History Of Ahsan Manzil

Ahsan Manzil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Ahsan Manzil
Native name:
Bengali: আহসান মঞ্জিল
Front View of Ahsan Manzil
Front View of Ahsan Manzil
Built:     1859 - 1872
Architectural style(s):     Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture
Visitation:     More than 3 million (2003)

Ahsan Manzil (Bengali: আহসান মঞ্জিল) was the official built-up palace and seat of the Dhaka Nawab Family. It is positioned on the banks of the Buriganga River in Bangladesh. The palace became the Bangladesh National Museum on 20 September 1992. It is constructed in the Indo-Saracenic Revival building.
Contents
    * 1 History
          o 1.1 Early History Of Pad
          o 1.2 Construction
          o 1.3 Glory days
          o 1.4 Decline

          o 1.5 Renovation
    * 2 Description
    * 3 References
    * 4 Further reading
    * 5 See also

 History
Early History Of Pad
Ahsan Manzil, Bangladesh National Museum, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Shyamal Roy says: The palace has enjoyed a varied history, starting from being Rang Mahal (of Sheikh Enayetullah, a Zamindar of Jamalpur pargana (Barisal) during the time of the Mughals) to a French trading centre. Nawab Khwaja Alimullah bought it from the French in 1830 and transformed it into his residence, effecting necessary reconstruction as well as renovations. The final renovation was done by Martin.
 Construction

The construction of the palace was begun in 1859 and accomplished in 1872. Abdul Ghani named it Ahsan Manzil after his son Nawab Khwaja Ahsanullah. The newly built palace first came to be known as the Rang Mahal. On April 7, 1888, a tornado caused severe damage to Ahsan Manzil -- Andar Mahal, the older part of the palace, was completely overcome. During the rebuilding of the Andar Mahal a good part of the palace was overhauled and repaired, along with the exquisite dome of the present Rang Mahal was added. Ahsan Manzil was again damaged by an earthquake in 12 June 1897 and again repaired by the Nawab Ahsanullah.
 Glory days
Nawab Sir Salimullah with his family in front of Ahsan Manzil

In 1874, Lord Northbrook, Governor General of India attended an evening function in the palace when he came to lay the foundation of a water works installed by Nawab Abdul Ghani. In 1888, Lord Dufferin also accepted the hospitality offered at Ahsan Manzil. In 1904 Lord Curzon, on a visit to East Bengal, stayed in this palace on 18 and 19 February to win public support for the proposed Partition of Bengal.

Almost all political activities of Nawab Khwaja Salimullah centred around this palace. Ahsan Manzil was the cradle of the All India Muslim League. With the refuse of the Nawabs of Dhaka, Ahsan Manzil also started to reject.
 Decline   

When in 1952 the Dhaka Nawab State was acquired under the East Bengal Estate attainment Act, it became impossible for the successors of the Nawabs to continue the palace due to financial constraints. Nawab Khwaja Habibullah started living at Paribag Green House soon after the acquisition of the zamindari. The palace was soon on the verge of collapse as successors rented out rooms without allowing for its dignity. Over the years illegal occupants turned the place into a filthy slum.
 Renovation

Recognizing the historical and architectural importance of the Ahsan Manzil, the government of Bangladesh took the proposal to renovate it. In 1985 Ahsan Manzil with its surroundings were acquire. After the completion of the repair work in 1992 under the supervision of the Directorate of Public Works and Architecture, it was brought under the control of Bangladesh National Museum (20 September 1992). A museum has been traditional there.
[edit] Description
Ahsan Manzil has now been converted into a museum and a popular tourist magnetism of old Dhaka.

Ahsan Manzil is one of the most significant architectural monuments of Bangladesh. Established on a raised platform of 1 metre, the two-storied palace measures 125.4 m by 28.75 m. The height of the ground floor is 5 metres and that of the first floor 5.8 metres. There are porticos the height of the ground floor, both on the northern and southern sides of the palace. An open spacious stairway comes down from the southern portico, extending onto the bank of the river through the front garden. There was once a fountain in the garden in front of the stairs, that does not exist today. The spacious north and south verandas of both the floors rest on semicircular arches. The verandas and rooms are covered with marble.

To construct the dome of Ahsan Manzil, the square room on the soil floor was given a surrounding shape with brickwork in the corners. The room was then given an octagonal shape near the roof by squinches. This octagonal shape took the form of the drum of the dome. Finally, the kumud kali (buds of lotus) shaped dome was constructed by regularly slanting the eight corners to the peak. The dome is 27.13 m above the ground.
 References

    * Official Web Site of the Dhaka Nawab Family
    * Banglapedia - Ahsan Manzil
    * Bangaldesh National Museum Web Site
    * ArchNet on Ahsan Manzil reinstallation