Faridpur is a district that is still under Dhaka division but located at the other side of the mighty river Padma. This district contributes to the country’s agriculture by producing a huge amount of paddy and jute. It had plenty of active jute mills around the district, and only few remained functioning in current days. The district has three main rivers which are Padma, Kumar, and Madhumati (which is a transboundary river with other districts). This district has several archaelogical monuments such as Mothurapur deul and Pathrail mosque. House of the poet Jasimuddin is located in this district too. For the peace lovers Sree angan is another place located at the heart of the city. A lot of buildings are scattered around the town which are lovely to explore. Below are the few tourist attractions based on my visit in Faridpur district.
#1 Mathurapur Deul
Mathurapur Deul is a temple (or Moth) that is located in Madhukhali upazila of Faridpur district. This 90 feet tall octagonal shaped structure is rich with terracotta. This 17th century archaeological site should be at the top of anyone’s list who are planning to explore the Faridpur district.
#2 Jagodbondhu Sree Angon
Sree Angan is a Hindu asram that is located in Goalchamat of Faridpur town, established in the year 1306 (Bengali calendar). This nice quiet place attracts a lot of visitors every day (mostly local) along with the devotees. It was established by Prabhu Jagadbandhu who was a Hindu saint.
#3 House of Poet Jasimuddin
Poet Jasimuddin is known as Palli Kabi for his works related to village and people. His village name is Ambikapur which is just around 2 kilometers apart from the Faridpur town. In current days his house is converted into a museum so that the visitors could know more about him and his works. This place is a very popular tourist spot from the town.
#4 Pathrail Mosque
Pathrail mosque is located in village Pathrail of Bhanga upazila. This archaeological gem is approximately 600 years old (went through a series of renovations). This mosque is also known as Dighir Par Mosque as it is located beside a Dighi. If you have love for archaeology then you should visit this mosque. Natural beauty around the village is also picturesque.
#5 River Madhumati
Bangladesh is a country that is blessed with tons of beautiful rivers. River Madhumati is one of those. You could visit this river from many other places as this river flows through several districts. But as you are planning for your Faridpur district explore, you should put this river into your visiting list.
#6 River Kumar
Like many other towns the main city of Faridpur is situated beside the river Kumar. Although in current days the river lacks water flow, it wasn’t in the past. If you go outside from the main town you’d find the river with typical Bangladeshi scenic beauties.
#7 District judge court
Faridpur Judge Court is located in the heart of the town. The structure of the buildings have a style of British colonial touch, and are more than 130 years old. This place is always crowded with locals as the prosecution is in progress every day. It is possible to visit this place without disturbing others.
#8 Exploring the city
Faridpur is one of the oldest cities in Bangladesh. This district had a significant impact during the British ruling period. There are numerous colonial era buildings scattered around the town. Few of the nice possible attractions from the town are listed below.
- British Colonial Edifices.
- Baptist Church.
- Faridpur Museum.
- Faridpur Zilla School.
- Government Rajendra University College.
#9 Enjoy the sunset from ferry
It doesn’t matter which route you pick, you’d have to cross the river Padma to reach there. In current days the Ferry is the only option (until the bridge is constructed). A ferry-ride between Goalanda-Paturia is shorter, and between Mawa-Keurakandi is longer. But either one is suitable to watch a beautiful sunset (if you could make a perfect timing).
How to Go to Faridpur
Faridpur is inside the Dhaka division, but at the other side of the river Padma. As of 2020 we do not have any bridge over the river which is near from the district, that’s why the ferries are the only option to cross. It takes approximately 4 hours from Gabtoli to Faridpur town using a bus. If you are lucky to get a ferry on the bus’s arrival then it might take 15-20 minutes less. Popular bus services from Gabtoli bus terminal are Goldline, Azmiri, Saudia, etc. These buses leave the platform very frequently, and don’t require any pre-booking.
Where to stay in Faridpur
There are several budget hotels available in Faridpur town for night staying. Raffles Inn Hotel, Hotel Rajsthan, and Luxary Hotel are popular ones. I’ve stayed in Hotel Raffles Inn and the picture above was taken from my room. I can’t remember how much I paid but it was probably around a thousand Taka (as per 2010).
Where to Eat
There are several standard quality restaurants located in the main town (especially near the hotel). Quality of food is as usual, similar to other parts of the country. The curd of Baghat is famous in the district. Don’t forget to taste that after your dinner as a dessert.
I visited the district on 19 and 20 of June 2010 as a part of my expedition to Bangladesh. Like other districts, this one is profound with numerous scenic beauties. It was green everywhere because of the rainy season. Sometimes the sky was bright and the weather was hot, and sometimes the sky was gloomy and threatened with rain. I was lucky not to get wet by the rain.
Written by Lonely Traveler,
For blog alonelytraveler.com
