so its especially amazing for me to see these pics.

^^ Thank you for the comments. Zaki, for now all the photos that I will be posting were dug up on the internet. Later, after I purchase a scanner (maybe a few weeks later), I will post some other pics I have from my own photos and from books. Nowadays, with my work, and also some exams in the near future, I just don't have the time, but years ago when I did, I would spend time at the university library looking up books about India published during the Raj, magazines from the Pakistan period, etc - once in a while you will find a good or unique photo (even here in a small corner of USA). Of course, if I had Tmac's army of private photographers at my beck and call, I would send them out en masse and have a bunch of new photos to go with the old ones (:) ), but these ones will have to do for now...Next post in a day or so, bye for now.

A 1924 map of Dhaka or Dacca as it is labelled. Funny how areas like Dhanmondi are deserted!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/77/Dacca1924.jpg/603px-Dacca1924.jpg

Hi Everyone,
This is Ragib Hasan from Bangla Wikipedia (http://bn.wikipedia.org). In both Bangla and English Wikipedia, we are working on a lot of articles on Bangladesh.

The problem we face now is of the lack of photos. Wikipedia can only use freely licensed photos. So, only user contributed photos, old copyright expired photos (taken before 1947), and those whose photographer gave permission - can be uploaded.

Last month, I took a lot of photos of old Dhaka. I think Tmac has posted a lot of them here ... the one from Hoseni Dalan, Lalbagh Kella, Dhakeshwari Temple, Khan Mohammad Mirdha's mosque etc.

I've uploaded a lot of them at Wikipedia's free-licensed image repository at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Dhaka and http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bangladesh

But we need more photos. I found a lot of photos in this forum, many posted by the persons who took them. The Wikipedia projects on Dhaka and Bangladesh will greatly be benefited if we could use those photos. You can contribute a photo under GNU Free Documentation License, or Creative Commons Attribution license. In both cases, you can mandate that you must be given attribution as the photographer, so your copyright is preserved.

We need to preserve the cultural heritage of Dhaka ... a city of monuments that are gradually being engulfed by the urban sprawl.

Feel free to contact me at ragibhasan AT gmail DOT com

[PS: Dhakaiya bhai here also worked in the Wikipedia project ... he can add more info]

Welcome Ragib!! Yes, you are definitely right, wikipedia as the largest encyclopedia in the world needs more Bangladesh pictures. For pictures you can contact Tmac and Mirza, they've a lot of them. For information you can contact any of us. Wikipedia and skyscrapercity can mutually benefit each other if we interchange photos between us. Thanks!

Thanks, Dhakaiya.

Note that, under Bangladesh Copyright Act of 2001, and also under Indian copyright act, any photo older than 60 years is in the public domain. So, if you find a photo older than 1947, please upload it to wikimedia commons at http://commons.wikimedia.org (under [[Category:Dhaka]]) (or you can just point me to the link of the photo, I can do the rest).

Welcome to the forum, Ragib. For now, the pictures I am posting are from internet sources and most probably are copyrighted. I am posting them without permission but since this a noncommercial, educational, and temporary posting, I am hoping that it won't bother anyone. If you want to get the copyright information for any of the photographs I post, just send me a private message. Since you are in Bangladesh, I recommend getting in touch with the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. They are important proponents of architectural conservation in our country and probably have a large cache of images somewhere. The National Museum may also be helpful. And, if you look in dusty corners of libraries, you might find something nice for yourself. In a few weeks, I will be posting some pics I took myself in 2000 - if you want to use those, you are welcome to.

Dhakaiya, not surprising that you can't find Dhanmondi on that map. Until 1905, Dhaka consisted of what we now know as "Old Dhaka." Ramna was added after 1905. Dhanmondi was added during the East Pakistan period as Dhaka's first (and still best) planned suburb. Motijheel was also added during this period as our downtown. In the upper right hand corner of the map, can you see the large Moti Jheel (lake) itself? This has now been completely drained.

Bara Katra

On with the thread...Next to Lalbagh Fort, the most important Mughal monument in the city is the Bara Katra or Large Caravanserai. This was built in 1644 by one Mir Abdul Qasem and in its day was one of the grandest of Mughal caravenserais. A caravanserai is a structure found in most important Islamic cities and were the precursors of modern hotels. They provided visiting merchants with lodging and a place to store their goods and animals. Unfortunately, the Bara Katra has not benefited from the same conservation efforts as has the Lalbagh Fort, and exists today in a delapidated condition. The Katra is illegally occupied by, and the surrounding land controlled by, a large madrassah which has resisted all efforts to try and save this building. The government has made no effort to do so, either.

The building was originally a quadrangular structure with an inner courtyard. Only the south wall of the building survives today. In Mughal times, the Buringanga used to flow past the south side of the katra. Even looking at a picture from an article from National Geographic magazine in the 1950s, there was still an unobstructed view of the building from the river. No longer the case - the katra is heavily encroached by surrounding structures, so an unobstructed view is impossible, and the river flows much further south.

Here is a picture of the outer aspect of the south (river front) from Charles D'Oyly's sketches (circa 1814; see the elephant for idea of size):
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/doyly1823.jpg

Another D'Oyly sketch which shows a portion of the northern side of the complex, which no longer survives. Note the mosque, which does not survive either.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/019XZZ000000628U00012000SVC2.jpg

Here is another view showing the inner aspect of the south front. This photo is from the 1870s and is taken from where the courtyard would have been. This is essentially the same part of the building which survives today, albeit in far worse condition.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/019PHO0000125S3U00037000SVC2.jpg

Essentially the same view as the last one, but from 1982:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0242.jpg

The following pictures are all from 1982. Just add 25 years of decay, and you get the katra as it looks like today. On the left, the outer aspect of the south gate. On the right, the inner aspect of the same:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0234.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0240.jpg

At each end of the southern front, are octagonal towers. Two views:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0236.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/0080.jpg

Ruins of barrell vaulted chambers that ran along the sides of the katra:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0244.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/IBH0245.jpg

I visited the katra in 2000. If you are looking for a pretty place to go to, then this is not one I would recommend. If you are interested in Dhaka history, go now, because it is quite possible this building will not survive very long. In the absence of conservation, this, like many other buildings in Old Dhaka, will either collapse on its own, or be replaced by the occupants with a new structure.

Chhotta Katra

The Chhotta Katra or Small Caravanserai was built in 1663 and located just east of the Bara Katra. Until this century the Buriganga flowed past its south side. Although smaller than the Bara Katra, this was still an impressive edifice with a grand river front. Like the Bara Katra, this was a quadrangular structure. Although just as delapidated today, encroached and occupied by slums and shops, both the south and north gateways survive intact. In Mughal times there was a mosque within the compound, which impressed Charles D'Oyly, who has described it in his notes. Like some other buildings including Husaini Dalan, this structure was modified in colonial times - in this case with the addition of classical columns to the wings.

First pic below shows the outer aspect (river front) of the south gate (partially obscured by the building on the left); second pic below shows the outer aspect of the north gate:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/southgate3.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/northgatewayfromnorth.jpg

First pic below shows the inner aspect of the south gate; second pic below shows the inner aspect of the north gate:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/southgatewayfromnorth.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/northgatewayviewedfromsouth.jpg

Both Bara Katra and Chhota Katra, if restored, would greatly enchance Dhaka's dignity as historic city. Yet it seems today, this realistic proposal is just as unlikely to happen as any fantasy.

Addendum - in post 54 of this thread, I have posted a photo of the Chhotta Katra viewed from the Buriganga River, taken around 1880, before all the surrounding buildings were built. This gives a much better idea of the overall structure. Check it out if you are interested.

who occupies these buildings Tanzirian? Do people live in them?

who occupies these buildings Tanzirian? Do people live in them?

Sadly, the Bara Katra is being occupied by a Madrassah now!!!

Sadly, the Bara Katra is being occupied by a Madrassah now!!!

legally or illegally??

Illegally, to the best of my knowledge. But they are large and well-connected, but even if they were not, evicting religeous hardliners would not be an easy task, if you can imagine. Here is a newspaper article pulished January 17th:

Bara Katra, Chhota Katra lie
derelict for decades
Parvin Khaleda


Bara Katra and Chhota Katra, two 16th-century relics and also attractive archaeological sites in Dhaka, stand derelict for decades.
The present state of the monuments is so pitiable that it is really hard to identify their previous splendour. Archaeologists fear the historic structures might collapse anytime, if proper steps are not taken immediately.
‘Not only the Bara Katra and Chhota Katra, but many other historic monuments, including Panam Nagar at Sonargaon, are also now in possession of influential quarters and lie derelict, sources in the archaeological department said. It is not possible to free the ancient sites from the grips of grabbers without direct help of law enforcers, they added.
The department, however, tried to survey the two katras several times, but failed due to obstruction from the people, living and operating their businesses around the ancient monument. Even no government has made an effective attempt to maintain the monument in its deserved state, the sources said.
Bara Katra, one of the most important relics of the Mughal period, is situated on the bank of the River Buriganga at Chawkbazar. It was built in 1644 by Diwan Mir Abul Qasem during the reign of Shah Shuja.
According to historical evidence, the monuments enclosed a central courtyard which has four wings with 22 rooms.
The building was planned following the traditional patterns of the caravansaries of central Asia and it was embellished with all the features of the imperial Mughal architectural grandeur.
At present, only the gateways of Bara Katra could be seen from the crowded alley of Chawkbazar. Both sides of the alley of Bara Katra Road are congested by different kinds of wholesale and retail shops, selling food grains, glass and plastic wares.
A madrassah named ‘Hossinia Ashraful Ulum Bara Katra Madrasha’ was housed in the main building of the monument in 1931. Around 500 students and teachers are using the building as their classroom and living place.
Md Abu Sayed, a teacher of the madrassah, said the madrassah authorities had extended to two other buildings linked with the main building of the monument of Bara Katra.
Presently, the madrassah committee is in charge of the total area of Bara Katra. Mufti Fazlul Huq Amini, chairman of Islami Oikya Jote, is the principal of the institute.
Nesar Ahmed, a student of the madrassah who has been studying in the institute for last five years, said many visitors, including foreigners, visited the place. They had no other option, but to take snaps of the derelict exterior walls.
The life of the students, living in the dilapidated rooms of the ancient building, is unsafe as no large-scale renovation was ever done since the construction of the building several hundred years back.
The Chhota Katra is in a state of more dilapidation compared to that of the Bara Katra.
Chhota Katra, situated about 200 yards east of Bara Katra at Chawkbazar, was built by Nawab Shayesta Khan in 1664 in line with the design of Bara Katra, but smaller in size.
The building of Chhota Katra and its land are now in possession of personal ownership, and partially damaged buildings are being used by small factories and storehouses, said a local resident.
Such kinds of structures as caravansaries are also seen in Maldah and Murshidabad in India, but few of them can be recognised now. All the caravansaries were built on the riversides which indicated that trade on river routes was flourishing in the Mughal period.

Seeing the conditions of all these buildings just makes me sad. Dhaka should be protecting its historic sites not destroying them. Hopefully the new government when we have one will attempt to deal with this issue.

Mughal Bridges

The Mughals built bridges in and around Dhaka, as elsewhere. There was a wooden bridge across the Buriganga that connected the palace at Jinjira to the city. The most famous bridge was the Pagla Pul across the Qadamtali rivulet, about halfway between Dhaka and Narayanganj.

D'Oyly sketched it in ruinous condition in the early 1800s (in the first picture - look in the distance. You can see the Dhaka riverfront :)):
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bridgepaglapul.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bridgepaglapul2.jpg

This is a photo of the ruins from the 1870s:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bridgepaglapul3.jpg

This photo, from the 1880s, was labeled as an unknown bridge, but I think that it is also of Pagla Pul:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bridgeunknown.jpg

And a few other bridges. Bridge at Tantee Bazar, sketched by D'Oyly:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bridgetanteebazar.jpg

Bridge at Tongi. The first pic is a sketch by D'Oyly, the next two photos are from the 1880s.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bridgetongi1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bridgetongi2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bridgetongi3.jpg

A number of bridges, including the Tongi bridge, survived in a ruinous condition until a few decades ago, when they were demolished to make way for newer infrastructure. Although there are no longer any Mughal period bridges in Dhaka, there are two nearby in Sonargaon and Rampal. The small bridge in Painam (Sonargaon) has been restored and is in good condition. I have never seen a picture of the bridge at Rampal.

Addendum - I have added some contemporary photos of the Pagla Pul ruins in post 32 of this thread.

Lost Mughal Palace

Take a look at this magazine illustration from 1874. The second picture is of Bara Katra, the third picture is of Shat Gombuj Masjid, and the fourth picture is of Lalbagh Fort. For me, however, the most interesting drawing is the first one, entitled "Ruins of the Nawab Baree." I am not certain, but I believe that this could be a picture of part of the palace of the Nawabs at Jinjiira, on the bank of the Buriganga opposite Dhaka. If so, this is the only picture of that complex I have ever seen, although D'Oyly is also supposed to sketched a picture of it (there is probably nothing left of it now; when my sources were written in the 1980s, there were just a few ruins amidst the slums). This palace was built by Nawab Ibrahim Khan II, who governed from 1689 to 1697. The palace was a grand complex surrounded by a moat and connected to Dhaka proper by a wooden bridge. In the 1980s, the remains of seven apartments with chau-chala roofs and a large hammam could still be made out. According to tradition, the wife and mother of the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Shiraj Ud Daulah, were imprisoned in this palace after he was toppled by his trecherous general, Mir Jafar, who effectively handed power over to the British in 1757. The two women were murdered by being drowned in the river.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/graphic1874.jpg

Addendum - On reflection, this drawing might also be a depiction of a part of Nimtali Palace. If you are interested, see post 42 of this thread

Tanzirian, could you tell me something about the difference between Dhaka of the 17th century and the Dhaka of the pre-1946 period?

Dhakaiya, sorry not to have replied sooner; other obligations have kept me away from the forum for a few days, and this will continue to be the case for a little while more.

With regards to your question (and I am no expert in this matter), is that in the 17th century Dhaka was an important town, but during most of the British Raj, it was not.

Modern Dhaka as a city, was founded in 1608 or 1610, as the capital of the new Mughal Subha of Bengal. During the 17th century, Dhaka was one of the most important centers of Indian textile manufacturing, known especially for its fine Muslin cloth. It was a large city - there were many, many more buildings than the few we see today - they decayed with unuse and neglect in the early years of the Raj. The River Buriganga had a slightly different course back then, flowing past Lalbagh Fort and the two surviving Katras. Aside from the Subhas (provinces) where the imperial capitals were located (Delhi, Agra, Lahore), the two wealthiest provinces were Bengal and Gujarat. The wealth of both these provinces was due to the textiles industry; but Bengal had an additional abundance of agricultural produce, to make this the wealthiest of provinces, so that is another reason for its capital being an important city. The city was built on the north bank of the river, because it was (only very slightly) elevated compared to the south bank, and therefore less likely to flood. Still, flooding was inevitable, and for at least a third of the year, Dhaka looked something like Venice, with its streets under water and people getting around on boats. I have a few more D'Oyly sketches of ruins of Mughal Dhaka, which I will post sometime, showing some buildings which no longer exist today.

Dhaka, and Bengal in general, suffered greatly in the early years of the British Raj. The capital had already moved to Murshidabad, and thence to Kolkata, so Dhaka was no longer an important political center. The British forcibly destroyed the native textiles industry. They did this because, the conquest of Bengal happened to coincide with the advent of the industrial revolution in Britain. Forcing Indians to buy Manchester cloth was one of the first ways the British got rich off of India.

As you've seen in the pictures, Dhaka by the early 1800s, was largely a collection of ruins, as people no longer had employment here. By the late 19th century, Dhaka had made somewhat of a recovery, not as a big city, but as an elegant colonial period town, fueled no doubt by the jute boom of the times. One of the important constructions of the period, was that of the Buckland Bund along the River Buriganga. This was an embankment to protect the city from the flooding the way it duirng Mughal times. The rich of the times (Zamindars, Brits, and the like) built mansions along this Bund, so the by 1900 Dhaka had quite a beautiful river front. By the river was the place to live if you were one of the bigshots by then. I have a series of pictures of the Dhaka riverfront from this time period, which I will post in a few weeks if I can buy a scanner and make it work.

The boundaries of the city did not change much until about 1904, comprising what we know today as "Old Dhaka." During the First Partition of Bengal (1905-1912), Dhaka awoke from its long slumber as capital of the newly created province of East Bengal and Assam. During this period, the Ramna area was layed out as the centerpiece of the new capital, complete with new town hall (Curzon Hall) and governor's mansion (Old High Court). Although this new state did not last long, with power shifting back to Kolkata in 1912, Dhaka never quite went back to sleep again, helped again by the founding of Dhaka University in 1921, which quickly went on to become one of the best in Asia at that time.

More pics to come, but ciao for now!

Mosque of Kar Talab Khan

There are a handful of Mughal period mosques surviving in Dhaka today, thanks to continuous usage through the years. Several of them, including the ones of Lalbagh Fort, Khan Muhammad Mridha, Haji Khwaja Shabaz, and Shat Gombuj, survive largely unchanged thanks to the work of conservation advocates.

The largest, and in my opinion most beautiful of Mughal mosques in Dhaka, is that of Kar Talab Khan built about 1700, now commonly known as Begum Bazar Mosque. Kar Talab Khan aka Murshid Kuli Khan was appointed governor of Bengal in 1701 by emperor Alamgir (Aurangzeb). When the Mughal empire began to desintegrate shortly after Alamgir's death in 1707, Khan became de facto ruler of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, thus initiating the dynasty of independent "nawabs" which ruled until the advent of the British Raj. In 1717, he shifted the capital from Dhaka to Murshidabad (West Bengal), which is named after him.

This mosque has a five domed prayer hall, with three larger domes having two smaller domes between them. Also at the side of the prayer hall, is an elegant room in the form of a hut of rural Bengal - not uncommon in Mughal architecture.

Below left, is a distant view from a 19th century photo, before modern extensions. Below right,a portrait of Murshid Quli Khan.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/019PHO000001019U00005000SVC2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/mur.jpg

The first pic below shows a view of the front of the mosque in 1982. Note the unsympathetic modern structure covering the old courtyard and obscuring the front of the building. Fortunately, the original building itself, was not altered as a consequence of this addition. This picture is 25 years old, and I do not know what changes have happened since then. Perhaps Ragib or one of his Wikipedia buddies, can provide us with some updated images. The second pic below shows the gatehouse which used to lead to the courtyard. It looks as though it was added in Colonial times, or perhaps built in Mughal times then subsequently modified.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/kar3.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/kar2.jpg

The first pic below shows the side of the mosque, with its elegant Chau Chala "hut." The second pic below shows the rear of the building. Again this is an old photo, and more recent one I have seen shows it freshly whitewashed. Nonetheless, the building would definitely look nicer if the whitewash was removed and the walls replastered orange-brown in the manner typical of Mughal Dhaka, such as the Lalbagh Fort mosque.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/kar3.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/kar4.jpg

I have not visited this mosque in person, so I would love to see some more recent pics. Perhaps one of our non-probashi forumers can help out in this matter :) . If you visit this mosque, be sure to check out the baoli or stepped well located nearby - the only surviving example of its kind in Dhaka.

Oh God, Dhaka has a VERY proud history.....makes me wonder why the colonial masters tried to obliterate its history...Anyway, Dhaka is back again and rising faster than ever in the list of greatest world cities. Let us all hope that Dhaka's near future will be even more glorious than its great history....Thanks Tanzirian, by now I'm convinced you are a genius!

Thanks Dhakaiya, but I am certainly no genius :). Also, with regard to your comments - the colonial rulers did not intentionally try to destroy any buildings. Rather, the Mughal structures fell into decay through disuse. With our humid subtropical climate, flooding, and lack of durable materials like stone, buildings that are not cared for desintigrate pretty rapidly. Today however, it is our own apathy as a nation, that the surviving historic buildings are disappearing - we cannot blame anyone else for that.

I Congratulate Dhaka ... completion of 400 years...Dhaka witnessed a long history of pride, fall, colonial regin, indepedance, political turmoils, urbanization boom throughout these 400 years!
I have a question, is there any way to how we can celebrate 400 year completion of Dhaka as a city in 2007 ?

Thanks Dhakaiya, but I am certainly no genius.

No need to be modest! We know you are one! :)

I have a question, is there any way to how we can celebrate 400 year completion of Dhaka as a city in 2007 ?

Yes. By promising ourselves that we'll always keep the city clean in the future. Never litter.:|

^^ You know what I would say - become an advocate for architectural conservation! If you have connections to influential people in the government or media, see if they can help. In Dhaka, if we can save just 4 buildings, it would be a big step forward - the 2 Katras, Ruplal House, and Bhajahari Lodge.

My last post, was of the Kar Talab Khan Mosque. Some of the other important Mughal period mosques include Chowk Bazar Masjid (1676), Mosque of Haji Shahbaz (1679), Shat Gombuj Masjid (1680), Mosque of Khwaja Amber (1680), and Mosque of Khan Muhammad Mridha (about 1700). Shat Masjid and Mosque of Khan Muhammad Mridha are under protection of the Directorate of Archaeology and have survived unchanged. The mosques of Kar Talab Khan and Khwaja Amber have had modern extensions to their fronts, but their basic structure is preserved. I will write more about the Chowk Bazar mosque later.

Pictures of all these mosques, have already been posted in other threads, and are generally better than the ones I have, so I will not be posting them, unless there is any specific request from someone.

Lost Buildings of the Mughal Period

As I have mentioned before, there are many buildings from the Mughal period, which have not survived. The ruins of a few of them can be seen in D'Oyly's sketches, from around 1814:

This picture is entitled, Interior of the City of Dacca. I have no idea what kind of buildings they are:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/019XZZ000000628U00018000SVC2.jpg

This picture is of Chowk Bazar. Chowk Bazar was main market place / central square of Dhaka. Interestingly, D'Oyly labels the building as the "Husaini Dalan." Of course, it looks nothing like the Husaini Dalan of today. There are two possiblities - either that D'Oyly mistakenly labeled another mosque as being the Husaini Dalan, or that there was a different Husaini Dalan back then. Since D'Oyly is usually pretty accurate, I would probably say the latter:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/doyly1827-2.jpg

This is the mosque of Syuff Khan. To the best of my knowledge, it does not survive today. It looks to be an impressive structure:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/mosqueofsyuffkhan.jpg

This was a mosque in Magh Bazar. I think that is Mirzazeehan with his back turned to us, but I can't be sure since I can't see his face :) :
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/maghbazar.jpg

Finally, D'Oyly does not specify where this mosque is, except that it is in a suburb of Dhaka:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/suburb.jpg

Haha,good one man.Thanks for the info and pics,its great to see how some part of Moghbazar looked about 200 years ago. : )

Chawk Bazar and Bibi Mariam

From Mughal and through Colonial times, Chawk Bazar was the main marketplace / square of Dhaka. In my last post, there is a picture of Chawk Bazar from the early 19th century. The photo below is from the 1880s. Note the Chawk Bazar mosque, a Mughal structure from 1676 (by this time modified with the addition of a classical European portico). Also note the cannon, called Bibi Mariam, in the center of the square. This cannon was brought to Dhaka by Mughal Subedar Mir Jumla as a memento of a military campaign in Assam (actually, he brought back two massive cannon, but the other one, called Kale Jamjam, sank in the Buriganga):
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/chowk2.jpg

Chawk Bazar mosque still survives, but has been much altered. You can still make out the three original domes (first pic below). The new minaret of this mosque is probably the tallest in Dhaka. It is quite easily visible across the Buriganga, as you can see on the right of this photo. If this same view were shot half a century ago, both Mughal Katras, located quite near this mosque, would also be easily visible in the middle of this picture, but now they are lost in a sea of newer structures (second pic below).

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/chowk5-2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/chowk.jpg

As for Bibi Mariam, she has been moving around a lot. Originally, Mir Jumla placed the cannon on the riverfront at Swarighat. Then, in 1832, it was taken to Chawk Bazar, as in the first photo. In 1917, National Museum authorities moved it back to the riverfront, at Sadarghat. In 1957, it was transported to the intersection of DIT and Jinnah (now Bangabandhu) Avenues, near the then recently created Motijheel Commercial Area, as shown below (this intersection came to be known as "Gulistan"). Notice the DIT (Rajuk) building in the background. Until the 1980s, this was the most prominent landmark in the Motijheel skyline (first pic below).With traffic congestion increasing, this location became impractical, and the gun was moved to the Osmani Udyan in the late 1980s, where it remains today (second pic below).

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/chowk4.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/chowk3.jpg

Here is a story I have heard about this cannon. They say that there was once an evil ruler named Teemak, who lined up all the photographers of the city in front of this cannon, and said "If you do not give me a million photos of Dhaka, I will shoot you from this cannon." And this is how King Teemak came to possess a million photos of Dhaka :shocked:

Last four photos in this post from Ershad Ahmed's blog (http://dhakadailyphoto.blogspot.com).

Alterations by Conservationists: Star Mosque and Mughal Eidgah

Most of the historic buildings in Dhaka are not lucky enough to benefit from conservation. Generally, conservation maintains a building in, or restores it to, its original state. Here I point out two cases where the conservation altered the appearance of the structure - one about which I have mixed feelings, the other which I like.

Probably the most well known of Dhaka's historic mosques is the Tara Masjid (Star Mosque) in the old town. This mosque was built by one Mirza Golam Pir, a local zamindar (see also post 55 of this thread). Pir died in 1860, so the mosque was likely built in the first half of the 19th century. However, this was a rather unremarkable three domed structure, not unlike many other examples of this mosque type found around Bangladesh. Then around 1930 or so, a local businessman named Ali Jan Bepari began decorating the mosque with china clay tiles of Japanese and English origin. The use of such decorative tiles was popular in both secular and religeous structures at the time, and many other examples can be found in Bangladesh, but the Tara Masjid remains the most famous. Bepari also added an arcade of five arches to the front of this mosque. Only after these changes, did the Tara Masjid become well known. The first pic below is how the mosque looked then (sorry but I didn't find a clearer pic online). Around 1990, a restoration of the mosque was undertaken, at which time the size of the mosque was also almost doubled. In the plan seen in the second pic below, you can see the original section on the left, and the extension (areas shaded dark) to the right.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/star1.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/star2.jpg

Below left, is how the mosque appears today. Below right, a detail of the mosaic:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/tama2-1.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/od7-1.jpg
The three domes to the left are the original ones - one larger dome with two smaller ones on each side. One large and one small dome has been added to the right. The incresed size of the mosque has given it a grander appearance. The aspect I dislike, is that now a small dome, instead of a large one, occupies the central axis of the structure. This creates an aesthetically inharmonious effect. It would made more sense from an aesthetic standpoint, to add one larger dome to each end. I think there are some graves to the left the building, and that is probably why this was not done. Of course, they could have just left the building the way it was. I suspect that this was a compromise to adding a modern extension to the mosque, as has been done in many other instances. Of course, I'm just guessing - another explanation may be that such aesthetics were not an important consideration. Finally, another feature changed by the restoration was the elegant old fountain was replaced by a rather garish, star shaped one (although the picture quality is poor, you can see the old foundtain in the first picture - there was some elgant tilework which is not found in its replacement). This was an unnecessary loss. For anyone who is interested, there are more pictures of this beautiful building in the Dhaka Landmarks thread. If you happen to be in Old Dhaka, another exquisite example of such tilework can be found at the Koshaituli Mosque (built in 1919, just the time when such decorations were at the height of their popularity). Unfortunately the front of the original building is obscured by a modern extension, but the rear and and interior are still unchanged.

Another restoration, also circa 1990, which altered the appearance of the surviving structure was that of the Old Idgah in Dhanmondi. This is the oldest surviving Mughal structure in Dhaka, built in 1640 (a couple of pre-Mughal mosques also survive). Unlike many other cities, Dhaka did not have a big central "Jami Masjid." Rather, on important occasions, large congregations would gather at the Idgah. Here is how the front and back of the surving section of the Idgah, including the mehrab, looked before restoration:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/id1.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/id2.jpg
Here is how it looks today (photos from Ershad Ahmed's blog). The structure has been replastered in Mughal style, and arcades added around the rectangular field. The last pic is of some old inscriptions.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/id3.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/id4.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/id6.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/id7.jpg

The difference between this alteration, and that of the Tara Masjid, was that it was actually an effort to restore the appearance of the Idgah to what it looked like originally. It enhances the the surviving part without changing its appearance. Needless to say, I like this result better than the other one.

A while back I posted some old photos of the Mughal bridges of Dhaka. From an artistic standpoint, the most important of those was the Pagla Pul. When I made my initial post, I did not have any up to date photos (in fact, I wasn't sure if anything survived at all). However Ershad Ahmed has posted some recent photos in his internet blog, with which some of you are probably familiar. Here are a few from his post (for more info, please see post 18 on the first page of this thread; also check out Mr. Ahmed's blog at http://dhakadailyphoto.blogspot.com for details on these photos and the current state of Pagla Pul):
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/1482.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/1481.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/1480.jpg

Old Dhaka

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u160/duinumbari/140236381_64700acba1.jpg

^^ Thanks for your contribution, Eagle Eyes. I have not added to this thread recently because most of the pics I wish to post are from books. To this end I have purchased a scanner. Sometime this coming week I will see if I can get it to work, and if successful, will restart at that time.

Your effort is much appreciated tanzirian. i wasn't sure where to post the above picture.

All right! I now have a functional scanner and can continue with this thread.

Shat Masjid and Beri Bund

Of all the Mughal mosques in Dhaka, the one that most appeared in old pics and photos was the Shat Gambuj Masjid (Mosque of Seven Domes). In fact, if you look at old books or magazines with pictures of Dhaka, there will usually be a pic of this mosque. There are two reasons for this. For one, in addition to the standard Mughal three domed prayer hall, the corner turrets also had domes on top, which gave the mosque a unique appearance. More importantly perhaps, was its dramatic and picturesque location on the edge of the Buriganga flood plain. People visiting today, however, see a very different vista. After the devastating floods of 1988/89, a dam (the Beri Bund) was constructed along the western edge of Dhaka to protect it from flooding. The area behind the mosque was drained and filled up, and now is full of buildings. So, the scenic aspect of this mosque no longer exists. However, happily, the building itself, under protection of the Directorate of Archaeology, survives unchanged and in a good state of preservation.

The first picture is a sketch of the mosque by D'Oyly (early 1800s). The second shows the plan of the mosque, with its hollow domed turrets. The third shows the mosque as it appeared before the construction of the Beri Bund. The final picture is from a few years ago, more or less as it appears today. More recently, the Mughal-style plasterwork has been covered up by an ugly whitewash. Tmac has posted some pictures of this whitewash in the Bangladesh Tourism thread. Good thing is that this unfortunate change can easily be undone.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/oldsatmasjid.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/sat2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/sat3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/sat4.jpg

I've pretty much covered what I wanted to with regard to the Mughal period structures of Dhaka. Starting tomorrow I shall begin talking about some of the Colonial period buildings of this city. Before I do so, I thought a nice segway would be one of my quizzes: Can you name the oldest Colonial period structure in Dhaka? Answer with pics tomorrow, unless someone gets it right first.

The purpose of these quizzes is to have a little fun and be informative at the same time, and I hope they are taken as such. Also, while I am using this thread as a platform to share some knowledge and voice concerns regarding architectural conservation (or the lack thereof) in Bangladesh, this is not meant to be a lecture series, so please feel free to join in if you are interested.

Curzon hall?

No, Curzon Hall was built in the 20th century, so there are many older buildings. Clue - this is the last remant of a larger complex. Second clue - although certainly not obscure, you don't usually see it in most touristy pics. Third clue - it was completed a year after the British formally took control of Bengal.

250 Posts! Watch out, Tmac, I am poised to overtake you :D!

congrats on the 250 posts!!

Congrats Tanzirian! You've been doing wonderful in the last few months. BTW Tmac, when are you reaching 2500, after all you are the future mod of our own subforum if we have one :D

Nimtali Deuri

OK - time for the answer to my quiz and to begin the Colonial period segment of this thread. The oldest Colonial period structure in Dhaka is the Nimtali Deuri (pic below), built in 1766. This was the gateway to Nimtali Palace, which no longer survives.

Not long after the death of Emperor Alamgir in 1707, the Mughal Empire began to desintigrate rather quickly. The Nawab of Bengal, although still nominally under authority of the Emperor, for all intents and purposes became an independent ruler. Around 1717, the capital was moved from Dhaka to Murshidabad (in present day West Bengal). Although the Nawab left for Murshidabad, a deputy nawab (Naib Nazim) remained in Dhaka.

The power vacuum left by the Mughals also enabled Europeans, who had established outposts called "factories" (chiefly concentrated in the Hooghly River area), to expand their influence. When Nawab Siraj ud Doula, wary of this growing threat, decided to attack the chief British factory at Calcutta, he ordered Naib Nazim of Dhaka, Jasarat Khan, to kill the British residents of his city. Jasarat Khan was unwilling to do this, and instead later arranged safe passage for the Europeans to Calcutta. For this he was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Bihar. Siraj ud Doula, having alienated most of his own noblemen with his arrogant behavior, including his general Mir Jafar (who had the loyalty of most of his troops), was defeated by the British at Plassey in 1757 and killed not long thereafter. Mir Jafar, who had helped the British by withholding most of the nawab's troops, ascended to the throne thereafter but found that real power had shifted to the Europeans. He was also an inefficient ruler, and the British replaced him with his son-in-law, Mir Qasim, in 1760. Mir Qasim, not content to serve the Europeans, tried to assert his independence, but was defeated at the battle of Buxar in 1764. After that, in 1765, British East India Company was granted the dewan of Bengal by the Mughal Emperor, formalizing their rule in the province.

The British, not having forgotten Jasarat Khan, released him from prison and built a new palace for him at Nimtali in Dhaka in 1766. Although built on orders of the British, the architecture still followed an essentially Mughal idiom. This palace was an important landmark in Dhaka for the better part of a century. For one thing, Jasarat Khan, being of Iranian descent, claimed to be direct descendant of Hazrat Ali (:) ), and as such became leader of the local Shia community. For another, on important occasions such as Eid, a grand procession would originate from the Nimtali Deuri. If you go to the National Museum today, you will find pictures from the early 19th century, of the Eid processions coming from the Deuri.

However, under the East India Company the "Naib Nazim" had no real authority, and the descendants of Jasarat Khan gradually became impoverished and had to abandon the palace. As atrocities committed by the East India Company mounted, particularly in the early years of British rule, the family was also scorned by locals for their association with the Europeans. The palace fell into disrepair and eventually disappeared aside from its gate. Today this gateway is preserved as part of the complex of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nimtali.jpg

Tanzirian, I have never even heard of this place. It's great to see a photo of it though. I wish it was in a better state.

Tmac, the gateway today is in good hands, since the Asiatic Society is one of the advocates for architectural conservation in Bangladesh. Although it may look the worse for wear, it is one of the lucky heritage structures, and is under no imminent danger like the two Mughal Katras, which it resembles to some degree. This palace was located near the boundary of the Old Town and Dhaka University, and covered a large area. The pond behind Curzon Hall was part of its compound. Europeans visiting in the 19th century have left descriptions which give us an idea of the buildings that were there.

Wish someone took the trouble to restore it. Dhaka seriously needs to uphold her history.

Buckland Bund and Mitford Hospital

Now a special treat: over the next couple of weeks or so, we will be going back to about the year 1880 and taking a cruise along the River Buriganga. But first, a little historical context.

Dhaka's fortunes declined rapidly after the advent of British rule in 1757. The capital had already moved elsewhere, but the destruction of the lucrative local textiles industry, left the city without any financial means to sustain itself. By the early 1800s, when Charles D'Oyly made his series of sketches, the city was mostly a collection of Mughal period ruins. Beginning in the second half of the 19th century, however, the city staged a gradual recovery. The prinicipal factor behind this recovery was the new importance of jute as a world cash crop (most jute in the world at that time being grown in eastern Bengal). Access to the city also improved with the advent of railroads and improvement of other means of communication.

Back then, the Buriganga riverfront was the equivalent of what a place like Gulshan Lake is today...the place to build your house if you were among the wealthiest. But additionally, some important civic buildings were also located there. Development of this waterfront was facilitated by the construction of the Buckland Bund (embankment), named after the British engineer responsible for it. In Mughal times there was only a primitive embankment that did little to protect the city from flooding - this being an important reason why many of the Mughal structures that once lined the river bank no longer survive, having fallen victim to erosion. Buckland's "Bund" was a major improvement, and by 1900 Dhaka had a very elegant riverfront, quite different from the largely chaotic scene that exists today.

The first structure we visit on our boat ride is the Mitford Hospital. This hospital, established in 1854, was once the most important medical facility in the subcontinent east of Calcutta. The hospital was founded through the generosity of Robert Mitford, who served for many years as a collector and judge in Dhaka before his death in Europe in 1836. In his will he bequeathed a large sum of money for the fuoundation of the hospital, but legal challenges by his relatives delayed the construction of the hospital. In 1875 a medical college was added to the hospital, and various ward buildings were also added over the years, most notably the King Edward Memorial Ward.

The first picture, from around 1880, shows the complex more or less as it originally appeared.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/mit1-1.jpg

Opposite view, showing the front of the hospital:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/mitforda.jpg

Here is the same view today, taken from the 2nd Buriganga bridge. This is now the Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital. The original buildings do not survive, but to the best of my knowlege, the later Colonial period buildings, including the Medical College and Edward Memorial Ward, are still intact.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/salimullah.jpg

amazing pictures! how do you upload pictures?

Upload them to some imagehosting website first and then copy the image address and post it here. Simple isn't it?

Upload them to some imagehosting website first and then copy the image address and post it here. Simple isn't it?

thanks dhakaiya

Sorry not to have replied sooner, Alladin...I was watching a little cricket :) these past eight (rather enjoyable) hours. If you have problems uploading your photos, give me a private message and I'll reply. More tomorrow...

no problem tanzirian! thanks for replying and i will email you soon inshaAllah. woth watching the cricket game

Tanzirian, you know what historic structure in Dhaka I like the most? It's the Star Mosque. When was it built? Who built it?

Tanzirian, you know what historic structure in Dhaka I like the most? It's the Star Mosque. When was it built? Who built it?

Tmac, I posted an article about the Star Mosque in page 2 of this thread. Who built it is not recorded as far to my knowledge, because to begin with this was not a very important structure. Please check out post 31 for more details.

Addendum 4/1/07 - The mosque was built by Mirza Golam Pir (see post 55). Since Pir died in 1860, it was built some time prior to that.

Mughal Katras Revisited

All right! Time to continue with our 19th century river cruise! In the first page of this thread, I posted some info and pics about the history and plight of the two surviving Mughal katras (caravanserais) in Dhaka. Although the current pitiful condition of these structures may not convince some people that they are worth saving, I hope the following pictures give a sense of how fine these structures looked along the Dhaka riverfront.

First, the Chhotta Katra (Small Caravanserai), in a picture from around 1880:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/chhotokatra.jpg

I don't have a picture of comparable quality of the Bara Katra (Big Caravanserai). However, this one from around 1840 should give an idea of its grandeur:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/katra.jpg

About ten years ago I found a small color picture of one of the katras viewed from the river in a 1950s copy of National Geographic. Back then I didn'[t know enough to distinguish between the two. I will try to find that picture some day and post it here. Even back in 1950s, an unobstructed view from the Buriganga was possible. Today this is not possible, as the river has moved a little further south, and the intervening land is filled with new buildings. For more information on these buildings, please check posts 11, 12 and 16 of this thread. If you are interested in seeing what this stretch of riverfront looks like today, check out post 30.

Riverfront Mosques

Continuing with our cruise, circa 1880. We see several mosques built along the riverfront. This is the mosque of Mirza Golam Pir. Mirza Golam Pir had considerable land holdings in Tippera (Tripura) and Bakerganj districts. His grandfather, Mir Abu Sayeed, came to Dhaka from Turan in the third quarter of the 18th century. He died in 1860.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/rm.jpg

And this is the mosque of Darogah Amiruddin. Amiruddin was probably a Darogah in the police department of the East India Company in the early 19th century. Here at Babu Bazar, there used to be a market for firewood along the riverbank, which you can see in the foreground of the picture:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/mosque2.jpg

Tanzirian, are these structures still visible from water? so if I was to take a cruise on Buriganga would I be able to take the same photos?

Tmac, the waterfront looks very different today, and generally not for the better. The river does not flow past Lalbagh Fort or the Katras; there is a contemporary view of this area in post 30 of this thread. There is also an up to date shot of Mitford Hospital in post 46. I am not sure about the mosques. I have seen a pic of Amiruddin's Mosque from around 1990 so I think it is still in good shape, but don't know if you can see it from the water. I don't know if Mirza Golam Pir's Mosque is still around today or what state it is in.

When I was in Dhaka briefly this January, I wanted to take a cruise and shoot some photos, but the opportunity did not materialize. I will definitely do so the next time I am there, although that won't be for a while.

So many historic in Dhaka, shame they are not well preserved. Its our duty to come forward and see to it that these buildings are maintained. Thanks yet again Tanzirian!

You're welcome, Dhakaiya

The Armenians

We continue with our river cruise, circa 1880. There are many mansions lining the waterfront. After all, if you are a big shot, this is the place to build your house. This one, for example, was built by Manuk, a zamindar of Armenian descent:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/manuk.jpg

But what is an Armenian doing in Dhaka? Armenians, like other foreign ethnic groups, came to the subcontinent in search of new opportunities. The earliest Armenian grave in Dhaka that I am aware of, is dated 1741, so it is reasonable to assume that the first Armenians arrived some time prior to that. At that time Dhaka was still a large and prosperous city in the post-Mughal period. Initially these people found success as contractors in the salt trade. As Dhaka declined in the early years of British rule, the Armenians stayed on, now working on behalf of the East India Company. The Armenian Church, founded in 1781, was a focal point of this community, and still today remains perhaps the most significant of Dhaka's historic churches. Eventually Armenians sought opportunities in other commodities, such as jute and leather, and were quite successful in this regard. By 1900 there were around half a dozen families of Armenian zamindars in Dhaka, such as that of Manuk. Over time this community has gradually whithered away. As of a few years ago, there was just one Armenian left in Dhaka, who used to look after the church. I don't know if he is still alive or not (he would be 77 this year). The church, to the best of my knowlege, hosts multi-denominational (as opposed to Armenian) services today.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/arm.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/od8.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/arm2.jpg

choto katra, boro katra....you love your katras Tanzirian. What was it that Meghnarmaghi said.....he was a katra Abahani supporter?

There is a katra in Dhaka called Abahani? Now that is one historic structure that I am not familiar with...(;) )

If you missed my article on the Armenians, and are interested, please check out post 59 on the previous page. Before continuing on with the river cruise, I thought it would be a good time to have a...

QUIZ

Can you name this Old Dhaka building?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz-1.jpg

Ahsan Manjil!!

Quite right! I thought the absence of the dome would fool a few people :), but you were too clever!

This is what Ahsan Manzil used to look like between 1872 and 1888. An older mansion on this site was purchased by Khwaja Alimullah in 1835 (see post 65). His son, Khwaja Abdul Ghani, extensively rebuilt / remodeled it in 1872, and named it Ahsan Manzil after his son, Khwaja Ahsanullah. Ahsan Manzil (and much of Dhaka) was badly damaged by a tornado in 1888. Among the changes in the reconstruction, were the addition of the dome, and the replacement of the standard classical pediment with a triple arched portico. This was another zamindar mansion, like the home of Manuk on the previous page. More to come later...

New Nawabs

Getting back to our river cruise...here is the version of the Ahsan Manzil we are more familiar with, seen from Buriganga beyond the Buckland Bund. As I mentioned in my previous post, the building was remodeled after being heavily damaged by a Tornado in 1888. This was the home of the Khwaja family, the most prominent Muslim family of those times:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ahsan.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/alimullah.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/abdulghani.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ahsanullah.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/salimullah-1.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/habibullah.jpg

Alimullah (first row, first pic; d. 1885) was the founder of the Khwaja family's fortune through purchase of zamindaris. With British assistance, he built the Ramna Racecourse (now Suhrawhardy Uddyan).

His son Abdul Ghani (first row, second pic; 1813 - 1896) was a noted social worker and philanthropist, set up a water supply plant in Dhaka, and served as a member of the governor general's legislative council. He was awarded title of "Nawab" (among others) by the British, which he passed on to his successors. Of course a "nawab" under the British had no real power, but the honorific did reflect Ghani's high standing in society. Abdul Ghani built Ahsan Manzil (named after his son), gardens at Shahbagh and Dilkusha, and a zoo at Shahbagh.

Ghani's son Ahsanullah (first row, thrid pic; 1846 - 1901) was another noted social worker and philanthropist, who helped to set up the Dhaka Electric Supply in 1901. He also served in the governor general's legislative council on a couple of occasions.

Ahsanullah's son Salimullah (second row, first pic; 1871 - 1915) advocated rights for Muslims at a time when they were descrimanted against, supporting the first partition of Bengal in 1905. He served in the East Bengal and Assam Legislative Assembly during of the short-lived existence of this state. In 1906 he was the primary proponent in establishing the Muslim League of India, which set in motion a chain of events leading to the foundation of Pakistan.

Salimullah's son Habibullah (second row, second pic; 1895 - 1958) served on separate occasions as Dhaka's representative to the Bengal Legislative Council and as a minister in the cabinet of Fazlul Haq ("Sher-e-Bangla"). During his time the influence of the "nawabs" declined, culminating in 1950 with the abolition of the zamindari system and the transfer of such properties to the Court of Wards.

Not long after the zamindari system was abolished in 1950, Ahsan Manzil was abandoned by its owners and soon became one big shanty. The building survived early attempts to demolish it for the value of its prime riverfront real estate, largely due to the complexity of obtaining its property rights. In 1975 a decision was made to conserve the building due to its historic significance but in truth such proclamations meant very little. Finally in 1985 National Museum authorities managed to get then President Ershad to visit the site and agree to provide the authority and funds needed for its restoration. This restoration was completed between 1985 and 1992. Today this building stands as a rare success story for architectural conservation in Bangladesh. Below are some pictures taken before and after the restoration. If only our other historic structures were so lucky, how much richer Dhaka would be.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pre-restahsan2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pre-restahsan5.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/landmark-ahsan3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pre-restahsan3.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/landmark-ahsan2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pre-restahsan4.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/landmark-ahsan4.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/landmark-ahsan.jpg

wow!! The transformation is amazing. If there's one thing Ershad did right, it's this.

Exactly, considering the fact Ershad transforms into different forms everyday, he is has become pretty good at transforming things :D

Well, the folks from the National Museum deserve the most credit. But, we won't mind giving Ershad a little kudos for his part :) .

Ruplal House

If I could save just one historic mansion in Dhaka, it would be Ahsan Manzil. Happily, this has already come to pass. If I could save just two, the other would be Ruplal House. This grand manor with riverfront facade of around 300 feet was the largest private home in Dhaka. The oldest part of this house was built by an Armenian zamindar, Aratun, in the 1700s. In 1840, two wealthy brothers, Ruplal Das and Raghunath Das, bought this older building and had it extensively altered and expanded by the famous Martin Company of Calcutta. The house's finest hour came in 1888, when a ball was staged in its main hall on occasion of the visit of Lord Dufferin, then Viceroy of India.

The pic below is a special one, in my opinion - it is the only complete riverfront picture of the house that I have ever seen (the second pic is a detail of the first). I found it in a book of pictures on India published in 1911, in the basement of a university library here in the USA. In my next post, I will comment on the current situation of this important Dhaka landmark.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplalhouse1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplalhouse2.jpg

the size of this Ruplal house is ginormous!!! Howcome there aren't any recent photos available? What is this building used for currently?

the size of this Ruplal house is ginormous!!! Howcome there aren't any recent photos available? What is this building used for currently?

Tmac, I'm now putting that info together for my next post...I'll have it up tomorrow. Although Ruplal House survives intact, an unobstructed view is not possible today. I imagine that one would only be able to see a small part of it from the river, because of various sheds and other structures built in its backyard. However, if it was conserved like Ahsan Manzil, the same view would again be possible today. I have more hope for the preservation of this building than I do for the Mughal Katras which I wrote about earlier...but that's not saying much.

Also, just FYI, the view in the previous post is the rear of the house. The main entrances are on the other side.

Ruplal House (contd)

Ruplal House is shaped like a [ , with the long axis parallel to the river and two blocks at each end projecting towards the city side. The western block is the grander of the two and was owned by Ruplal, while the eastern block was owned by Raghunath. The two are connected by a central block running parallel to the river. Today, the whole building is encircled by sheds and other structures, making it difficult to take photographs. Ruplal's block is occupied by a variety of traders and also serves as a grand shanty (like Ahsan Manzil not so long ago). Raghunath's block, to the best of my knowledge, is under private ownership. There are over fifty rooms, including the grand hall where the Dufferin ball was staged.

The pictures below, showing Ruplal's section (western end of the house), were only possible from a high vantage point:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplal1-3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplal2-1.jpg

The picture below shows the connection between Ruplal's section on the right, with the central block on the left. The central section is completely obscured by the aforementioned sheds and other structures. This is the only unobstructed view possible from ground level today.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplal1-2.jpg

The pictures below show a few other aspects and details. The last pic is the entrance to Ruplal's section.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplal5-1.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplal4-1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplal6-1.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplal3-1.jpg

The columns are better than some of those in Athens :omg:

^^ I don't know that I would go that far :) ...but there is no doubt that Ruplal House is an excellent example of the residential architecture of the affluent class during the Raj period, and just like Ahsan Manzil, would become a prominent Dhaka landmark if restored.

Our government's Directorate of Archaeology maintains a list of "protected" monuments. Of nine significant buildings added to the list in 1989, one of them was Ruplal House. However, in our country, such designations are meaningless. This is demonstrated by the fact that one of the other eight buildings listed that year was destroyed in the 1990s, and another had been partially demolished when I visited it back in 2000. The Mughal katras are also on the "protected" list, and you have seen what state they are (first page of this thread).

The fact is that unless the government moves to gain ownership of those properties which are in private hands, or to evict those people who are illegally occupying others, nothing is protected. The excuse always made by the folks at the Directorate of Archaeology is that they don't have enough money. While there is no doubt that they are underfunded, the demolitions I spoke of earlier are a good example of their incompetence. I shall write of this incident some time next month.

I wish they would preserve, protect and restore Ruplal House. It could look even better than Ahsan Manjil. Who owns it now then? Private property? Can they not donate it to the tourism board?

Tmac, I am not entirely sure about the ownership of Ruplal House. At least one part of the house is illlegally occupied by traders and squatters. Regarding the remainder of house, I am not certain. I first learnt about Ruplal House when reading a book by Nazimuddin Ahmed, published in the 1980s. At that time, Ruplal's section of the house was occupied by the aforementioned squatters and traders, while Raghunath's section was privately onwed. More recent internet articles state that families of army personnel are now living there. I do not know whether this is in a private or public capacity, or whether this is by legal or illegal means.

With regard to your idea of a donation: unfortunately few people in Bangladesh are wealthy enough to make such a gift to the government, nor would it be fair to ask them to do so. The land alone is probably worth several million American dollars. If at some point the government does move to appropriate the building, then any legal private owners should be adequately compensated. Although this would not be cheap, our government can certainly provide the funds if it wants to. Just think about the massive amounts of money coming to light in the corruption scandal - saving not just Ruplal House, but EVERY SINGLE ONE of Dhaka's "protected" buildings could easily be accomplished with a fraction of that capital. So the problem is political apathy, not cash.

Still, I have more hope for Ruplal House than for some of our other heritage buildings. The structure survives intact and for now at least, is not in imminent danger of collapse or demolition (although that can change anytime). If this place is restored sometime in my lifetime, that will be a happy day for me.

Tan here's something for you to chew on.

Pre-Mughal heritage in danger

Tanti Bazar, the home of goldsmiths, also one of the most important heritage streets, architectural site and urban fabric of the city is now on the verge of ruination.

In the last couple of weeks, some unseen forces (mohalla sardars) have started to demolish the historic buildings.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/uploads/pic2_473.jpg

Over the last 30 years, the 'mohalla sardars' has systematically demolished the historic buildings in that area in the name of renovation. Though an irregular development was continuing, there was no regulatory control over it. At present, many of the buildings, which are unique examples of that time, have managed to survive from the destruction in the name of ruination.

Originally, from the Pre-Mughal period, this 'mohalla' belonged to the 'Tanti' (weavers) community, reputed for the famous Muslin of the Bengal. The 'mohalla' borrowed its name 'Tanti Bazar' from this community during the Colonial rule - the era of Muslin was over. The community first moved into trading of cotton fabrics. Finally they devoted setting into themselves to the tradition of money lending and goldsmith, which flourished on the economic boom that Dhaka enjoyed during that period. The boom also resulted in the urban redevelopment of the 'mohalla' and the surrounding areas. In the 18th and 19th century, Tanti Bazar used to be considered to be one of the elite neighbourhoods of the city.

A relic of the Pre-Mughal era, Tanti Bazar, even today boasts an attractive collection of two or three-storied shop houses, all brick buildings built during the Mughal as well as Colonial period. Typical of the shop houses, all the buildings of the 'mohalla' have shops in the ground floor - most of them belong to the goldsmiths and silversmiths. The old buildings, express the grandeur and the scale of the neighborhood of that time. The architectural style reflects mostly classical style as well as influences of contemporary European architecture, with enough to remind us of the Mughal legacy.

Meanwhile, as part of a dismantling and reconstruction, in the 'mohalla' at least seven old buildings have been demolished. Apparently, as the area or the buildings of the 'mohalla' are not designated by the Department of Archeology, RAJUK has been giving permission for the redevelopment work.

Though the Department of Archaeology designated the area and the old buildings or heritage but this department totally failed to protect them from ruination.

The Campaign of Heritage Conservation (CHC) and Urban Study Group (USG), a conservation activist group, campaigning for the protection of the heritage of old Dhaka, demands immediate stoppage of any demolition or the reconstruction work at these heritage sites.

Architect Taimur Islam of USG, said, "We urge the concerned authorities to take necessary steps to protect these structures from ruination though it is too late."

"We also urge the relevant authorities to take immediate measures to protect similar other 'mohalla,' in the adjacent areas. We need a separate set of rules and guidelines for the protection of the heritage environment of old Dhaka," he said and adding, "It is high time that all concerned bodies tried to find out ways to stop this destruction of heritage while accommodating the contemporary aspirations of the resident communities."

http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_35013.shtml

Thanks for the article, Tmac! Personally, I try not to be utopian...I know that it is impossible to save every old building or neighborhood in a place like Dhaka. However, it is not too much to ask that our leaders work to preserve those selected buildings which they themselves have deemed worthy or "protected" status. Which is why I harp about the katras, Ruplal House, etc.

My extended family also used to own a colonial period mansion in Old Dhaka, built by my great grandfather - I lived there until I was five years old. This has been sold off recently and like most other such buildings will probably be demolished. I immigrated to the United States with my parents in the 1990s, otherwise I might have resisted...but without a lot of money there is nothing I can do from overseas. So, I don't lose sleep over it. If I win the Powerball lottery I'll buy and renovate it :) , but the more likely scenario is that it will be torn down and replaced by something new. Unfortunately no one bothered to take any pictures of the building in its better days. I shot some photos of the house in a halfway delapidated condition in 1998. I'll post them later in this thread.

Bara Katra

the government shouldn't have allowed these people to live here, they should've preserved it as a national park or something as it reflects Dhaka's history and way of living. It's your national treasure that you guys have to take care of...these are beautiful

these places were occupied well before Bangladesh had any sort of proper government. sad.

I have to attend to some academic / work obligations at present, but I'll start posting again in a couple of weeks. Lots more to come...we aren't quite done with the historic "river cruise" that we started a while back...but I think I might be able to find material for a second historic river cruise a few weeks from now - this time in color! More details later.

I have to attend to some academic / work obligations at present, but I'll start posting again in a couple of weeks. Lots more to come...we aren't quite done with the historic "river cruise" that we started a while back...but I think I might be able to find material for a second historic river cruise a few weeks from now - this time in color! More details later.

Thank you for everything Tanzirian...you are doing an excellent job educating us about the past : )

You're very welcome, Mirza. BTW, since you are in Dhaka, I would love to see some up to date pictures of any of our historic monuments (especially any of the ones I am writing about) that we don't see here very often (I mean, other than Lalbagh Fort, Ahsan Manzil, Star Mosque etc) if you ever get the chance!

Tmac! A while back you asked me whether I knew who built Star Mosque and I replied that I didn't think anybody knew. Turns out I was wrong - the msoque was built by Mirza Golam Pir (perhaps an ancestor of Mirza Zeehan? :) ). This was the same rich guy who built the first of the two mosques pictured in post 55. Check that post for more details. I will make corrections to my earlier posts accordingly. One of my primary sources stated that the mosque was built in the 18th century, but since Mirza Golam Pir died in 1860, in all probability it was constructed in the 19th century. However, as I stated earlier, the mosaics for which it is famous were added in the early 20th century by Ali Jan Bepari.

Thank you tanzirian for this thread. The pictures and the stories have given me a whole different perspective of old Dhaka and made me realize that I haven't seen a lot of the historic structures even though I spent a good part of my life there and even lived in old Dhaka with my grandparents for a while. I did see some though...and they were in pretty bad shape. I think the next time I go back I'll look more carefully at the things that I probably ignored before...

You're welcome, Gohorns.

While I try not to flunk my upcoming exam, here is my occasional

QUIZ:

Which historic Dhaka landmark is visible in this photo?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz2.jpg

Answer tomorrow, unless someone gets it right first.

Time for the answer to the quiz in the previous post. Looks like no one hazarded a guess! What a bunch of

http://www.oldfrogpondfarm.com/master/images/chickens/looking_at_each_other.jpg :D !

See that long, low building parallel to riverbank on the right of the picture? I'm pretty sure that's Ruplal House. For more info, see posts 70 and 73 of this thread.

Tanzirian, I was going to guess it was Ruplal House and then I thought it would be too obvious.

I try not to make my quizzes too obscure, Tmac. They are either some significant fact like - Tallest mountain in BD? Oldest church in BD? - or related to something I am writing about.

Now admittedly this was not a very easy quiz - but I myself have not seen very many pictures of Ruplal House. Nonetheless, I know enough about what it looks like, to recognise it when I see it in a picture. That's pretty much also how I found it on Google Earth - some educated guesswork. With regards to this particular picture, it caught my eye while browsing Flickr a couple of days ago.

^^ our own Alex Trebek :lol:

oh..and the picture of the c****....priceless!!

^^ I am not sure of the identities of those chickens, but the one in front is probably Tmac, and the one to right likely Mirza. The one in the back...harder to tell, but...Zaki maybe? One thing is for sure...all those chickens are much too old to be Dhakaiya...so this one is probably him:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/chick.jpg

:lol:
Anyways, nice chic :D

OK, my feathered friends, try this

QUIZ

on for size. What was the first modern hotel built in Dhaka after the British left? This was the place to stay if you were visiting Dhaka in the 1950s. I think it was also the tallest building in Dhaka when built.

Unfortunately, I don't have a pic of this building, but I'll post the answer tomorrow.

Intercontinental?

Good guess, but not quite! But just for trying, you have proven that you are no chicken!

The first modern hotel was the Hotel Shahbagh located very close to the Intercontinental (now Sheraton), which opened a few years later. The Hotel Shahbagh building is now Block B (the middle block) of the IPGMR (aka Bangabandhu Medical University).

For those who are interested, here is an article on Dhaka of the 1950s, which talks about this hotel:

http://www.newagebd.com/2006/jun/26/oped.html

I don't have a good picture of this building myself but here is a photo that Dhakaiya posted in the Metro Dhaka thread. The building partially visible on the right, was formerly the Hotel Shahbagh:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shahbagh.jpg

As you guys know I have using this thread to highlight the pitiful state of architectural conservation in our country. More of that to come in a week or so...In the meantime, here is a

QUIZ

intended to highlight how ridiculous people in our country are when it comes to the conservation of historic objects. It would be funny if it wasn't so deplorable. The question is (and this is a trick question) - In which museum in Bangladesh can you find a 1,000 year old boat? Answer tomorrow, unless someone gets it right first.

Nowhere

Well...we'll give you correct for this one...but there IS a boat reputedly 1,000 years old in Bangladesh, but it isn't in any museum. In fact, it is sitting out in the open, so that it can rot away :ohno: . I will post an article about this boat either tonight or tomorrow.

Now, I don't know of too many 1,000 year old boats in the world. You would think, someone would get this artifact into the National Museum, pronto. But then again, Bangladesh will always find a way to defy logic :) :ohno: ...

^^ Are you sure it's a thousand year old boat? I don't think any boat will last even 100 years if it is left outside in hot, humid and damp weather as in Bangladesh, let alone a thousand years!:cheers:

I am not certain how they came up with the age - it would have to be carbon dated to be confirmed. However, the reason that it was preserved was because it was buried beneath a riverbed. I must correct myself on one point though. The boat can be found on the premises of the Panchagahr Women's College and is considered part of their outdoor "Rocks Museum." So I was wrong when I said it was not part of a museum, but...it's not exactly what we think of as a "museum" in the traditional sense of the word. I will post the article from Daily Star, with pictures, in just a bit.

Here you go, as promised, article from Daily Star, dated June 27, 2005. Whatever the exact age of the boat, it is undoubtedly a valuable historic artifact. The guys at the National Museum need to get off their rear ends and get this thing indoors:

Dhaka Monday June 27, 2005. E-mail: starheritage@thedailystar.net

Panchagarh preserves a
1000-year-old boat

http://www.thedailystar.net/heritage/2005/06/03/heritage01.jpghttp://www.thedailystar.net/heritage/2005/06/03/heritage02.jpg

With many historical monuments and antiques in a state of disrepair, the need of the hour is the preservation of these priceless remainders of the past. Take for example, a large number of antiques, including a 1,000-year-old boat, inadequately preserved in the Panchagarh Government Mohila College premises, despite its immense archaeological value.

The former principal of the college, Mohammed Nazmul Haque, established a museum called "Rock Museum" in 1997 in the northern district of Panchagarh, at the base of the Himalayas. Some local elite of the district, including Ansar Ali, Tarikul Islam, Harmuz Ali and Tabibar Rahman, are said to have inspired him to establish the beautiful Rock Museum.

The main attraction of the museum is a 25-foot-long boat, crafted from a solitary log of wood. This was recovered from eight feet beneath the local Chawai riverbed many years ago. This precious relic has been donated by residents of the Ambur Khana area of Panchagarh district for display in the museum. However, as a teacher in the Panchagarh Government Mohila College pointed out, the boat is inadequately preserved.

Also in the collection are many colourful antique stones, which were kept open to the elements.

There is a tug of war between the Ministry of Education and the Department of Archaeology as to who will preserve the antiques. As a result, neither of the two sides has taken the initiative to safeguard these remainders of the past.

About seven crore years ago the Himalayas and adjacent areas including Panchagarh were touched by a shallow ocean named Tasis according to a display board of the museum. So local people and some historians believe that on an excavation many such antiques may be recovered from Panchagarh and adjoining areas.

The collections were made at the personal initiative of Nazmul Haque, but may be destroyed if not preserved properly by the department concerned.
The collections in the museum include old paddy, earthen articles, stones and wood logs dating back hundreds of years.
................................................................
Story & photo: Md. Hasibur Rahman Bilu

http://www.thedailystar.net/heritage/2005/06/03/heritage03.jpghttp://www.thedailystar.net/heritage/2005/06/03/heritage04.jpghttp://www.thedailystar.net/heritage/2005/06/03/heritage05.jpg

There were actually walking humans up here 1000 years ago! Whew, a thousand year old boat in Bangladesh :D , I didn't know there were any civilized dwellers in here except the Uari Bateshwar area.

There were actually walking humans up here 1000 years ago! Whew, a thousand year old boat in Bangladesh :D , I didn't know there were any civilized dwellers in here except the Uari Bateshwar area.

Are you being serious or was that a joke? Civilization here existed long before 1000 AD, and in fact long before Wari-Bateshwar (which is 2,500 years old).

Are you serious or are you joking? How do you know so much....Please tell us all about it, make another thread if nescessary :master: :master: :master: Oh please please please!

Well, a few pictures with some historical commentary is one thing, but writing a history book is entirely another...:) ....the library will help you out with that! But why are you surprised that there was civilization here before 1000 AD? Places like Mahasthangahr, Paharpur, and Mainamati are all older than that.

As for our early history...the fringes of Bengal have been inhabited for many millenia. There are many paleolithic and neolithic implements which testify to that. At some point, these people took up farming. Some point after that, they began creating urban centers. What point was that? Hard to say, because our history is very poorly preserved. Humid monsoon climate with frequent flooding and lack of durable materials like stone (except in those aforementioned fringes) mean that next to nothing survives from our early history. It is not by coincidence that the earliest civilizations always seem to be from the dry and desert areas of our world.

A few millenia ago, people began moving from the fringes of the province, and settling the interior. Doing so involved clearing the jungle and swampland which covered most of the region. Most historians believe this took place between 1500 BC and 500 BC, which is the Vedic era of South Asian history. Wari-Bateshwar dates from the end of this period. Like the rest of India at the time, this was an era of many kingdoms that rose and fell, of which we have no record. In fact, the first one we know of by name comes not from a South Asian source but from a Greek one (those guys were better at writing down historical facts). Alexander's historian, Ptolemy, around 320 BC, states that there was a strong kingdom in the region, which he calls the Gangeridae. This was united with, or had some some sort of alliance with, the neigboring kingdom of Prasioi. Ptolemy states that this kingdom had raised an army of 4,000 war elephants, and cites this as one reason Alexander decided not to continue with an invasion of South Asia. Ptomolemy also provides us with the first map of Bengal. The most important city in the land at that time was the port of Tamralipti, which would have been located near where Kolkata is today. Shortly after Alexander's death, Bengal, like the rest of India, came under Mauryan rule. Mahasthangahr, which is of the oldest of the three larger archaeological sites in our country, was an important urban center of this period, at which time it was known as Pundravardhana.

If you want to know more than that, go buy a BOOK :)

Alexander......was kinda afraid of us???? :D :D :D

Well...he was smart enough to know that his army was worn out and didn't stand a chance against such numbers...but you won't find that in any modern western history book. What you will find are movies like "300" where hapless Easterners get their butts kicked by few Hellas. Read a translation of Ptolemy, or good book on Bengali history, if you are interested.

great news Tan.

DU to renovate historic Curzon Hall

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/04/14/2007-04-14__metro01.jpg

Dhaka University (DU) is going to take up renovation work on the historic Curzon Hall to preserve its original architectural features.

After the renovation of the hall, the university authorities will reiterate its appeal to the UNESCO to declare the Curzon Hall and the Vice-chancellor's Bungalow as World Heritage Sites, as both of them are over 100-year-old, Vice-chancellor Prof SMA Faiz said.

"We hope to start the renovation work within shortest possible time," he added. The work will be carried out with funds from the Japanese government.

The balconies and minarets of the Curzon Hall and the attractive architectural patterns have been gradually decaying due to lack of maintenance.

Two years ago, the university applied to UNESCO for the recognition of Curzon Hall and VC's Bungalow as World Heritage Sites and it is still under process.

"The Curzon Hall and VC's Bungalow have passed 100 years, which are now parts of world heritage. So, the university authorities have taken the initiative to preserve them," Prof SMA Faiz said.

On February 19 this year, the socio-economic infrastructure department under the planning commission at its project evaluation committee meeting allocated Tk five crore for repair, renovation and reconstruction of the Curzon Hall and its surrounding buildings with a view to preserving the heritage and architectural values and for the construction of a dormitory for female students.

"The dormitory will be constructed with red bricks to have similarities with the Curzon Hall as it will be built in the same area," VC Prof SMA Faiz said.

The university received the first allocation of Tk three crore for 2006-07 financial year. Tk 70 lakh will be spent on the repair of Curzon Hall, he said.

The Curzon Hall was last repaired during the tenure of then Vice-Chancellor Prof Fazlul Halim who served from 1976 to 1985.

The architectural features of the Curzon Hall are a blend of European and Mughal elements. The architectural value of the building and its interior still attract many people from home and abroad.

The Curzon Hall with red-bricked building of Victorian architectural style was founded by Lord Curzon, the then viceroy of India. The hall marked its 100 years on February 19, 2004.

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/04/14/d70414060158.htm


Curzon Hall, VC house to get new look in old design

http://www.newagebd.com/met2-b.jpg

The Dhaka University is going to renovate the Curzon Hall and the Vice-Chancellor's House to bring back the architectural beauty they have partially lost over hundred years.

The Japanese government is funding the renovations as a gesture of goodwill under its world heritage preservation programme.

'The buildings of Curzon Hall and VC House, which have been declared world heritages, have passed 100 years. So the university authorities have taken initiative to preserve the historical sites,' the Dhaka University vice-chancellor, Professor SMA Faiz, said.

Two years ago the university applied for UNESCO recognition but it is still under process.

The authorities will again initiate move to get recognition of Curzon Hall and VC House as part of world heritage by UNESCO after the renovation.

'We are very hopeful that we will get UNESCO recognition,' the vice-chancellor said.

The socio-economic infrastructure department of the Planning Commission at its project evaluation committee meeting on February, 19 allocated Tk 5 crore for the repair, renovation and reconstruction works of the Curzon Hall and its surrounding buildings for preservation of heritage and architectural values.

Sources said the university received first allocation Tk 3 crore for 2006-2007 financial year among Tk 5 crore.

'We receive Tk 3 crore as primary instalment', SMA Faiz, said adding that Tk 70 lakh will be spent for the renovation of Curzon Hall, which is a British edifice built with a Mughal imprint.

Earlier the Curzon Hall was repaired, when Prof. Fazlul Halim was DU vice-chancellor (1976-'85), with allocation Tk 27 lakh for the maintenance works of the Curzon Hall that time.

He also said the university would establish a ten-storied building to ease the accommodation crisis of the residents.

'A female hall will also be constructed with red-bricks modelled on Curzon Hall and the design of female hall is very attractive,' the vice-chancellor said.

The main building of Curzon Hall, founded by Lord Curzon, the then Vice-Roy of India, had completed its 100 years of establishment on February 19 in 2004. The building houses the Department of Biochemistry, which is as old as the university. The red-bricked buildings have been carrying the Victorian architectural beauty and heritage.

In the early phase, the Curzon Hall was being used to give reception to the Lord Curzon and other British and Indian high-ups, when they came to the capital of Bengal. The hall was also used for the library of Dhaka College then.

The design and architecture of the hall is also very exciting and luminous. There have been three ages of architectural designs, which includes Mughal, Roman and British. The architectural value of doors, windows and miners of the hall still attract the beauty enthusiast persons.

The balconies of the Curzon Hall are also the attractive architectural patterns have been decayed for long.

http://www.newagebd.com/met.html

Any renders of what it will be like after renovation?

^^ Curzon Hall is in a pretty good state of preservation, so I doubt it will change much. (BTW thanx for the article Tmac.)

Personally I don't think Curzon Hall should be a World Heritage site. These sites are supposed to be the greatest human creations. Curzon Hall is a beautiful building, but it isn't of that stature IMO. Bangladesh already has more than its fair share of World Heritage sites. The three we have listed are Paharpur, Bagerhat, and the Sundarbans. Although Paharpur and the Sundarbans deserve to be on the list, putting Bagerhat there is a bit of a stretch. Bagerhat is important historically to Bangladesh in that it is the largest collection of medieval buildings here, but it is not unique from a global perspective. The one other historic site in Bangladesh which deserves to be on the list IMO is Gaud, which was our medieval capital. This is where a unique local architectural vernacular was developed that exerted significant influence on the pan-Indian Mughal aesthetic. However, the archaeological site is split between India and Bangladesh, and most of the buildings are on the Indian side, where they are neglected, being in a corner of a country with many historic remains. Of modern monuments, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar certainly deserves to be on the list. The National Assembly is undoubtedly one of the finest examples of monumental modernist architecture.

I am now done with (hopefully my last) set of medical board exams, and will be resuming the "river cruise" I left off after Ruplal House. More in the next few days.

Back on Board

Time to resume our circa 1880s river cruise! Last time, we saw Ahsan Manzil and Ruplal House. Most of the other mansions along the riverfront were not on as grand a scale, but there were a good number of them. Some of them are seen below. You can also see a more humble form of riverfront dwelling in the first and last pics: houseboats. Unless I am mistaken, the building on the far left of the first pic is (pre-tornado) Ahsan Manzil.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bur1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bur2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bur3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/bur4.jpg

Northbrooke Hall

Continuing with our circa 1880s river cruise...we see an attractive red brick building with four minarets, with an "Indo-Saracenic" aesthetic. This is Northbrooke Hall, built in the late 1800s as the town hall of Dhaka, and named after a Viceroy of India. In the first picture, we see the rear (riverfront) of the building (it is the one to the left - that looks a like a Hindu temple at right).

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nb0.jpg

And the front of the building, from the opposite side:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nb5.jpg

Over the years the building served as a library, and had a clubhouse added to it, called Johnston Hall. Today it is known as "Lalkuthi" and remains in a good state of preservation, functioning as a community center of sorts. To the best of my knowledge, it is no longer visible from the river, because of the modern structures around it. Of the pictures below, the first three are from the 1980s; the other two are recent.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nb6.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nb7.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nb8.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nb.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nb2.jpg

While the building today, remains well preserved, the truth is that unless the government moves to acquire it, it will never be safe. Anytime a private owner decides to tear it down for whatever reason, he can do so with little problem.

Mill Barrack

If you really were cruising along the Buriganga in 1880, the order in which you would see the buildings we have described previously, west to east, are Lalbagh Fort (possibly hidden behind buildings), Bara Katra, Chhotta Katra, Mosque of Mirza Golam Pir, Mosque of Amiruddin Darogah, house of Manuk, Ahsan Manzil, Northbrooke Hall, and Ruplal House - in that sequence. Going past Ruplal House, the last major urban sight would be the Mill Barrack, which was built as a sugar mill in the first half of the 19th century. During the uprising of 1857, the British army took control of the building and converted it into a barrack. Hence, the name Mill Barrack. I am not sure whether this building is still around, or not.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/mill.jpg

And with that, we are done with our boat ride, and disembark to explore some other places on the ground.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/nb5.jpg
This looks amazing, and to imagine I've never seen it in my life.......

Tanzirian, check this out..

Dhaka's Hidden Pearls-1
Ruplal House: Unique features in wholesale wreck
Precious motifs, cast iron grills, imperial columns and many more of this unique structure are left to ruin

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/04/22/2007-04-22__scity01.jpg

Rows of grocery shops, godowns of onions, dried chilies, turmeric, ginger, garlic, betel leaves and various spices, where vegetable traders are bickering with the buyers under a big shed. This is the portrait of Ruplal House, an edifice of colonial period, in Farashganj in the city.

When this correspondent walked into the compound of the 150-year old palatial residence of Ruplal Das, a merchant, the whole area was buzzing with wholesale buyers and traders making the entire complex look like a grimy and chaotic wholesale trade centre.

People and vehicles were coming in and going out of the place with loads of supplies completely unaware of the historical value of the house.

The architectural style of Ruplal House reflects that of the late renaissance period. This is the only structure bearing this style in the Dhaka region.

The magnificent towering colonnades of the main entrance is covered by rows of warehouses. One walking by the entrance will not be able to see or feel that a grand entrance is stifled behind the rows of shops. The colonnades are visible only from the rooftops of the multi-storeyed buildings nearby.

From the rooftops the Ruplal House looks splendid standing by the river Buriganga. In spite of its dilapidated features it bears the testimony of lavish expenditure and affluence of its times.

The House is divided into two uneven blocks in east-west and is situated on Buckland bund. If seen from above the house is E-shaped. It has three extending arms -- one towards the north or to the city, the second one on the southern side towards the river and the third one is the biggest.

The upper floor of the building, located on a three-bigha land, is inhabited by the non-commissioned personnel of the defence force.

Ruplal House was reconstructed by merchants Ruplal Das and Raghunath Das, which they bought from Arratoon Stephen, an Armenian tycoon, in 1840. The extension and renovation was done by an architect of Martin Company of Kolkata.

There are around 50 rooms in the house including a central hall in the upper floor of the west wing of the building. The ceiling of the hall contains elegantly decorative motif and the dance floor was made of teak wood, which was pilfered over the years, said locals.

Ruplal House first came into limelight in 1886 when Ruplal Das threw a ball dance party in the honour of Lord Dufferin. Ahsan Manjil was the dominating building at that time.

A massive migration of Hindus and Muslims took place after the partition in 1947. At that time the family of Ruplal Das left for Kolkata. Through a formal deed of exchange in 1962, one Siddiq Jamal took over the place.

Tawhid Amanullah, coordinator of Ruplal House conservation project of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, said the floral motif on the columns is the characteristics of classical Corinthian fluted column.

On the northern and southern sides there are elongated verandahs with grills made of cast iron. The motif of the grill is called art-deco, which is found in the contemporary buildings like the ones in Panam City, Tajhat Rajbari in Rangpur and Puthiya Rajbari in Rajshahi, he said.

"The Ruplal House itself represents a goldmine in terms of architectural and historical studies. It must be conserved at any cost in the way we renovated the Nawab Bari," said an expert.

"To conserve the individual identity of the house the whole area should be taken under the conservation project. The present inhabitants of the house will have to be rehabilitated elsewhere. The riverfront of the house can be highlighted. The road on the front and on the riverside should be declared for pedestrians' use only," said Amanullah.

A museum, library and a cultural centre can be set up in the house to attract tourists, he added.

Asked why Ruplal House is not taken care of even if it is a listed heritage site, Md Shafiqul Alam, director, Department of Archaeology said that they do not have the ownership or access into the house. "We could not do land requisition for shortage of funds. We cannot evict the occupiers by force," Alam said.

The helplessness of the top officials of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs is to such an extent that when this correspondent asked whether any step would be taken to save the house they expressed surprise to know the name and asked where Ruplal House is located.

Haridas Banik, a trader with a shop in the Ruplal House and son of the caretaker, said that the government requisitioned the house in 1974. There is a case pending in High Court over its ownership.

Judhajit Das, great great great grandson of Ruplal Das, now lives in Mumbai working as a senior vice president of ICICI, an insurance company.

Mira Das, great great granddaughter of Ruplal Das who lives in Kolkata, told Star City over telephone about the cultural environment of Ruplal House when she was only thirteen.

"We were a joint family. I was in Eden School [now Eden College]. I was the only girl in the house. Instead of playing with dolls, I used to play football and table tennis with my brothers who studied in the St Gregory's School," said Mira, now a septuagenarian.

"My father [Jogesh Chandra Das] was very careful about our education. He was very fond of singing. My mother [Kanak Prabha Das] was an active social worker. She was involved with Hindu Bidhoba (widow) Asram and was the president of AIWC [All India Women's Council]," she said.

"Musical soirees, wedding receptions and gathering of the elite were regular events at our house. I had lots of Muslim friends. We used to visit each other's house at parties. The family of Dr Hasan, the then vice chancellor of Dhaka University, was very close to us," said Mira.

"We left for Kolkata just a few days after the partition," she said.

"What I have heard about the present state of the house I do not wish to see it. If I see it now it will break my heart," said Mira.

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/04/22/d704222501120.htm

Nice article, Tmac. Personally the second pic is interesting to me...that shows the front of the central block, which I have not seen before (you cannot see it from ground level, since it is hidden behind those sheds - so the only way is from a high vantage point like that one). I'm glad that articles like this are still being published...greater public consciousness of its existence increases the chance that it might be conserved some day. Not that I'm holding my breath for that to happen.

Also Tmac, the article is entitled Dhaka Hidden Pearls - Part 1. I will be out of town this Mon - Fri, but if Part 2 is published in the interval, please post it here or link to it so I can see it when I get back.

Dhaka's Hidden Pearls-2
Bhawal Rajas' relics in a shambles

http://thedailystar.ws/2007/04/23/2007-04-23__scity01.jpg

Mounds of plastic shoe soles, wads of cement bags and other plastic wastes are what now adorn the Nolgola Rajbari in Mitford area, once housing a bustling Kachhari (tax office) and a fine retreat of the Bhawal Rajas in the city.

When this correspondent walked into the premises of the 120-year old Rajbari, large sacks of shoe soles were seen piled up on both sides of the entrance and baskets containing plastic wastes strewn here and there.

Big arches, brick turrets, wooden bars in the ceiling, 10-foot high wooden doors, decorative motifs of dancing peacocks and sloping brick pattern were speaking of a time that was left in the distant past.

Floral motifs made of tiles were pilfered and broken off the walls leaving the house denuded of its ornamental beauties. Parts of the ceiling were covered with tin shed as the brick shed and wooden bars were missing in some places.

Clothes were being dried on the ramparts of the Rajbari. In a corner of the Rajbari, the inhabitants were cooking in a makeshift kitchen.

There are at least five structures in the compound -- all of them are now being used as small plastic recycling factories and for making cement bags. According to workers this place is being used as a factory for several decades. Some structures are being used as staff quarters of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC).

In terms of prestige, ancientness, extent and income, the Bhawal Estate was comparable only with the Dhaka Nawab Estate in Eastern Bengal. They had landed estates in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Faridpur and Bakerganj. Joydebpur was their headquarters.

Unlike most landlords the Bhawal Rajas attended Kachhari every day.

Sri Krishna of this family first obtained Bhawal pargana in 1704 from Diwan Murshid Kuli Khan. Since then his family had been in charge of Bhawal till the abolition of zamindari system in 1951. Raja Kalinarayan Roy, who got titles from the British government in 1878, was a famous landlord of this family.

Tawhid Amanullah, lecturer, Department of Architecture, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, said the architectural features of the Rajbari follows Roman architectural mode and resembles the style of the colonial period.

The Rajbari is a wall structure devoid of columns. The width of the wall is 15 to 20 inches. The tiles used on the walls are corbelled, he said.

"All the quarters inside the compound are built encircling a courtyard. This is a rare feature. The main entrance has a true arch. The key stone, made of brick, in the middle takes the load. Inside the room the doors and windows have flat arches or lintels. True arch and flat arch are Roman features. Concrete was not used in lintels. These are common features of the colonial period," said Amanullah.

Md Shafiqul Alam, director, Department of Archaeology (DA), said they tried to enlist the Rajbari as a protected site but the Bhawal Trust gave them 'conditions'.

Abdur Rauf, manager of Bhawal Court of Wards, said they handed over the Nolgola Rajbari to DCC in 1981 and did not receive any letter from DA regarding the Rajbari. "Moreover, we wrote them [DA] several times to take the abbot of the Bhawals at Gazipur but they did not give any reply," he said.

Asked if they have any plan to enlist the Rajbari, AMB Abdul Howk Chowdhury, secretary, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, said: "Do you think it is of any use?"

Dr Sharifuddin Ahmed, professor, Department of History, DU and former director general of the National Archives, said that in 1850s the Nawabs and Rajas of Bengal grew a tendency to have a Kachhari Bari in Dhaka especially those who had estates in the Dhaka division.

The Bhawal Rajas owned most lands of this city so they needed to do tax related work staying near the city. High government officials, divisional commissioner, district judge and collector were posted in Dhaka. It was important to maintain a good rapport with them because of the strict law of paying tax, he said.

Secondly, Dhaka was the centre of best education, treatment and entertainment. The Rajas used to send their sons to the city so that they can come in touch of theses amenities. According to historians, the Kachhari was possibly used as a retreat when the Rajas visited the city to collect taxes.

About the importance of conserving this place, Dr Sharifuddin said: "We, the present inhabitants of Dhaka owe two families; the Nawab family and the Bhawal Rajas. The Rajas opened a separate ward for women for the first time in Mitford Hospital when the society was very conservative. They also donated Tk 2 lakh for Curzon Hall and funded Kalinarayan scholarship for science students."

"Even if the Rajbari contains a little or no significant architectural features it has great historical values. It is not important that a dwelling should have important architectural features. USA preserved the slave cabins, which has no architectural features but those are parts of history. It is a part of our history. It is a spot from where modern city life started. It is our duty to conserve the place," he said.

http://thedailystar.ws/2007/04/23/d704232501149.htm

^^ Thanks Tmac, didn't know anything about the Bhawal Rajas myself. I have some other articles from Daily Star about mansions in Old Dhaka which I will be posting in this thread presently. This newspaper has done a great job over the years of highlighting our endangered heritage. In the meantime, I am off on vacation for the next week, so you guys have fun with our shiny new subforum, and I"ll join you again on Friday!

have a safe and fun vacation Tanzirian.

Oh well...I thought I would be going on vacation...but I've decided to postpone my trip out of some other considerations that came up. But not all bad...I can stick around see the birth of our subforum.

Preview of Coming Attractions

Hope you guys enjoyed the river cruise we just finished. For the time being we're going to be landlubbers, but take a look at the painting below:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/olddhaka.gif

This shows a view of the Dhaka riverfront in the 1840s. I had seen some other pictures similar to this one in Dhaka history books, and wondered whether they were part of some series, or by the same artist. It turns out that in the 1840s, someone painted the entire Dhaka riverfront from west to east. I don't know if this was originally one long painting or a series, but I've found the whole panorama as a set of 16. A truly exceptional work IMO, both for its detail and its completeness. The images I found are, however, rather dimunitive, so I'm trying to get hold of some larger prints. Hopefully I can procure those prints, but either way, this thread will be a going on a second river cruise some time a little later this year, this time in color.

In the meantime, there are other sights to see. During this coming week, we'll take a look at some of Dhaka's colonial era gardens - some which survive today, others which do not.

Dhaka Gardens of Yesteryear: Dilkusha Garden, Part I

The "Nawab" family of Dhaka owned several garden estates near the city. Two of these, originally on the outskirts of of town, are now well within city limits. One of these was the Dilkusha garden ("Dil kusha" means "heart pleasing"). In Mughal times there was mansion known as Rang Mahal, built by one Mirza Mohammed, which stood on the land. Eventually the property came under the ownership of the Khwaja familyNawab Khwaja Abdul Ghani built the Dilkusha garden house for his son Ahsanullah in 1866. When Ahsan Manzil was badly damaged in the tornado of 1888, this house served for a time as the principal residence of the family.

In 1905, at the time of the first partition of Bengal, the government leased the southern part of this estate to construct a new government HQ and official residence of the Lt. Governor. After the creation of Pakistan, the residence of the Governor of East Pakistan was located here. Today the elegant Mughal inspired mansion is known as Banga Bhaban ("Bengal House") and is the official residence of the President of Bangladesh.

The northern part of the Dilkusha garden complex was acquired by the government in 1957 and added to the newly created Motijheel Commercial Area which was adjacent to the site. Various office buildings including RajUK HQ now occupy the land.

Below is a pic of principal mansion of the Dilkusha garden, which was located east of where the RajUK building is today:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil1.jpg

This is Mosque of Shah Jalal Dakhini at Dilkusha. I am not sure exactly when it was built, but it probably dates from the Mughal period. Several members of the "nawab" family are buried within the mosque compound. The mosque survives today and is located next to Jibon Bima Tower.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil2.jpg

"Manuk House" was built by the zamindar of that name and was located within the Dilkusha estate. You may recall that Manuk was one of the Armenians who found their fortunes in Dhaka - I posted a pic of his riverfront mansion in post 59 (page 3) of this thread. This building has also survived and today is located within the Banga Bhaban complex.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil3.jpg

In this garden there used to be maze built from hedges, known as Bhulbhulaiya, with a decorative pavilion at its center:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil4-1.jpg

Which book did you get these pics from? They are very rare, I haven't seen any similar to these in the net before. I'm saving them all. :)

^^ A good number of the pictures are from a book entitled "Photographic Album of Old Dhaka" published by the National Museum; others I found here and there.

Also Dhakaiya, in case you are interested, I sometimes go back and try to improve my old posts. For example I have just added a better scan of the Bhulbhulaiya maze in post 122. Over the past few months I have also replaced the previous scan of Mitford Hospital (post 46) with a slightly improved one and added a few new pics here and there.

Dhaka Gardens of Yesteryear - Dilkusha Garden, Part II

Continued from post 122:

Farhat Manzil was another mansion of the "nawab" family within the Dilkusha Garden
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil9.jpg

Part of the gardens at Dilkusha:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil6.jpg

Pavilion on the edge of a pond in Dilkusha Garden. This pond still survives as part of the Banga Bhaban complex.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil8.jpg

Bridge over a lake in Dilkusha Garden:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil7.jpg

Deer in Dilkusha Garden:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil5.jpg

Here is an aerial view of the Banga Bhaban grounds, which is basically what remains of Dilkusha Garden today:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dil10.jpg

See the four dots at the top of the screen? According to Google Earth, the first dot (left to right) is the RajUK building. The second dot is where the main mansion of the Dilkusha Garden used to be. The third dot was the location of the Bhulbhulaiya maze. And the last dot is Manuk House. Personally I am no expert on where exactly these structures used to be, and Google Earth annotations are not always exact, so take them with a little grain of salt. However, they are probably pretty close to the mark. Unfortunately, the government doesn't allow people into the Banga Bhaban grounds and even if they did I doubt they would let anyone take pictures, so I am unable to provide any contemporary ground level views of these places.

In this photo from a few years ago posted here by Tmac, take a look at the base of the Jibon Bima Tower on the left. Can you make out the three domed mosque of Shah Jalal Dakhini, which I mentioned in post 122? Thought it would be nice to show the building in its modern context, though unfortunately couldn't find a better a pic than this one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v128/Tarik/sadharanbima.jpg

Bangabhaban looks kinda awesome from Google Earth, I'd checked the Shangshad Bhaban on Google Earth before but didn't see this onw. Nice :)

Tan did you know about this website?

http://nawabbari.com/index.html

^^ I did come across the site one time a while back. Unfortunately the website blocks you from downloading any pics. Thanks for the link though.

Dhaka Gardens of Yesteryear - Shahbagh

In Mughal times there was a garden called Bagh-e-Badshahi ("Royal Garden") in the area currently occupied by the Old High Court and Shishu Academy. To the north of this was some sort of palace complex in an area then known as Sujatpur. Inbetween the two, there was a large meadow called Ramna. In colonial times Sujatpur Palace area was purchased by the Armenian zamindar Aratun, who built two garden houses on that land (those who follow this thread may recall that Aratun also built the precursor to Ruplal House). The area north of Sujatpur was purchased by another zamindar, Nuruddin Hossain, who then built Nurkhan Bazar on this land. Khwaja Alimullah bought these two properties (of Aratun and Nuruddin Hossain) in 1840. His grandson, Ahsanullah, one of the latter-day "nawabs" of Dhaka, developed the garden from the 1870s to include the buildings seen below as well as a zoo and other structures. The garden was an important venue of the Dhaka social scene in the late 19th / early 20th centuries and is also historically important as the setting for foundation of the Muslim League of India in 1906. Anually at the Christian New Year there was also an exposition of agricultural and indigenous industrial products held on the grounds. Today by land is divided between the Dhaka University's TSC and Arts and Business departments, plus the National Museum.

Two views of the main mansion of the Shah Bagh garden:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shah3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shah1.jpg

The "Darbar Hall" of the Shahbagh garden, where the Muslim League of India was founded in 1906, setting in motion a chain of events leading to the creation of Pakistan. The building survives and today is the well known "Madhu's Canteen" of Dhaka University.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shah2.jpg

I tried to find a good contemporary pic of the Darbar Hall / Madhu's Canteen (which I mentioned in my previous post) but the one below is the best I could fish out:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shah4.jpg

For those of you not familiar with this Dhaka University institution...the original Madhu's Canteen was a tin shack located near the Dhaka Medical College from where many of the student protests against the policies of the Pakistan government originated. Not surprisingly, the government tore it down. Subsequently the canteen relocated to the Darbar Hall of the Shahbagh Garden (by then part of Dhaka University), where it remains today. Unfortunately it has continued to be a setting for the dirty student politics of the present day. The pic below shows the area which comprised the Shahbagh garden. I have drawn an arrow pointing to the Darbar Hall / Madhu's Canteen. The building prominent on the lower right is the National Museum.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shah5.jpg

^^ Bongo Bhaban's (President's house) main reception hall is called "Darbar Hall". I wonder if the naming of that hall has anything to do with history as you mentioned above.

^^ Not really; a "darbar" used to mean a sort of formal gathering of noblemen or others before a ruler. The Mughal emperors would have "darbars". The British, then as now, were fond of things pertaining to royalty and adopted the terminology for their own purposes. So sometimes the main hall of an important office or residence would be called a "darbar" hall.

BTW the word is usually spelt "durbar"; I used "darbar" because that's how the pic was labeled. The latter is closer to the Bengali pronunciation.

Historic Gardens of Dhaka - Baldah Garden

Baldah Garden is actually two gardens on either of side of a road in the Wari neighborhood of Old Dhaka. This botanical garden was founded in 1909 by local zamindar Narendra Narayan Roy Chaudhury (1880 - 1943), a noted naturalist and philanthropist. The gardens are named Cybele and Psyche after characters from Greek mythology. The property was acquired by the government in 1962. The gardens boast an outstanding collection of 15,000 plants from 672 species.

When I was younger an aunt of mine was in charge of this garden, so I would visit there not infrequently. Back in those days, everything was maintained in tip-top shape. However, from what I have read things have downhill since then. Maintenance is not nearly what is used to be, plants are threatened by poor sunlight secondary to highrises that now encircle the garden as well as higher levels of air pollution, and miscreants from nearby slums have harassed visitors. This being a garden, as opposed to a building, and being in government hands, gives me hope that in the future it will once again receive the care that it deserves, and be restored to its former self.

Mr. Chaudhury is one of the people seen seated in this photo. Unfortunately, I don't know which one of them he is :) . Besides Baldah Garden, he also created the Baldah Museum from his collections. These artifacts are currently displayed in the National Museum.
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Pond within the Cybele section of the garden:
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Photo by Anwar Hossain, Dhaka Portrait:
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Historic Gardens of Dhaka - Rose Garden

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Around the turn of the last century jalsas (parties) held at Baldah Garden (see previous post) were an important part of the social life of the city's wealthier Hindu residents. The story goes that Hrishikesh Das, a zamindar of lower caste background, being insulted on this account by someone at one of the jalsas at Baldah Garden, decided to create his own garden to outshine that of Baldah. Here he staged jalsas of his own. The centerpiece of the garden is an elegant pavilion, which in other threads on this site, has been referred to as a "palace" or "mansion". However, this building was not built as a residence, but rather a setting for entertainment such as musical performances (although subsequent owners did use it as a house). Unfortunately for Mr. Das his extravagant lifestyle caused him to go bankrupt and he was forced to sell his garden. Today this property remains in private hands. The owners are usually pretty accommodating towards visitors. The gardens themselves are rather uncared for and few of the rose plants for which it was once famous survive. The main pavilion however remains in a reasonably good state of preservation. The garden is decorated with classical statuettes. Of note, this garden is also historically significant as the setting for the foundation of the Awami League in 1949. Of course the AL has many opponents today but back then it was the only political voice for East Pakistanis. The complex in its current state could easily be restored to its former elegance. However as long as the property remains in private hands there is always the danger that it be torn down and replaced with a highrise apartment or some other structure.

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Here are some pictures of Baldah Garden from Ershad Ahmed's blog (http://dhakadailyphoto.blogspot.com). I think Tmac has posted them previously somewhere (there is precious little that he hasn't posted ;)), but I'll repost in this context:

This map at the entrace shows the two sections - smaller, more intimate Psyche on the left and larger, more expansive Cybele on the right.
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I mentioned earlier than an aunt of mine used to be superintendent of this garden; she used to live in a house within Psyche...I think it is # 3 on the map. I visited there many times growing up. Although the garden has fallen on some hard times since then, I would recommend a visit to anyone touring Old Dhaka.

I think all the following pictures are from Cybele:
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The last pic is of a sundial.

Some pictures of Rose Garden I took in 1998:

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Earlier I wrote about some of the old mansions that were prominent along the riverfront. There are still many other old houses in Old Dhaka, even though they are being torn down at a rapid pace. The next few posts will be about Old Dhaka mansions. I will elaborate on two of the more important ones. To start, however, two nice articles published a few years ago in Daily Star:

Three landmarks of Old Dhaka

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Two centuries of British rule created a 'rupture' in Bengal's indigenous architecture. The rise of bourgeois, esteem for classical styles and patronisation of rulers gave birth to a hybrid Indo-Saracen style that enabled the l elite in administrative service and trade to adhere to both tradition and prestige. The introvert plan, verandas and courtyards with functional, climatic and cultural roles reflected the traditional organisation draped with European pillars and parlours. The building scale, grandeur and ornamentation were testimony to the owner's affluence and association with colonisers who used neo-classical turrets, semi-circular arches, triangular pediments, columns, capitals, foliated motifs, entablature, architrave, freeze and cornices, incorporating a few local elements like overhanging eaves and wooden lattices.

The colonisers warranted the loyalty of their subjects and transferred it to the new milieu without much change in the socio-cultural orientation. The society elite and the middle-class emerged in Bengal during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The manipulation of forms and images of glory had a vast appeal to the emancipated individual who rose to lead the society in spite of being born a native. Shaista Ikramullah testified to this... "our house was furnished exactly like an English house. In the drawing room, there were heavy sofas, lace curtains, gleaming brass and silver. The dining room had a fairly massive sideboard displaying a love of heavy silver. The hall and the study were furnished in the typical English style of the time."

The city elite who accumulated wealth mostly through salt, tannery, brick and money lending business owned the palatial mansions. The houses, often originally built by the Europeans, had several courtyards and used features displaying pastiche of the neo-classical style. At the entrance were classical columns and other elements in axial arrangement through lofty spaces. The symmetry of the ornate facade, extended through the often double-height living rooms, could change in the inner house. The adjacent courtyard, guestrooms and offices formed the formal male domain. The bedrooms around the next courtyard formed the informal female domain for the domestic chores, and a third yard for ancillary services.

Days of horse driven carts entering the grand porch, or the bright nights lighted with dancers and tinsels are long gone now, gone with them the splendour and glitter. Alone stand the skeletons in desolation and disarray to remind us of their once glory and galore, mirth and myth. Here are just three selected examples that could rejuvenate the ambience. They, along with many others like Jalal Lodge, Chandra Kutir, Bhawal Mansion, Ruplal House etc., deserve attention and study as evidence of good architecture and to chart the evolution of local style. Restoration and adaptive reuse of architectural heritage is neglected in Bangladesh

House of Reboti Mohan Das

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A moneylender and social worker, Reboti Mohan Das was among the first elected commissioners of the Dhaka Municipality. This house in Jaluanagar, aka Sada Bari- one of the grandest mansions of Dhaka built in the early twentieth century, is now used by about 50 families of the Fire Service Department. It can be entered through the south portico leading to a foyer before the main living room. Slender columns, flanked by solid blocks on either side containing the stairs, gave monumentality to another approach from the west through a double height foyer that led to a second living room. This side has six turret pinnacles and windows with tri-foil lunettes. The whole structure is on marble pediments.

There are two major inner courtyards, connected by a double-loaded corridor running on the west. The outhouse with servants and guest quarters around a semi-public courtyard was accessible from the Dholai khal on the east. The first of three more courtyards is encircled by various semi-public activity spaces. Another large one on the north has a colonnade on the khal side. Rooms are arranged around it in a simple manner, repeated in varying sizes. There are a number of stairs. The first floor has bedrooms and terraces.

House of Mathura Mohan Chakrabarty

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Mathura Babu, a schoolteacher, established 'Shakti Oushadhalay', the famous pharmaceutical factory, in this building in Dayaganj. The entry court on the south offset the building from the road by 35-ft. The entrance is a single-height arcade that leads to the living room flanked by two rooms. Several rooms on the east open to a colonnaded corridor that connects a secondary building, a temple and surrounds an oblong public courtyard. This part was used as office and guest rooms. Consisting of the pillared facade and the rooms leading out of them, excellent light and shade play on the yard of moderate size and proportion. The service court is on the north (back) of the house.

Manik Babu's House

The main structure and the outhouse of this Hazaribag house, aka Goala Bari, flank the entrance court. The outhouse has verandas on its front and backsides; the features and spatial organization of the part of the house is in colonial bungalow fashion. The entry inside the house proper goes through the living room block. Besides two external courtyards, there are three inner courts, two on the east and one on the northwest corner. The northeast court contains the main group of rooms whereas the southern one ties the services, kitchen and servant areas. The connecting veranda around the court is absent; rooms were possibly entered directly from the courtyards. There were corridor links between some of the spaces.

This house bears all the adapted neo-classical motifs like fluted pseudo-Corinthian pilasters with acanthus leaf capital, wooden lattice, bridled console and bracket, dog tooth ornamentations, Gothic tracery, etc. Unfortunately what waits for the all other palatial mansions of old Dhaka, has already met this beautiful piece of architecture. With all its grandness and beauty, this gorgeous edifice is going to be hit by the developers hammer very shortly. It's a shame that we are oblivious of our heritage and ungrateful to the future generation.

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Story: Mahbubur Rahman, PhD
Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

The second of two Daily Star articles on the mansions of Old Dhaka, this time focusing on the Farashganj area. This is the part of town where Ruplal House and Northbrooke Hall are located, of which I wrote of earlier in this thread.

Edifices of Farashganj's brick mansions

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Dhaka can look back at its past for a new lease of life, from the crowded, winding and forgotten old Dhaka mahallahs where the thriving settlement had began before the Mughals made it the capital of Bengal. This is where the oldest, most elegant buildings still stand as reminiscence of the grandeur and magnificence they once embodied.

A tryst with the past can take the pulse of the vibrating localities among the maze of lanes and by-lanes, ambling through its 700 mosques, 52 markets and 53 lanes. Among the worn-out and despair, there is the variegated scenario of hope and glory.

The French merchants came to Dhaka in the 1680s and settled in Tejgaon. They established Farashganj as a trading quarter with permission to conduct business from Naib Nazim Nawajesh Khan in 1740. They flourished in the Muslin, crystal, essence and wine businesses for over 50 years. The French had their office in the Ahsan Manzil and its vicinity, which they bought from Sheikh Enayetullah, a Faridpur Zamindar. Ali Mian acquired these in 1835 from the French who had left the area half century ago. Mr. Pogose, an Armenian businessman and philanthropist, took lease of the area from the English, though officially it was under the French.

The mile long Farashganj Road is elongated East-West starting from the Sutrapur Zamindar Bari up to the Lal Kuthi. Farashganj, a treasure trove for traditional architecture, is now the centre of vegetable, spice, timber and cement wholesalers. It is full of derelict and often abandoned palatial mansions, many of which are over 150 years old and still proudly stand in their ornate disposition. Among which are Basanta Babu, Prasanna Babu, Jatindra Saha, Ashu Babu, Ruplal, Uma Babu, etc. Besides there are other buildings, some four centuries old- Bihari Lal Jeo Mandir, Bibi ka Raoza, Shib Mandir, Gokul Roy's Samadhi, Lal Kuthi.

To commemorate Lord Northbrooke's visit, Lal Kuthi, the elegant Indo-Saracen building, in 1879 was erected. Subsequently used as a town hall, library and various offices, it blended the Mughal and Renaissance elements most cunningly. In a sign of utter disrespect, a recently erected government office now obscures its view. However, most noteworthy of the Farashganj edifices are the brick-built multi-court mansions. These used cast iron railing and balusters, lime plaster on small hand-made bricks, Greco-Roman columns with ornate capitals.

Below is a brief of four such mansions; the last one is no more.

1. Ruplal House: Mathura Nath Das' business could not earn him the dignity and aristocracy he longed for till his sons Madhusudan and Swarup Chandra bought vast estates and established one of the leading families of Dhaka in the late 19th century. Swarup bought these buildings from Aratone -- a rich and influential Armenian salt merchant who led a colourful life with kite flying, pigeon and cock fighting. The Calcutta Martin Company modified and extended the original house to rival the Ahsan Manzil. Swarup's sons Ruplal and Raghunath inherited the houses. Ruplal, a music connoisseur, used to arrange soirees for the elite in the house.

The house, a listed property now occupied by the BDR personnel and the spice traders, can be entered from the main road on the north and the river on the south. It consists three blocks -- the imposing western one of Ruplal, the richly eastern one of Raghunath, and a connecting bungalow offset from the main road fronted by the entrance court. Two archways connect this with the other blocks at upper level. A gabled roof tops the western archway. The eastern connecting archway has a style similar to that of the central block. The bedrooms are on the upper floors with terraces to pan the river.

The main blocks have two courts each, surrounded by rooms. The north entrances fronted by foyers are grandly disposed with double height Corinthian columns, pediment and entablature. This lead to the living rooms, other external rooms on both sides, and the internal court surrounded by colonnades to connect other rooms around. The ground floor verandas in each block surround the large public courtyard. The columns are of hybrid origin. Courts are of similar size in this block. There is an oblong court open to the riverside in the Ruplal's block.

2. House of Jatindra Kumar Saha: This one of Jatindra Kumar Saha -- a zamindar from Tangail, currently houses the Kabi Nazrul College Hostel. The grand entrance foyer in the north is distinguished with a projecting convex plinth, heavy square piers and huge pillars. Next is a big veranda, flanked by stairs and an exterior room, leading to the living room, and the corridor around the main courtyard. There are four courtyards. The northwest yard adjacent to the road has a separate entry. Its surrounding rooms were for public use. The southwest courtyard was for the services. There are first floor terraces on the south and southwest.

3. Prasanna Babu's House: Prasanna Babu, a moneylender and trader, built this magnificent three-storied building more than a century ago. The south-facing 40' x 200' house built on the property line has an alley running along the eastern wall. The axial entry through the facade block of a guardhouse, guestrooms and bureau in low-height rooms leads to the colonnaded public courtyard. On the facade, is a curved balcony with cast iron balustrades overhanging the street.

An axis with symmetrically arranged rooms on both sides lead to the family courtyard, the rest consists of a room and a staircase. There are separate staircases for the public, family and service zones. The first floor including part of the service area, the guardhouse and habitable rooms rise up. The entire upper floor is inter-connected, the front part through open corridor above the colonnade. The partly three-storied building has many small terraces.

4. Adi Basanta Babu's House: Sitanath Roy Chowdhury, a Barisal zamindar, bought this house from Basanta Babu, who had other houses in Farashganj. The detailing of the arches, round columns on the ground floor, piers on the upper floor along the iron railing, and incomplete dance hall surrounded by stained glass windows gave elegance to this mansion, aka Sutrapur Zamindar Bari. The inheritors approached various bodies to have this building conserved, but failed. Very recently they sold it and left the country. The jewel of Farashganj is already been ground to dirt by the developer.

The east-west elongated house oversaw the famous Iron Bridge. There was an alley along the south while the north had open spaces. The entrance veranda led to the hall room, backed by an inner room. Next to it was the semi-public courtyard surrounded by corridor and rooms. The symmetrical arrangement had flanking rooms on both sides of the hall, living room and entrance veranda. The staircases and rooms on either side of the courtyard were symmetrically arranged. The first courtyard was connected to the family yard with a double-sided corridor. This had colonnades around it linking the bedrooms and a service court at the back that consists of a well and a narrow stair up to a terrace. The terrace surrounded by high walls took a third of the first floor area to the west.
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Story: Mahbubur Rahman, PhD
Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

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The Heritage Buildings of Tipu Sultan Road – A Failure of Architectural Conservation - Part I

The story of architectural conservation in Bangladesh is mostly one of loss. Once in a while, there are some major triumphs – Ahsan Manzil, Lalbagh Fort, etc. However, for every success story, there are many more battles which are lost. While I don’t want to turn this into a doom-and-gloom thread, I can’t change the realities on the ground. One of the most regrettable losses in recent years has taken place on Tipu Sultan Road. The case of the heritage buildings of Tipu Sultan Road, which I will discuss in three parts, is also a good illustration of the incompetency of the Directorate of Archaeology, which listed them as being among Dhaka’s “protected” landmarks.

The British Raj was a prosperous time for one segment of the Hindu community, who found wealth through the zamindari system and elsewhere. In colonial times they accounted for most of Dhaka’s wealthy class. Their houses tended to be clustered in a few neighborhoods – Farashganj (see previous post), Sutrapur, Tipu Sultan Road, Narinda, and Wari. Among the affluent residents of Tipu Sultan Road, the Banik family was most prominent. They built several beautiful buildings along this street.

I have stated previously, that if I could save only two Old Dhaka mansions, those would be Ahsan Manzil and Ruplal House. If I could save only three, the third would be Bhajahari Lodge. Sadly, I am not sure whether there is still time.

Bhajahari Lodge

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Of the three Banik brothers, the eldest, Bhajahari Saha Banik, had the grandest mansion. Unlike Ahsan Manzil and Ruplal House, which draw primarily upon classical European traditions, Bhajahari Lodge was designed in an Indo-Saracenic aesthetic. “Indo-Saracenic” was an architectural style, popular during the Raj, that sought to blend European and South Asian traditions. Curzon Hall is another example of this style. Typically, the end result of this admixture was a building that turned out to be picturesque, but not particularly elegant. However, Bhajahari Lodge, just like Curzon Hall, was a handsome exception to the rule.

As you can see in the picture above (which was taken before the changes I mention below), the building is two storied and generally symmetric in design, having a frontage of about 150 feet facing Tipu Sultan Road. The forecourt used to showcase an elegant fountain which has long since disappeared. There are three large halls on each floor. Two staircases lead upstairs, the grander being at the southeast corner.

The Lodge, despite being one of Dhaka’s “protected” landmarks, is currently occupied by Salimullah College. I visited the mansion in 2000. At that time, the school had built a new multistory building in the area of the front courtyard, obscuring the view of the building from the road. More tragically, the central portion of the front façade had been demolished in order to build a connection to the new building now standing in front of it. In fact, although I don't know the details, the building is supposedly at the center of an legal dispute between Salimullah College and Graduate High School, the terms of which have encouraged demolition of parts of the building. I have not seen any recent pictures of this beautiful mansion. I don’t know if it still (partially) survives, or has been demolished altogether.

Thanks for all the info Tan,you have pointed out a tragic loss that I wasn't aware of.

Thanks for all the info Tan,you have pointed out a tragic loss that I wasn't aware of.

Unfortunately that's not the worst of it. When I last saw Bhajahari Lodge, seven years ago, the front central section had been demolished, but the rest was still there. However, some of the neighboring landmarks have not been so "lucky" - which will be the subject of my next post just a little later tonight.

The Heritage Buildings of Tipu Sultan Road – A Failure of Architectural Conservation - Part II

Shankhanidhi Lodge

There is no better illustration of the incompetence, indeed outright criminal negligence, of the government, in regards to architectural conservation, than the case of Shankhanidhi Lodge. The Lodge, the home of the two younger Banik brothers (see previous post), actually consisted of two main structures, a mansion and a dance hall, as well as a small cottage. They were located quite close to Bhajahari Lodge on Tipu Sultan Road. The Hindu owners left the country after the War of 1971 (many wealthy Hindus already having left after the creation of Pakistan in 1947 and subsequent abolition of the zamindari system in 1950), and the property was placed under the control of the Ministry of Land Reforms. The ministry, however, sold the estate to a private individual. This transaction was completely illegal. In the late 1980s, Shankhanidhi Lodge, along with many other Dhaka heritage buildings, was placed on a list of “protected” landmarks by the Directorate of Archaeology. However, in 1991, the guy who owned the Lodge decided to tear it down. Concerned citizens learned of his plans and alerted the Directorate of Archaeology. The Directorate, however, decided to do nothing. Why so, you ask? Well, they did make some high and mighty statements, which give some insight into their thought process. For one, they refused to believe that private individuals would learn of such a demolition before they themselves did. For another, they said that since demolishing “protected” buildings was illegal, no one would dare to do such a thing. So, (big surprise) the house and dance hall were destroyed as planned. They were replaced by a few tin sheds and a small plastics factory. The final irony in the whole matter is that The Directorate had never completely documented the existence of these two “protected” buildings. As a consequence, they would not be able to take legal action against the owner, even if they wanted to. Remember, guys, that the main job of the Directorate is to protect our built heritage. They have nothing else to do all day long. Public money pays for their salaries. Yet, out of sheer laziness and apathy, they chose to do nothing in the rare instance when action was demanded of them.

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Shankhanidhi House is partially visible on the picture above. On the outside, the building, designed in a classical Eurpean style, was really no different from many other mansions built during the Raj. However, the interior was more reflective of the affluence of the Banik family, with the rooms (which included a central hall surrounded by apartments), all paved with marble. An elegant cottage stood next to the house.

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More significant architecturally, was the dance hall (above). This elaborately ornamented structure was designed to look like a temple, but was intended for cultural not religeous functions. The central hall had a decorated wooden ceiling and walls covered with glazed tilework.

The Heritage Buildings of Tipu Sultan Road - A Failure of Architectural Conservation - Part III

Radha-Krishna Temple

The Radha-Krishna Temple, located very close to Bhajahari Lodge, was also built by the Banik family. As originally conceived this was undoubtedly one of the most attractive religeous structures in Dhaka. The temple is fronted by a rectangular courtyard. On three sides of this courtyard, are two-storeyed, arcaded buildings buildings, which used to house pilgrims. The ornate one-storeyed temple stands at the far end of the courtyard. Although single storeyed, the height, including the decorative elements on its roof, was equal to that of the other buildings around the courtyard. All in all, a very pleasing composition of buildings that lends a sense to grandeur to this not-so-big temple. The temple used to boast an multi-arched entrance, elaborate floral decoration, marble stairs and floors, and colored glass windows. The first picture below shows how the temple used to look like before recent times. The second picture is a detail of the ornamentation, showing combination of Mughal and European elements..

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The priest of the temple was killed in 1965 in violence preceding secession from Pakistan. The family of the priest left for Calcutta and the temple was abandoned. The complex today is in private hands and no longer holds religeous services. The owner wanted to demolish it and build something else in its place but was dissuaded by protests from the local Hindu community. Instead what he has done (if I can see correctly from the picture below, which was taken last year) is build a multistory structure on top of the temple. In doing so, the decorative elements on the roof of the temple have been demolished. The formerly open archways have been closed off and the building itself remains locked up. The courtyard is used as an auto repair workshop and rooms in the other three buildings surrounding it are rented out. Like the other Tipu Sultan Road landmarks which I wrote of earlier, this complex was also added to the list of Dhaka's "protected" sites in the 1980s by the Directorate of Archaeology. As with those other buildings, this designation has turned out to be pretty meaningless. However, more so than the other three structures, with adequate funding and political will, the possiblity of easily restoring the temple to a semblance of its former self, is still a possibility.


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It's a shame that private individuals who own heritage buildings see them as liabilities not assets. For example, think about the buildings on Tipu Sultan Road, which I discussed in the last few posts - if preserved, they would not only constitute a fine historical ensemble, but could be a profitable tourist draw as well. Of the two mansions, Shankhanidhi Lodge could have been converted into a boutique hotel. Tourists staying there could get a taste of history and tradition just steps away at Bhajahari Lodge and Radha-Krishna Temple. And in the evenings they could be entertained with cultural programmes at the Dance Hall on the grounds of their hotel. Of course all this is just wishful thinking, but the point I want to make is, preserving our heritage doesn't necessiate merely keeping the old buildings as stately monuments. With a little forward thinking, they can be a dynamic part of society today and even pay for their own upkeep.

Rebati Mohan Lodge

Of the many beautiful old mansions in Old Dhaka, four usually merit mention in books on hisotric architecture. We have talked about three of them previously - Ahsan Manzil, Ruplal House, and Bhajahari Lodge. The fourth is Rebati Mohan Lodge, home of the zamindar of Sutrapur, at the east end of Old Dhaka. This large manor is oriented north-south with the west front facing the road and the east facing the Dolai Khal, which flows into the Buriganga. The house is comprised of two blocks, built at different times, featuring several inner courtyards and a total of about seventy rooms. The southern block, the older of the two, is also the more artistically significant, being rendered in a dignified neo-classical aesthetic. The northern block is less ornamented and shows more modern influences. This building is also included in the list of Dhaka's "protected" landmarks, which readers of this pseudo-blog know as being a pretty meaningless designation. However, unlike many other buildings on that aforementioned list, the last time I saw this building, it had survived intact other than some age related wear and tear. In its present state this grand dame could easily be restored. However, as I have mentioned previously, as long as any such structure remains in private hands, it can at any time be torn down at the will of its owner.

The first pic was taken by me some years ago, and shows the west front of the southern block. The next image shows the layout of the whole building, while the last is again a render of the west face of the southern section.

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http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/reb2.jpg

Historic Dhaka Mansions - A Personal Note

Before moving on to other topics, I thought I would share some pics of the Old Dhaka house built by one of my great-grandfathers. I lived there until I was five years old. Unfortunately nobody took a picture of the house in its good days. These pictures were taken in 1998 - by this this time no one from the family lived there and the house was in a poor state. Next to the house there used to be an elegant old domed mosque. When these pictures were taken that old structure had mostly been torn down and replaced with a newer building. You can see a little bit of what remained of the old mosque to the left of the house in the second picture. Next time I visited, in 2000, the old mosque had been completely torn down and replaced a four story new and graceless one. The house itself was sold off by the family a few years ago and probably won't last too long either.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shul1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shul2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shul3-1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/shul4-1.jpg

The last pic shows the little attic room on the roof. When I was little there was a monkey living on top of it and liked to come down and steal our fruit sometimes. Some of you may recall, I mentioned this primate in a previoius post a few months back. Not too many bandars in Dhaka these days...

Not too many bandars in Dhaka these days...

Who told you that? Bandars are still stealing from us and jumping on the streets and creating political chaos... You probably liked the friendly bandar you had... We have problem tolerating the bandars I am talking about.

By the way thats a gorgeous mansion your great grandfather built.

Who told you that? Bandars are still stealing from us and jumping on the streets and creating political chaos... You probably liked the friendly bandar you had... We have problem tolerating the bandars I am talking about.

Sorry I forgot about those ones...they had their tails hidden!

But the bandar I mentioned wasn't too friendly either. He would make mean faces at you and flash his teeth when making off with your fruit.

I'll be kind of busy in the coming weeks, so no major additions to this thread for a little while. However, I will be scanning and posting some pics I took in 1998, of the area in and around Lalbagh Fort. Sorry not great quality pics, but hope you like anyway...

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/lb3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/lb2.jpg

More later.

More of the same:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/lb4.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/lb6.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/lb5.jpg

And a few more:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pic1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/pic2.jpg

Second River Cruise - Part 1 of 6

For any of you with an interest in Dhaka history, the following pictures should be pretty special. They are to me. In looking through books on Dhaka history, I had noticed, in several places, paintings dated from the 1840s. I had wondered if they belonged to some series. This suspicion was proved when I found the whole series on a British Library website. Someone painted the entire Dhaka waterfront in the 1840s. I wish I knew who this was, but all the site says is that the paintings were published by Dickinson. I don't know if Dickinson is the painter or publisher. Anyway, enjoy!

I will post these pictures in groups of two, which means that you will have to scroll right for the whole image. I will be posting the descriptions of the images separately, so you don't have to scroll. I will post the commentary to the first set in just a little bit. The two pics below, show the western end of the Dhaka riverfront. We will be cruising east. Can you identify the landmark which takes up about half the images?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75720_2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75721_2.jpg

Second River Cruise - Part 1 of 6: Commentary

Could you identify the landmark in my last post? The one starting on the right end of the first pic and extending throughout the most of the second pic? The answer of course, is Lalbagh Fort, an impressive sight from the River Buriganga in days gone by. The river has since changed its course and the Fort is no longer visible from the river.

Can you spot the massive pillars at the western end of the Fort, seen at the right of the first pic? I had posted Charles D’Oyly’s sketch of these pillars in the first post of this thread (see below). I don’t know what purpose they served.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/lalbagh.jpg

Look along the ramparts in the second pic. You will see many structures along the top which no longer survive today. Notice also the dome of Pari Bibi’s tomb peeking out from behind the walls, at the left of the second pic, and the main gate of the fort, at the right of the second pic.

Second River Cruise - Part 2 of 6

The second set of pictures. Remember this is continuous with the first set, moving east. I will post a commentary on these pics later today. Noticeable in the first pic, a temple which must have been a prominent landmark at one time. I will provide a little more info on this temple in my commentary. In the second pic, can you spot an Old Dhaka landmark I wrote about earlier? See if you can guess, if not you will find the answer in my commentary.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75722_2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75723_2.jpg

Nice collection... very nice. Is that you in post #153?

Nice collection... very nice. Is that you in post #153?

Thanks, Meghnarmajhi. I haven't noticed you around much the last few days. Always good to know anyone still reads this thread! With regard to your question, you can see me in post 149.

Second River Cruise - Part 2 of 6: Commentary

Some notes to go along with the pictures in post 157. You can see in the first picture, a temple prominently positioned along the riverfront. I don't know what the name of the this temple was. The main building of the temple was washed away by the Buriganga around 1880 (under what exact circumstances - erosion or flooding, etc, I don't know). The tower / sprire of the temple stood for a few more years before collapsing as well. The picture below was taken after the temple building had been washed away, but the tower still standing.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/od7-2.jpg

On the far right of the second pic, you can see Bara Katra, the principal Mughal caravanserai of Dhaka. At this time (1840s) it was still visible from the river. I posted pics and info about this building in the first page of this thread, so check it out if you are interested.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/doyly1823.jpg

Thanks, Meghnarmajhi. I haven't noticed you around much the last few days. Always good to know anyone still reads this thread! With regard to your question, you can see me in post 149.

Oops... you did notice that I haven't posted comments last 5/6 days. Yes, I was away to Dallas, TX on a business trip. I was visiting the forum alright - but I was too busy to post comments. Besides my hotel room didn't have a very good wi-fi connection.

we are always checking out this thread Tan.

Thanks, Tmac. I tried to get higher resolution images of the series I am currently posting, but those dummies at the British Library wanted too much money, as well as placing copywright restrictions. I am not sure what legal grounds they have in placing a copywright - they are not the original publishers of these images - and at any rate anything this old probably qualifies as "public domain" which does not require copywright. Some day I will purchase and post the higher resolution images.

Second River Cruise - Part 3 of 6

Continuing eastward along the riverfront, circa 1840. Remember that the scene below is continuous with the last two parts of this series. Visible in these two images are two buildings which I wrote about earlier in this thread. Can you tell which ones? I'll post the commentary tomorrow.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75670_2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75671_2.jpg

Second River Cruise - Part 3 of 6: Commentary

Could you identify the two landmarks in the previous post? Seen prominently in the middle of the first pic is the Chhotta Katra (Small Caravanserai). I wrote about this building in the first page of this thread and posted an old photograph during the first river cruise on the third page of this thread(reposted below).

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/chhotokatra.jpg

See the mosque in the second pic? I'm pretty sure that's the Mosque of Mirza Ghulam Pir. I posted an old pic of this mosque during the first river cruise on the third page of this thread (reposted below). If you recall, Mr. Pir is also responsible for the construction of the well known Tara Masjid (Star Mosque). You can find some more info about him on page 3 of this thread.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/rm.jpg

If you combine the second pic in post 157 with the first pic in post 164, you can see both "katras" together (Bara Katra on the left, Chhotta Katra on the right):

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75723_2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75670_2.jpg

Second River Cruise - Part 4 of 6

Remember that these paintings are part of a continuous panorama, headed east from post 164. In these two images you can see three buildings which I wrote about, and posted pictures of, previously. Can you tell which ones?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75672_2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75673_2.jpg

Second River Cruise - Part 4 of 6: Commentary

Some commentary to go along with my previous post. See the mosque in the first pic? That's the Mosque of Amiruddin Darogah. I had posted a picture of this mosque (reposted below) in post 55 of this thread (third page), along with a few words on its builder.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/mosque2.jpg

See the mansion to the right of the mosque? That's the house of Manuk, one of Dhaka's Armenian zamindars. I had posted a picture of this building (reposted below) in post 59 of this thread (third page), along with a short history of Dhaka's Armenian community.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/manuk.jpg

Look to the right of Manuk's house, at the far right of the first pic. That building is the house of Amiruddin Darogah, who built the mosque to the left of Manuk's house.

Finally, see the mansion left of center in the second pic? That's the house of Khwaja Alimullah, which he purchased from a previous owner in 1835. In 1872, this house was extensively remodeled / rebuilt, and renamed Ahsan Manzil. A second remodeling / reconstruction took place after tornado damage in 1888. The picture below, which was posted previously, is after the first remodeling. For more info on Ahsan Manzil and the Khwaja family, check posts 65 and 66 of this thread (fourth page).

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz-1.jpg

#146 - The workers must be processing jute.

#146 - The workers must be processing jute.

# 146? Which picture are you referring to?

# 146? Which picture are you referring to?

Oops my mistake ... #167.

Oops my mistake ... #167.

I had posted that pic earlier, on page 3 of this thread. I believe that is the firewood market at Babu Bazar, so probably not jute, though I can't be 100% certain.

Second River Cruise - Part 5 of 6

Remember, these pics are part of a continuous panorama from the previous installments in this series, moving east along the Buriganga, circa 1840. Not much commentary to go along with this post. What you see are more mansions that once lined the riverfront, which I do not know individually. One of the things I love about this series, are the detailed drawings of the many types of traditional rivercraft. Of course this is somewhat difficult to appreciate in this small version, but as I mentioned earlier the higher resolution pics are expensive...I will get them some day, but enjoy these little ones for now!

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75674_2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75675_2.jpg

Second River Cruise - Part 6 of 6

Well, we come to the end of this cruise, reaching the eastern edge of Dhaka and moving onto the countryside. Two more landmarks are visible in these two images, which I have written about previously...do you know which ones?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75676_2-1.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/75677_2.jpg

Second River Cruise - Part 6 of 6: Commentary

This commentary refers to the previous post. See the building at the left of the first image? That's the mansion built by Aratun, one of Dhaka's Armenian zamindars. Not long after this painting was made (1840s), the house was extensively remodeled / rebuilt as Ruplal House (picture reposted below). For more info on Dhaka's Armenians, check post 59 on the third page of this thread. For more info and pictures of Ruplal House, check posts 70 and 73 on the fourth page of this thread.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ruplalhouse1.jpg

Note also the building on the left of the second image. This is the Mill Barrack, the last major sight on the Dhaka riverfront before heading into the country. For more info, check out post 114 on the sixth page of this thread. I am pretty sure that the picture below is of this sugar mill turned military barrack.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/milll.jpg

tanzirian i am doing thisis on old dhaka.i think u can help me a lot .plz mail me at coolniloy@gmail.com.or u can call me at 01711-074407.its important..niloy

Shahriar, nice to have you on board. I am happy to help, but do understand that I am only a casual fan of history, and certainly no expert. I've sent the email, so check it out and let me know.

Tanzarian - the history research fellow.... and someday I will be good enough to be Tanzarian's research fellow on Bangladeshi boats.

QUIZ

I am not planning on adding anything substantial to this thread...but I thought it would be fun to see if people could identify historic structures as seen through GoogleEarth. I'll start with an easy one: can YOU identify the structure below? For most of these quizzes, I will have some clues to help the guessing...but no clues for this first one. Answer tomorrow, unless someone gets it right first:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz1.jpg

pretty simple...Lalbagh Fort Complex.

too easy this one...but I am pretty sure Tan will find one to make us do some brainstorm later.:)

too easy this one...but I am pretty sure Tan will find one to make us do some brainstorm later.:)

You are right on both counts...this was meant to be easy, and the ones that follow will be more difficult. But I will always give some clue.

QUIZ

Okay, try this one on for size. There is a historic Dhaka building somewhere on the left side of this photo. Can YOU name it? The clue is on the right side of this photo. Answer tomorrow, unless someone gets it right first.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz2-1.jpg

ANSWER

Not even a guess by anyone...what a complete bunch of chickens! The landmark referred to in the last quiz is the Khan Muhammad Mridha Mosque, which is indicated by the arrow at left below. The clue was the Lalbagh Fort, indicated by the arrow at right, which I had hoped someone would recognize from the previous quiz. The Khan Muhammad Mridha Mosque is located just a few minutes walk down the road past the northwest corner of the Fort. This is one of the best preserved Mughal buildings in Dhaka, so you shouldn't pass up a chance to see it if visiting Lalbagh. Next quiz coming up tonight!

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz2-1-2.jpg

What are you doing, guys? couldn't answer this easy question! Hopeless!

What are you doing, guys? couldn't answer this easy question! Hopeless!

Quite right, Majhi bhai!

Thought I would post a couple of pics of Khan Muhammad Mridha Masjid, in case some people are not familiar with it. Tmac may have posted these shots previously - they were taken by our one-time forumer, Ragib Hasan.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/103/364308988_ffe0fedb39.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/176/364309509_9b819dbb3a.jpg

QUIZ

All right, my feathered friends, here is a chance to redeem yourselves. There are not one, but two, historic Dhaka landmarks in the picture below. Can YOU name them? Clues: one was host to a Viceroy of India, and one was named after another Viceroy.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz4.jpg

Quite right, Majhi bhai!

Thought I would post a couple of pics of Khan Muhammad Mridha Masjid, in case some people are not familiar with it. Tmac may have posted these shots previously - they were taken by our one-time forumer, Ragib Hasan.

........................

Wow.... beautiful Masjid and excellent photography. Where is Ragib now?

Wow.... beautiful Masjid and excellent photography. Where is Ragib now?

No idea...he didn't stick around...he made a couple of posts then disappeared...one of our lost forumers. Tmac has posted a number of his photos in the "Dhaka Landmarks" thread.

Found only one - Northbrook Hall or Lalkuthi - maybe I barely pass?

The other one could have been current Bangabhaban - but its nowhere around here.

Found only one - Northbrook Hall or Lalkuthi - Half mark maybe?

Very good! Did you look on GoogleEarth? If so...heh heh...you won't find the second one there...but it's hiding in plain sight!

Very good! Did you look on GoogleEarth? If so...heh heh...you won't find the second one there...but it's hiding in plain sight!

Yes, I had to spend some time on GoogleEarth. Setting the coordinates (long, lat), zooming in and out, panning..... it wasn't a picnic. Someday, Inshallah, I'll have your patience.

Yes, I had to spend some time on GoogleEarth. Setting the coordinates (long, lat), zooming in and out, panning..... it wasn't a picnic. Someday, Inshallah, I'll have your patience.

You have more patience than me...it was very clever to use the latitude / longitude...I hadn't noticed them myself! (And that can be a great tool if anyone else is interested in future quizzes.) As for me I found most of the buildings because I knew their general locations and general shape from above...and of course GoogleEarth itself has little markers with pictures and info for some of the more frequently touristed or well-known sites. The clues provided usually have answers somewhere earlier in this thread...or occasionally (rarely) in other threads if I think it a significant enough piece of trivia. I will post the answer tonight....thanks for your sportsmanship, Majhibhai

ANSWER

Kudos to Meghnarmajhi for identifying one of the structures. See...I don't try to make them too hard :) Anyway, the two structures are Northbrook Hall, outlined at left in pic below, and Ruplal House, outlined at center / right. With regard to the clues - Northbrook Hall is named after a Viceroy of that name, while another Viceroy, Dufferin, attended a ball at Ruplal House. Both these factoids were mentioned earlier in the thread. For those interested, these structures can be seen in the Farashganj area of Old Dhaka. Northbrook Hall survives in good condition despite being crowded on three sides by modern appendages. Ruplal House is in somewhat deplapidated condition but survives intact...one part is illegally occupied by traders, wholesalers, and squatters while another part is legally used as employee housing. Due to sheds and other structures that surround it on all sides, a clear view of this grand edifice is not possible from ground level.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz41.jpg

Northbrook Hall a.k.a. Lalkuthi
http://static3.bareka.com/photos/medium/969802/kuthi.jpghttp://static1.bareka.com/photos/medium/969800/kuthi.jpg

Ruplal House
http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/Images/R_0268A.JPG

Right?

Quite right, Majhi bhai. And there are more pictures earlier in the thread if anyone is interested.

QUIZ

Here's another little brain teaser. What historic Dhaka landmark is visible in this photograph? Clue: the builder of this structure has a city in West Bengal named after him. I will also tell you that the image is from Old Dhaka...if you want to know exactly where, try Majhi Bhai's tactic with the latitude and longitude. Answer tomorrow, unless someone gets it right first!

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz3.jpg

Could it be Kartalab Khan Masjid - built by Murshid Quli Khan?

Could it be Kartalab Khan Masjid - built by Murshid Quli Khan?

You have become a pro at this! You are right of course...the arrow indicates the mosque (see the 5 domes?) built by Kar Talab Khan aka Murshid Quli Khan, the first independent Nawab of Bengal, who transferred the capital from Dhaka to the city named after himself, Murshidabad. I posted some of Ershad Ahmed's recent pictures of this mosque in the Dhaka Landmarks thread a few days ago. Previously I also wrote some commentary on the second page of this thread. I guess I will have to vary the nature of these quizzes or Meghnarmajhi will steamroll all over them :)

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/quiz3-1.jpg

Tan, here's a photo of Ruplal House by Aminul Hassan. I know you have some kind of fascination with this building.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2281/1866321368_1e38108614_b.jpg

Tan, here's a photo of Ruplal House by Aminul Hassan. I know you have some kind of fascination with this building.

Thanks Tmac - I had actually seen this one before. This is the only part of the house visible from ground level, which is why there are not many pictures of it.

I wouldn't say I have any fascination for the place...but it is one of the major historic structures in Old Dhaka and I would love to see this and a few other important ones preserved.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v193/Bangladesh/bangladesh1/Bangladesh2/Bangladesh3/ruplalpano.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v193/Bangladesh/bangladesh1/Bangladesh2/Bangladesh3/ruplalhouse2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v193/Bangladesh/bangladesh1/Bangladesh2/Bangladesh3/ruplalhouse.jpg

Some of these beautiful buildings can be still restored.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v193/Bangladesh/bangladesh1/Bangladesh2/Bangladesh3/ruplalpano.jpg

Thanks for the pics Tmac. I appreciate this one very much...it is the first time I have seen a shot showing the whole front facade. I would very much like to know who took the photo, if you don't mind (private individual? organisation?).

BTW Tmac, if possible change the title of the thread to Historic Dhaka - Old Pictures and Photos, with Notes (I used the word "pics" instead of "photos" in the original title because not all the images were photographs).

I am intrigued by this photo by Grete Howard. This is a view of part of the interior of Pari Bibi's tomb. Look at the tilework...I think this is new. A few years ago I heard talk of adding tilework to Pari Bibi's tomb. Supposedly there used to be such tilework before...but I was afraid that they were thinking about adding it to the exterior, which I thought would diminish the appearance of the building. Now I think what is shown in the photograph is what they were talking about...but I am not sure whether what we see in this photo is old or new. If new, which I suspect that it might be...I wonder how they decided on the pattern...was there enough left of the original to tell? - or did they randomly settle upon a Mughal-ish pattern? I wonder if anyone here knows if this tilework is old or new. The times I went to Lalbagh, the tomb was locked up and the guy there seemed surprised that anyone would want to take pics of the interior of a mazar.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/1830290638_9970a1f1ab_b.jpg

^^This is what I have found:

Tomb of Bibi Pari
The tomb of Bibi Pari, located in the center, is the most impressive of the surviving buildings of the fort. Eight rooms surround a central square room that contains the mortal remains of Bibi Pari. The central room is covered by a false octagonal-shaped dome, wrapped by a bronze plate.

The entire inner wall of the central room is covered with white marble, while the four rooms at the sides had stone skirting up to a height of one metre. The walls in the rooms at the four corners are skirted with beautifully-glazed floral tiles. The tiles have recently been restored; two of the original tiles have been retained. The room at the south eastern corner contains a small grave, popularly known to be of that of Shamsad Begum, possibly a relative of Bibi Pari.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalbagh_Fort

^^ Thanks for the info Majhi Bhai. When we look at our historical buildings, particularly those before Mughal times, most of us don't realize the decoration which once used to cover their surfaces. For example, many of the royal constructions used to be covered with tilework like that found in Iran and Central Asia...Chhotta Shona Masjid is one example. The only (partially) surviving example of this tilework is in the Lattan Masjid, also in Gaur, but on the West Bengal side of the border. Also in West Bengal are the ruins of the palace of Gaur, where there are mosaics similar to those in ancient Roman buildings.

Tan, here's the original picture. The name of the photographer is Niloy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v193/Bangladesh/bangladesh1/Bangladesh2/Bangladesh3/ruplalhouse4.jpg

^^ Very nice, Tmac, thanks. Does Niloy have pictures of other buildings? Does he write any commentary? I ask because not too many people know of this place to begin with, and I am curious as to whether he was photographing just for his personal interest or some other reason.

As you can see the building is shaped like a "[" with two arms projecting to the city side. Although the overall shape of the building is symmetric the architectural details are not, particularly on the city side. The grander arm, with the collonade, which belonged to Ruplal Das, is seen to the right in the photo, while the somewhat less grand arm at left belonged to his brother Raghunath. The two were joined by a central connecting block, seen of course in the middle.

I know of this Niloy from Bangladesh:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/niloy

A very good photographer. I am not sure if the above pictures were taken by the same Niloy. Doesn't look like his type ... but who knows.

This Niloy has many fans and I am one of them.

another Ruplal House taken by Aminul H.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v193/Bangladesh/bangladesh1/Bangladesh2/Bangladesh3/ruplalhouse6.jpg

Ahsan Manjil

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v193/Bangladesh/bangladesh1/Bangladesh2/Bangladesh3/ahsanmanjilpano.jpg

Ershad Ahmed recently posted some interesting pics on his blog:

This is a series of pictures depicting a Muharram festival. I don't know who painted these pics or when they date from. My guess is that they date from early 19th century, when processions would commence from the Naib Nazim's palace (if interested, see my post on Nimtali Deuri earlier in this thread). I know that the National Museum has some pictures of these processions so perhaps that's where Mr. Ahmed got them from.

The first pic shows Hussaini Dalan (chief Imambara of Dhaka) much as it appears today:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac1-1.jpg

The next pic is also in front of Hussaini Dalan, which you can see in the background. I think a processional float is seen in the foreground.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac2-1.jpg

The building in the background of the pic below looks like a Mughal structure, possibly one of the katras I wrote about earlier. In front of the katra there looks to be some residential structures including at least one mansion. Also seen - a cannon, possibly the well known Bibi Mariam, which I also commented on earlier...which today is in Osmani Uddyan:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac3-1.jpg

And some more pictures. I am not sure if the last one belongs with the others in the series...it shows some British soldiers...but it does seem stylistically similar. Not sure exactly the location of these scenes, but I like looking at the buildings depicted in the background...all long vanished.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac4-2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac5-1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac6-1.jpg

Link http://dhakadailyphoto.blogspot.com

Very nice.... These pictures were probably drawn by a deshi artist.

Some more pics from Mr. Ahmed's blogs:

This first pic shows British barrack buildings within Lalbagh Fort. I am glad these are gone! The Birtish built ugly barrack buildings within preexisting Mughal compounds elsewhere as well...a well known and unfortunate example is at the great Red Fort in Delhi, India...why their govt doesn't tear these down is beyond me.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac9-1.jpg

This pic shows welcoming crowd for Lt. Gov. Fuller in 1905...at beginning of period when Dhaka became capital of newly created (and short-lived) state of East Bengal and Assam. I am pretty sure that is Chawk Bazar square and mosque in background (see earlier post) which at time was principal square of the city.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac8-1.jpg

Here is unsual shot of Dhakeshwari Temple roofline normally obscured from ground level by modern appendage. I have not written about this temple in my notes previously...the exact date of construction is unknown. The buildings that exist today have Mughal elements so I think it likely dates from 17th - 18th cent. However a temple has been on this site before Dhaka became a proper city and the area supposedly gets its name from the complex. The name given by the Mughals when they established their provincial capital - Jahangirnagar - did not stick, and people reverted to calling it Dhaka.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/dac7-1.jpg

Link http://dhakadailyphoto.blogspot.com

New parliament building in 1980 with soldiers in front of it (due to the coup).

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2117/2218686260_2bec6c121c_b.jpg

Coup in Dhaka

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2356/2215655457_c8c383fdea_o.jpg

Bangladesh Supreme Court building in 1980

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2286/2218683124_045fa0f466_b.jpg

Intercontinental Hotel, Dhaka 1974

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2376/2216445656_2002044f8f_o.jpg

^^ Thanks Amar. I have been thinking of starting a thread just for old photos but haven't had the time to scan the images I have. I will get round to it before of middle of this year though :)

^^ Thanks Amar. I have been thinking of starting a thread just for old photos but haven't had the time to scan the images I have. I will get round to it before of middle of this year though :)

Your welcome tanzirian. Cant wait for your pics.

Now some pics of the historic old town.
This is chak bazar area.
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i7/greenvillege/Random/IMG_1687.jpg

Really narrow passage in chak bazar. On both side of the passage there are vendors selling all kinds of stuff.
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i7/greenvillege/Random/IMG_1688.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i7/greenvillege/Random/IMG_1689.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i7/greenvillege/Random/IMG_1690.jpg

This is Ahmedia Muslim Jamat (Qadiani Mosque) in Bokshibazar.
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i7/greenvillege/Random/IMG_1694.jpg

Very nice pictures, Clearsky. I like the old part of Dhaka

Thanks Clearsky.

Some Dhaka pics from 1934. Photos from Brian Spier.

Waterfront (not sure if this is Buriganga or elsewhere):
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/misc/brianspier1.jpg

Buriganga docks:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/misc/brianspier3.jpg

Ramna Race Course:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/misc/brianspier2.jpg

^^I think the pictures or captions got reversed. Nice collection

^^I think the pictures got reversed. Nice collection

Duly corrected. I think some relative of this guy was part of British army stationed in Dhaka...he also has a bunch of army and RAF pics from Dhaka.

Also although the first pic is labeled as Dacca I am not 100% certain that this is the case...if someone could identify the tower on the right of the pic then I would be more confident that it is in fact Dhaka and not some other town.

Can't remember seeing that tower.

Sadarghat Launch Terminal in 1962

http://media.somewhereinblog.net//images/mehrabblog_1204792173_2-RW003180.jpg

http://media.somewhereinblog.net//images/mehrabblog_1204792193_3-RW003179.jpg

http://media.somewhereinblog.net//images/mehrabblog_1204792221_4-RW004427.jpg

http://media.somewhereinblog.net//images/mehrabblog_1204792332_7-RW004426.jpg

Noce pictures, Amar. What is that tall structure in the last picture?

Sadarghat Launch Terminal in 1962



No much has since then as similar atmosphere is still present there. :nuts:

Keeping the Dhaka Heritage alive Unilever Garden in old Dhaka city

From the traditional old Dhaka to a cosmopolitan--Dhaka is changing!

As a part of changing the face of the city, Unilever Bangladesh has initiated a nice landscaping, 'Unilever Garden' in Tanti Bazar, a heritage location of the older part of Dhaka city.

Designed and developed by Heritage, a local developer, this park now stands as a proud landmark in Old Dhaka City.

Dhaka City Corporation extended its full support in developing the site.

This site will be a nice memento from Unilever Bangladesh to the people of Old Dhaka to break away from the hustles and bustles of their daily lives.

Unilever Bangladesh's Chairman and Managing Director Rakesh Mohan visited the site on March 6 last. He was accompanied by Dr. K M Shahnewaz, Company Activation Manager, Mohammad Faruque, Activation Manager and Rafia Abedin Proprietor of Heritage.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/03/08/news0627.htm

Great finds Amar. Nice Historical reference for the floating craft. They've changed a lot in that most 'launches' are a lot bigger now. I only wish that being how cheap GPS and radar is nowadays, these launch owners would start using them -- along with marine radars. Actually BIWTA should force it on them. They have no excuse not to have them.

Here's a link to a small FURUNO radar for sale for about USD1000 -- at this price -- every launch should have one to avoid the kind of disaster we have almost monthly.

http://www.thegpsstore.com/Furuno-1623-22-kw-Radar-P125C73.aspx

An Oasis In Old Dhaka

http://www.thedailystar.net/photos/2008-04-09__city04.jpg
Bangshal pond, one of the biggest and oldest in the city, still exists with its full glory in the midst of the concrete jungle. The water of the pond, maintained by the panchayet, is used for domestic purpose by the locals as it is a rare source of clean water in the area.

A silver lining in the clouds
Urban development committee to take steps to save heritage buildings

http://www.thedailystar.net/photo/2008/06/01/2008-06-01__city1.jpg
Top left, the 600-year old Binat Bibi Mosque at Narinda partially damaged and stands in a vulnerable state, bottom, Ruplal House in a sorry state and, top right, fate of Barabari at Farashganj still uncertain.


At last the government has taken a concrete step to save the heritage buildings of the capital city by constituting a subcommittee that will make a list of the heritage sites and take necessary actions.

Urban development committee, the highest government body to look after the development of the city, in a meeting on May 27 decided to take immediate steps to save the city's heritage sites.

This is the first time the committee, comprising experts and government representatives, has discussed the heritage issue, committee members said.

The meeting also decided to take steps to save Barabari, a magnificent heritage building of the colonial period at Farashganj in Old Dhaka.

A proposal was placed at the meeting to form an 11-member subcommittee comprising architects, historians, representatives from Department of Archaeology (DoA) and other relevant persons working in this field.

"The subcommittee will make a list of the heritage buildings because the present list of the DoA does not include all historically important buildings,” said ASM Ismail, chief architect, DoA.

“Besides, DoA has to work under many limitations and is unable to take action sometimes," said Ismail.

He said the subcommittee will be formed by next week.

"The subcommittee will decide which buildings will be saved. If anyone [owner] wants to renovate any part of the building he will have to take permission from the committee," he said.

Asked how they are going to save the heritage buildings, which are privately owned, Ismail said, "We will practise things like transfer of development rights (TDR) where arrangements will be made for the owners to construct building without harming the heritage building. We will also take steps on giving support to the owners."

The subcommittee will be formed according to the National Building Code 2006 that says such a committee will comprise noted experts from the fields of architecture, planning, engineering, history, art, literature or any other discipline which may be deemed relevant to identify and save buildings with historical, architectural, archaeological and aesthetic values.

In the last few years several edifices of historical importance were razed to ground or modified to the convenience of the occupiers.

In several reports published in Star City this year on Barabari at Farashganj, Nimtoli Deuri and a magnificent edifice at Tantibazar presented a picture of vulnerable state of the city's heritage buildings.

Star City also reported the steady demolition and vulnerable existence of old edifices like 600-year old Binat Bibi Mosque at Narinda, 150-year old Ruplal House at Farashganj, 120-year old Bhawal Raja's Kachharibari (tax office) and retreat at Nolgola, and 87-year old Shankhanidhi House on Tipu Sultan Road which has turned into an automobile workshop.

Historians, conservation architects and experts working in the field of conservation architecture expressed hope that though late the high-powered body has woken up to save the heritage of the city at long last.

"To us working in the field of conservation it is a milestone in the history of the campaign to save the heritage of the city," said a conservation architect. "Practical laws are needed to uphold the spirit of saving heritage."

Members of the urban development committee also term it a turning point.

“It was the first time the meeting discussed the heritage issue of the city. We expect that this time something concrete will be done to save heritage," said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, director, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), and a member of urban development committee.

"It was essential to form a such committee to make a list of the buildings because at present we have a short list for our heritage buildings. Many important buildings are not on this list and many are being demolished for commercial purposes," she said.

Bureaucratic tangles are another reason the buildings are being demolished.

"Rajuk has a mandate to save DoA-listed buildings. But many important buildings are being demolished because they are not listed and Rajuk cannot save those because they are not listed. On the other hand, DCC is frequently sending notices to the owners of these buildings to demolish those terming them 'risky'. This is a cycle which should be broken," said Taimur Islam, a conservation architect of Urban Study Group.


LEGAL NOTICE SENT TO SAVE BARABARI

A legal notice was served on May 22 by BELA, Ain O Salish Kendro (ASK), Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Urban Study Group on Rajuk, cultural secretary, DoA director, CEO of DCC and DMP commissioner asking them to take legal steps according to the law to save Barabari, a magnificent heritage building in the old part of the city.

"The demolition work is withheld for the time being and we are looking up to Rajuk to see what they are going to do to save the building. If the subcommittee is formed and they can do the things they are saying then we need to do nothing. But otherwise we will have file petition at the court to get a stay order," said Taimur.

Asked what can be done if they start demolition before forming the subcommittee, he said, "If they start demolishing again, then we will inform Rajuk. If they do not respond then we will file a petition for a stay order from the court.”

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=39078

^^ Always good to hear that conservation is on people's minds but actions definitely speak louder than words when it comes to this subject. I am curious about which building they are referring to as Barabari...I may know of it by some other name, not sure though.

As far as Binat Bibi mosque...there is a suboptimal solution which would be OK for me: As far as I know, only one wall of the existing structure actually dates back to the original building from the 1400s. I would remove this wall from the rest of the structure and place it inside the National Museum. Then they could tear down the rest of the building if some developer wanted to, but at least the most significant section would be preserved.

^^ Always good to hear that conservation is on people's minds but actions definitely speak louder than words when it comes to this subject. I am curious about which building they are referring to as Barabari...I may know of it by some other name, not sure though.

As far as Binat Bibi mosque...there is a suboptimal solution which would be OK for me: As far as I know, only one wall of the existing structure actually dates back to the original building from the 1400s. I would remove this wall from the rest of the structure and place it inside the National Museum. Then they could tear down the rest of the building if some developer wanted to, but at least the most significant section would be preserved.
wtf would a developer be allowed to tear it down its just a shame

rather they should spend money to renovate it and other structures

EDIT - system errors have triple posted my last post.

wtf would a developer be allowed to tear it down its just a shame

rather they should spend money to renovate it and other structures

By "developer" I was just referring to anyone wanting to build on the site. Notice from the picture that the demolition of the mosque has already begun. So I was suggesting a way of salvaging the historically significant part of it. My mom's family had a house in old dhaka...next to this was an elegant old mosque that got torn down in stages...in place of it now is a boxy 4 - 5 storey new mosque. This is probably what the people demo-ing Binat Bibi have in mind. Although the destruction bothers me...this mosque is a bit a hodge-podge of various constructions over the years...it is significant for the age of its oldest section...so I was thinking of extracting this part and preserving it indoors.

EDIT - system errors have triple posted my last post (see above).

Well I don't know if anyone here knew that the Nawabs of Dhaka now have a website full of historical tidbits.

I was surprised to find out on the site that during 1971 -- when they burned down Dhaka's fifth Nawab Hasan Askari's house behind Paribag Shahsaheb Bari -- he left for Pakistan and never came back. He passed away in Karachi in 1984. Since the fourth Nawab (Khwaja Nazimuddin) declared his support for Urdu as a national language in 1952 -- things really took a turn for the worse that culminated in Hasan Askari's fate.

In contrast -- most of the Khwaja offsprings in modern Bangladesh -- (especially Mr. Farooq Sobhan and Yasmeen Morshed among others) have left exemplary records of public service. I admire the former's record very greatly.

Nawabbari.com (http://www.nawabbari.com/main_bio.html)

The ever-impressive Ershad Ahmed has posted some pictures of Jinjira Palace ruins.* I wrote about this palace earlier in this thread but have never seen pictures of the place before.* In fact I wasn't even sure that anything still remained of the structure, but it seems that a few pieces of brickwork still hold out against the forces of nature and man.* To those not familiar with the place...this was the chief residence of the nawabs in the latter days of Mughal rule.* After the capital shifted to Murshidabad, the complex was used several times as a prison for deposed royalty.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/misc/5711.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/misc/5712.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/misc/5708.jpg

The article, plus more pics at:* http://dhakadailyphoto.blogspot.com

thank you tanzarian. you are my history teacher

I really want photos of Dhaka from the 70's or 80's. Elephant road (old), Nilkhet, Kataban, Aeroplane mosque and parts of Purana Paltan Line, Bijoynagar, Stadium, Bangabandhu Avenue....these areas. Or any photo of Dhaka streets during that time. Anyone lived in Elephant road in the 70's?

Does anyone have these pictures? I will be really greatful to see those. Is there any website where I can find such photos? Please let me know. You can mail me directly to rana_sadick@yahoo.com.

Thank you.

Rana Sadick

I really want photos of Dhaka from the 70's or 80's. Elephant road (old), Nilkhet, Kataban, Aeroplane mosque and parts of Purana Paltan Line, Bijoynagar, Stadium, Bangabandhu Avenue....these areas. Or any photo of Dhaka streets during that time. Anyone lived in Elephant road in the 70's?

Does anyone have these pictures? I will be really greatful to see those. Is there any website where I can find such photos? Please let me know. You can mail me directly to rana_sadick@yahoo.com.

Thank you.

Rana Sadick

I don't have it with me just right now but there is a photo book by Anwar Hossain (if I remember his name correctly) with many pictures from the 70s and 80s...if you are in Bangladesh, see if you can get a copy. I forget the exact title but it started with "Dhaka" I think. BTW welcome to the forum...feel free to use the "Introduce Yourself" thread on the front page.

I previously posted the picture below, of an edifice which fell victim to erosion of the Buriganga, on page 8 of this thread. I did not know what it was but guessed that it was a temple from its appearance. Now blogger Ershad Ahmed has identified it as the Nazir Nato-Singh Memorial. I do not know who Nazir Nato-Singh was...does anyone know?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/od7-2.jpg

Bangladesh spends the least amount in conserving old heritage sites. Infact within a few decades we may just be left with the skyscraper and highrise threads as nothing will be left of our glorious past...

Maybe the govt can give the maintenance of these sites to private companies, who can renovate them and use it as tourist spots to get revenue. But the renovation and development needs to be monitored by an agency to make sure it is not different form the original structure..

There is a group in facebook called "Dhaka - 400 Years History in Photographs" that has a very rich collection of old pictures of Dhaka. Unfortunately, Skyscrapercity will not let me upload pictures here, so, here is the link to that site (provided that you have a facebook account):

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=37077904176

Enjoy!

Original Source: British Library

Credit:HASIBUL ISLAM

Century Old Photos

Ramna Gate - 1901

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture1.jpg

Pari Bibir Majar - 1904

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture10.jpg

A Scene of purana paltan - Dhaka, 1875

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture11.jpg

An unidentified street in Dhaka - 1872

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture12.jpg

Chowk Bazar, Dhaka -1885

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture13.jpg

Tongi Bridge on the river Turag - 1885

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture14.jpg

Deer park of the Nawabs, Dhaka- 1875

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture15.jpg

Buriganga Riverside - 1880

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture16.jpg

Narinda, Christian Graveyard, 1875

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/bakedcaked/Old%20pictures%20of%20Bangladesh/Picture17.jpg

Ruplal House looks like it has decayed beyond repair. If the building (or any historic building in Dacca) is to be saved, it must be renovated and restored. Some of the other heritage buildings are in the same condition as Ruplal House.

Ruplal House looks like it has decayed beyond repair. If the building (or any historic building in Dacca) is to be saved, it must be renovated and restored. Some of the other heritage buildings are in the same condition as Ruplal House.

While Ruplal House may look delapidated, it is certainly not beyond repair. Ahsan Manzil was the same state before restoration. As long as the building is intact, it can be brought back to life (in fact, even if the building is destroyed, it can still be brought back...as was the case with thousands of buildings in Europe after World War II...it is just a matter of will). With necessary political will and finance the current squatters, wholesalers, and other occupants could easily be evicted. More problematic is the large mosque that has been built in the backyard, obscuring the view from the river...moving that wouldn't be so simple. But the house could still be renovated regardless of whether the mosque remained or not.

It is extremely unfortunate that when we are celebrating the 400 year of establishment of Dhaka, absolutely nothing is being done to protect the historical sites. Our new generation will grow up without our proud history and heritage. Places like Sonargaon can be revived as major tourist spots with proper planning and investment. Even private entrepreneurs should be encouraged in conservation moves.

One thing I noticed in the old pictures is that the buildings were not taken care of back then either. Some are in ruins, any reason why?

^^i have the same exact question

One thing I noticed in the old pictures is that the buildings were not taken care of back then either. Some are in ruins, any reason why?

The British weren't exactly in South Asia out of concern for its historic heritage :)

That being said, we ourselves haven't done any better.

Part of the reason for the sad state of repair also is the construction with the lime mortar (Chun Shurki) mixture as binder between bricks which requires more and frequent upkeep. The subtropical weather and monsoons takes a toll as well.

Cement binder these days is a comparatively massive improvement.

chun shurki made many other buildings are being maintained sometimes with cement touch up. one good example is curzon hall