Lalbagh Fort
Lalbagh Fort | |
---|---|
লালবাগের কেল্লা | |
![]() Aerial view of Lalbagh Fort | |
Location | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Coordinates | 23°43′08″N 90°23′17″E / 23.7190°N 90.3881°E |
Founder | Muhammad Azam Shah |
Built | 1678 |
Architectural style(s) | Mughal architecture |
Lalbagh Fort (
Lalbagh Fort was built as the official residence of the governor of the Mughal province of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. The complex includes the Mughal governor's house, the tomb of Pari Bibi and a mosque. It is covered by lawns, fountains and water channels. Its two south gates were previously grand
Today, Lalbagh Fort is one of the most visited sites in Dhaka. Several pieces of artillery are kept inside the fort. The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation is funding a restoration project for parts of the fort.[3] Lalbagh Fort is one of the most recognized symbols of Mughal rule in Bengal.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Zoffany-Lalbagh_Fort.jpg/220px-Zoffany-Lalbagh_Fort.jpg)
The Mughal prince Muhammad Azam Shah, third son of Aurangzeb started the work of the fort in 1678 during his vice-royalty in Bengal. He stayed in Bengal for 15 months. The fort remained incomplete when he was called away by his father Aurangzeb.
After Shaista Khan left Dhaka, it lost its popularity. The main cause was that the capital was moved from Dhaka to Murshidabad. After the end of the royal Mughal period, the fort became abandoned. In 1844, the area acquired its name as Lalbagh replacing Aurangabad, and the fort became Lalbagh Fort.[5]
Architecture
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For long the fort was considered to be a combination of three buildings (the mosque, the tomb of
The southern fortification wall has a huge bastion in the southwestern corner. On the north of the south fortification wall were the utility buildings, stable, administration block, and its western part accommodated a beautiful roof-garden with arrangements for fountains and a water reservoir. The residential part was located on the east of the west fortification wall, mainly to the southwest of the mosque.
The fortification wall on the south had five bastions at regular intervals two stories in height, and the western wall had two bastions; the biggest one is near the main southern gate. The bastions had a tunnel.
The central area of the fort is occupied by three buildings – the Diwan-i-Aam and the
Diwan-i-Aam
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Hall_and_Hammam_of_Lalbagh_Fort-11.jpg/220px-Hall_and_Hammam_of_Lalbagh_Fort-11.jpg)
Diwan-i-Aam is a two storied residence of the Mughal governor of Bengal located on the east side of the complex.[5] A single storied hammam is attached on its west. The hammam portion has an underground room for boiling water. A long partition wall runs along the western facade of the hammam.[1]
The building is situated about 39 metres (128 ft) to the west of the tank, running from north to south. The external measurements of the building are 32.47 m × 8.18 m (107 ft × 27 ft).[6]
There are living quarters on each level of two stories and a main central hallway connecting them. There is a Hammamkhana (Bathhouse) in the southern part of the building which is one of the seventh Hammamkhana still existing in ruins in the heritage of Bangladesh.[6]
Recent excavations (1994–2009) show that there was a special room below the room of Hammamkhana, where archaeologists found the arrangements for heating water, supplying the hot water as well as cool water to the Hammamkhana through the terracotta pipes which was specially manufactured for such purpose. The discovery of black spots in the underground room proof that fire had been used for the purpose of heating the water for the Hammamkhana. There was also a toilet room by the side of Hammamkhana.[6]
All the building along with the arrangements of Hammamkhana clearly shows that it was very much in use by the
A water tank
A square shaped water tank (71.63 m (235 ft) on each side) is placed to the east of the Diwan-i-Aam. There are four corner stairs to descend into the tank.[1]
Tomb of Bibi Pari
The tomb of
Lalbagh Fort Mosque
The mosque has three domes, and is relatively small for a large site, with a water tank for ablutions in front. The mosque has an oblong plan of 20.34 m × 10.21 m (66 ft 9 in × 33 ft 6 in) externally and 16.36 m × 6.15 m (53 ft 8 in × 20 ft 2 in) internally.[8]
Stories
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From the time of construction till date, various myths have revolved around the fort. Among all the historical stories and debates, it is widely believed that Lalbagh Fort stands as a monument of the unfulfilled dreams of Prince Muhammad Azam Shah, beloved son of Emperor Aurangzeb. In the mid 17th century, he was serving as the Viceroy of Bengal and began the construction of the impressive Lalbagh Fort complex.
Therefore, the popular stories about the fort begin. Before the construction was finished, Prince Azam was called back to his father, to assist in the war against the
There are also legends and debates about the identity of Pari Bibi. Few researchers claim she was a nine-year-old Ahom princess. Mir Jumals Ahom's expedition brought a war adjoining the Garo hills. He took the daughter of Ahom Raja to compel him for the full execution of the previous peace treaty. Later, the emperor made her convert to Islam and married her off to Prince Azam. However, overshadowing all the debates, people now believe that she was the loving daughter of Nawab Shaista Khan.[9]
Research
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Lalbagh_Fort_Ground%2C_Dhaka%2C_Bangladesh.jpg/220px-Lalbagh_Fort_Ground%2C_Dhaka%2C_Bangladesh.jpg)
Archeologists discovered the continuity of the main fort walls eastward below Shaishta Khan Road. They opined that the present area of Qilla represents half the portion as planned by Prince Azam Khan. The gate at the southeast the fort (adjacent to Lalbagh Shahi Masjid) as per requirement fits properly as the Central Gate in the middle of Fort. The other half to the east — likely planned for administrative purpose (Girde Qilla area) — were incomplete or extinct long ago.[10]
There are some tunnels in the fort which are now sealed. It is said that two of the tunnels lead to now ruined
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Rahman, Habibur (2012). "Lalbagh Fort". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ISBN 9781351997553. Archivedfrom the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Embassy Funds Restoration and Preservation at Historic Lalbagh Fort". 24 March 2021. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ Sayid Aulad Hasan (1903). Extracts from the Notes on the Antiquities of Dacca. Published by the author. p. 5.
- ^ a b The Archaeological Heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 586.
- ^ a b c The Archaeological Heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 589
- ^ The Archaeological Heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 597
- ^ Reza, Mohammad Habib; Hossain, Md Shajjad (2017). Documentation of Islamic Heritage of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Brac University.
- ^ The Archeological heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 592.
- ^ The Archeological Heritage of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 2011. p. 593.
- ^ "The Secret Passages of Lalbagh Fort". Star Weekend Magazine. 22 July 2016. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Lalbagh Fort of Dhaka, Bangladesh at Atlas Obscura