Bhai Girish Chandra's home in decay

Girish Chandra Sen was born in the village of Panchdona in Narsingdi district. Sen (1835-1910) was a Bengali religious scholar and translator. He was a Brahmo Samaj missionary and known for being the first translator of the Qur'an into Bengali language in 1886. It was his finest contribution to Bengali literature.

Born in the village of Panchdona of Narsingdi in 1835 in the famed Dewan Baidya clan, he learned Persian and Sanskrit in early life and started working as a copywriter in the court of the deputy magistrate in Mymensingh. He also taught for a short while at the Mymensingh Zilla School before engaging wholeheartedly in journalism and literary activities. He was attracted to the Brahmo Samaj under the influence of Keshub Chunder Sen and Bijoy Krishna Goswami and joined it as a missionary in 1871. He traveled through India and Burma to propagate his new faith.

The plasters on the walls of this two floor house have almost completely fallen off, baring the brick work, which is covered in a thick moss. The ceilings on both the floors have entirely caved in.  Trees have grown all over the walls, thereby creating large cracks. The wood work from doors and windows is completely stolen. It is difficult to hold back tears standing in these ruins, of what once was the home of such a great scholar.

To overcome those destruction and deterioration of this old House owned by this famous Scholar, Government has taken necessary steps to renovate the building immediately. Bhai Girish Chandra Sen's Old House is located at Panchdona of Narsingdi Sadar Upazila.

A little further from the Panchdona crossing, on the way to Narsingdi, one cannot miss the light blue sign, pointing to the house of Girish Chandra Sen. But arriving there, immediately behind the row of shops, one cannot but feel frustrated, disgusted and angry! To say that the house of this scholar is in decay would be the worst understatement!