Century-old monasteries in ruins
Two century-old monasteries in Mirzapur upazila of Tangail have become worn out because of lack of care and renovation and turned into a den of local drug addicts and gamblers.
The monasteries of Kujja Sundari, wife of zamindar Ram Lochan, and zamindar Haridas Chowdhury in Pakulla village under Jamurki union of the upazila have lost their architectural glory as weeds and roots of large trees have covered them.
Govinda Saha, a 90-year-old resident of Pakulla village, said the successors of zamindar Ram Lochan built the monastery at a crematorium ground 102 years ago in memory of Kujja Sundari.
The monastery is about four-storey high and has two doors on the east and south of the monastery.
There is a temple on its premises with artistic terracotta decorations but the temple has almost fallen into ruins because of lack of maintenance and renovation.
The monastery of zamindar Haridas Chowdhury is larger and stands on its north beside a large pond.
This old structure is also almost ruined and was damaged much recently when the owner of the pond dug the bank to enlarge the pond.
The walls of the monastery still have some decorative terracotta plaques depicting motifs of lion and tiger.
Locals said a temple of goddess Kali was there in the monastery compound and that a fair used to be held every Pahela Baishakh.
They alleged that both the monasteries have now become a safe haven of local drug addicts, gamblers and other miscreants as there is none to look after them.
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