Mughal Fort <i>to People's Park </i>

Fun at the Kella. Photo: Ihtisham Kabir

Is this the most beautiful spot in Dhaka?
The Mughal fort known as Lalbagh Kella is a delightful mix of past and present. Crossing its threshold, I feel I am stepping into history. People from far and wide come to enjoy its beautiful gardens set in spacious grounds.
Dating from the seventeenth century, the Kella is a sprawling but unfinished complex on nineteen acres. It contains three buildings: a mosque, the tomb of Pori Bibi, and an Audience Hall/Royal Bath. There is a large gate, barracks, a large pond for storing water and a watchtower for guarding over the river.
The fort's story is grandiose but sad. Prince Azam Khan, son of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, started the project in 1678 as governor of Bengal. His governorship lasted only fifteen months, and he left the fort unfinished. Shaista Khan, Azam's successor, resumed work on the fort. But his favourite daughter Pori Bibi died (c. 1684) before the fort was completed. Heartbroken, Shaista Khan abandoned the project.
Looking at the fort complex, I guess that the gates, walls, and mosque had received priority during construction, since they look reasonably complete. The Audience Hall, a small museum now, was intended to be Shaista Khan's residence, but I doubt its size would suffice for the governor of Bengal. Perhaps more work was needed.
Glimpses of Moghul genius and workmanship are everywhere. A plumbing system supplied the entire fort with running water. Fountains abound. The main gate, towering three stories high, is still imposing. Remains of a Moghul garden over the barracks retain its charm. A small but perfectly proportioned mosque attracts hundreds of worshippers to this day.
But the highlight of the fort is Pori Bibi's tomb. Exquisite and symmetrical, it has eight identical rooms around a central room containing a cenotaph. The interior is decorated with stones imported from all over India.
On this busy afternoon, however, Shaista Khan's sorrow appears far from the crowd's thoughts. Throngs of visitors have lined up to buy the ten-taka entrance tickets. Once inside, their excitement knows no bounds. The Kella offers something for every taste: picnics, strolling, romancing, wall-climbing, and numerous games.
Finding themselves in beautiful surroundings, everyone wants photographs. People try new poses while standing, sitting or even lying on the grass. Some grab flowers or stand spread-eagled against the fort's wall. Inside a large opening on the fort's wall, a young man is rap-dancing while his friends click away.
For families the Kella is a true gift. Giggling babies roll non-stop in the grass while brave toddlers taste their first mountain climbing on the mounds of earth behind the barracks. A grandmother in head-to-toe burkha arrives with her grandson who looks bored. Producing a balloon from her purse, she inflates it without removing her veil. Now she has the boy's attention: he grabs it, jumps into an empty fountain and, holding the balloon up high, runs gleefully in endless circles.
Past and present thus come together at the Kella.