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Sonargoan Travel Guide

Sonargaon is one of the best tourist places for a day tour with an all-in-one package including Bengali culture, countryside, archaeology, and full adventure. This place is very popular in the history of Bengal as it has been the capital of eastern Bengal for a longer period. However, in the 17th century, the cards flipped and Dhaka became the capital owing to the decision of then Muslim rulers.

In times of adversity, Sonargaon is left with a few scattered villages, mosques, and mounds of earth that are still unidentified, and you will get to see them on the west side of the highway around a village named Mograpara. These days, the most attractive things that you will find here are Panam Nagar, Sadar Bari, Goaldi Mosque, and the Folk-art Museum. 

Bengal was ruled by the Muslim governor Isa Khan and Sonargaon used to be the capital in that time. But, eventually, after the division the West Bengal has become the state of India and Eastside, a part of Bangladesh, beholding the ancient architectural history of our culture, Sonargaon. In its time, it was the most vital point for administrative and other commercial sectors, but, those glorious days now only remain on the page of history. 

Sonargaon folk art and craft museum

You will get the chance to come across the society where there is the presence of ancient craftsmanship and a long suitable historical center for visitors and vacationers intending to explore Sonargaon. Both  Sonargaon Folk Art and Craft Museum remain open from dawn to dusk (9 AM to 5 PM).

Wednesday and Thursday, this gallery is shut for the end of the week. This is prosperous with a few remarkable gatherings that you'll never discover at some other spots. The primary historical center structure is put at the "Sardar Bari".  A Hindu Zamindar of Sonargaon 1901 planned this "Sardar Bari".

Likewise,  other Zamindar places of that period, this one also looked like Indian houses, however, the state of the house resembled the European Palaces. In addition, the extravagant enrichment and the explained painting on the mortar of the structure are truly attractive.

Exhibition galleries

Renowned Bangladeshi painter Joynul Abedin developed Lok Shilpa Jadughar (Folk Art and Craft Museum) of Sonargaon on March 12, 1975, which was improvised on that ancient building, Bara Sardar Bari.  It's an immense territory and will set aside your bunches of effort to adjust the zone.

You'll discover a workmanship display of "Zainul Abedin" inside the exhibition hall territory. There are two Exhibition Galleries inside the gallery. Them two comprise of some status demonstrating the neighborhood life of Bangladeshi individuals, for instance cultivating, the lady working, and so on. Likewise, you'll locate the small-scale rendition of the few vessels from my nation, which are presently days evaporated in the wake of rivaling the mechanical vehicles.

Besides, the daily life-hacks, treasure boxes, arms, boats, furniture, ornaments, decoration pieces, and other relevant heritages of Bengal led to the major attraction. Though the work of its renovation to its original diagram is still an ongoing process, the sooner the opening of this museum will be publicly announced.

Ornamented Nokshi Kantha

Another tourist attraction will be the display of the rich culture of fabrics in Sonargaon. You will find a new museum in the same area where the art of Bengal is shown in their hand-made sari, Nokshi Kantha which is an ornamented Kantha, mattress, and other artistic inventions.

Among them, the most fascinating sight is the Moslin, a hand-made sari. The specialty of this sari was that it was too thin, and the whole sari could easily fit in a matchbox. Also, the ornamented houseboat, wooden doors that were designed for rich people, different types of wooden decoration pieces, and models of the boat will not be out of your site, as they all represent our nation which used them as the medium of main transportation.

Panamnagar

PanamNagar is the most attractive and most visited tourist spot in Sonargaon. It was mainly a city of Hindu Merchants, however, it has been ruined in times and henceforth, declared as an abandoned city.

This city’s architectural design was a combination of European style and traditional Bengal style. Initially, it was founded during the British Empire in the 19th century. Later, the Hindu merchants took it fully and built 52 houses there. It is very close to Sonargaon Folk-Arts and Crafts Museum and it will take only ten minutes on foot.    

Historical lost city

Most tragic incidents occurred during the division of the sub-continent. Panam Nagar used to be the residence of the Hindu community, but, after the division, Sonargaon was taken under the supervision of Muslims.

At that period, several religious riots were ongoing, and the merchants escaped to India leaving all behind in the hands of their caretaker. But they never made it come back again, and subsequently, all properties went to the Government. This city is now taken care of by the Archaeological Department of Bangladesh.