The historical place "Lalbagh Fort"
Lalbagh fort is the most popular and renowned fort and a great signature of art by Mughal Empire in Bangladesh. It is also known as Fort Aurangzeb. It is located in Lalbagh of old Dhaka, hence named so. It is situated by the bank of the river Buriganga in a rich red soil.
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| painting of the Lalbagh Fort's south gate in 1787 |
History of Lalbagh Fort:
Lalbagh Fort is an incomplete structure by a Mughal prince and later emperor himself named Muhammad Azam (third son of Aurangzeb). He started the work of the fort in 1678 during his vice-royalty in Beagle. He stayed in Bengle for 15 months. It remained incomplete when he was called by his father Aurangzeb to the capital Delhi.
Shaista Khan was the new Subeditor (Governor) of Dhaka in that time, and he did not complete the fort. In 1684, the daughter of Shaista Khan named Iran Dukht (pari Bibi) died there. After her death, he started thinking the fort as ominous and left the structure incomplete. Among the 3 major parts of Lalbagh Fort, one is the tomb of Pari Bibi.
after shaista khan left Dhaka,the fort lost its popularity. The main cause was that the capital was shifted Dhaka to Murshidabad. After the end of the royal Mughal period, the fort became abandoned. In 1844, the area achieved its name as Lalbagh replacing Auranbad, so the fort as Lalbagh Fort.
After certain time Mughal emperor Aurangzeb donated the fort to Shaista Khan in memory of his daughter Pari Bibi. The successor of Shaista Khan got revenue after his death by leasing the fort to the government. After 1853 the cantonments replaced in Lalbagh Fort from Purana Paltan. Currently, The Archaeological department of Bangladesh is maintaining this historical place. This has became a key tourist attraction in Dhaka. Almost 3 million people visit Lalbagh Fort every year.
Different parts of Lalbagh Fort:
- The mosque:
This mosque is situated in the complex,aligned with the tomb of Pari Bibi. The mosque is still in use and separated with a fence from the fort so that people can enter it for prayer without any ticket.
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| Lalbagh Fort's mosque |
- The Tomb of Pari Bibi:
Of the Mughal buildings inside the fort, Pari Bibi's Mausoleum is the most important, as it is a unique structure. It is the only building where black basalt from Rajmahal Hills,white marble from Rajputana and en-caustic tiles of various colors, have been used to decorated its interior.
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| The tomb of Pari Bibi |
- Residence of the Governor:
The third structure in the fort is the residence of the governor Shaista Khan,which is a two-storied building with a projecting annex to the west, and contains the Audience hall and the Hammam. The central hall contains a sunken ornamental fountain in the meddle.
The Hammam is covered by a dome which originally had an opening in it for light and ventilation. There is a masonry tank with steps leading into it, which contained temperate water for bathing. Except for the two end rooms which contain the stairs,the upper floor corresponds exactly in plan with that of the ground floor.
- The South Gate:
The main South Gate of the fort,Facing the river,presents a grand appearance and rises gracefully in three stories. A lofty archway opens from the river side into a domed square hall,which is flanked on either side by slender octagonal mine rates with two stages of oriel windows.Each is topped by a cupola.
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| The south gate of Lalbagh Fort |
- Secret tunnels in Lalbagh Fort:
There are several secret tunnels in Lalbagh Fort,two of which used to reach to the now ruined Zinzira. Fort of the Mughal located on the other side of the Buriganga. Others were built as mazes, so that attackers and intruders of the fort loose their way on them and starved to death. During the colonial period, many mutant soldiers of the Sipahi Revolution and also many British soldiers chasing them died here. These secret tunnels have been sealed permanently afterward.
Entry fees of Lalbagh Fort:
*Local Tourists: 20 TK
*SAARC Country Tourists: 100 TK
*Other Foreigners: 200 TK
Visiting hours of Lalbagh Fort:
Summer Season(April-September)
*Tuesday-Saturday:10.00 AM-01.00 PM, 01.30 PM -06.00 PM
*Friday: 10.00 AM- 12.30 PM, 02.30 PM- 06.00 PM
*Sunday: Weekly Holiday
*Monday: 02.30 PM-06.00 PM
Winter Season(October-March)
*Tuesday-Saturday:09.00 AM-01.00 PM, 01.30 PM -05.00 PM
*Friday: 09.00 AM- 12.30 PM, 02.00 PM- 05.00 PM
*Sunday: Weekly Holiday
*Monday: 01.30 PM-05.00 PM
Govt. Holiday:
Lalbagh Fort will remain closed during any govt. holiday
Ramadan Timing
Lalbagh Fort will be closed at 04.00 PM during the holy month of Ramadan
Have you ever visited Lalbagh Fort? How amazing have you found it? Share your experience with us in the comment!
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