Lalbagh Fort

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Lalbagh Fort Tale of an Incomplete Fortress: Lalbagh Fort Raiya Shabnab Miaji INTRODUCTION In the heart of old Dhaka stands Lalbagh Fort, the incomplete fortress of the Mughal times. It is the most important fortress of the Mughal period, built in Bangladesh. The fortress stands on the southwestern part of Dhaka city, on the bank of the Buriganga river. It is one of the heritage sites documented in the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list. The construction of this fortress was initiated in 1678, when Mughal Prince Azam Shah, the third son of Emperor Aurangzeb, was appointed as the Subedar of Bengal. But he had left it halfway constructed as he was ordered to accompany his father in India. Later on, his successor, Subedar Shaista Khan, continued to build the fortress. But tragedy struck him when his daughter, Pari Bibi, was dead, and the locals, including the Subedar himself, started considering the place as a cursed place. The fortress remained incomplete since then. But it has become one of the most important witnesses to represent the rich culture and tradition of the Mughal rulers in the 17th century. OBJECTIVES OF THIS REPORT The objective of this report is to explore the Heritage site at Lalbagh Fort and identify its existing challenges through thorough research of the place. The research includes personal experience, views of the locals and tourists and the overall environment of the place. METHODOLOGY The research is based on relevant evidence from the site and secondary data available in different documents and books. Firstly, thorough research has been done using secondary data available on the internet and few books for a better understanding of the heritage site. Secondly, a field survey was done to better understand and gain a practical experience about the place and its surroundings. RESULT: The 400 years old incomplete fortress is three-storeyed with two main gateways and a wall that is partially damaged and was meant to be a soldiers' barracks. The three buildings - Diwan-i-Aam and the hammam in the east, the mosque in the west, and the tomb of Pari Bibi in between are connected with a water tank. The landscape inside portrays the Persian garden style of “Charbagh” (quadrilateral garden), which Mughals Emperors bought in vogue at their times. 1 Figure: Birds Eye View of Lalbagh Fort. Source: https://thebongoproject.wordpress.com/2019/02/03/lalbagh- fort-aka-killa-aurangabad/ The remnants of the place still find a way to stand radiantly amidst the crowded urban infrastructures of old Dhaka. Although the place is very well maintained by the authorities and the locals are also very pleased with its environment, the heritage site is losing its radiance due to a lack of proper infrastructure management. Some of the urban infrastructures seem to obstruct the old remnants of the fort. 2 Figure: Unplanned urban infrastructures near the Fort The unplanned buildings or markets near the place make it endangered. The gates are blocked by an overwhelming crowd of markets and residents about a foot away from the heritage site. This mismanagement makes the chances of Lalbagh Fort to be listed as one of the World Heritage Sites. The hygiene and cleanliness of the place are somewhat satisfactory, but no proper arrangement is made for the natural calamities. Natural disasters might damage the old infrastructures of the fort. The outside of the fort makes it difficult for the tourists to find out the inner beauty of the place. The gates are overwhelmed with posters of different political parties, hawkers, and beggars. The essence of the Persian garden style is nowhere to be found as the gardens are somehow maintained, and the trees are grown without any pattern. The water bodies are dried up, and due to public access to the park area and museum, the place faces many sorts of vandalism. 3 Figure: Dilapidated infrastructures and ill-maintained plantation inside the fort Figure: Dried up water bodies 4 The overall condition of the place might be okay to be recognised as a public park but not as a heritage site. CONCLUSION To keep history alive forever, proper conservation is needed. Starting with the outer beauty of the fort, walls outside the fort should be well maintained with strict security so that no vandalism may occur. The entrance gates can be reconstructed to give it a sophisticated look. The adjacent localities can be reconstructed, which would save the heritage site from endangerment. Now coming to the inner maintenance of the fort, the authentic Persian garden look of Charbagh can be recreated with proper plantation. The old infrastructures should be made resistant to natural calamities. The public places must be well secured to check all kinds of vandalism occurring there. Finally, the residents, including all citizens, should be made aware of the importance of preserving our heritage and our tradition. REFERENCES 1. Mughal gardens - Wikipedia. (2021). Retrieved 31 March 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_gardens 2. Scholarworks.umass.edu. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1050&context=fabos> [Accessed 31 March 2021]. 5 .
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