Hindu temple, Shariatpur
Rudrakar Math and Zamindar Houseরুদ্রকর মঠ ও জমিদার বাড়ি
- Time needed
- About an hour.
- best months
- Nov–Feb
A temple about 20 m tall with smaller temples at its corners and a big pond in front, beside the ruins of the Chakraborty zamindars' 'Babur Bari'.
At a glance
- Temple height
- About 20 m
- Zamindar house
- 12–13 acres; gate dated 1898 (Bangla calendar)
- From town
- About 5 km
About
The zamindar Nilmani Chakraborty's family, known locally as the Babus, built their house here on 12–13 acres: eight to ten buildings with a durbar hall, storerooms, a kitchen and a dancing hall, and a renovation date of 1898 in the Bangla calendar carved on the gate. Beside it Guru Charan Chakraborty raised a math in memory of his mother. Its great temple stands about 20 m tall, with three smaller temples at the corners, fine carving and images of goddesses on the walls, and a large pond in front. Stories tell of a secret chamber under the math, long since lost.
The math came through the 1971 war without much damage, but after the family left for India it lost its upkeep. Today much of the zamindar house has fallen and is abandoned, and the math is wearing away too; local people want both restored. Parrots live in the math, and every year the math still fills with puja and kirtan.
Getting there: About 5 km from Shariatpur town, off the Damudya road north of the Rudrakar union office; autos and rickshaws go from town.
Things to do
- Walk round the great temple and its corner temples, and look for the parrots.
- See the ruins of the Babus' house and its carved gate.
- Come at the yearly puja and kirtan.
Good to know
- The zamindar house is falling down: look from outside.
- Remove your shoes at the temple.
