Roaming Puran Dhaka || Lalbagh Kella

Today I have had a wonderful roaming at Puran Dhaka (old town of Dhaka city). Usually when anybody imagines about yummy biriyani, tasty laschi, delicious Morog Polaw, he or she sees the favorable name as Puran Dhaka. Not for only mouthwatering food, but for some Mughal heritages, Puran Dhaka is famous round the country. One of them is Lalbagh Kella, an incomplete Mughal fort. This morning we have visited there to have a taste of Mughal rule in Bengal.

As Friday is weekend holiday and now winter is running, generally we leave bed at 9 to 10 AM this time. But today morning my Dhakaiya colleague Nazim called me at 9 AM and remind me, “Sir, tickets are ready. Please come fast because due to Jummah prayer after 12:30 PM, Lalbagh fort will be closed!”

-OMG! Aafiq Baba!

-Tushim!!

-Amma!!

-Let’s be ready hurry!

After about 40 minutes we reached at Lalbagh Kella, the wonder creation of Mughal prince Azam Shah. My colleague Nazim, who is originated of Puran Dhaka by born, received us very cordially at the entering gate with pre-purchase tickets.

It’s a sunny morning. The glow of cool of regular winter was decreasing as sun was shining with a wide smile. Like us hundreds of people arrived here to see the fort and enjoy a Kella built at 1678!

Aafiq was seen the tomb of Pari Bibi inside a premises. He asked who was Pari Bibi. His mother and grandmother started to tell him the story of Mughal rule. From there discussion, I have leant that who is the founder of this fort and why it was not completed. Pari Bibi was the daughter of Subahdar Shaista Khan. After her death usually the construction progress of this fort was stopped.

At this right corner of the tomb, there was an ancient mosque where every day many Muslims pray their prayers. There were many stopped old artificial fountains and water reservoirs at fort. Among them one reservoir was very big and deep as like as small lake but dry because there was no water then. Beautiful gardens of forts were full of various bloomed colorful flowers.

We have seen a red building at left side from the tomb of Pari Bibi. One of the caretakers told us that it was a place where various trails happened and it seemed to us as courtroom.

Total Kella was surrounded by a high wall. May be once thousands of Mughal guards guarded the fort!

 Actually, the ancient main gate of the fort is now closed but it looks gorgeous. Nearby it, there was a way of secret tunnel what is now closed. Once Mughal emperor might go inside it!

We sat on the bench beside the courtroom for a while and thought how strange is history is! Once this place was full of people, power and pride! Now just we got the ruins and we try to imagine the pride.

Suddenly we heard an announcement, “Time is over. Its’ 12:30 PM.”

Then we got out of the Mughal fort and sat a nearby restaurant to take taste of a Mughal drink Laschi as we were thirsty due to having a long time walk.

[To be continued]