Are you planning a trip to Natore- the land of Chalan Beel, Kachagolla, Rani Bhabanee and the homeland of Banalata Sen? Then your trip might be incomplete if you do not visit Uttara Ganabhaban. Its rich historical background, heritage and beautiful atmosphere have made it one of the most desired places for travellers to pay a visit. It is also called 'the Dighapatia Rajbari'. It is served as the home of seven generations of kings from late seventeenth century till mid-twentieth century.
This year, on the day of Pahela Baishakh, I had decided to visit that historical place about which I heard a lot of stories from my relatives. It was a very sunny afternoon and we felt being 'fried on a hot pan' as the temperature was 38� C.
The Uttara Ganabhaban was built in 1734 by Raja Doyaram who was the Dewan (minister) of Rani Bhabani. It has a round clock on its front gate with a large bell and a clock room. The clock was brought from Italy. I was mesmerised after seeing the clock as it created European vibes in the place. It also has a beautiful garden full of various foreign trees and Italian marvel stone statues of women. It serves as the principal residence of the Bangladeshi Prime Minister in the northern part of the country. It was formerly the seat of the Dighapatia Raj an aristocratic landed estate in the Bengal Presidency of the British Raj. It has been used as a ceremonial site for receiving foreign ambassadors.
The Uttara Ganabhaban was turned into wreckage after being hit by an almost 18-minute long devastating earthquake in 1897. Then Pramada Nath Roy, the sixth king of the dynasty, repaired and rebuilt the Rajbari of Dayarampur over a period of 11 years starting from 1897 to 1908 by taking the help of foreign experts, engineers, artists and local artisans.
Sitara Haq, a tourist says, "While visiting this place, one can surely experience tranquillity in the garden. The colourful flowers, chirping of different types of birds will make you feel peaceful."
Sabbir Ahmed, "The old palatial houses and other installations would make people daydream and go back to those old days."
Though the palace ground was damaged several times in history, still there are some exquisite remainders, such as the neo-classical bronze Greek sculptures, flower pots, chandeliers, engraved wooden bedstead, princely furniture and light fixes. There are also two armoured knights in main entrance hall.
How to go:
The Uttara Ganabhaban is three kilometres away from the Natore town in North Bengal under Rajshahi division. It is located to the east of Natore-Bogra highway. The approximate distance from Dhaka via Rajshahi Highway is 205.8 kilometres. It may take 4-5 hours to reach the spot. Direct bus service is available from different points of Dhaka. Locations from where you will get direct bus to Natore are- kallyanpur (Mirpur Road), Panthapath (Kalabagan), Gabtoli (Mirpur), Abdullahpur (Uttara).
It is also possible to go there by train. You just have to get into Dhumketu Express train from Kamalapur railway station and get down in Natore.
