National Temple Dhakeshwari

Situated in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the state-owned Dhakeshwari National Temple is a great tourist attraction. The name Dhakeshwarialludes to the temple’s dedication to the Goddess of Dhaka and visitors should take care to show respect for the religious beliefs of those who frequent this large and ancient temple. 

The Dhakeshwari National Temple is located right behind the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology campus. It is widely seen as being the most important Hindu place of worship in the country and so you will often see devout Hindus flocking here for worship. The 11th century temple is also the oldest Hindu temple in the city and it is situated at the point where the most ancient ramparts of the city meet with the new and vibrant city ofDhaka. No one really knows much about the origin of this temple but a popular legend says it was built by Ballal Sen in the 12th century. However researcherThe temple continues to see regular use, including day-long prayers which are common practice in Bangladesh onnational holidays and birth and death anniversaries of popular leaders. So tread lightly and make sure you don’t get in anyone’s way when you are visiting the Dhakeshwari National Temple.s have found that the architectural style is not consistent with that period in history.

Historical interest Shat Gambuj mosque

The Shat Gambuj Mosque is famous for it's historical importance. It is one of greatest mosques in Bangladesh in respect of its spectacular beauty.It is situated in Bagerhat besides the longest sea beach ' BAY OF BENGAL ' , also the longest mangrove forest ' SUNDORBAN ' .In the king of SULTAN NASSIRUDDIN MAHMOOD SHAH ( 1435-1459 ) is established KHOLIFABAD area under SAINT ULUGH KHAN JAHAN made this magnificent mosque at 1459 . It took's several year to complete it.

                                                                                                                                                                 

 It's total length is 160 feet and total wide is 108 feet. The roof of the mosque is supported by 77 squat domes. The vast prayer hall of the mosque has 11 arched doorways on east and 7 each on north and south for the ventilation and light. It has 7 longitudinal corridors. Architecturally, the interior and exterior of the mosque is quite plain. But the interior Western Wall was decorated beautifully with terracotta flowers and foliage. It offers an impressive look. UNESCO is already declered this mosque as one of the historical place of the world.

Historical Lalbagh Fort

Lalbagh Fort or Fort Aurangabad, an incomplete Mughal palace fortress at Dhaka on the river Buriganga in the southwestern part of the old city. The river has now gone further south and flows at quite a distance from the fort. D'Oily's painting (1809-11) shows that more than half of this east-west oblong fortress touched the wThe construction of the fort was commenced in 1678 AD by prince muhammad azamduring his 15 month long vice-royalty of Bengal, but before he could complete the work he was recalled by aurangzeb. His successor, shaista khan did not continue the work, though he stayed in Dhaka up to 1688. His daughter bibi pari (Lady Fairy) died here in 1684 and this led him to consider the fort to be ominous.ater of the river on its south and southOf the three surviving gateways, the southern one is the most imposing. Seen from the front itOn the northern side of the southern fortification were placed utility buildings, such as the stable, the administrative block, and its western part accommodated a beautiful roof-garden with arrangements for fountains and a water reservoir. is a three storeyed structure with a fronton, bordered with slender minarets. western sides.The central area of the fort is occupied by three buildings - the Diwan-i-Aam and the Hammam on its east, the mosque on the west and the tomb of Bibi Pari in between the two - in one line, but not at equal distance.The water channels and the fountains, a very common feature of Mughal architecture, set an atmosphere not very unlike north Indian Mughal forts.The double storeyed Diwan-i-Aam attached with a single storeyed Hammam on its west is an The building in the middle, the tomb of Bibi Pari, is the most impressive of the surviving buildings of the fort. Eight rooms surround a central square room, containing the mortal remains of Bibi Pari, which is covered by a false dome, octagonal in shape, and wrapped by brass plate. imposing building.The archaeological excavations have revealed strata of the Sultanate as well as of the pre-Muslim periods, from where terracotta heads and plaques have been found. Thus it is now justified to say that though the Mughals founded Dhaka, it was definitely inhabited long before the Muslims came to Bengal.

Tourist place,Kaptai Lake

A pleasant and picturesque drive of 64 km. from Chittagong brings you to a huge expanse of emerald and blue water ringed by tropical forests. It is the famous man-made Kaptai Lake (680 sq. km.). From Kaptai along the Chittagong road, lies the ancient Chit Morang Buddhist temple having beautiful Buddhist statues.

Kaptai lake is a huge lake and it has some tiny islands. A half day trip will be fine to explore the lake and the islands. Each island has different name such as "Peda Ting-Ting", "Tuk-Tuk Echo Village", "Chang-Pang" etc. "Peda Ting-Ting" is a tiny island and here you will find cottages to stay and enjoy moon lit night with fantastic lake surroundings. "Tuk-Tuk" is an echo park with varities of trees and plants. "Shovolong" spring is a beautiful spring from the hill and has an exotic land scape.

Take a motor boat from reserve bazar. First visit shuvolong spring and shuvolong bazar. At the end of shuvolong bazar, there is a mini zoo and has some nice sculptures of liberation of Bangladesh and this is maintained by armies. After this place, have lunch at Chung Pang or Peda Ting Ting. In these places, you will find some wonderful tribal dishes and the best is the bamboo chicken.

Salban Vihara,Mainamati

The twin names - Lalmai- Mainamati - of the place have significant link with the past: Lalmai or the southern part is identical with Lalambi-vana of the Chandra epigraphs, while the northern part recalls the name of the legendary Chandra queen 'Maynamati', mentioned in local ballads and folk-songs. The archaeological finds have now established beyond any doubt that the cultural and political centre of ancient Vanga-Samatata(southeast Bengal) was located here. The glory and magnitude of that remarkable past is emphatically manifest in the innumerable monuments, mounds and excavated remains, adequately supplemented by an impressive array of stray finds from the area. Mainamati today is, however, better known for its Buddhist remains exposed by excavations. Here, indeed, lies the greatest assemblage of ancient Buddhist remains in Bangladesh.

The Discovery During the course of rebuilding the old axial road through these hills in 1875, workers accidentally uncovered the ruins of what at that time was thought to be 'a small brick fort'. It was actually a Buddhist monastery. Some 72 years earlier (1803), from the same area, was discovered the first Mainamati relic, the copperplate of Ranavankamalla Harikaladeva, dated 1220 AD, which records a description of the capital city of Pattikera as 'adorned with forts and monasteries'. The name now survives in the modern Patikara pargana of the locality.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

The Mainamati ruins were rediscovered during the Second World War. While setting up an advance camp, the military came across ancient remains at a number of points in the ridge. In the hurried survey that followed, 18 sites were recognised and protected by the government. In more regular and systematic surveys undertaken between 1955 and 1957, when the entire ridge was undisturbed by human occupation, more than 50 sites were located. Most of those sites lie in the northern half of the ridge, now within the Cantonment. Archaeological excavations started in January 1955. In several phases of excavation of the 50 odd sites nine have so far been exposed. Though the excavations have not yet been completed and have been limited in many respects, the results so far obtained and the information gained provide a sound archaeological basis for the reconstruction of the history and culture of the early period of this hitherto obscure region.

Buddhist monument Paharpur

By far the most spectacular Buddhist monuments, discovered in regular excavation is the gigantic temple and monastery at Paharpur in the Noagoan district. Architecturally and historically Paharpur Vihara is a treasured heritage of the world. It has been identified from a set of inscribed clay seals, as the reputed Somapura Vihara, of the great Pala emperor Dharmapala. It is the single largest Vihara south of the Himalayas. This immense quadrangular monastery with 177 monastic cells enclosing the courtyard, its elaborate northern gateway and numerous votive stupas, minor chapels and extensive ancillary buildings within the 22 acre courtyard, is dominated by a lofty pyramidal temple in the centre. A site museum houses the representative collections of objects recovered from the area. The excavated finds have also been preserved at the Varendra Research Museum at Rajshahi.

Mahasthangarh The historical interest

Mahasthangarh, so far the oldest archaeological site of Bangladesh, lies on the western bank of river Karatowa, about 12 km north of Bogra town, and is connected by a good metaled road. The site includes partly Shibganj and partly Bogra sadar upazilas of Bogra district.

In the Mahasthangarh, Karatoya is the major river that passes near the eastern margin and flows towards the south. Three small rivers (ichamati, bangali and nagar) are around the Mahasthangarh. East of the Mahasthangarh, the Bangali and Ichamati rivers flow southeast. The Nagar located in the west flows southwest. Many swampy areas, locally known as bees, are also found around the area.

The Mahasthangarh of Bogra district can be conveniently subdivided into two landform units: (1) Barind terrace and (2) Karatoya-Bangali meander floodplain.                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Barind terrace situated west the Karatowa river. This unit represents a series of uplifted blocks of Madhupur Clay, believed to be equivalent in age to the Pleistocene. The greater part of the Barind Tract is undissected and has poorly drained grey soils overlying clay at a shallow depth. Only a few minor rivers cross this almost level area. Two sub-units of the Barind Tracts are: (i) Nearly level Barind Tract, and (ii) Broad dissected Barind Tract.

The nearly level Barind Tract occupies the western part of Bogra district and comprises a low, nearly level, uplifted terrace. Fault scarps mark the edges of the outcrop. The Karatowa and the little jamuna channels run at the foot of these scarps. The level Barind tract includes grey, variably mottled, less permeable soils overlying the little weathered Madhupur Clay at a shallow depth.

The broad dissected Barind Tract is relatively higher than the remainder of the tract and occurs mostly in the eastern and northeastern part of the Barind Tract. The area has been uplifted, tilted and broadly dissected by valleys, most of which are streamless. It is relatively deeply weathered, and has well to moderately well drained red or brown soils.

Karatowa-Bangali meander floodplain a complex landscape containing sediments of diverse ages and origins. Sediments from both the rivers appear to have partially buried an older landscape, which extended up to the lower Tista floodplain. The greater part of this floodplain comprises broad ridges and basins. Silts predominate on the ridges and clays in the basins. Sands occur only patchily on ridges and along river channels.