CULTURAL HERITAGE OF

BANGLADESH
Definition of Cultural Heritage :
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical arte-facts
and intangible attributes of a group or society that are
inherited from past generations, maintained in the
present and bestowed for the benefit of future
generations.
Examples of Cultural Heritage
 Tangible Cultural Heritage
• Definition – Cultural Heritages are of two kinds
namely Tangible Cultural Heritage and Intangible
Cultural Heritage
• Tangible heritage includes buildings and
historic places, monuments, artifacts, etc., which
are considered worthy of preservation for the
future. These include objects significant to the
archaeology, architecture, science or technology
of a specific culture.
 Tangible Cultural Heritage
• Objects are important to the study of human history
because they provide a concrete basis for ideas, and
can validate them. Their preservation demonstrates
recognition of the necessity of the past and of the things
that tell its story. Preserved objects also validate
memories; and the actuality of the object, as opposed to
a reproduction or surrogate, draws people in and gives
them a literal way of touching the past. This
unfortunately poses a danger as places and things are
damaged by the hands of tourists, the light required to
display them, and other risks of making an object known
and available.
 Bangladesh’s Cultural Heritage
• Bangladesh has a rich cultural heritage
which dates back to remote past. These
heritages are both tangible and intangible.
There was a time when scholars thought
that prehistoric relics are not present in the
Bengal Delta. But recent excavations have
unearthed many archeological sites that
substantiates Bangladesh’s great antiquity.
 Archeological Sites
• Early Historic or early medieval
period remains
• Paharpur or Sompurvihara is
the largest monastery and
temple. Architecturally
Paharpur represents a new
type of Buddihist temple
architecture. It has a cruciform
ground plan and a terraced
superstructure, and a new type
of monastery design ,i.e.four
long rows of monastic cells
enclosing a large quadrangle,
the main temple occupying the
centre of the quadrangle.
 Mahasthangarh
• Mahasthangarh was a fortified
city. Its suburbs extended for
miles and their impressive
remains can be traced even to-
day.
• It was a city which had a
continuous history of more
than 1500 years ( 2nd century
BC to about15th century AD ).
• Many terracotta plaques have
been found in Mahasthangarh.
• The specialty of these plaques
is that they depict the story of
Ramayana.
 Tangible Heritage
• Mainamati group of archeological sites.
• The excavations in Mainamati areas i.e. the
present day Comilla District have revealed the
early historic relics of South East Bengal which
has revealed the existence of ancient Buddhist
civilization. The discovery of large numbers of
coins, inscriptions, sculptures and architecture
have changed the concept of South –east
Bengal between c.6th and 13th centuries A.D. Not
only its political history but also the areas’
artistic, religious and economic history have
been illuminated by the find.
Mainamati
Mainamati Find
 Wari- Bateswar
• Recent excavations at Wari and Bateswar in
Narsingdi by the Department of Archaeology,
Jahangirnagar University have established an
‘early historic’ horizon -4th to 3rd century B C –
Mauryan, perhaps pre- Mauryan in south east
Bengal. The area has been known for various
surface finds of minor antiquities. Among them,
the most important are stone (fossil
wood)tools,punch-marked coins in thousands,
and also thousands of semi-precious stone-
beads, many of which are unfinished, indicating
that they were manufactured locally.
 Wari Bateswar
• All over the area there are sites bearing
punched-marked coins establishing the
cultural it goes back ‘early historic’ times
is now certain. But the details of the nature
and extent of the culture, and the reason
why it is here at all, are points to be
worked out.
Finds at Wari Bateswar
 Intangible Cultural Heritage
• Intangible cultural heritage is the opposite
of culture which is tangible or touchable,
whereas intangible culture includes song,
music, drama, skills, crafts and the other
parts of culture that can be recorded but
cannot be touched and interacted with ,
without a vehicle for the culture. These
cultural vehicles have been defined as
‘Human Treasures’ by the United Nations.
 Intangible Cultural Heritage
• Here we will only illustrate this aspect from the example of Intangible
Cultural Heritages of the Paharpur region of Naogaon District
• Traditional Craftsmanship
• . Ceramics
• Ceramic is one of the oldest and most widespread arts, consisting of objects
made of clay hardened with fire. Manufacturing ceramic objects is a rural
industrial activity throughout the Naogong region. Jagadispur (Akkelpur),
Mirapur (Atrai), Mirzapur (Atrai), Ataikula (Raninagar) and Badalgachhi are
major ceramic manufacturing centres in this region. The potters not only
make utensils of day-to-day use for rural households but also produce such
beautiful objects as flower vas, ashtray, drinking pot, doll, toys, terracotta
plaques, images of gods and goddesses and other objects. Basketry is
another example. but also produce such beautiful objects as flower vas,
ashtray, drinking pot, doll, toys, terracotta plaques, images of gods and
goddesses and other objects. Basketry is practiced all over the Naogaon
region and the range of materials used is varied. A number of products like
basket, kalsi (jar), tray, hat, hatphakha (hand fan), etc. are commonly
manufactured in Naogaon.
 Examples

100
East 100
50 West East
North 50 West
0 North
0
Naogaon
 Embroidery
• Embroidery
• Of the many forms of folk art
and crafts in Bangladesh the
most imaginative and colorful
work is the Kantha or the
indigenous quilt. Kantha
embroidery is exclusively the
domain of women. Niamatpur
is one of the famous Kantha
embroidery zones in Naogaon.
The products of Niamatpur and
Patnitala are exported to all
over the country.
 GAMBHIRA
• Performing Arts
• . Gambhira (Traditional Dance-Drama)
• Gambhira or traditional dance -drama is a
typical ritualistic dance-drama which is
generally performed in the Greater
Nawabganj-Rajshahi-Naogaon region. This
song originated among the Hindu
community of Maldah in West Bengal but
now practiced by the Muslims of North
Bengal. After the creation of Pakistan,
Chapai Nawabganj in Rajshahi became the
main centre of Gambhira songs, which
underwent major changes in theme and
mode of presentation. Muslims became the
custodians of this song and made it an
integral part of their social life and culture. At
present the main characters of Gambhira
are a maternal grandfather and his
grandson. The performance is structured as
a dialogue, interspersed with songs. Both
prose and verse are used for the dialogue.
The Gambhira reflects contemporary social
problems through witty dialogues, songs,
dances and jokes.
 SWEETS & CURDS
• Traditional Food
• 2.7. Sweet
• A number of traditional local food can be
found in the Naogaon region. Among these
Anarer Shandesh, Balasa Rosher Mishti,
Mishti Doi and Lali are very much popular
for their delicious and different tests. Anarer
Shandesh is produced by the Anwar family
of Kashatagarh in Badalgachhi thana. This
family has been producing it for the last 100
years. It is sold in the Paharpur hatt or
market (every Sunday and Wednesday) and
Goborchanpa hatt (every Friday and
Monday) in Badalgachhi. The Balasha sweet
is famous for its size and weight. It is
generally weighed from kg to 2.5 kg each.
Lali is a traditional sugar in liquid form . It is
prepared from the sap of date-palm during
the winter season. Lali is mainly used in
various traditional sweets and desserts
 FAIRS JATRA JARIGAN
• Several melas or annual fairs are held in the Naogaon
region. Among these fairs Gupinath Mela, Sannyastala
Mela, Buridaho Rother Mela and Sutihat Mela are very
popular. The Buridaho Rother Mela is already 104
years old (started in 1316 BS). A bronze roth or chariot
(approx. 12 feet in height) is the main attraction of the
Buridaho Rother Mela. Every fair is an occasion of
different shows, sale of various goods and
entertainments. All these fairs of the Naogaon region act
as a kind of exhibition in miniature of hand made things
of the local communities. It thus acts like a market for
cottage industries. There are many forms of amusement
in these fairs. Travelling jatra parties, circus parties,
magic shows, Gambhira, Madarer gan, Jarigan, and doll-
dance are additional attractions of these fairs.
FAIRS ETHNIC DANCE -
THREATS
 Other Intangible Cultural Heritage
• Pahela Baishak:

• for Inscription on the Representative

List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
of HumanityBengali New Year’s Song at
Ramna Batamul in Dhaka on 14 April
 TO BE INSCRIBED AS
BANGLADESH’S INTANGIBLE
CULTURAL HERITAGE