Hello Friends, Have a nice day. Today I came up with a new story with you. I hope you like it.
Shalban Vihara is one of most Historical Landmark in Bangladesh, The monastery is located in the middle of Lalmai hill near BARD in Kotbari of Cumilla District. The monastery was named Shalban Bihar as there was once a dense forest of Shal-Gajari around the monastery. During the construction of a road in the present Kotbari area in late 1875, the ruins of a building were uncovered. The ruins discovered at that time were presumed to be a fort. Nalini Kant Bhattasali, the principal of the Dhaka Museum, visited the area in 1917 and while conducting a search of the area, decided to call the ruins the Pattikera Nagar, surrounded by the copperplate fort (thirteenth century AD) and monastery of Ranbangkamal Harikela Dev. However, according to other archaeologists, it was the ruins of an ancient city called Jayakarmantabasak.
There are six phases of construction and reconstruction of Shalban Bihar. Each arm of the square Shalban Bihar is 167.7 meters long. The walls on all four sides of Vihar are five meters thick. The rooms are built on the back walls of the four sides of the monastery. There was only one way to enter and exit Vihar. This path or door is in the middle of the north block. Each room has a 1.5 meter wide wall. The central temple was right in the middle of the Vihar courtyard. There are a total of 155 rooms in Vihar. It is thought to be the place where Buddhist monks lived and practiced their religion. In front of the room is a 7.5 feet wide porch and low walls at its end. There are three niches on the wall of each room where idols or oil lamps etc. were kept in the past. On the other hand, the hall, built on four side walls and four huge round pillars in front, is believed to have been the dining room of the monks. The size of the hall is 10 meters by 20 meters. The hall has a wide brick road around the house. Archaeological excavations at various times have unearthed eight copperplate inscriptions, about 400 gold and silver coins, and numerous burnt clay tablets or terracotta, seals, bronze, and earthenware statues.
A huge amount of antiquities collected from this monastery is being displayed in the Mainamati Museum.
Ticket price:
Separate tickets for Bangladeshi nationals at Mainamati Museum and Shalban Vihar for Tk 20 each. Tickets for boys and girls up to 10th class at five rupees. Tickets for the citizens of SAARC countries at 100 Tk. Tickets are sold for Tk 200 for other foreign nationals.
How to get there:
The distance by road from Dhaka to Comilla is only 2 hours and 30 minutes. Royal Coach, Tisha and Asia Line are ahead in terms of bus service. You can ride any one on the way to Comilla. Prince Saudia bus will be good for those who want to come from Chittagong. However, the interesting thing is that it takes less time by train than by bus from Chittagong to Comilla, only 3 hours and 30 minutes. The bus takes 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Come to Comilla and leave at Thomson Bridge bus stand. You will find a CNG stand there. If you go locally, it will cost 20 Tk and if you want to go to the reserve, maximum 150 Tk. You will be dropped off at Kotbari with CNG. From there you have to go to Shalban Vihar by auto rickshaw. The rent will be 10 Tk.
Where will you stay:
There are several hotels and guest houses including Comilla Club, Comilla City Club. There are all types of AC or non-AC systems. The cost of living in a room for two will be 1 thousand to 3 thousand rupees per night. Apart from this there are Hotel Chandrima, Hotel Sonali, Hotel, Shalban, Hotel, Nidrabagh, Ashiq Rest House etc. The rent is between 200 to 600 Tk.
#Ashiq Residential Rest House - Address: 18, Nazrul Avenue Comilla, Contact: 61
#Hotel Abedin - Address: Station Road Comilla, Contact: 8014
#Hotel Nurjahan - Address: Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, Comilla, Contact: 636
#Hotel Sonali - Address: Kandirpar Chattar, Comilla, Contact: 6317
BARD is very close to Shalban Vihar. You can also stay there by contacting BARD.
Friends must write down how you like my story. I will appear again some other time, with another story. Stay well until then.
Regards.
Omar
