The Lalbagh Fort is located in Dhaka’s historic district. Not to mention the precise location, as Lalbagh Fort is so well-known that anyone in any section of Dhaka would be able to find their way there. It is a popular tourist destination in Dhaka because of its stunning architectural past. The location is well-known not only for its stunning appearance but also for the history ingrained in it from the outset.
The legendary “Subeder Shaista Khan” is one name that is included with Lalbagh Fort. He was Bangladesh’s most well-known, prosperous, and long-ruling subeder. He also had a hand in building Lalbagh Fort.
Even though “Shaista Khan” made the most contribution to the construction of Lalbagh Fort, Prince Mohammed Azam, the third son of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, received the incentive. On July 29, 1678, he was named Subeder of Bangla. Owing to his brief tenure as Subeder, he was unable to finish the job and, in the 1680s, he gave the property to his successor, Subeder Shaista Khan.
Forts in the Mughal era were built primarily to keep an emperor or subeder safe from foreign attack, according to archaeologists; however, Lalbagh Fort shows little evidence of these kinds of arrangements. Rather, the fort’s whole opulent design demonstrates that it was constructed as a way to enjoy the splendor of the natural world. Because of this, Fort-Palace is another name for Lalbagh Fort.
During his first year of reign, Shaista Khan himself showed no interest in investing on this building. Since his daughter “Pori Bibi” passed away while the work was underway, he regarded the construction as a bad omen. However, Shaista Khan, being the magnificent man that he was, finished building the palace-fort during his second reign of power.
Amidst the excavations and archeological finds made to date, the Lalbagh Mosque, Hammamkhana, Darbar Hall, and Pori Bibi’s Tomb remain stunning structures. The primary draw and the primary impetus for constructing this fort palace in the 1680s was the River Buriganga. Back then, Buriganga was right next to Lalbagh Fort. However, it has since split off and is now moving more southward.
The exterior wall of the fort-Palace spans 17.39 acres, which is a feature of the Mughal empirical building of balance through design and placement.
Three main gates lead into Lalbagh Fort. South Gate is the most beautiful gate. A three-story building on the outside and two stories inside the South Gate make for an interesting feature. The roof of the third story has an octagonal curvature.
It’s incredible that the Mughals discovered a way to collect and store rainwater for later use, even during a time when scientific research was not as developed as it is now.Inside the fort, the two-story Hammamkhana building is located directly across from Pori Bibi’s Tomb. It is a distinct structure designed for showering.
Shaista Khan used to meet visitors in the darbar hall on the second level of the two-story building, which housed the hammamkhana on the first floor. Pori Bibi’s Tomb is three hundred feet from the hammamkhana. It is said that in order to access Pori Bibi’s Tomb,
Chandan’, a fragrant wood, is used to make the south entrance, while three other gates are carved out of renowned stones. Nine divisions make up this monument. The interment of Pori Bibi takes place in the middle division. This building is the only one of its sort in Bangladesh because of the unusual way that it uses marble and stones.
Returning to the main structure, you’ll discover enormous water tankers and hidden passageways that once controlled the fort’s water supply. This fort’s garden and waterfall, two essential components of Mughal architecture, are also noteworthy.
A waterfall was added to the fort, along with numerous other small, huge, and intricate creations, to give it a lovely, aesthetic touch.
Another accomplishment of the Mughal builders is the underground sewage system. This clay pipe is 15″ in width and 8″ in length. Another pipe, which ended in the Buriganga River, was found to be composed of brick and lime.
Lalbagh Fort-Palace has lost much of its stunning appearance over time. Even though it no longer possesses nearly half of its original splendor, it is a true testament to the history that Dhaka has experienced. Not only is this fort-palace a reminder of Mughal past, but it has also stood for struggle and honor. It’s not a component of love, but it is a part of Bengal’s battle.
Shaista Khan proudly departed Bengal. Many from all around Dhaka came to bid him farewell. He gave his successors Lalbagh Fort as a present on his way to Delhi.
