Dhaka

Monday, December 31, 2007

Goodbye 2007..!

Zero point of Dhaka

Traffic police's 'Topi' on road sign

Abdul Ghani Road

3 generations of Bangladesh Secretariat- 5-storey front block built in 1910's, 9-storey middle in 1960's and 23-storey central in 1980's.

Secretariate bldg- 23 storey central block

GPO

Dhaka City Corporation Bldg

Old High Court south east gate in Ramna

baby sandwiched

Ramna park

Oporajeo Bangla- front of TSC

Panthapath

PG-Birdem Foot bridge corridor: block in foreground (upto level-4) was built as Hotel Shahbagh in 1950'.

Sonargaon

Banglamotor intersection- pedestrian's nightmare!

Dhanmandi Central

Sukrabad

Basundhara Mall

Shahbagh

SAARC fountain renovation going on

Petro Centre

Green Road from Panthapath

Kakrail-Shantinagar

Gulshan 2

Bangladesh Bank and Sena Kallyan Sangstha under cover

Westin hotel

Gulshan Av

Mirpur Road

BCSIR- New Eleohant road

BGMEA

bldgs in Dilkusha area

Maghbazar intersection

train nearing Maghbazar rail crossing

joyride on top of carriage

Tongi bridge and river

Zia Uddyan bridge

Parliament Bldg- idle over year with thousands of staff on payroll

horse carriage at what was once known as Fulbari Rly station

Near Bahadur Shah Park-one of the old water towers

Entry gate to Bahadur Shah Park (Anta Ghorer Maidan)- where the Sipahi Mutineers of 1857 were hanged by the British and decomposed bodies kept hanging for days as exibit.

Colonian tower-Mansion of JP Wise, Indigo planter facing Buriganga river

an old building in Laxmibazar

Entry gate of Ahsan Manzil

Main Stair of Ahsan Manzil

Ahsan Manzil- The Pink Palace

Mughal cannons in Museum

No year ending

Sunset over Buriganga- Goodbye 2007!

Monday, December 24, 2007

'Mazar' of old High Court Premises

East gate of old High Court premises

Flowers for offering by the devotees

Entry to 'Mazar'

portion old High Court premises (south side)

Once built as Viceroy's residence (old High Court now under Min of Defence)

inside Passage

The gathering place of 'Fakirs' underneath tree has been cleared up

Front side (east)

view from back (west side)

tomb inside room

room of Tomb and Mosque

Idgah 'Mihrab'

National Eidgah- view towards east

It is not clear about the identity of the person who is lying in the tomb inside old High Court premises. Many believe it to be the tomb of Islam Khan Chisti, the Mughal Subehdar who founded Dhaka as the capital of 'Subeh Bangala' and named it Jahangirabad.

Islam Khan Chisti (original name Shaikh Alauddin Chisti) won great fame because he succeeded, where his famous predecessors had failed in subjugating and bringing Bengal under Mughal control. Mirza Nathan son of Ithimam Khan, Mir Bahr (Admiral) of the Mughal fleet, came to Bengal with Subehdar Islam Khan Chisti in 1610 CE and took active part in battles. His accounts ‘Baharistan-i-Ghaibi’ is a unique and extensively documented source of contemporary history of battles, the political and social situation of Bengal, Bihar and Assam and the Mughal subjugation of the region. According to him, Islam khan Chisti, stationing at a strategic location of ‘Toke’- (north east of Kapasia bordering Gafargaon of Mymensing district) led Mughal army to crush the rebellious ‘Koch’ Raja Parikhsit. After ‘Koch’ raja was defeated and captured Islam khan pulled back his troops towards Dhaka. But, on way near Bhawal he suddenly fell ill and died there. His mortal body was brought to Dhaka with honour and buried in the Bagh-I-Badshahi (old High Court premises, Dhaka). The area of Ramna where he was laid still bears his name as ‘Muhalla Chistia’.

Other Historians however believe, Islam Khan’s mortal remain was initially laid to rest at Ramna Bagh-I-Badshahi, but later, upon instruction from Emperor Jahangir, his coffin was taken out and carried to Fatehpur Sikri for final burial beside his illustrious grandfather sufi saint Sheikh Selim Chisti. Emperor Jahangir and Islam Khan Chisti were playmate during childhood in the ‘Khanqah’ of saint Sheikh Selim Chisti. Emperor Akbar had no child. After the blessing of Saint Selim Chisti he was blessed with a male child who became the heir to his throne, he was named Selim (after the name of Saint Selim Chisti) who later become Emperor Jahangir.

Late Dhaka Municipal Commissioner Nazir Hossain in his book ‘Kingbadantir Dhaka’ wrote that a saint by the name Hazrat Shah Khwaza Sharfuddin Chisti is known to be buried in the tomb of old High Court premises in 998 H (1590CE). which is evident from the inscription in the gate of Mazar. But, no other references of his whereabout are available anywhere.

Hekim Habibur Rahman during early days of 20th century witnessed the domical roof of the tomb in the midst of thick jungles in Ramna. British Govt. while making new establihment in Ramna levelled many tombs of saints in the Bagh-I-Badshahi, but faced stiff resistance from local people- muslims and hindus alike- while clearing the tomb of Chisti for construction of Viceroy’s residence (later old High Court bldg). Beside this, the Mosque of Haji Shahbaz east of Teen Netar Mazar and Ramna Kali Mandir also escaped destruction at the hands of British rulers.

After Partition of 1947, the tomb of High Court premises became a place of reverence. Number of devotees increased and soon the place became 'akhra' of 'Fakirs' - ‘Nura Pagla’ being one of them. Govt took notice of it and took control of the tomb (Mazar) area for management. A Mosque and Library were built attached to the Mazar in 1960. The large waterbody east of Mazar was filled up in the ‘80’s to make the National Idgah.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Eid-ul-Azha Tomorrow

Colombian Singer Shakira comforts Sidr orphans in Patuakhali (pic. Daily Star)

Cattle market in the city (pic: Samakal)

Home bound to celebrate Eid (pic: Daily Star)

BB Avenue

Baitul Mukarram south gate nearing completion

Secretariat in the background

Queue for bus

Shahbagh

Kazi Nazrul Av

Cows for Qurbani

Mattress and wood block for meat chopping on sale in Karwanbazar

Rehearsal for tomorrow

Shamiana on national Eidgah covers to accomodate 125,000 peoples

Entrance gate of National Eidgah- venue for main congregation of Eid prayer

A flower stall remains closed in Ramna

Pastime near Teen Netar Mausoleum

Sunday, December 16, 2007

'Thika Gari' back in Shahbagh..

A 'Thika Gari' in the foreground in Chawkbazar, 1904

PG Hospital

BIRDEM

Shahbagh

Dhaka Museum

New version of horse cart seen

Picture box near TSC

A small community of Armenian tradesmen came to live in Dhaka in the 18th century. They flourished in business and soon became rich. Many of them acquired Zamindari and estate. They opened shops in Shankharibazar and Patuatuli to sell European commodities. Among them, G.M. Sirkore introduced horse cart in 1856 for the first time that became popular in Dhaka. It is said, the number of cart rose to 600 by 1889. The cart with wooden body was designed to carry people together with their household utensils and was very popular. It was known in Dhaka as “Thika gari”. The horse carts became extinct in the 1960’s. It is heartening to see the prototype of 'Thika Gari' adorning the island in front of Hotel Sheraton intersection at Shahbagh.