1st year     issue : july 2005
ECO TOUR

The Italian Garden of Dighapatia Raja's in Bangladesh
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The Uttara Ganabhaban, Natore is famous for historical royal residence. The garden of Dighapatia Raza's is stands besides this building. The garden is unique for its own beauty and architectural style. One has to go through the Royal Palace to reach the garden. The garden is surrounded by the palace at the north, high walls at east and south and a marvelous lake at the west. It is said that Raza Pramdanath Roy had a boat for amusement. There is a marvelous ghat, which stairs are made of stone, at west side of the lake.

There are Devkanchan at the ghat, which blooms at the Spring. There is black statue, a boy is fishing with the wheel in his hands, at the north side of the lake. At the other side of the lake there is Tea House. A house made of wood, surrounded by glass windows. It has stairs like a tower house. It is said that the Raja's spent their evening and took tea in this house. There are mango and jackfruit trees on the other side of the garden. On the both sides of the roads to lake there are Sourovika, Udaiypadma or Magnolia, Indian Togor, Parijat, Haimanti, Eggplant etc. These plants are gorgeous and rare for their unique style and essence. One will be get seduce by smelling the fragrance of those flowers.

The rare flowers are not seen all over the country. There is a giant Karpur tree besides the Tea House. There are bottle palm trees besides the northern side wall. There are three benches made of iron at the three corner of the garden and a huge platform at the middle of the garden. There are fancy fauna made of white stone. Also two light post are seen which are covering with Sheta Alkananda. Some small size gates are seen at the garden where Jhumko Lata are found. are a rare plant named eggplant or dimful, looks like an egg.

The most attractive things of the Italian Garden are four marble statues of women at the four corners of the platform. Everybody will get wonder seeing the style and beauty of that statues. It is said that the Royal Palace, temple, and the garden were totally demolished after a huge earthquake in 1897. Then the Raja Pramdanath had rebuilt the garden again with an Italian architectural view, which is the main reason, the name, Italian Garden. The caretaker of that garden said that some rare plants are dying. The authority is trying to produce saplings from them but unfortunately they are not enough.

Source: The Daily Prothom Alo 11.06.04
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