Gournadi Correspondent
In Nalchira village of Gournadi upazila, the remnants of the anti-British war arms, the Palashi Cannon can still be witnessed.
Tourists in the area also visit the Hujra of Chhobi Khan (a place for worship). Chhobi Khan was a renowned person during the reign of Emperor Jahangir. The silent remainder of the Shatidah Math of Uttar Shihipasha village is also a tourist attraction where wives of their departed husbands were cremated alive with their dead husbands.
Even after several centuries, no initiative has yet been taken to preserve these historical monuments. Due to the lack of proper care and preservation, these old historical sites are on the verge of being fade away. But through proper renovation and conservation, these historical sites can be turned into attractive tourist spots. Poet Sikder Rezaul Karim’s book “Brihoti Gournadi”has presented the history, tradition and prosperity of Gournadi in brief.The book mentions the arrival of the Mughal people and their settlement in permanently in the then Bakla (now Barisal) for years after the reign of Emperor Akbar in the 16th century AD.
The Mughal army was also defeated in numerous battles; he mentioned that in the book. During the reigns of Emperor Akbar and Emperor Jahangir, Madan Mohan, son of KinkarBhuiyan, and Tasvi Khan were appointed as the Faujdars (Chieftains) of Baklar.
Afterwards Khan Baklar was appointed as the Faujdar, he formed a large army under his own leadership. At one point, he declared war against the tyrant Mog pirates. In that battle, the Mogs were defeated and dispersed from Bakla. In the post-war period, a lot of development works were done atBakla.
Still innumerous roads, mosques inside jungles, pools, lakes and other historical monuments can be seen in Barishal region. Most of those monuments were built by Chhobi Khan.
Local imam of the mosque, Adel Uddin Talukder that it is an honor to conduct prayers in this historic mosque.
After the martyrdom of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah in the battle of Palashi against the British in 1757, his defeated troops took refuge in the fort of Sarikal under the leadership of Zamindar Syed Imam Uddin. Syed Imam Uddin. The then Zamindar of Nazirpur Pargana (now Nalchira) declared war on the British troops. At one stage, the British troops fought with Imam Uddin’s troops at the banks of Sarikal River.
Many British soldiers were killed in that battle. Even after the battle of Palashi, Imam Uddin, a descendant of Mughal naval commander Ulfat Ghazi, was able to maintain the independence of Nazirpur Parganas for long 22 years. In 1779, the Zamindar’s army fought a fierce battle with the English troops in this area.
After the fall of Sarikal fort in that battle, the British troops prepared to attack Nalchira Miyabari. Zamindar Syed Imam Uddin also prepared for a counter attack. At one stage Governor General Warren Hastings was able to capture Syed Imam Uddin.
Syed Imam Uddin’s cannon which was used in that warcan be seen still now.
Syed Matiuddin Ahmed Nizam Mia of the local village has sought the intervention authorities to protect the 100-year-old Palashi battle cannon.
Shatidah Math: According to the Vedas of Hinduism, the practice of Shatidah (burial of a living wife with her husband when he dies) has been practiced for thousands of years. This custom came to an end during the British rule when Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra VidyaSagar strongly protested the brutal practice. The historical relics of Satidaha Math is still standing today in the village of Uttar Shihipasha under Gaila Union of Agailjhara Upazila.
Local Sohrab Hossain Mallick said that after reviewing the previous documents, it was found that a person named Ruhini Tagore lived in the house. He added, Ruhini Tagore or some of his predecessors may have built the monument in the Shatidah crematorium. At present, the whole house including Shatidah Math is occupied by a retired school teacher named SardarSiddiqur Rahman.
According to the locals, people often come from far to visit the Shatidah Math. They also alleged that the occupier had recently demolished a part of the Shatidah Math.
The people of Gournadi, have sought the intervention of senior officials of the concerned ministries of the government to preserve these historical monuments.
