Ahsan Manzil,a significant architectural monument in Bangladesh

Ahsan Manzil , Bangladesh
Ahsan Manzil (Bengali: আহসান মঞ্জিল) was the official residential palace of the then Nawab of Dhaka. It is situated at Kumartoli along the banks of the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh.It takes about 13 years ( 1859 to1872) to complete the construction.

Front View of Ahsan Manzil

               Built :1859–1872
               Architectural style(s) : Indo-Saracenic  Revival architecture
               Visitors : More than 4 million (in 2017)

Located in Old Dhaka,Bangladesh

Description :
Ahsan Manzil is one of the most significant architectural monuments of Bangladesh. The building structure was established on a raised platform of 1 meter, the two-storied palace measures 125.4m by 28.75m. The thickness of the walls is about 0.78 meters. The building has a broad front-facing the Buriganga River.

Side view of Ahsan Manzil

The palace has two parts: the eastern and the western side. The eastern building with the dome is called the Rangmahal and the western side with the living rooms is called Andarmahal. The high octagonal dome is placed on the central round room.

Dome of Ahsan Manzil
There is a large drawing room, card room, library, state room and two other guest rooms are located on the east side of the palace.The famous store room, where the valuables of the Nawabs used to be stored, was in the middle of the five rooms located in the west.

Old View of Ahsan Manzil

Reconstruction :
Ahsan Manzil was severely damaged during the tornado on 7 April 1888. The western block of Andermahal was completely demolished and later it was entirely rebuilt.

The present day dome, which is situated on the top, was built during the time of reconstruction. During the earthquake of 1897,the palace also damaged but Nawab Khwaja Ahsanullah repaired the whole place again.
Glory Days :
Ahsan Manzil, an architectural treasure, is a witness to many historical events of Bangladesh. From the last part of the 19th century to the initial years of Pakistan, the Muslim leadership of East Bengal emerged from this palace. The nawabs of Dhaka used to conduct their court affairs here as chief of the panchayet (village council) everyday.

Renovation :
Recognizing the historical and architectural importance of the Ahsan Manzil, the government of Bangladesh took the initiative to renovate it. In 1985, Ahsan Manzil and its surroundings were acquired.
The total area of acquired land was 5.65 acres. Out of that 0.68 acres from northern side was given to Dhaka City Corporation to establish a super market and 4.96 acres of land with the palace buildings remained for museum purpose


Rare exhibits inside Ahsan Manzil

After the completion of the renovation work it was brought under the control of Bangladesh National Museum (20 September 1992). A museum has been established there.Every year about four million peoples from different countries visite here.

References :

1.Ahsan Manzil in Dhaka, Bangladesh". Lonely Planet.
2.ArchNet on Ahsan Manzil Restoration
3.Ahsan Manzil – History and visiting hours of the Old Dhaka Palace
Courtesy:
Wikipedia, Google,Google image

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