Lalbagh Fort

Lalbagh Fort or Fort Aurangabad, an incomplete Mughal palace fortress at Dhaka on the river Buriganga in the southwestern part of the old city. The river now flows quite a ways from the fort because it has moved further south. D'Oily's painting (1809-11) shows that more than half of this east-west oblong fortress touched the water of the river on its south and southwestern sides.

The construction of the fort was commenced in 1678 AD by Prince Muhammad Azam during his 15 month long vice-royalty of Bengal, but before he could complete the work he was recalled by Aurangzeb. Even though he remained in Dhaka until 1688, his successor, shaista khan, did not continue the work. Since his daughter Bibi Pari (Lady Fairy) passed away here in 1684, he thought the fort was scary. The mosque, Bibi Pari's tomb, and the Diwan-i-Aam, as well as two gateways and a portion of the partially destroyed fortification wall, were long thought to make up the fort. However, the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh has recently conducted excavations that have revealed the existence of additional structures.

As a result, it is now possible to guess a picture of the fort that is more or less complete (see the site plan of Lalbagh Fort). Excavations have revealed the remains of 26 or 27 structures in the 18-acre current fort area, including roof gardens, fountains, elaborate water supply and sewage systems, and more. The Archaeology Department's renovations have transformed Lalbagh Fort into a much more interesting location for tourists and visitors. The southernmost of the three remaining entrances is the most impressive. It is a three-story building with a fronton and slender minarets that surround it when seen from the front. From the inside, it looks like a two-story building.

A much smaller and simpler structure can be found at the northeastern gateway. The fort extended to the eastern side beyond the current Shaista Khan Road, according to structural evidence. The third gate, which is now in the middle of the wall that divides the northern region, was left empty. The current one was built recently.

Lalbagh Fort, also known as Fort Aurangabad, is an unfinished Mughal fort complex from the 17th century that can be found in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a significant historical and architectural landmark that captures the splendor of Bengal's Mughal era.

Key Characteristics:

1. History:

• Under Prince Muhammad Azam, the son of Emperor Aurangzeb, construction began in 1678 AD.

• Later, Shaista Khan, the Mughal governor of Bengal, continued the work after his daughter Pari Bibi (for whom the site served as a memorial) passed away. However, he eventually gave up on it.

• The fort had not been finished.

2. Layout of the Building:

• The complex contains: The Wall of the Fortress (partially intact) The Diwan-i-Aam, also known as the Governor's Palace Pari Bibi's Tomb, a striking white marble mausoleum

• The Three-Domed Mosque (Quilla Mosque)

• A Wasserspeicher (Hauz)

• Combines Bengali and Mughal architectural styles.

3. Mysteries and Legends:

• Many people believe that the fort was cursed when Pari Bibi died, which is why it was abandoned.

• Unexplored underground structures remain.

4. Current Situation:

• A Bangladeshi Department of Archaeology-protected archaeological site.

• A well-known tourist destination with a museum that houses Mughal artifacts.

Information for Going:

• Location: Lalbagh, Old Dhaka, close to the Buriganga River

• Hours: Open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, except on Sundays.

• Entry Fee: There is a nominal fee for both foreigners and locals.

The archaeological excavations have revealed strata of the Sultanate as well as of the pre-Muslim periods, from where terracotta heads and plaques have been found. Thus it is now justified to say that though the Mughals founded Dhaka, it was definitely inhabited long before the Muslims came to Bengal.

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