Situated in the Comilla region, Kotila Mura was likely built in the 7th century, the last of the stupas added in the 13th century AD in the traditional style of Buddhist stupa. The three stupas were built on top of the highest mound in the Lalmai Ridge, north to south in a row, each representing one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism: Dharma (morality), Sangha (discipline) and Buddha (knowledge). Stupas functioned to house relics or precious Buddhist items, such as the remains of monks or nuns, and were resultantly sites of meditation.
Comilla was under ancient Samatata, a geopolitical division that joined with the Tripura northern Indian state. During the 12th and 13th centuries, at which point the youngest of the Kotila Mura stupas was being constructed, the Deva Hindu Dynasty rules over eastern Bengal. The Deva Dynasty differed from its 8th and 9th century Buddhist predecessors who had begun building the stupas, yet under their rule there was a period of peace and creative excellence, sometimes labelled the ‘Golden Age’.
Excavations at the site began in the 1950s, uncovering items now held in the museum that were used to date the structures.
Kotila Mura remains a cultural and architectural place of significance in Banglasdesh, and can be visited within an hour. The only way to the shrine is through the east, a gateway which leads to a huge hall. The nearby museum, adjacent to the Salban Vihara site, has a display of artefacts unearthed there, including terracotta plaques, bronze statues, 4th century silver and golden coins, jewellery, and stupas embossed with Buddhist inscriptions.
The museum also displays a large bronze bell from one of the Buddhist temples, and a thousand-year-old black stone carving of Hindu deities, bringing together the combined spiritual histories of Kotila Mura.
Kotila Mara is a reasonably remote location, but from Dhaka along the N1 then Z1206, is a 3 hour drive. The closest bus stop is Bishnupur Bazar, a 300m walk from Kotila Mura.
]]>Lalbagh Fort was commissioned by Prince Muhammad Azam during the height of the Mughal Empire in 1677. Prince Muhammad Azam left Dhaka soon after construction began to join his father Emperor Aurangzab in Delhi. The project was passed on to Shaista Khan, the new governor of Dhaka, who continued to build until his beloved daughter Pari Bibi died at the site in 1684. Devastated at his loss, Shaista Khan halted construction immediately and rumours began that the site was haunted.
The fort was subsequently abandoned and remains in its unfinished state today.
Three main sections of the fort are complete, namely the Mausoleum of Pari Bibi, Diwan-i-Aam (the Hall of Audience), and Quilla Mosque. The Mausoleum of Pari Bibi consists of a white marble room with the tomb in the centre and access to the room is restricted.
An intricate web of underground tunnels was also finished below Lalbagh Fort. In an episode of the Sepoy Revolution, in 1857, it is said that soldiers on both sides ventured into the tunnels and never resurfaced, adding to the mystery and intrigue that envelops the fort.
The fort is now maintained by the archaeological department of Bangladesh. It is a key tourist attraction in Dhaka and about three million people visit Lalbagh Fort every year.
The half-completed Lalbagh Fort and its well-tended gardens offer a great opportunity to escape Old Dhaka’s hustle and bustle for an hour or so. The fort is particularly atmospheric in the early morning light.
The only monument you can enter is the Diwan which contains a small but intriguing museum of Mughal miniature paintings, coins, carpets and calligraphy, along with swords and firearms.
Lalbagh Fort is the most popular and renowned fort in Bangladesh.
The fort is located in the Lalbagh area of Old Dhaka, the historic part of the capital, by the bank of the river. Roads around Old Dhaka can be confusing. Narrow alleys and newly built multi-lane roads are equally congested, making navigation challenging. The best way to reach Lalbagh Fort is by rickshaw and they are plentiful in the area.
]]>A large monastery built under the Deva dynasty in the 8th century, these flame-coloured remains would once have housed 115 monks. Salban Vihara offers an interesting glimpse into the former grandeur of Mainimati.
Shalban Vihara was built during the first half of the 8th century under the reign of King Bhava Deva, the fourth ruler of the early Deva dynasty, a Hindu dynasty in eastern Bengal. The 168 square metre building was constructed to house early Buddhist students and was named for the king who commissioned it, Bhava Deva Mahavihara. The monastery was built on the outskirts of Devaparvata, the Samatata (eastern Bengal) capital, and was constructed around a large courtyard with a temple in the centre.
Students came from various places to meditate and have religious teaching. During their study the students would stay in the dormitory or cells surrounding the temple. The monastery walls were heavily embellished with terracotta plaques and ornamental bricks.
Excavations at Shalban Vihara began after road builders in 1875 uncovered what they thought was an old fortress. Discoveries from the site included 8 inscribed copperplates, around 400 gold and silver coins, multiple terracotta and baked clay seals, as well as a large number of sculptures made of bronze, stone and terracotta. An Abbasid gold coin found suggested that Shalban Vihara was inhabited until the 13th century.
Today, the Shalban Vihara temple and former monastery for Buddhist students remains a peaceful place surrounded by the Lalambi forest. The site is one of Bangladesh’s most popular tourist sites although it has not yet been fully excavated: the northern wing and 2 stupas are yet to be cleared.
Entry to Shalban Vihara costs 200 taka, and you can clearly see where the main temple and monks quarters were despite there being little information on site. Most of the objects found at Shalban Vihara during excavations are now held in the Moinamoti Museum.
Your easiest option of reaching Shalban Vihara is to take a rental auto (small electric car) from Kandirpar in Cumilla to Kotbari, a small village across the Dhaka–Chittagong Highway and a 20 minute walk from the ruins. Shalban Vihara is 2 and a half hours drive from Dhaka.
]]>Somapura Mahavihara is located in Paharpur, in the Naogaon District of Bangladesh. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in the country, and is among the best known viharas and monasteries on the Indian Subcontinent. It is also one of the earliest sites of Bengal, where a significant number of Hindi statues were discovered.
Somapura Mahavihara was the largest of five great Mahaviharas (universities) which grew durinig the Pāla period in ancient India in the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, comprising Bengal and Magadha.
The site houses the remains of a vast Buddhist monastery over an area of around 27 acres (11 hectares.) It was an important centre for Dharmic Traditions such as Buddhists, Jains, and Hindus.
Excavation of the site has unearthed seals which identify the second Pala king Dharmapala (c.781-821) as having built the site; however, Tibetan sources mentioned that it was his successor Devapala (c.810-850) built it after his conquest of Varendra.
The monastery was largely destroyed by fire in the 11th century during a conquest by the Vanga army.
Many monks visited the site between the 9th and 12th centuries. It was during the rule of the Sena dynasty that the monastery began to decline for the final time, with the unrest and displacement of the population after the Muslim invasion during second half of the 12th century sealing its fate.
The site is quadrangular, and consists of 177 cells and a traditional Buddhist stupa in the centre. The rooms were once used by the monks for accommodation and meditation.
Alongside a wealth of stupas and shrines that have been discovered at the site, various terracotta plaques, stone sculptures, inscriptions, coins, and ceramics have also been unearthed.
Somapura Mahavihara continued to thrive as an academic and religious hub until the twelfth century and today it is considered to be one of the best examples of the artistic excellence of its time. Indeed, Somapura Mahavihara was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985, in great part for influencing future Buddhist architecture around the world.
The site is now open to the public and there is a small museum close by which exhibits local finds. It is recommended that you employ a local guide in order to make the most of the amazing site.
From the centre of Rajshahi, Somapura Mahavihara is a 2 to 3 hour drive via the Rajshahi – Naogaon Hwy/R685 roads. From the centre of Dhaka, the site is a 7-8 hour drive via the Dhaka – Rangpur Hwy/N5 roads.
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Located in Dhaka, the Liberation War Museum starts in the lead up to this nine-month long conflict, looking at different aspects of the war and its outcome. From photographs and newspaper extracts to personal belongings and even human remains, the Liberation War Museum has a range of artefacts and sources which tell the dramatic story of Bangladeshi independence from Pakistan.
The Liberation War Museum was founded after a group of eight trustees wanted to help to preserve the memory of the Liberation War of 1971.
These trustees sought financial donations from the general public as well as requested that they come forward with any personal belongings, weapons, and human remains relating to the war in order to create an archive of documents and personal histories.
As of 2016, the museum has collected some 21,000 artefacts, with many on display, and others stored in the archives. As a result, the museum describes its existence as ‘the outcome of a citizen’s effort’.
In 2009, an architectural contest was held for a new design of the museum, because it was recognised that there wasn’t enough space to hold all of the numerous artefacts that had been donated. The new Liberation War Museum was opened in 2017, providing the site with more than 3500 metres squared of space.
The Liberation War Museum’s galleries are extensive and detailed. They begin by covering the early history of Bangladesh and the Indian independence movement against British Raj in Bengal.
Another major section records the events of the Language Movement for the recognition of the Bengali language in Pakistan, which is regarded as the beginning of the movement for Bangladesh’s independence.
There are several galleries that highlight the rising conflict between West Pakistan and Bangladesh (formerly known as East Pakistan).
Coverage of the Liberation War includes the training and operations of the Mukti Bahini guerrilla army, while another gallery documents the genocide carried out by the Pakistani army against the Bengali population.
The humanitarian crisis caused by an estimated ten million refugees entering India is also explored.
Outside of the purely historical and factual information, part of the gallery is dedicated to the personal effects and weapons of the Mukti Bahini fighters. There are also displays of human skulls and bones which were retrieved from mass graves of civilians killed by Pakistani forces.
The Liberation War Museum is a 20 minute drive from the centre of Dhaka, via Bir Uttom Major General Azizur Rahman Road. There is also a regular bus service that departs from Sherwa every 5 minutes, and takes around an hour.
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