Ahshan Manzil at Kumartoli of Dhaka

Ahshan Manzil

Ahsan Manzil located at Kumartoli of Dhaka at the bank of the Buriganga, used to be the refacetntial palace and the kachari of the Nawabs of Dhaka. It’s been turned into a museum recently. It used to be said to be the Rang Mahal of Sheikh Enayetullah, a Zamindar of Jamalpur pargana (Barisal) during the time of the Mughals. Having purchased it from his son Matiullah, the French made it their trading centre. Khwaja Alimullah bought it from the French in 1830 and converted it into his via, effecting important reconstruction and protections. Nawab Khwaja Abdul ghani engaged Martin & company, a ecu building and engineering firm, to make a grasp plan for his or her by way of.

The development of the palace was began in 1859 and finished in 1872. Abdul Ghani named it Ahsan Manzil after his son Khwaja ahsanullah. At that time the newly built palace used to be known as Rang Mahal and the earlier one used to be known as Andar Mahal. On April 7, 1888, a poor tornado brought about serious injury to Ahsan Manzil, in particular the Andar Mahal that was totally damaged. Nawab Ahsanullah rebuilt the Andar Mahal and in addition repaired the Rang Mahal the use of just right quality bricks from Raniganj for this objective. The exquisite dome of the current Rang Mahal was interposed. Ahsan Manzil was badly damaged again by way of the earthquake of 12 June 1897. However, Nawab Ahsanullah had it repaired again.

Ahsan Manzil is likely one of the significant architectural monuments of the country. Based on a raised platform of 1 metre, the two-storied palace measures 125.4m by means of 28.75m. The height of the bottom flooring is five metres and that of the first ground 5.8 metres. There are porticos of the height of the bottom flooring, both at the northern and southern aspects of the palace. An open spacious stairway has come down from the southern portico, extending upto the financial institution of the river throughout the entrance garden. Tright here was once as soon as a fountain in the garden in front of the steps, despite the fact that it does not exist nowadays. The spacious north and south verandas of each the floors relax on semicircular arches. The verandas and rooms are lined with marble.

To build the dome of Ahsan Manzil, the square room at the ground ground used to be given a round form with brickpaintings within the corners. The room was once then given an octagonal form near the roof via squinches. This octagonal shape took the type of the drum of the dome. After all, the kumud kali (buds of lotus) formed dome was built by way of gradually slanting the eight nooks to the height. The dome is 27.13 m prime from the bottom.

Internally, the palace is split into two symmetrical halves on either side of the dome. There’s a huge drawing room within the east wing of the first floor. On its northern facet there is a library and a card room, and in the jap corner tright here are 4 sq. rooms.

 

On the western wing of the first ground there may be a spacious Jalsaghar with a Hindustani room at the northern facet and 4 sq. rooms in the western nook. The vaulted artificial ceilings, fabricated from wooden, within the drawing room and the Jalsaghar, glance very exquisite. The floors of these two rooms are made from wood planks. On the ground floor there is a huge dinning corridor and six sq. rooms within the jap phase. Inside the western side, tright here is a gigantic darbar corridor and to its north is a billiard room.

The floors of the eating and darbar halls are embellished with white, inexperienced and yellow colored ceramic tiles. The well-known sturdy room, where the valuables of the Nawabs were stored, used to be in the course of the 5 rooms situated in the western part of the ground floor.

Tright here are horny wood stairs in the room that is attached to the north of the domed room. The balusters have been ornamented with vine leaves made from iron along the railing of the steps. The wooden ceiling of the room, adorned with geometric designs, may be very chic. A discuss withor's book sure in gold was once kept via the steps all through the halcyon days of the nawabs. Distinguished visitors to the palace could no longer down their observations.

The thickness of the walls of the palace is ready 0.78 metres. The doors are placed inside of semicircular arches. The inner doorways had multi-colored glasses and the outside ones were of wood with designs. Wooden beams give a boost toed the roof of those rooms.

The height of the two-storeyed internal house is less than the peak of the Rang Mahal. Nevertheless, the extensive southern verandas on both grounds and the parapet on top offer a gentle glance that is in harmony with the Rang Mahal. Iron beams have been utilized in developing the roof.

Ahsan Manzil, an architectural treasure, is a witness to many historical events of Bangladesh. From the final a part of the 19th century to the initial years of Pakistan, the Muslim leadership of East Bengal emerged from this palace. The Nawabs of Dhaka used to behavior their court affairs right here as chief of the Panchayet (village council) on a regular basis. Many anti-Congress meetings were held here underneath the patronisation of Nawab Ahsanullah, a staunch believer in Muslim identity. Nearly the entire Viceroys, Governors and Lieutenant Governors of British India who visited Dhaka spent some time at the Ahsan Manzil.

In 1874, Lord Northbrook, Governor general of India attended a night serve as here within the palace while he got here to put the basis of a water paintingss installed by means of Nawab Abdul Ghani. In 1888, Lord dufferin additionally typical the hospitality is offeringed at Ahsan Manzil. In 1904 Lord Curzon, on a discuss with to East Bengal, stayed on this palace on 18 and 19 February to win public improve for the proposed partition of bengal.

Virtually all political activities of Nawab Khwaja sallimullah focused round this palace. Ahsan Manzil was the cradle of the all India Muslim League. With the decline of the Nawabs of Dhaka, Ahsan Manzil also started to say no. When in 1952 the Dhaka Nawab State was obtained below the East Bengal property Acquisition Act, it became not possible for the successors of the nawabs to care for the palace due to monetary constraints. Nawab Khwaja habibullah began dwelling at Paribag efficient area quickly after the acquisition of the zamindari. The palace was at the breaking point in no time as successors rented out rooms with out bearing in mind its dignity. Over the years unlawful occupants turned the place into a filthy slum.

Recognizing the historic and architectural significance of the Ahsan Manzil, the federal government of Bangladesh took the initiative to renovate it. In 1985 Ahsan Manzil and its surroundings had been received. After the entirety of the preservation work in 1992 beneath the supervision of the Directorate of Public Works and architecture, it was introduced under the regulate of Bangladesh National Museum (20 September 1992). A museum has been centered tright here.