Destinations in Bangladesh – the northwest. About long past times & lively settlements.

The metropolis – also known as City of Silk – is situated on the banks of the Ganges. It is the fourth largest city in Bangladesh and the administrative seat of the district of the same name. In the city with close proximity to India live about 900,000 people. The foundation of the city dates back to 1634, the district was founded in 1772, the city council in 1876. Rajshahi was ruled by various Maharajas, Rajas and Zamindar. In the 18th century there was a Dutch settlement. The city was once an epicenter of strong Buddhist and Hindu empires, before it became the center of Islam. Its former strength is now only reflected in the name again, because “Raj” (Sanskrit) and “Shahi” (Persian) mean both “royal” and “kingdom”.
Low water and a tea stall in Rajshahi and the market of Bagha on our YouTube channel
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• Rajshahi College – founded in 1873. Former British private school from 1828. Excellent example of colonial architecture of the British Raj.
• Rajshahi University – the huge mango-grown campus of the major university also houses the largest mass grave from the time of the Bangladesh war.
• Barokuthi – the former Dutch district of the Dutch VOC (Oest-Indische Compagnie, presence in the city from 1876).
• Christian mission with hospital – built in 1926, is also worth a visit.
• Shrine of Hazrat Shah Mokhdum – Place of pilgrimage. Hazrat Shah Mokhdum Ruposh was the first Islamic preacher in the Rajshahi region.
• Smriti Amlaan – the Museum of Independence.
• Shahid Qumruzzaman Central Park – with small zoo, but especially in the evening hours appropriately visited.
• Bagha Masjid – the Mosque built under the reign of Sultan Nashrat Shah in Bagha in 1523. It’s an excellent example of architecture in the Mughal era.
• Kismat-Maria Masjid – also known as Durgapur Masjid. Located in the village of Maria nearby Kismat. This mosque is a mystery, there is hardly any useful information.
• Padma (Ganges) – the evening hours you spend on the lively promenade and/or on a boat trip.

Was also a city known as Lakhnauti, whose history dates back to the 7th century. Their remains can be found in the district of Nawabganj (Shibganj Upazila) on the border with India, where the largest part is located (Malda district, West Bengal). The former town lay on the eastern bank of the Ganges, but the current course of the Ganges is now far from the ruins. Gaur has an immense collection of historically valuable mosques and palaces, more than anywhere else in Bangladesh (excluding Bagerhat). The trade metropolis, 32 km² in size, attracted traders from all over Central Asia, Arabia, Persia and China. They all left their traces in the form of temples, mosques and palaces, some of which still stand and crumble, others are reconstructed. Unfortunately, no buildings from the first, the Hindu era, have been preserved. To the album

• Choto Shona Masjid – the Small Golden Mosque is a graceful witnesses of the Sultanate period, built between 1493 and 1526.
• Khania Dighi Masjid – is a very beautiful, small one-dome mosque in the midst of a large mango grove that was probably built around the 1480s.
• Tahkhana Palace – the palace dates back to the early 17th century houses 25 rooms, as well as a hammam. Behind it is the Shah-Niamatullah Mosque from 1560.
• Darasbari Masjid – our favorite mosque! The remains of a palace-like mosque (built between 1474 and 1481) lie on a small pond, surrounded by mango plantations.
• Mango & lychee – between May and July is season. The air is impregnated with the smell of the countless mango- and lychee-plantations.

The city on the river Punarvhaba was once a part of the ancient kingdom Pundravardhana. The British administration took over Dinajpur in 1786. The people of the district contributed significantly to the independence war of 1971. In the old town, with its narrow and relatively quiet streets, it can be walked at any time of the day. The only music college in the country is here in the old town resident and should be visited. The building can hardly be overlooked and was once a royal palace. A few other buildings from the time of the British Raj can be discovered during a walk. Even if nothing “earth-shattering” is to be expected, the old town spreads something like charm. The main reason to visit Dinajpur is the beautiful Kantaji Temple…
The Kantaji Temple, music college and Krishna Temple/Rajbari on our YouTube channel
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• Music-College – a former royal palace is definitely worth a visit, best at weekdays from 10am, during the lessons.
• Kantaji Temple – the most impressive example of terracotta architecture in Bangladesh (around 1722) counts to the most beautiful – worldwide.
• Nayabad Masjid – the small mosque is just 2 km away from the temple, a walk is more than recommended. Rural Bangladesh…
• Dinajpur Rajbari – a ruin on the northeastern outskirts of the 15th century. A Krishna temple and a collection of buildings in the advanced stage of decay, an “eye-catcher”!
• Ramsagar National Park – one of Bangladesh’s largest artificial lakes and more a park than a pristine wilderness. Here you can also find the remains of a small Rajbari.
• Ghughudanga Zamindar Bari – in the style of Indo-Saracen architecture, was the residence of a powerful landowner family on the banks of Purnovoba.
• Sitakot Vihar – the foundation walls of the Hindu monastery from the 6th century near Nawabganj. The remains are among the oldest of their kind at all.

The enchanting little village is bursting at the seams because of the abundance of palaces and temples, and is undoubtedly a highlight of every Bangladesh tour. The Puthia Temple Complex, 23 km east of Rajshahi, offers the largest number of historically interesting Hindu buildings in Bangladesh. In any other country in the world, it would be hard to resist tourists, but here in the distant rice fields of Bengal, you have all that pretty much for yourself! Although many Hindu reliefs and representations in the liberation war were destroyed as a blasphemy by Pakistani marauding troops, there is still more than enough to inspire your imagination and catapult you through centuries.
Restoration work on our YouTube channel
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• Puthia Rajbari (Panch Ani Palast) – the palace of the ruler, built in 1895 in the Indo-Saracen style, is currently being reconstructed.
• Dol Temple – facing the Puthia Rajbari. A relatively unadorned, brick-built, four-storey temple. According to an inscription, it dates from 1778.
• Gobinda Temple – a large square structure crowned by a series of decorative miniature towers, decorated by a variety of terracotta works (second half of the 18th century).
• Kumari Rajbari – the one-storey residence of Maharani Hemanta Kumari, east of the palace. This and the pool area, dates back to the first decade of the 20th century.
• Small Ahnik Temple – the small decorated temple was built during the 18th century or in the first decade of the 19th century.
• Char Ani Palast – from 1886 located west of the Rajbari directly at the pond is in a desolate state. Only the entrance portal, parts of the treasury and the prison are preserved.
• Ahnik Temple – from the same epoch as his “little sister”. Architecturally almost unique in Bangladesh (except Rajaram Mandir at Khalia/Faridpur).
• Small Gobinda Temple – right next to the Ahnik Temple. This temple also dates back to the 18th century or the beginning of the 19th century.
• Gopal Temple – the two-storey, very simple temple, to the right of the small Gobinda Temple, dates back to the 20th century.
• Siva Temple – the richly decorated temple built between 1823 and 1830 is an excellent example of the temple architecture typical of northern India.
• Jagannath Temple – a small, picturesque temple, just to the right of the Siva Temple. This temple built in 1830 was reserved for the priests.
• Tarapur Temple – which is also called Haowakhana about 3 km west of the temple complex of Puthia, in the middle of a lake located temple, dates from the 18th century.

The royal family of Rajshahi was also one of the most prosperous landowners in all Bengal. The large, elegant and mysterious palace complex of Natore, with its imaginative gardens and Hindu temples lined ponds, was their residence. In fact there is so much history here that you have to be careful not to stumble over a forgotten building. The plant was almost as famous as Queen Rani Bhabani (1716-1795), who also lived here after the death of her husband and was very popular with the people because of her kindness. However, Natore can be safely described as a prime example of buildings of the British Raj in today’s Bangladesh. To the album

The remains of the Buddhist monastery complex and the landmark of Bengali architectural history Somapura Mahavihara (Sanskrit: Great Monastery) has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 and was the largest and most important cultural and study center of its time south of the Himalayas and the subcontinent. Over time it has been the intellectual / spiritual center for Buddhists, Jainas and Hindus. After its discovery in the early 20th century, the ruins quickly attracted the attention of historians, representing two levels of cultural and historical development. On the one hand, the plant is a milestone in the transition from more random, native to more conscious, symbolic or metaphorical architecture. On the other hand, it symbolizes the transition from a pure state religion of the Pala kings to a ritual, philosophical, Buddhas-related religion known as Neo-Buddhism or Tantra. To the album

The earliest evidence of urbanization in ancient Bengal. Indologist Sir Alexander Cunningham made the most important discovery in 1879, in the then dense jungle: Mahasthangarh is Pundranagar! Archaeological finds prove that Pundranagar was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Pundravardhana (home of the Pundra) a tribe already mentioned in the Veda. It was also the center of ancient Indian dynasties such as the Mauryans (320 - 185 BC), the Guptas (320 - 550) and the Palas (750 - 1160) and center of later feudal Hindu and Muslim empires. The whole area is rich in Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim remains and no doubt the area, whether Pundranagar or Mahasthangarh, has been home to Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims over the centuries. A large area is surrounded by a rampart, the Citadel, the fortified heart of the area. To the album

• Kata Duar und Dorab Shah Toran – two worth seeing of the four gates to the citadel.
• Khodar Pathar Bhita – Place of the God-given stone. A huge granite doorstep (2,84m x 0,71m x 0,74m) to the former Buddhist temple (8th century).
• Mankalir Dhap – remains of a temple dedicated to the goddess Mahankali (also Renuka), which is mostly worshiped in southern India.
• Jiat Kunda – the fountain of life. According to legend, the fountain had life-giving power. Killed soldiers have been revived by the water.
• Parasuramer Basgriha – the palace of King Parasuram.
• Munir Ghon – an impressive bulwark.
• Bairagir Bhita – Temple of the Hermits. Remains of two temples from the early and late Pala Period (9th and 11th century).
• Mazar Shah Sultan Balkhi Mahisawar – a Dervish from the 14th century, which proselytized Pundranagar. Today a significant place of pilgrimage.

Outside the citadel, hundreds of artifacts testify that Mahasthangarh, even on a modern scale, was a true metropolis. Among the researched and worth mentioning include:

• Noropotir Dhap – also Vashu Bihar. Remains of a larger monastery that visited Hiuen Tsang in the 7th century.
• Totaram Panditer Dhap – also Bihar Dhap. Remains of two monasteries and temples about 6 km northwest of the citadel (around 630).
• Mangalkot – an idyllic grassy hill. Excavations have yielded more than a thousand sculptures from the Gupta dynasty.
• Govinda Bhita – opposite the museum. The remains of a 3rd century Krishna temple, located on the Karatoa.
• Gokul Medh – the 6th-century Buddhist monastery is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the area.
• Godaibari Dhap – the remains of a temple from the Gupta period. Approximately 1 km south of Khulnar Dhap.
• Shkonder Dhap – there is nothing left! All remains of the temple were removed, the site was built and a pond was created.

Mymensingh lies on the ancient course of the Brahmaputra. The city, known as Nasirabad, has a rich cultural and political history. From the 16th to the 18th century, Mymensingh was an important commercial center of the Mogul empire. With the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the East India Company conquered control and the right of taxes, as in all of Bengal. For a long time she made only a little use of it, but established trading posts around Mymensingh and expelled the Portuguese and the French. The situation was described in a local saying as: “The Nawbabs eat and sleep. The English hoard and ship money. The Bengal scream and go to the devil”.
Welcome to Mymensingh! on our YouTube channel
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• Alexander Castle – interesting and extremely individual, locally also known as Lohar Kutir. Built of steel and wood in 1879, now national heritage.
• Campus – right behind Alexander Castle. Young people, colonial architecture and a large park.
• Mymensingh Rajbari – from 1905, once housed art and antiques from all over the world. The national heritage is currently being expanded into a museum.
• Bipin Park – a small, long-drawn park, right on the old course of the Brahmaputra. This is where funfair takes place in the evening hours.
• Botanical Garden – about four kilometers east of the city – at the colleges for agriculture and fisheries – which can also be visited.

Between 1704 and 1720, the Navaratna Temple, near Sirajganj and the village of Navaratnapara close to Hatimkurul, was built. Legends tell that every brick of the temple was only walled up after being cleansed in Ghee. The temple is almost completely restored and offers an excellent sight – from its roof, an excellent view. In the neighborhood there are some smaller temples. It is said that the king gave the temple thanks for the generous donations of the local landowner. But these donations for the Kantaji Temple at Dinajpur ruined the landowner. A legend, but this would explain why both temples are so very similar. There are three other temples on the large inner courtyard of the Navaratna Temple, the Siva-Parvati Temple, the Chandi Temple and another Shiva temple with terracotta design on the southern shore of the pond.
The Jamuna Bridge on our YouTube channel
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Tetulia, extremely remote in the northwest, is known as the “Place of Dreams” (which certainly does not apply to the accommodations). In the picturesque surroundings, criss-crossed by many rivers, you will find small, peaceful settlements in the middle of bamboo groves and tea plantations, small Hindu temples and something that makes you forget the hardships of the journey! The supposed object of desire is half in India, half in Nepal (approx. 140 km as the crow flies) and is 8,586 m high, the Kangchenjunga. The summit of the Himalayas, offers a majestic sight and is the only eight-thousander on which, in addition to the main summit, three other peaks reach a height of more than 8000 m, all of which are relatively easy to see. The third highest mountain in the world was first climbed on May 25, 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band, who were part of a British expedition. They stopped shortly before the summit to respect the faith of the people in Sikkim, who venerated the summit as a sacred mountain and demanded this promise in advance. To the album

• Karatoya – it is worth a drive through the area towards Rangpur along the Karatoya River because of the area. Furthermore:
• Bhitargarh – about 15 km north of Panchagarh is an archaeological excavation site, with the remains of an old fortress town from the 5th century. After trial excavations, closed again, the area is waiting for better times.
• Golok Dham Temple – about 20 km southeast of Panchagarh on the Karatoya River. Built in 1846, it is an excellent example of the temple architecture of that time, which also contained Greek elements.

The metropolis, close to the Tista, is a city like any other in the country, perhaps with a little more green. Rangpur was ruled by many rulers for a long time, then still known as Ranggapur. This can be translated as “City of Happiness” (“Rangga” means happiness and “pure” place). The name probably goes back to the time of the Mahabharata (the most famous Sanskrit epic, 400 BC). In Rangpur or Ranggapur, Raja Bhagadatta, who is a part of this epic, is said to have built a rural mansion and surrendered to all forms of worldly enjoyments there. In this respect, the name is understandable, but should better be “City of private Happiness”. In the course of time the name changed to Rangpur. Incorporated into the Mughal Empire of Akbar’s in 1575, Rangpur is now an infrastructural hub and economic conurbation, known for the production of dhurries (cotton carpets) and bidis (cigars). In 1930 the rebellion against the British colonial power germinated here. To the album

• Carmichael College – named after his patron Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 11th Baronet and Governor of the British colonies in Madras and Bengal. The college was known as the “Cambridge of the East” due to its architectural style based on the style of Cambridge University and its quality as an educational institution (the latter is limited to the colonial era).
• Tajhat Palace – built at the beginning of the 20th century by Maharaja Kumar Gopal Lal Roy. In the middle of the 76 m wide facade there is an imposing, wide flight of stairs made of white marble and leads directly over the portico to the upper floor with rows of slender, half-Corinthian columns. Unfortunately, apart from the general museum, none of the 22 rooms or the ballroom is accessible.
• Town Hall – Administration building in the heart of the city in the style of typical colonial architecture.
• Jadu Nibash – a remarkable mansion from the time of Raja Gopal Lal Roy.