Ghughu-danga Zamindar Bari
Ghughudanga Zamindar Bari was the official residential palace and seat of the Ghughu-danga Zamindar family. It was situated on the banks of the Purnovoba River in Dinajpur. The palace was destroyed by Pakistani soldiers in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
Location of Ghughudanga
The ancient village Ghughudanga is situated on the left side of Purnovoba River and six mile away from Dinajpur sadar at Auliapur Union in Dinajpur and east side of Purnovoba river ‘Kotiborsho’ city was situated which was Kotiborsho Nogori and it was administration center of Guptopal. Later it also known as ‘Debkot’. In Bangali 1204-05 Iktiar uddin mohammed Bakhtiar Khalji after capturing North and west part of Bangali,he first established his city in ’Lakhnaw’ but later he established his city in ‘Debkot’.From this ‘Debkot’ he came back from his failed Tibbat expedition and he died in ‘Debkot’. In this ‘Debkat ‘ in the reign of muslim Damdama erected was build. But now a days everything flop.Near this flop city India’s South Dinajpur district’s Gangarampur is situated.
Ghugudanga Estate
During the last part of the British rule, Ghugudanga Estate was the most important amongst the Muslim Zemindars within undivided Dinajpur district comprising 30 police stations. It is known that the annual lease amount of this Estate stood to the tune of Taka one lakh that time. There were 41 Tehsils and about 80 Peyadas (Process Servers) and Barkandaz (Footmen) within Ghugudanga Estate area covering 11 Police Stations. There once stood two old office buildings (Kuthibari) in Eidgah Residential Area just to the east of Dinajpur Bara Maidan of Dinajpur Town; but the main residential building of Zeminder family was built at Ghugudanga village situated on the left bank of the river Punarbhaba which is 6 miles to the south of Dinajpur Town.
Zamindar Areas
Ghughudanga Zamindari was located with in 11 thanas.Such as
- Dinajpur Sadar Upazila
- Gangarampur
- Kushmandi (community development block)
- Raiganj
- Kaliaganj
- Itahar (community development block)
- Pirganj Upazila
- Thakurgaon District
- Biral Upazila
- Bochaganj Upazila
- Malda district (Raio-Muchia).
Construction
It was constructed in the style of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture.
Antic Pieces
In 1971 before the war,in Ghughudanga state there had some antic pieces and that were gold chair which is kept in national museum Bangladesh,101 gram artificial gold koi fish,Abeautiful umbrella along with silver haft,A big hand fan along with silver haft,four silver stick etc. Also there had 13-14 big copper cauldronfor cooking in occasion,big canopy and other important things and that things once used Dinajpur district’s important people in their marriage and other occasions and haier from Ghughudanga.Because before independent there was no shop of decorator in dinajpur.In 1971 Pakistani Pak bahini looted those things when they destroy the Zamindar cottage.
Partition of Bangladesh and destruction of Zamindari
After the partition of India in 1947, most of the Ghugudanga Estate areas fell within Indian territory. Due to the promulgation of the State Acquisition Act, the financial stability of this Zemindar family started declining gradually. Consequent to the help, co-operation, and shelter afforded to the freedom-fighters by the members of Ghugudanga Zemindar families during the liberation War, raiders completely destroyed the main residential building of the Zemindar by air-raid bombing. Afterwards, most of the Ghugudanga Zemindar families started living by constructing their own houses in Eidgah Residential Area of Dinajpur Town.
Ghughudanga Zamindar’s Contribution on 1971’s Liberation war
In 1971,25th march at night after the starting of genocide,the Bengali of Dinajpur,Army,EPR ,along police,1500 member of freedom fighter,22 vehicels and with lots of arms,camp established in Ghughudanga.Also the public and private officers and common people of dinajpur town shelter in Ghughudanga Zamindar bari,for the fear of Pakistani Military.The members of the Zamindar family,took care and did all the arrangements for the food and living of all the freedom fighters,officers and common people.When Pakistani military came towards Ghughudanga then the members of Zamindar family and all the common people leave Ghughudanga and took shelter in India.For helping the freedom fighters,Pakistani Military destroy this ancient Ghughudanga cottage.After Independent family members of Zaminder came back to Bangladesh.For the distruction of Zamindar cottage,They established their home in Eidgha Residential Area.