Tangail: Dhanbari Nawab Manzil(ধনবাড়ি নবাব মনজিল)

Dhanbari Nawab Manzil(ধনবাড়ি নবাব মনজিল) is locally known as Nawab Bari(নবাব বাড়ী). This is now owned by the descendants of Nawab Ali Chowdhury(নবাব আলী চৌধুরী). They have been taking a good care of this palace and also built several cottages inside the premise for the tourists for staying. This is the only heritage resort from our Bangladesh. This is also known as Dhanbari(ধনবাড়ী) Royal Resort. Inside the premise is very much neat and clean, adequate amount of stuffs and guards are around there to take care of everything.

Most of the Jamidar(জমিদার) mansions from Bangladesh were owned by the Hindu Jamidars(জমিদার). After the division of the country during 1947, and also later 1971, most of those powerful owners were coerced to leave the country, or cringed away to avoid the secular vandalism. Which results their mammoth mansions left unprotected. Later government has taken control of few of those buildings and used as their official purpose(which are still in a presentable state). But others are in total ruin by now a days for lack of care.

But this Nawab(নবাব) Palace is totally different from those. As it was owned by the Muslim landlords, they didn't have to leave the country or had nothing to fear. They were powerful during their ruling period. And yet still they are powerful on that region now a days. That's why this palace is still in a very good condition and has been taken proper care to maintain it's state.

This palace was built by the Nawab Ali Chowdhury(নবাব আলী চৌধুরী) during 1919 to invite the British Lord Ronaldshay. He Came near Koyra(কয়ড়া) using the Steamer and had a reception with 30 elephants.[reference: www.dctangail.gov.bd].

One of the decedents from the Nawab(নবাব) Family named Nawab Hasan Ali Chowdhury(নবাব হাসান আলী চৌধুরী) was the Industrial Minister during the reign of East Pakistan. Also he was a member of the Parliament during 1978. Later, after his death, his daughter Saiyeda Asheka Akbar(সৈয়দা আশেক আকবর) was the member of the Parliament during 1981. This information will give you an idea about their power and now you understand why the palace is still in a good condition.[reference: www.dctangail.gov.bd].

You'll require to buy a ticket for 30 Taka to enter inside the palace premise. Each ticket is valid for 2 hours of visiting. The area is highly secured and the stuffs and guards around there are very much friendly. No unauthorized entries are entertained there. So no one will bother you while you are enjoying the surroundings.


Night Staying at Cottages:

Anyone can stay at the cottages located inside. This is a lovely place for staying. This calm and serene place will please anyone I can bet. I have a plan to stay there in future. From my 'entry ticket' here is the contact address of the Dhaka booking office.

Royal Resort & Holidays Ltd.
145 Begum Rokeya Shoroni, Mirpur, Dhaka 1216
Phone: +880-2-9010924


Things to Buy:

At the Dhanbari(ধনবাড়ী) Bazaar you'll find a famous sweet shop owned by Shurjokanto(সুর্যকান্ত). The Roshgolla(রসগোল্লা) from that shop is mouth watering. You can taste those during your staying there. Or can buy home while returning.

Also, Madhupur(মধুপুর) is very near from that area(15 minutes of car distance). It will be on your way from Dhaka. During the season you can buy the pineapples from the road sides. Those pineapples are the largest pineapples from Bangladesh and internationally known as 'Calender Pineapples'. Also, the Bananas of Madhupur(মধুপুর) are famous. You can buy those during the season.

How to Go:

Best way to go there using the private vehicles. Cause the available bus service is not that much handy. The service of that Bus is very poor. Using your private vehicle it will require around 4-4.5 hours to reach there.

** If you want to use public transport. Then Binimoy(বিনিময়) Bus Service is the option. This will start from Dhaka Mohakhali(মহাখালী) Bus Terminal and stops exactly at the Dhanbari(ধনবাড়ী), beside the palace. Since this is a very much local service and has hundreds of stoppage, it will take around 6-7 hours to reach near there(or even more). For your information, that bus takes people standing inside, like the local bus of Dhaka.

** Another option could be the Nirala(নিরালা) Bus service. Using that from Mohakhali(মহাখালী), you can come to the Tangail(টাঙ্গাইল) within around 3 hours. Its a direct bus service with no stoppage. From Tangail(টাঙ্গাইল), you can use CNG auto rickshaw to reach near the palace. It will be around 2 hours of CNG ride.

** Another option can be coming at Tangail(টাঙ্গাইল) using the train service. But the train's time schedule is not that much reliable in Bangladesh. So choice is yours.

GPS coordinate of the Nawab Bari(নবাব বাড়ি) is (24°40'30.16"N, 89°57'18.63"E).

নবাবদের নিয়ে লোক মুখে শোনা কিছু গল্প
১) একবার ঈদের সময় সকালে নবাব তার এলাকাবাসী নিয়ে ইদের নামাজ পড়ছিলো। সেই সময় টাঙ্গাইলের হেমনগর অঞ্চলের জমিদার 'রানী হেমন্ত কুমারীর' অশ্বারোহী লোকজন সেই নামাজের পাশ দিয়ে প্রচন্ড শব্দ করে ঘোড়া দাবড়িয়ে যাচ্ছিলো। লোকজনের নামাজের বিঘ্ন ঘটায় নবাবের লোকজন তখন সেই ঘোড় সওয়ারি দেরকে যেয়ে ধরে আনে। পরে জিজ্ঞাসাবাদে যখন জানতে পারলো এরা হেমনগরের রানীর লোকজন। তখন নবাব লোকজন দিয়ে সেখানে নালিশ পাঠালো। শেষ পর্যন্ত ঠিক হলো রানী তাদেরকে ১ টাকা জরিমানা দিবে। পরবর্তিতে যেই টাকা ৬ টা কিস্তিতে নবাবকে পরিশোধ করা হয়েছিলো। [হেমনগর জমিদার বাড়ি]

২) নবাবের পূর্ব পুরুষের একজন ছিলেন অনেক বড় পীর। তার মাথায় ছিলো একটা মসলিনের পাগড়ি। নবাবরা বংশানুক্রমে সেই পাগড়ি সংরক্ষণ করে আসছিলো। কিন্তু দুঃখজনক ভাবে একবার চোরের দল সেই পাগড়িটা চুরি করে নিয়ে যায়। নবাব পরিবারের কাছে সেই পাগড়ির মুল্য অপরিসীম ছিলো। তাই সেই পাগড়ি উদ্ধার করার জন্য নবাব এলাকার সব চোরকে ধরে নিয়ে আসে। প্রথমে তাদের বলা হয় পাগড়ি ফেরত দিলে তাদেরকে টাকা বা যা চায় তাই দেয়া হবে। কিন্তু কেউ কিছুই স্বীকার করে না। পরে শারীরিক নির্যাতনের ফলে এক সময় চোর স্বীকার করতে বাধ্য হয় যে তারা পাগড়ি নিয়েছে। তখন নবাবের পক্ষ থেকে বলা হয় পাগড়ি ফেরত দিলে ওদেরকে ছেড়ে দেয়া হবে। কিন্তু চোর সেই পাগড়ি ফেরত দিতে পারে নাই। কেননা ততদিনে সেই মসলিনের পাগড়ি কেটে তারা ১৭ টা পাঞ্জাবি বানিয়ে ফেলেছিলো। এই ঘটনার পরে নবাব অনেক কষ্ট পায়, অনেক কান্নাকাটি করেছিলো নবাব। এক সময়ের জনদরদী নবাব এই ঘটনার পরে থেকে আর কোনদিন মানুষের জন্য সেইভাবে আর উপকার করে নাই।

Note:

There is a beautiful looking mosque available at the eastern side of the Jomidar Bari(জমিদার বাড়ী) premise. Don't miss to have a visit on that mosque.

Front view of the palace. Downing sun at the western sky made the photo murky.

Lake at the Eastern border of the palace premise.

An Edifice inside the palace premise. Possibly a 'Meeting Room'?

Cottage inside the premise for tourist for overnight staying.

More cottages for the tourists.