Tangiable and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh

Picture of Chittagong Hill tracts Photo: Picture of Chittagong Hill tracts Like · · Share Tangiable and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh March 24 They represent the largest number among other groups of quasi-tribal people of Bangladesh and racially appear to be the offshoots of Mongoloid blood but differ among themselves mostly due to respective dialect,minor conveyances and religiou...See More Photo: They represent the largest number among other groups of quasi-tribal people of Bangladesh and racially appear to be the offshoots of Mongoloid blood but differ among themselves mostly due to respective dialect,minor conveyances and religious beliefs. The phonetic and morphology of some groups bear the traits of Sino-Tibetan idiom and others either Mon-Khemar [Indo-China] or Bado [San-Sino] strains.Therefore,they are known by several names;i.e.the Chakma [Chagma],the Tripura[Tipra],the Marma [Magh],the Rakhain,the Mro [Murang],the Tanchangya,the Pankho,the Bawm [Banayogi],the Khumi[Kumi],the Chak [Sak], the Kuki and the Lusai.Each has one more kinship moieties or pharatries or septs of its own based on patriarchal families crop out of monogamy. Like · · Share Tangiable and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh March 24 While there is still time,such Museums should be set up everywhere. Every Government should want to preserve the full picture of its land,the manners and customs,the old crafts and ancient beliefs. Photo: While there is still time,such Museums should be set up everywhere. Every Government should want to preserve the full picture of its land,the manners and customs,the old crafts and ancient beliefs. Like · · Share Tangiable and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh March 24 Caught between these two conflicting claims-that of the need for Economic development through technological progress and that of responsibility for preserving cultural property which we can say, INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE endangered by public and private works--------our age has chosen a compromise,namely to save the threatened Cultural treasures irrespective of cost. Photo: Caught between these two conflicting claims-that of the need for Economic development through technological progress and that of responsibility for preserving cultural property which we can say, INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE endangered by public and private works--------our age has chosen a compromise,namely to save the threatened Cultural treasures irrespective of cost. Like · · Share Tangiable and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh March 24 Caught between these two conflicting claims-that of the need for Economic development through technological progress and that of responsibility for preserving cultural property which we can say, INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE endangered by public and private works--------our age has chosen a compromise,namely to save the threatened Cultural treasures irrespective of cost. Photo: Caught between these two conflicting claims-that of the need for Economic development through technological progress and that of responsibility for preserving cultural property which we can say, INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE endangered by public and private works--------our age has chosen a compromise,namely to save the threatened Cultural treasures irrespective of cost. Like · · Share Tangiable and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh March 24 We the modern and common people of the plain have very little knowledge the colourful life of our Hill tribes,which indeed is a separate world in capsuled from our Modern Society Photo: We the modern and common people of the plain have very little knowledge the colourful life of our Hill tribes,which indeed is a separate world in capsuled from our Modern Society Like · · Share Tangiable and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh March 24 since these tribal peoples yet retain their distinctiveness and appear to have little advanced from the neolithic primitive social pattern of life.These we can call our most important INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE Photo: since these tribal peoples yet retain their distinctiveness and appear to have little advanced from the neolithic primitive social pattern of life.These we can call our most important INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE Like · · Share Tangiable and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh March 24 The Colorful Cultural life of the tribal people of Bangladesh also plays an important part in the Cultural life of Bangladesh. The picturesque hill ranges of their peripheral regions on the north -east,east and south-east, ordering Mymensin...See More Photo: The Colorful Cultural life of the tribal people of Bangladesh also plays an important part in the Cultural life of Bangladesh. The picturesque hill ranges of their peripheral regions on the north -east,east and south-east, ordering Mymensingh ,Sylhet,and Chittagong Hill tracts are inhabited by a number of tribal people, whose culture and way of life are as varied and colorful as the natural beauty of our land.Dress,ornaments,tools and weapons ,rituals,customs,traditions and crafts are sharply different from the people of the plains. No cogent history, but some legends, is to be found about any of the quasi-tribal groups living at present in Bangladesh. According to the legend a,still in current, each appear to be a sub-segment of a nomadic tribe who prowled in the neighboring lands for their sustance in the hoary past and ultimately wended its way into naturally forlorn lurking pockets of Bangladesh following incessant feud for either land or leadership. This supposition may be held to be correct for the Northerners as well as east-enders only since we have definite proof that the Westerners were brought as immigrants by different colonial peers from Santalparganah,Nagpur and Ranchi of India in the late-medieval period. Whatever may be the case, they are now sharing Bangladeshi nationhood at full length.But,they are gradually forgetting their hereditary style of life with the fast expanding urbanization. Like · · Share

Art & Culture

Art & Culture
EARLIEST CITY SITE OF BANGLADESH [MAHASTHANGARH]
Art & Culture
EARLIEST CITY SITE OF BANGLADESH [MAHASTHANGARH]


Archaeology is a fascinating modern science which is increasingly becoming popular in the world for its un-limited scope of Rediscovering Civilizations and culture s long extinct. In advanced countries many scientific methods are used to expand our knowledge deeper into the past using infallible material evidences of man and his environment. It extends the horizon of un- recorded history and Prehistory to an infinite range. In the absence of any Recorded history the only unerring source of piecing together man’s activities and progress on our planet is the material remains that he has left behind in the form of Monuments, arts and Crafts, various objects of daily use, Inscriptions, coins etc. which are known as Antiquities.Scientfic excavation and study of such antiquities faithfully preserved by nature in stratified sites for centuries, reveal a fairly accurate picture of lost civilization and culture.

Bangladesh possesses an immensely important cultural heritage, this arising from the fact that the eastern half of Bengal has been one of the cultural richest regions of the Indian world; a vision far from the catastrophic one that the western world often tends to favors. The region is associated with the art of the Pala and Sena dynasties (8th – 13th century). Archaeological study has however revealed vestiges that are more ancient like the Mahasthan site which stands on what used to be Pundravardhana, and goes back to the Maurya and Sunga periods (3rd – 1st century BC). It has also revealed vestiges from the Gupta period (4th – 6th century). Pundravardhana-Mahasthan is, to this day, the oldest Indian city known to be in the east.
T h e a n c i e n t s i t e o f P u n d r a n a g o r i s n o w l y i n g underneath the Mahasthan Garh. It was known from the archaeological research that this city had prospered as a very rich and resourceful habitation from fourth century B.C. to fifteenth century A.D. The famous Chinese pilgrim Huen-Tsang’s report that there were four independent kingdoms in the then Bengal: Pundrabardhan (North Bengal), Samata (East Bengal), Tamraliptty (South or South-west Bengal) and Kornashubarna (West Bengal).In ancient times, it was a very prosperous city. Mahasthan Garh of today which is only 7 miles away towards the north of Bogra town is suppose to be the ancient city of Pundrabordhan by the scholars and specialist. It is assumed that just after the return of King Alexander the Great to Greece, Chandra Gupta Mourya established a kingdom covering a vast part of India. It is also apparent from the Greek writings that
the northern part of Bengal and perhaps the whole of the delta was watered by mighty rivers belonged to the Maurya Empire. An inscribed stone found at Mahasthan Garh (seven miles away towards the north from Bogra town) undoubtedly proved that the Mourya Empire ruled in North Bengal. That inscription in Brahmi letters also proved that in north Bengal the centre of the Maurya administration was P u n d a n g a l i e P u n d r a n a g o r . We found a mention of the provincial Mourya Governor.‘Mahamatra’, in that inscription which obviously proved that Mahasthan Garh of today was the historic city of ancient Pundrabordhan. The inscript ion s a id tha t a t a certain time famine occurred in that area following natural disasters when the centre of the state issued two orders to the Mahamatra (Provincial Governor). The first order of the state would not be made out. The second order of the state directed to the regional governor to launch a relief operation for the famine affected people together with Gondok and Kakonik (punch marked coins that were in vogue). This sort of punch marked coins have been discovered at various places in the country.

Among these , Pundra was an ancient racial name .
Bangladesh is a country of tropical climate which is characterized by
High temperature, heavy precipitation, excessive humidity and fairly marked Seasonal variations. This type of climate is not suitable for preservation of ancient brick-built structures, which constitute almost 100% of our heritage.
Besides the climatic factors, certain cultural factors are also responsible for Deteriorating the tangible cultural heritage of the country. Sometimes cultural factors are stronger than the natural factors. For instance, vandalism in the Cultural mounds by the owners of the concerned lands and their associates in recent times in Mahasthan and its environs is so strong and vibrant that if it
continues in its present pace, after five years or so those mounds will entirely disappear. So it is most urgent that some measures must be taken right at the monument to stop this vandalism.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORKS IN BANGLADESH

Bangladesh has been the cradle of civilization, a center of cultural diffusion, since the dawn of history of mankind. It was the meeting ground of various peoples in different states of civilization, the most primitive as well as the most advanced. The cultural history of Bangladesh is one of the greatest and glorious heritages which every Bangladeshi is legitimately proud of. Each phase of the history of Bangladesh has its distinct characteristics and every race of people who came and settled here, left its individual racial, religions or cultural impacts in the form of temples, stupas, monasteries and mosques along with their associated objects.
Anyway, in order to have a clear idea about the Intangible Cultural Heritage for inclusion in the World Heritage list let me define it once again in the context of Bangladesh in the following way:
a) A property which exhibits an important interchange of human Values on developments in art or technology.
b) A unique or exceptional testimony to a Culture of Civilization.
c) An outstanding example which illustrates a significant stage in human history
d) A property which is closely associated with matters of outstanding.
The Colorful Cultural life of the tribal people of Bangladesh also plays an important part in the Cultural life of Bangladesh.
The picturesque hill ranges of their peripheral regions on the north -east, east and south-east, ordering Mymensingh ,Sylhet,and Chittagong Hill tracts are inhabited by a number of tribal people, whose culture and way of life are as varied and colorful as the natural beauty of our land.Dress,ornaments,tools and weapons ,rituals,customs,traditions and crafts are sharply different from the people of the plains. No cogent history, but some legends, is to be found about any of the quasi-tribal groups living at present in Bangladesh. According to the legend a, still in current, each appear to be a sub-segment of a nomadic tribe who prowled in the neighboring lands for their sustance in the hoary past and ultimately wended its way into naturally forlorn lurking pockets of Bangladesh following incessant feud for either land or leadership. This supposition may be held to be correct for the Northerners as well as east-enders only since we have definite proof that the Westerners were brought as immigrants by different colonial peers
From Santalparganah, Nagpur and Ranchi of India in the late-medieval period. Whatever may be the case, they are now sharing Bangladeshi nationhood at full length.But,they are gradually forgetting their hereditary style of life with the fast expanding urbanization.
Therefore, the Government of Bangladesh now maintains five Tribal Cultural Institutes and an ETHNOLOGICAL MUSEUM across the country with a view to make the future generation informed about the different issues of their traditional phenomena. Even the National Museum of Bangladesh also has one more galleries to serve the the same purpose.

[gallery]

EARLIEST CITY SITE OF BANGLADESH [MAHASTHANGARH]

Art & Culture
EARLIEST CITY SITE OF BANGLADESH [MAHASTHANGARH]


Archaeology is a fascinating modern science which is increasingly becoming popular in the world for its un-limited scope of Rediscovering Civilizations and culture s long extinct. In advanced countries many scientific methods are used to expand our knowledge deeper into the past using infallible material evidences of man and his environment. It extends the horizon of un- recorded history and Prehistory to an infinite range. In the absence of any Recorded history the only unerring source of piecing together man’s activities and progress on our planet is the material remains that he has left behind in the form of Monuments, arts and Crafts, various objects of daily use, Inscriptions, coins etc. which are known as Antiquities.Scientfic excavation and study of such antiquities faithfully preserved by nature in stratified sites for centuries, reveal a fairly accurate picture of lost civilization and culture.

Bangladesh possesses an immensely important cultural heritage, this arising from the fact that the eastern half of Bengal has been one of the cultural richest regions of the Indian world; a vision far from the catastrophic one that the western world often tends to favors. The region is associated with the art of the Pala and Sena dynasties (8th – 13th century). Archaeological study has however revealed vestiges that are more ancient like the Mahasthan site which stands on what used to be Pundravardhana, and goes back to the Maurya and Sunga periods (3rd – 1st century BC). It has also revealed vestiges from the Gupta period (4th – 6th century). Pundravardhana-Mahasthan is, to this day, the oldest Indian city known to be in the east.
T h e a n c i e n t s i t e o f P u n d r a n a g o r i s n o w l y i n g underneath the Mahasthan Garh. It was known from the archaeological research that this city had prospered as a very rich and resourceful habitation from fourth century B.C. to fifteenth century A.D. The famous Chinese pilgrim Huen-Tsang’s report that there were four independent kingdoms in the then Bengal: Pundrabardhan (North Bengal), Samata (East Bengal), Tamraliptty (South or South-west Bengal) and Kornashubarna (West Bengal).In ancient times, it was a very prosperous city. Mahasthan Garh of today which is only 7 miles away towards the north of Bogra town is suppose to be the ancient city of Pundrabordhan by the scholars and specialist. It is assumed that just after the return of King Alexander the Great to Greece, Chandra Gupta Mourya established a kingdom covering a vast part of India. It is also apparent from the Greek writings that
the northern part of Bengal and perhaps the whole of the delta was watered by mighty rivers belonged to the Maurya Empire. An inscribed stone found at Mahasthan Garh (seven miles away towards the north from Bogra town) undoubtedly proved that the Mourya Empire ruled in North Bengal. That inscription in Brahmi letters also proved that in north Bengal the centre of the Maurya administration was P u n d a n g a l i e P u n d r a n a g o r . We found a mention of the provincial Mourya Governor.‘Mahamatra’, in that inscription which obviously proved that Mahasthan Garh of today was the historic city of ancient Pundrabordhan. The inscript ion s a id tha t a t a certain time famine occurred in that area following natural disasters when the centre of the state issued two orders to the Mahamatra (Provincial Governor). The first order of the state would not be made out. The second order of the state directed to the regional governor to launch a relief operation for the famine affected people together with Gondok and Kakonik (punch marked coins that were in vogue). This sort of punch marked coins have been discovered at various places in the country.

Among these , Pundra was an ancient racial name .
Bangladesh is a country of tropical climate which is characterized by
High temperature, heavy precipitation, excessive humidity and fairly marked Seasonal variations. This type of climate is not suitable for preservation of ancient brick-built structures, which constitute almost 100% of our heritage.
Besides the climatic factors, certain cultural factors are also responsible for Deteriorating the tangible cultural heritage of the country. Sometimes cultural factors are stronger than the natural factors. For instance, vandalism in the Cultural mounds by the owners of the concerned lands and their associates in recent times in Mahasthan and its environs is so strong and vibrant that if it
continues in its present pace, after five years or so those mounds will entirely disappear. So it is most urgent that some measures must be taken right at the monument to stop this vandalism.

BIHAR DHAP NEAR MAHASTHANGARH--ANOTHER ANCIENT SETTLEMENT

In ancient Hindu regimes, we find no particular territorial

n a m e o f B a n g a l a s a w h o l e . V a r i o u s f r a g m e n t s o f

information were known in different times. In northern

Bengal it was known as Pundra, Barendra and in western

Bangal, it was Rardh, Samatat, Horical and Bongaal.

Besides, some part of in northern and western Bengal, it

were called Gauda for some time. After the conquest of

the Muslims in this area, the whole of the vast territory

was called Bangala which was subsequently called Bengal

by the Europeans . The word Bengal i s undoubtedly

a derivative of Bangala. The famous Chinese pilgrim

Huen-Tsang’s report that there were four independent

kingdoms in the then Bengal: Pundrabardhan (North

Bengal), Samata (East Bengal), Tamraliptty (South or

South-west Bengal) and Kornashubarna (West Bengal).

There after t h e Pala dynasty declined and the Sen

dynasty began to rule with ascending the throne of Vijay

Sen. Since 11th century A.D. Vijay Sen, Ballal Sen and

Lakshman Sen reigned in Bengal till the Muslim conquest

by Iktiar Uddin Muhammad Bakhtiar Khilji. Thus Bengal

came under Muslim control.

The Buddhist archaeological site of Bihar Dhap is

located about six kilometres away to the west of ancient

Pundranagor city or Mahasthangarh in the district of

Bogra in Bangladesh. The Chinese pilgrim, Huen-Tsang,

reported while traveling in Bengal that he visited a vast

‘shangaram’ (monastery) called Po-Shi-Po and took

part in religious activities. Sir Alexander Cunningham

identifi ed this archaeological site as Po-Shi-Po-Bihara as is

told by the eminent traveler Huen-Tsang in his account.

As a result of Bihar Dhap excavation, relics of an ancient

rectangular sized temple of Gupta Empire measuring

29.50 m × 29.00 m has been unveiled. Subsequently in the

second phase, a comparatively smaller temple measuring

12.00 m × 9.70 m was built attaching to and conformity

with that of the fi rst phase. This attached building gave

both the temple a new look and appearance which

included plaster of the exterior walls of the temples with

a novelty unknown in this region so far. In the last phase

of construction, the well-wide concreted floor and the

front wall with the height of 2.28 metres were found

almost intact. All over the exterior parts of the front wall,

use of the thick plaster was visible. On the body of the

temples constructed in the fi rst phase, no such a sort of

plaster was used.

EARLIEST CITY SITE OF BANGLADESH [MAHASTHANGARH]

Archaeology is a fascinating modern science which is increasingly becoming popular in the world for its un-limited scope of Rediscovering Civilizations and culture s long extinct. In advanced countries many scientific methods are used to expand our knowledge deeper into the past using infallible material evidences of man and his environment. It extends the horizon of un- recorded history and Prehistory to an infinite range. In the absence of any Recorded history the only unerring source of piecing together man’s activities and progress on our planet is the material remains that he has left behind in the form of Monuments, arts and Crafts, various objects of daily use, Inscriptions, coins etc. which are known as Antiquities.Scientfic excavation and study of such antiquities faithfully preserved by nature in stratified sites for centuries, reveal a fairly accurate picture of lost civilization and culture.

Bangladesh possesses an immensely important cultural heritage, this arising from the fact that the eastern half of Bengal has been one of the cultural richest regions of the Indian world; a vision far from the catastrophic one that the western world often tends to favors. The region is associated with the art of the Pala and Sena dynasties (8th – 13th century). Archaeological study has however revealed vestiges that are more ancient like the Mahasthan site which stands on what used to be Pundravardhana, and goes back to the Maurya and Sunga periods (3rd – 1st century BC). It has also revealed vestiges from the Gupta period (4th – 6th century). Pundravardhana-Mahasthan is, to this day, the oldest Indian city known to be in the east.
T h e a n c i e n t s i t e o f P u n d r a n a g o r i s n o w l y i n g underneath the Mahasthan Garh. It was known from the archaeological research that this city had prospered as a very rich and resourceful habitation from fourth century B.C. to fifteenth century A.D. The famous Chinese pilgrim Huen-Tsang’s report that there were four independent kingdoms in the then Bengal: Pundrabardhan (North Bengal), Samata (East Bengal), Tamraliptty (South or South-west Bengal) and Kornashubarna (West Bengal).In ancient times, it was a very prosperous city. Mahasthan Garh of today which is only 7 miles away towards the north of Bogra town is suppose to be the ancient city of Pundrabordhan by the scholars and specialist. It is assumed that just after the return of King Alexander the Great to Greece, Chandra Gupta Mourya established a kingdom covering a vast part of India. It is also apparent from the Greek writings that
the northern part of Bengal and perhaps the whole of the delta was watered by mighty rivers belonged to the Maurya Empire. An inscribed stone found at Mahasthan
Garh (seven miles away towards the north from Bogra town) undoubtedly proved that the Mourya Empire ruled in North Bengal. That inscription in Brahmi letters also
proved that in north Bengal the centre of the Maurya administration was P u n d a n g a l i e P u n d r a n a g o r . We found a mention of the provincial Mourya Governor.‘Mahamatra’, in that inscription which obviously proved that Mahasthan Garh of today was the historic city of ancient Pundrabordhan. The inscript ion s a id tha t a t a certain time famine occurred in that area following natural disasters when the centre of the state issued two orders to the Mahamatra (Provincial Governor). The first order of the state would not be made out. The second order of the state directed to the regional governor to launch a relief operation for the famine affected people together with Gondok and Kakonik (punch marked coins that were in vogue). This sort of punch marked coins have been discovered at various places in the country.

Among these , Pundra was an ancient racial name .
Bangladesh is a country of tropical climate which is characterized by
High temperature, heavy precipitation, excessive humidity and fairly marked
Seasonal variations. This type of climate is not suitable for preservation of
ancient brick-built structures, which constitute almost 100% of our heritage.
Besides the climatic factors, certain cultural factors are also responsible for
Deteriorating the tangible cultural heritage of the country. Sometimes cultural
factors are stronger than the natural factors. For instance, vandalism in the
Cultural mounds by the owners of the concerned lands and their associates in
recent times in Mahasthan and its environs is so strong and vibrant that if it
continues in its present pace, after five years or so those mounds will entirely
disappear. So it is most urgent that some measures must be taken right at the
monument to stop this vandalism.