Lalbagh Fort (also Fort
Aurangabad) is an incomplete 17th century Mughal fort complex that stands
before the Buriganga River in the southwestern part of Dhaka,
Bangladesh. The
construction was started in 1678 AD by Mughal Subahdar Muhammad Azam Shah who
was son of Emperor Aurangzeb and later emperor himself. His successor, Shaista
Khan, did not continue the work, though he stayed in Dhaka up to 1688.
HISTORY----
Mughal prince Muhammad Azam,
third son of Aurangzeb started the work of the fort in 1678 during his
vice-royalty in Bengal. He stayed in Bengal for 15 months. The fort remained
incomplete when he was called away by his father Aurangzeb.Shaista Khan was the
new subahdar 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 to think the fort as unlucky, and left the structure
incomplete. Among the three major parts of Lalbagh Fort, one is the tomb of
Pari Bibi. After Shaista Khan left Dhaka, it lost its popularity. The main
cause was that the capital was moved from Dhaka to Murshidabad. After the end
of the royal Mughal period, the fort became abandoned. In 1844, the area
acquired its name as Lalbagh replacing Aurangabad, and the fort became Lalbagh
Fort.
Structures------
For long the fort was considered
to be a combination of three buildings (the mosque, the tomb of Bibi Pari and
the Diwan-i-Aam), with two gateways and a portion of the partly damaged
fortification wall. Recent excavations carried out by the Department of
Archaeology of Bangladesh have revealed the existence of other structures.The
southern fortification wall has a huge bastion in the southwestern corner. On
the north of the south fortification wall were the utility buildings, stable,
administration block, and its western part accommodated a beautiful roof-garden
with arrangements for fountains and a water reservoir. The residential part was
located on the east of the west fortification wall, mainly to the southwest of
the mosque.
The fortification wall on the
south had five bastions at regular intervals two stories in height, and the
western wall had two bastions; the biggest one is near the main southern gate.
The bastions had an underground tunnel. The central area of the fort is
occupied by three buildings – the Diwan-i-Aam and the hammam on its east, the
Mosque on the west and the Tomb of Pari Bibi in between the two – in one line,
but not at an equal distance. A water channel with fountains at regular intervals
connects the three buildings from east to west and north to south.
water
tank-----
A square shaped water tank
(71.63m on each side) is placed to the east of the Diwan-i-Aam. There are four
corner stairs to descend into the tank.
Diwani-i-Aam----
Diwan-i-Aam is a two storied
residence of the Mughal governor of Bengal located on the east site of the
complex. A single storied hammam is attached on its west. The hammam portion
has an underground room for boiling water. A long partition wall runs along the
western facade of the hammam. The building is situated about 39 meters (136')
to the west of the tank, running from north to south. The external measurements
of the building are 32.47m x 8.18m (107' x 29').There are living quarters on
each level of two stories and a main central hallway connecting them. There is
a Hammamkhana (Bathhouse) in the southern part of the building which is one of
the seventh Hammamkhana still existing in ruins in the heritage of Bangladesh.
Recent excavations (1994–2009)
show that there was a special room below the room of Hammamkhana, where
archaeologists found the arrangements for heating water, supplying the hot
water as well as cool water to the Hammamkhana through the terracotta pipes
which was specially manufactured for such purpose. The discovery of black spots
in the underground room proof that fire had been used for the purpose of
heating the water for the Hammamkhana. There was also a toilet room by the side
of Hammamkhana.
All the building along with the
arrangements of Hammamkhana clearly shows that it was very much in use by the
Subadar of Bengal and that Subadar was Shaista Khan. From the report of the
Governor of English Factory it was learned that Shaista Khan used to live in
this room and some Europeans were kept in custody here. The tomb of Bibi Pari,
the daughter of Shaista Khan, is in the middle of the complex. There is a
central square room. It contains the remains of Bibi Pari covered by a false
octagonal dome and wrapped by brass plate. The entire inner wall is covered
with white marble. Eight rooms surround the central one. There is another small
grave in the southeastern corner room.
Lalbagh
Fort Mosque----
There is a mosque in kellah, Azam
Shah to Delhi before he went to the mosque. This three-domed mosque that some
attention. The mosque is the prayer in congregation.
There are so very few of
the old mosque in Dhaka.
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