Published: 12:00 AM, 10 September 2016
The old capital of Bengal (Sonargaon)
Sonargaon was a historic administrative, commercial and maritime center of Bengal. The name Sonargaon came as the Bangla version of the ancient name Suvarnagrama that means City of Gold. It is situated in the center of the Ganges delta, it was the seat of the medieval Muslim rulers and governors of eastern Bengal. Sonargaon was described by numerous historic travelers, including Ibn Battuta and Ma Huan. It served as the capital of Sultan Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah,Isa Khan and the Baro-Bhuyan Confederacy. The area is located near the modern industrial river port of Narayanganj in Bangladesh. Today, the name Sonargaon survives as the Sonargaon Upazila.
Sonargaon was known was a focal part of the renowned Deva Dynasty until the thirteenth century. Buddhist ruler Danujamadhava Dasharathadeva shifted his capital to Suvarnagrama from Bikrampur sometime in the middle of the 13th century. Mainly middle or upper class people inhabited Sonargaon during that time period. After the thirteenth century Sonargaon was made a secondary capital to the main capital of the Sultanate of Bengal. This subsidiary position that Sonargaon had now taken, lasted until the arrival of the Mughals. The Mughal Empire originated in India and was first founded in 1526 by Babur, a Turco-Persian leader. The imperial Mughal viceroys ruled Bengal, and thus Sonargaon, for nearly a century before Bangladesh was founded in 1608.
Panam Nagar (Panam City) was established in the late 19th century as a trading center of cotton fabrics during British rule. Hindu cloth merchants built their residential houses following colonial style with inspiration derived from European sources. Today this area is protected under the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh. The city was linked with the main city area by three brick bridges - Panam Bridge, Dalalpur Bridge and Panam Nagar Bridge - during the Mughal period. The bridges are still in use. Sonakanda Fort is a Mughal river-fort located on the bank of the Shitalakshya River at Bandar. Today, many people still visit the historic city of Sonargaon. They are attracted by its immense beauty and by the ruins of buildings and relics that date back to the era of Bengal. The Goaldia Mosque is situated in the Goaldi village and is a wonderful example of an ancient Sonargaon building. The Folklore Museum is another attraction, which is visited by many.
Famous Bangladeshi painter Joynul Abedin established Lok Shilpa Jadughar (Folk Art and Craft Museum) at Sonargaon on March 12, 1975. The house of Lok Shilpa Jadughar, originally called Bara Sardar Bari, was built in 1901. The Folklore Museum of Sonargaon houses a variety of artifacts from all over Bangladesh, representing the many cultural groups that exist in this country. For those interested in historical and archaeological relics, which have been unearthed from Sonargaon, the Jainal Abedin Museum is a good place to visit. People can still see the intact shrines of Shah Abdul Alia and Panjpirs, and the Tomb of Sultan Ghias ud Din. If anyone travel just out of Sonargaon, into the countryside, he/she will see an example of a Moghul Palace and an old museum. These two buildings are located on beautiful grounds with lots of birds, trees and plants, a pond and a number of sheltered walks. Old Sonargaon is a wonderful city to visit. It offers a wide variety to explore, ranging from a large area, the buildings and relics, the Museum and lots of specimens of the time when it was full of pride.
Sonargaon was known was a focal part of the renowned Deva Dynasty until the thirteenth century. Buddhist ruler Danujamadhava Dasharathadeva shifted his capital to Suvarnagrama from Bikrampur sometime in the middle of the 13th century. Mainly middle or upper class people inhabited Sonargaon during that time period. After the thirteenth century Sonargaon was made a secondary capital to the main capital of the Sultanate of Bengal. This subsidiary position that Sonargaon had now taken, lasted until the arrival of the Mughals. The Mughal Empire originated in India and was first founded in 1526 by Babur, a Turco-Persian leader. The imperial Mughal viceroys ruled Bengal, and thus Sonargaon, for nearly a century before Bangladesh was founded in 1608.
Panam Nagar (Panam City) was established in the late 19th century as a trading center of cotton fabrics during British rule. Hindu cloth merchants built their residential houses following colonial style with inspiration derived from European sources. Today this area is protected under the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh. The city was linked with the main city area by three brick bridges - Panam Bridge, Dalalpur Bridge and Panam Nagar Bridge - during the Mughal period. The bridges are still in use. Sonakanda Fort is a Mughal river-fort located on the bank of the Shitalakshya River at Bandar. Today, many people still visit the historic city of Sonargaon. They are attracted by its immense beauty and by the ruins of buildings and relics that date back to the era of Bengal. The Goaldia Mosque is situated in the Goaldi village and is a wonderful example of an ancient Sonargaon building. The Folklore Museum is another attraction, which is visited by many.
Famous Bangladeshi painter Joynul Abedin established Lok Shilpa Jadughar (Folk Art and Craft Museum) at Sonargaon on March 12, 1975. The house of Lok Shilpa Jadughar, originally called Bara Sardar Bari, was built in 1901. The Folklore Museum of Sonargaon houses a variety of artifacts from all over Bangladesh, representing the many cultural groups that exist in this country. For those interested in historical and archaeological relics, which have been unearthed from Sonargaon, the Jainal Abedin Museum is a good place to visit. People can still see the intact shrines of Shah Abdul Alia and Panjpirs, and the Tomb of Sultan Ghias ud Din. If anyone travel just out of Sonargaon, into the countryside, he/she will see an example of a Moghul Palace and an old museum. These two buildings are located on beautiful grounds with lots of birds, trees and plants, a pond and a number of sheltered walks. Old Sonargaon is a wonderful city to visit. It offers a wide variety to explore, ranging from a large area, the buildings and relics, the Museum and lots of specimens of the time when it was full of pride.
