It is Shshi lodge of Mymensingh Shashi Lodge, an architectural symbol of Mymensingh region, is in poor shape as neither the Ministry of Cultural Affairs nor the Education Ministry is taking necessary steps to preserve its past glory. Only three rooms of the structure are being used for official purposes, other 21 rooms remain closed and in a state of neglect. Though there was a negotiation between the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Education Ministry in 1995 to hand over the responsibility of the site to the Archaeological Department for better preservation, the issue is yet to be settled, according to sources. The meeting was held at Mymensingh Circuit House and attended by higher ups of both the ministries, sources said. Since 1952, the building has been used as the Teachers' Training College (female), Mymensingh, the only one of its kind in the country. However, the building is not used for holding classes currently as new buildings were constructed in recent years. Background of Shashi Lodge Maharaja Shurjokanto Acharya Chowdhury commissioned this magnificently designed lodge with a musical staircase. Shurjokanto named the lodge after his beloved son Shashikanto Acharya Chowdhury. The lodge was razed to the ground during an earthquake on June 1, 1897. Later Shashikanto had the lodge reconstructed but he could not erase the memory of the destroyed musical staircase. He had another musical staircase built at a cost of Taka 3 lakh, a major amount in those days. Materials and instruments were brought over from Paris. Antique items are tastefully arranged at every step of the lodge situated on nine acres of land. The beautifully designed lodge attracts visitors from both home and abroad. The palace has an abundance of trees, including arjun, korpur, naglingam, kathgolap, laxmibilash and radhachura. There are also rubber, bokul, champa, kamini, korai, ashok and jamrul trees in the spacious estate, planted by the then zamindars. The 24 rooms in the lodge incorporate unique architecture. The doors and windows of the rooms are embellished with various artistic designs painted on the glass, which immediately grab the visitor's attention. However, these valuable elements are in a dilapidated condition due to lack of proper care and maintenance. The large and magnificent antique chandeliers are in a sorry state as well. These were imported from overseas to satiate the zamindars' refined tastes. The woodworks on the floors of this lodge are being damaged every day. Rainwater pours in after two or three heavy showers, posing a peril to the palace. Thankfully, the relevant authority recently undertook repair works to check the rainwater, official sources said. There is a statue of a bathing woman made of stone in the middle of a fountain in front of the lodge. Another fountain is inside the palace. The two-storied bathing house by a big pond, adjacent to the lodge is now being used to store straw. Likewise, the ghat of the pond has been totally ruined. As this palace has historical value, it has also been used for shooting TV plays and movies. Though the Education Ministry undertook repair work 50 years ago, leaks sprang up a few years later, according to the Teachers' Training College sources. Principal of the college, Professor Rikta Roy said that no class is held in this building now. She also called for the restoration of this historic site. A Tk one crore nine lakh project, titled "Teaching Quality Improvement-Secondary Education Project" (TQI-SEP) under the Education Ministry, was submitted in the last fiscal year for renovation work of the lodge but is yet to be approved, the sources added. "Such a magnificent palace needs constant repair by the Archaeological Department," said a local source. The sources also added that it would be better to hand over the lodge to the Archaeological Department as soon as possible for proper preservation. u can see more at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ2t0X-KQnohttp://www.mymensinghpedia.com/2016/12/14/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%B8%E0%...
2022
