About bangladeshi cultural programme. All of old and antic place.

1. ENGLISH PRESENTATION
HISTORICAL PLACE OF BANGLADESH

2. HISTORICAL PLACES OF BANGLADESH
KOTILA MURA
Kotila Mura is famous historical place in Bangladesh. Kutila Mura situated on a
flattened hillock, about 5 km north of SalbanVihara inside the Comilla Cantonment
is a picturesque Buddhist establishment.
Perched on a flattened hillock, 5 km north of SalbanVihara, the
picturesque remains of a unique Buddhist establishment are
enclosed within a massive boundary wall.
The ground Plan of the central stupa is in the shape of a ‘Dharma Chakra’
or the ‘Wheel of the Law’.The hub of the wheel or chakra is represented
by a deep shaft in the centre and the spoke by eight brick-built cells.

3. Kutila Mura stupas stand majestically on top of the highest mound in the
northeastern part of the Lalmai ridge near anandavihara. The stupas are among
the best preserved and most attractive monuments in mainamati. In form and
style, they differ from those of shalvanvihara and other sites. They represent the
traditional style, while ShalvanVihara and others reveal an evolved style.
Evidence from the excavations suggests 7th century as the probable date of the earliest of these monuments;
the latest perhaps dates to13th century AD, as indicated by an Abbasid gold coin recovered from an upper
level of the site. Five ancient epigraphic records discovered in the Mainamati area refer to two Ratna-traya
shrines in devaparvata. It may reasonably be inferred that the Kutila Mura establishment was one of them.

4. SHALBAN BIHAR
Shalban Vihara in Mainamati, Comilla, Bangladesh is one of the best known Buddhist Viharas in the Indian
Subcontinent and is one of the most important archaeological sites in the country. At the end of the 8th
Century, king Shri Bhavadeva made the “Salban Vihara” in this place. The digging started from 80th decades
(Clarification needed). Many archaeological elements area found here. Most of them are kept in the Mainamati
Museum now.

5. Originally, the monastery was called Bhavadev Bihar after the king, but today the Shalban name comes from
a grave of Shal (Shorea robusta) trees.
Geography:
About eight kilometers west of Comilla town, lies a range of low hills known as the Mainamati Lalmai
range which is dotted with more than 50 ancient Buddhist settlements dating from the 8th to the 12th centuries.
Almost at middle is the Salvan Vihara of 115 cells built around a spacious courtyard with a cruciform temple in
the centre. About 5 kilometers north of Shalvan Vihara is Kutila Mura, which is a picturesque relic of a unique
Buddhist establishments.

6. Importance:
This was once a self-contained Buddhist monastery where, monks lived, studied & prayed. It was the royal
palace for the early Buddhist students. Students from various places come here for their meditation & religious
learning. During their study period the students stay in the dormitory/ Cells around the temple. Its’ such a quite
place inside a barren forest and one of the greatest tourist spots in Bangladesh.

7. MAHASTHANGARH
Mahasthangarh is one of the oldest and most important historical place in Bangladesh . ‘
Mahasthan’ means ‘great sanctity ‘ and ‘garh’ means ‘fast’. Mahasthangarh is the re of the
ancient city of Pundranagar. It was the capital of the Mourya, Gupta and Sen kingdoms.
This ancient historical site establish around 2500 BC, is located at
Shibganj upazila of Bogura district. It lies on the western bank of
Korotoa river, about 13 km north of Bogura city on the Dhaka -
Dinajpur highway
Mahasthangarh situated about 13 km north of Bogura town. This earliest and largest city of entire
Bengal is fortified successively by mud and brick wall. It measures 1525 meter long North South, 1370
miter broad East – West and 5 high above the surrounding level.

8. The whole area is rich in Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim sites. The Buddhist were here intil at
least the 11th century. Their most glorious period was the 8th to 11th centuries, when the
Buddhist pola emperors of north ruled.
This is a historical place where many tourist go. It is one of the best historical tourist sport in
Bangladesh.

9. SOMPURA MAHABIHAR
Somapura Mahavihara was on of the famous Buddhist monastic institutions of ancient Bengal. The
excavated monastic complex at PAHARPUR has been identified with the Somapura Mahavihrara built
by the second Pala king DHARMAPALA (c 781_821 AD).
Somapura Mahavira’s close relationship with the ruling dynasty impaled that it shared the political ups
and downs of it benefactors.
The monastery flourished until the 11th century AD when it was destroyed by fire during an invasion by
a VANGLA army, possibly the army of the Varman rulers of VANGA.
Somapura Mahavihara gradually decline and was finally abandoned during the 13th century, when
the area came under Muslim occupation.

10. Pictures of Sompura Mahavihara

11. Tibetan works ( Tibetan translations of Dharmakayavidhi and Madhyamaka
Ratnapradipa, Taranatha’s history and Pag Sam Jon Zang) record the glory of
Somapura Mahavihara. Many Tibetan monks visited the monastery during the
period between 9th and 12th century AD. ATISH DIPANKAR SRIJNAN stayed
here for many years and translated the Madhyamaka Ratnapradipa into
Tibetan. His spiritual preceptor, Ratnakara Shanti was the sthavira of the
vihara. Mahapanditacharya Bodhibhadra was aresident monk of this vihara.
Several other scholars like Kalamahapada, Viryendra and Karunashimitra
spent some party of their lives at this monastery.

12. THE SHAT GAMBUJ MASJID
The Shat Gambuj Mosque is one of the greatest tourist attractions and best architectural
beauties of Bangladesh. It is one of the oldest mosques of Bangladesh. It is situated in city of
Bagerhat under the Khulna division. Bagerhat district is located in the south west of
Bangladesh which is about 200 miles away from the Capital of Bangladesh (Dhaka). Here
“Shat” means “Sixty” and “Gambuj” means “Pillar”. “Shat” is a Bengali word and “Gambuj” is
an Arabic or Urdu word. The mosque has been recognized as a World HeritageSite
by UNESCO under
criteria (IV), "as an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble which illustrates a
significant stage in human history" in 1983. This is a great tourist attraction of Bangladesh.

13. Bagerhat city was founded a Muslim colony near the seacoast in the District of
Bagerhat in mid 15th century by the saint Ulugh Khan Jahan. He was a warrior,
Turkish general and saint. He was well known for his unique capability in the
administration and a builder, but also as a Pir (a saintly person). In the reign, he was
one of the earliest torchbearers of Islam. In the 15th century this Bagerhat town
known as Khalifatabad and nicknamed the "Mint Town of the Bengal Sultanate.

14. Khan Jahan Ali used this mosque for prayers and it was also used as an assembly hall and Madrassa.
This mosque has four towers. Seventy seven domes are over the roof and four smaller ones at the four
corners of towers. Two towers were used to call Azan. The vast prayer hall has 11 arched doorways on
the east and 7 each on the north and south. These doors are provides ventilation and light in the hall.
There are also 7 longitudinal aisles and 11 deep bays in the midst of slim columns made of stone. These
columns support the curving arches that are overlaid by the domes. The west wall of this mosque is
decorated with stonework and terracotta and the flooring is of brickwork. It has eleven mihrabs. The full
mosque is a wonderful archeological beauty which is the signature of 15th century.

15. Most of the damages of this mosque have been rectified. It is a great pleasure for us that,
the UNESCO has been recognized this Shat Gambuj Mosque as a World Heritage Site in
1983. Besides these monuments, UNESCO also includes among the unique monuments:
the mausoleum of Khan Jahan, Bibi Begni, and the mosques of Singar, Zindavir and Reza
Khoda. At present a picnic spot has been established near this heritage site at the historical
Ghora Dighi. It is the largest historical mosque of Bangladesh. If you come Bangladesh,
don’t miss to visit this wonderful historic mosque in the South Asia.
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16. Thank You