Manikganj: Teota Jomidar Bari

Friday, 10 February 2012

Teota Jomidar Bari(তেওতা জমিদার বাড়ী) is located at the Shibalaya upozila(শিবালায়া উপজেলা) of Manikganj(মানিকগঞ্জ) district. The palace is locally known as Teota Rajbari(তেওতা রাজবাড়ি), Teota Jomidar bari(তেওতা জমিদার বাড়ী), etc. This old Zomidar(জমিদার) palace is possibly over 300 years of old.

This old dilapidated palace was the home of two brothers named Babu Hemsankar Ray(বাবু হেমসংকর রায়) and Babu Joy Sankar Ray(বাবু জয় সংকর রায় ) who were the ruler of Teota(তেওতা). The whole premise has over 50 rooms. Currently those are occupied by the homeless people.

Western side of the building has a large pond and beside the pond a Temple available(noborotno temple, নবরত্ন মন্দির). The temple is a 4 stored building having lovely architecture. Second and the third store has a minaret like moth(মঠ) at each corner.

The whole jomidar palace(জমিদার বাড়ী) is situated beside the bank of mighty river Jamuna(যমুনা নদী). After a few miles from the palace premise, the river merged with another great river Padma(পদ্মা নদী). The palace is a two stored building and from the roof you can easily see the Jamuna river(যমুনা নদী). I had a chance to enjoy the sunset from the roof during my travel.

A story is available about a poor boy named Pachu(পাচু). He was a hard working man and by that hard work along with his honesty, he earned lot of money by doing tobacco trading. With that money, he has bought Zomidari(জমিদারী) and changed his name Ponchanan Sen(পঞ্চানন সেন).

This palace is the birth place of Promila Debi(প্রমীলা দেবী), the wife of our national poet Nazrul Islam(নজরুল ইসলাম). Poet first saw her in this palace when he came here to visit Promila’s cousine Dhiren Sen(ধীরেন সেন). He wrote the poem “Tumi Shundor tai cheye thaki prio, sheki mor oporadh”(তুমি সুন্দর তাই চেয়ে থাকি প্রিয়, সেকি মোর অপরাধ).

How to Go:

1. First you have to come at Aricha Ferry ghat(আরিচা ফেরি ঘাট). A BRTC bus from Gulistan(গুলিস্তান) use to come at Aricha Ghat(আরিচা ঘাট). Bus fare is 70 taka. It will require around 2.5 hours to 3 hours to come at Aricha(আরিচা). GPS of Aricha(আরিচা) is (23°50’9.59″N, 89°46’53.47″E).

2. From the ferry ghat, you can take a rickshaw for 20 taka or auto for 10 taka to reach at the Jomidar Bari of Teota(তেওতা জমিদার বাড়ী). It will take around 15 minutes to reach. GPS coordinate of the Jomidar Bari(জমিদার বাড়ী) is (23°51’30.72″N, 89°46’42.33″E).

Where to Stay:

You can go there and come back with in the same day. Manikganj(মানিকগঞ্জ) doesn’t have any quality hotel to accommodate tourists.

Where to eat:

Once upon a time Aricha(আরিচা) was a busy place, but now there is nothing left. So you have to relay on the district town, or the Patuary Ghat(পাটুয়ারি ঘাট) for fooding.

Both the river Padma(পদ্মা) and Jamuna(যমুনা) are very near to the palace premise. So don’t miss the chance to visit the two giant river at a same day.