Symbol of Bengali nationalism,
this monument was built to commemorate the martyrs' of the historic language
movement on 21st February, 1952. The day is also now observed as
International Mother Language Day across the world. Hundreds and thousands of
barefooted people with floral wreaths and bouquets gather at this monument
from the first hour of 21st February every year to pay homage to the martyrs.
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Located at old city opposite the
Jagannath University formerly Victoria Park this memorial place of 1857 was
built to commemorate the martyr's of the first liberation war in the years of
1857-59 against British Rule. This is the place where the revolting sepoys and
their civil compatriots were cowardly hanged. The ancient name of the place was
"Antagor Maidan".
In the wake of the first partition
of Bengal in 1905, a group of architecturally homogeneous building was erected
in Dhaka illustrating a happy blending of the Mughal and European tastes.
Massive in appearance these buildings were characterized by a symmetrical
composition of their component part and a great variety of eye-catching
external detail. The foundation stone of Curzon Hall was laid by Lord Curzon on
14 February 1904. Its elegent facade with its central projecting bay and wide
arched horse shoe shaped portals with windows avobe, has a attractively
variegated by a series of panels, bracketed eaves and kiosks crowning the roof,
whilst the corners are relieved with miners.
Established in 1904, by the late
Narendra Narayan Roy, the garden is located in Wari (opposite to the Christian
cemetery). This garden boasts a rich collection of indigenous and exotic
plants. Open: Saturday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Friday closed. Entry
tickets are available on the gate.
At a stone throw distance from Dhaka
Sheraton Hotel and stretching out Dhaka University campus and Bangla Academy,
the Suhrawardy Uddyan, formely known as the race course, is a testament to our
great historical achievement. It is here that the clarion call of independence
of Bangladesh was declared on 7th March 1971 by Father of the Nation the great
national leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and it is again here that the
commander of the Pakistani Occupation forces surrendered on the 16th December
1971 to the joint command.
Originally built as the residence of
the British Governor, the High Court Building illustrates a fine blend of
European and mughal architecture. The building is situated North of the Curzon
Hall of Dhaka Universiry.
Shah Paran (Shah Farhan) was a renowned Sufi saint of the
Suhrawardiyya and Jalalia order. It is said that he was the son of a sister of
Hazrat Shah Jalal (R) and was born in Hadramaut, Yemen. He was an accomplice of
his uncle, Shah Jalal, with whom he arrived in India. In 1303 AD, He took part
in the expedition of Sylhet which was led by Shah Jalal. After the conquest of
Sylhet he established a khanqah at Khadim Nagar in Dakshingarh Pargana, about
7 km away from Sylhet town, where he started Sufi spiritual practices and
activities. He played a significant role in propagating Islam and establishing
Muslim rule in the Sylhet region.
It is unclear how and when he died,
but he is buried near his khanqah. For centuries, large numbers of devotees
have been visiting his tomb, a practice which continues even today. On
the 4th, 5th and 6th day of Rabi-ul-Awal, the Urs of Hazrat Shah Paran (R)
takes place. His grave is located in a high hillock and it is carefully
preserved at a place which is built with bricks and surrounded by walls. On the
northern side of the grave there is an old tree, the branches and branchlets of
which are extended above the entire tomb. The name of the tree is 'Ashagachh'
(a tree of hopes). From a close observation of the leaves of the tree, it
appears that the tree has grown out of a mixture of the fig, mango and some
other tree. People eat the seeds of the figs devotionally in the hope of
getting rid of diseases. Mangoes are also eaten with utmost respect as Tabaruk.
There is an ancient mosque by the side of the tomb. The mosque has been
modernised in 1989-91. About 1500 devout Muslims in a body can now say their
prayers there.
Adjacent to the main tomb complex of
Shah Paran, found in the East of Sylhet, is another tomb visited by worshipers,
that of Konya Shah. Legend has it that this follower of the great saints was
neither man nor woman. There is a permanent exhibition of the life and times of
this saint. Contemporary
paintings and pictures featured at the
tomb/exhibition depict a person most likely to be a eunuch. Though the original
conquerors earned a prominent role in Islamic history, main stream Islam shuns the idea of worshiping saints and eunuchs.
A road bridge over the Surma River,
a passenger ferry and a hall of residence at Shahjalal University of Science
and Technology have all been named after Shah Paran.
Shah Jalal
Shah Jalal (Persian: شاه جلال; Bengali: শাহ জালাল full name:Yamanī Shāh Jalāl ad-Dīn al-Mujarrad) is a celebrated Sufi Muslim figure in Bengal. Jalal's name is associated with the Muslim conquest of north-eastern Bengal and the spread of Islam in Bangladesh through Sufism. He was buried in Sylhet, Bangladesh, formerly known as Jalalabad, while the country's main airport is named in his honour
Early life and education
Born Makhdum Jalāl ad-Dīn bin
Muhammad, he was named al-Mujarrad (probably for his lifelong
celibacy or performing of prayers in solitary milieu) and entitled Shaykh-ul-Mashāykh
(Great Scholar). Shah Jalal's date and place of birth is not certain. Various
traditions and historical documents differ. A number of scholars have claimed
that he was born in 1271 CE in Konya in modern day Turkey (then in the
Sultanate of Rum) and later moved to Yemen either as a child or adult while the
majority believe he was born in a village called Kaninah in Hadhramaut, Yemen.
He was the son of a Muslim cleric, who was a contemporary of the Persian poet
and Sufi mystic, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi. Shah Jalal was educated and raised
by his maternal uncle Syed Ahmed Kabir in Mecca. He excelled in his studies and
became a Hafiz there, increasing proficiency in Islamic theology (Aqidah).
He achieved spiritual perfection (Kamaliyyah) after 30 years of study,
practice and meditation.
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