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By Sangram Datta:
Historical Gangatia Zamindar's house is a wonderful example of Roman-Greek architecture.
Gangatia
Zamindar house is locally called"Manbababur Bari". It is located at
village Gangatia of Gobindpur Union at Hossainpur Upazila and about 12
km away from Kishoreganj district headquarters in Bangladesh. This
beautifully crafted house is a wonderful example of an ancient
civilization. The architectural style of this house shows great use of
18th century Romano-Greek architecture.
Nonagenarian
Manibandra Nath Chakraborty Chowdhury locally known as Manob Babu, the
last descendant of the zamindar of Gangatia, lives there. He studied at
Kolkata and was elected as Upazilla Chairman in 1983 during the regime
of Gen. Earshad.He cultrivate fishes near the landlord's house and his
other vast area of his landlord estate.
Manobandra
Babu said, A classical scholar from Uttar Pradesh of India came and
settled in the East Bengal (Presently Bangladesh) in the 16th century
AD. His maternal uncle home is Komolpur Area of Komolpur subdivision in
Tripura State of India.
His
ancestors belonged to the royal Brahmin caste. He was the first man of
these zamindars. At that time he built a Shiva temple for worship in
the fallen building of the house as per Gaudiya tradition. This Shiva
temple is the first temple built by this dynasty.
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The zamindar family once gained wide recognition and prestige in the region through religious meditation, worship and rituals.
Dinanath Chakraborty of this clan was the first (Landlord) zamindar of the region.
At
the end of the 18th century, he purchased one-third of the Hossainshahi
Pargana and established a landlorship (zamindari ) in the region.
Later
Dinanath Chakraborty's son Atul Chandra Chakraborty purchased two more
anna-parts from Gnanada Sundari Chaudhurani, the landlord of Athar bari
(house), and included them in the Gangatia zamindari. And this is how
this zamindar house have become enlarged.
The
first Shiva temple of this family built about one kilometer away from
the zamindarbari is now dilapidated but it still stands as a witness of
time.
Just after this temple, a huge pond called
'Sagardighi' is found. Next to it is another dilapidated Shiva temple.
Family worships are still held there.
Next
is a huge gate called Sridhar Bhavan. About 300 yards away from here
is the main building of the Gangatia Zamindarbari. From the front of
the main gate, one has to cross the beautiful road, about 12 feet wide
and lined with coconut trees on both sides, to the zamindarbari. The
beauty of this house impresses anyone.
It
is really surprising that the architectural style of the house was
built so beautifully so long ago. The main building is a two storied
building. Here is the sitting room, guest room, court room and the
rooms used for music practice. There are also chamber ( Kacharighar),
Nahabatkhana, court house (Durbargriha).
The
beautiful craftsmanship on the pillars of this zamindar house is
impressive. There is a large courtyard in front of the zamindar house
and the house is surrounded by high walls on all four sides.
According
to him, they are the smallest zamindar family in the country. They are
Brahmin clan and their ancestors came here from India.
In
the liberation war of 1971, The Pakistani invasion forces and their
local collaborators killed his father named Sree Bhupoti Nath
Chakraborty Chowdhury, caused extensive damage to the zamindar house on
May-7,1971.
A memorial has been built at the place where his father was killed by Pak Army.
The freedom fighters mesuam has made a documentary film about the murder of the sorcerer's house.
The
installation is constantly visited by locals and foreign tourists,
teachers-students, journalists and other classes of people. If the
zamindar can renovate the house, it can also be one of the attractions.
Currently he is living here lonely . His late younger brother Tapan Kumar Chakraborty Chowdhury and he don't have any children.
The
facade of the Gangatia Zamindar house has Roman architectural columns.
From the front, the architectural style of this zamindar house is in
one word extraordinary. This small zamindar house is situated on a
large plot of about 10 acres of land. The front door of the zamindar
house is full of designs.
This zamindar house of craftsmanship and aesthetic beauty still stands in grandeur as a witness to its glorious past.
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