Mathurapur Deul Faridpur

Mathurapur Deul is a traditional archaeological site located in Mathurapur village of Madhukhali upazila of Faridpur district. The monastery is located on the banks of the Chandana River, just two kilometers from Madhukhali Bazaar on the Dhaka-Khulna highway. The twelve-cornered Mathurapur Deul or Mutt is about 80 feet tall with beautiful terracotta and artistic craftsmanship. The Deul has two entrance doors. Particularly noteworthy is the use of rock block prints as well as numerous small idols made of clay tablets throughout the monastery. These idols include dancing men and women, headless human portraits, Hanuman with bow and arrow, owls, horses, etc.

It is known that in the 16th century, a general named Sangram Singh built Mathurapur Deul After the death of Satrajit, the zamindar of Bhushan in 1636, Sangram Singh took charge of the revenue collection of the area. According to different sources, the Mathurapur Deul was built to commemorate Emperor Akbar's victory over the famous general Mansingh Raja Pratapaditya. That is, Mathurapur Deul is a victory pillar, although the authenticity of these facts cannot be confirmed In 2014, Mathurapur Deul was listed as a National Archaeological Site by the Directorate of Archeology of Bangladesh.

Faridpur can be reached by bus and train from the capital Dhaka. Comfort Line, Royal Paribahan, Suryamukhi Paribahan, Golden Line, Anand Paribahan, South Line, Ajmeri Enterprise etc. buses from Gabtali Bus Stand ply via Padma Bridge on Dhaka-Faridpur route. The bus fare will cost 400-500 taka depending on the standard. Besides, you can reach Faridpur by Sundarban Express, Madhumati Express and Benapole Express trains from Dhaka Kamalapur railway station. Train fare will be 305 to 696 taka per seat.

If you want to go from Faridpur to Madhurapur Deul, you have to take a bus to Madhukhali Upazila from the new bus stand of the city. Or you can go to Madhukhali market by bus traveling to Magura or Jhenaidah district. The traditional Mathurapur Deul can be reached within 10 to 15 minutes by rickshaw from Madhukhali Bazaar.

There are several decent residential hotels in Faridpur city. Among them are Hotel Raffles, JK International, Padma Hotel and Hotel Jhilview.

Other places of interest in Faridpur district include Palli Kavi Jasimuddin's house, River Research Institute, Hazrat Shah Farid Mosque, Jagadbandhu Sundar's Ashram, Atarshi Biswa Zaker Manzil, Baish Rashi Zamindar Bari, Sadarpursatir Mosque, Patrail Mosque etc.

Feature Image: Rakibul Hasan