World Bangladesh Rajshahi

Nic and Davie's Year Out Travelogue Indian Subcontinent Trip 2009

Drive to Rajshahi via Puthia Sep 24, 2009

24-09-09

This morning we leave the bustle of the city behind and head out to a more rural landscape across the massive Jamuna bridge. At 4.8 kms long, it is the 12th longest bridge in the world, crossing the Jamuna River and linking Eastern and Northwestern parts of Bangladesh. Travelling on across the floodplain to Rajshahi we stop at the charming little town of Puthia famous for its historic decorated Hindu temples and the imposing Zamindar’s Palace, a fine example of a Hindu Rajbari. These substantial country houses were built by the landowning Hindu elite during the Raj era and with their eclectic mix of architectural styles from Greek to Victorian, reflected the cosmopolitan ideas of their owners. We arrive late afternoon at Rajshahi, a large university town on the banks of the Padma (Ganges), in time to join the locals for a stroll along the river at sunset and perhaps a visit to Shaheb Bazaar in the town centre.

Dhaka to Rajshahi via Putia and Error 99

Our transport is a bit ramshackle but off we go anyway. Most of Bangladesh is either flood plain or flood delta so there is lots of water around (at least today none of it coming from the sky). It has some unusual features on its landscape including literally hundreds of chimneys. The chimneys are above kilns used to produce bricks. As the plains flood huge deposits of silt are laid all around the chimneys (many in fact were flooded as we passed). This silt is the main component part of the bricks (in addition to straw) and provides much needed employment during the dry season.

The landscape is very plain (no pun intended) lots of rice paddies and people everywhere. Traffic is light but mainly trucks, any human cargo are on tuk tuks or cycle rickshaws. Everything is carried on cycle rickshaws all driven by the smallest men you could imagine. As befits a country that does not have much to shout about when you come across something they are proud of they do go on a bit. The Bangabandhu bridge over the Jammuna river is the 11th longest in the world at 4.8 kms and the largest in south east Asia (apparently there are longer ones in China) – therefore if you pick your demographic area correctly you will always be the best at something. Its nothing special but our local guide is a bit crest fallen when we mention this.

We push onto Putia to have our picnic lunch – veg curry and paratha. Much better than yesterdays sandwich disaster and about a 5th of the price. We eat in the shadow of a Zaminders palace. Its very rustic run down chic and must have been very impressive when just built. Now however its run down and being used as a temp college until the new one is built (therefore no money is being spent on it). The palace belonged to a Hindu Rajbani, a local tax collector recruited by the British to collect taxes from the locals. The British did not dictate the local taxes only what they wanted therefore it was in the Rajbani's remit to collect what he liked, pay of the British and pocket the rest. Consequently they were not liked by the locals especially when they used their ill gotten gains to build palaces. It did strike us as strange that these palaces funded and supported by British imperialism were left standing after the fall of the Raj but we found this all over India and Bangladesh.

Putia is a lovely little village with a green area in front of the palace with a local temple at the other end. On one side a bathing ghat and the whole area surrounded by forest – its very picturesque. However Error 99 has struck - electronics on David's SLR have broken down. Battery out and back in, new battery tried, flash card out and in – no luck so no photos of lovely Pudia (although we managed a few with the video camera). We tried the cameras zoom lens which seems to work fine therefore its the wide angle lens that is broken. This is a real disappointment so early in the trip (a later internet search revels the Canon default any “non specific” fault to Error 99 – the best we could manage was that the chip internal to the lens was damaged)

However can't be helped – we are surrounded by locals all fascinated by us and why we are in their village. They all love getting their photo taken but get a bit fed up with me asking them to stay still whilst I run back 100metres so I can get them in with the zoom lens!! One of the chores when we were previously in India was the constant requests for “candy, pens, money, etc” from the local kids. Nothing like that here but I am sure in time some tourists will hand them out or pay for pictures and the innocence will be spoiled.

A quick visit to the local Hindu temple and we are off again – well actually we are not as the bus has a flat tyre. These boys don't need jacks to fix a flat!! - the flat is on the rear outside so they just run the good tyre onto a brick giving them just enough clearance to get the tyres changed – years of practice we assume.

We arrive late afternoon in Rajshahi – crappy little hotel but “its the best there is routine”. Hotel and eating in Bangladesh are not highlights.

We went for a river walk (the Padma part of the Ganges system), just most of the locals seem to do, to hopefully catch a nice sunset. It was a little too cloudy but we still managed a few snaps. Again the sunset has paled compared to our presence within the local population – our tour leader Brie has been crowned “the queen of beauty” but some locals and appears rather happy with the title. It does however get a little wearing with the constant staring – not just from a distance but from a few feet away and by dozens of people (all ages) – they appear to have no shame but Ratin comments that most have never seen white faces this close up. Many have mobile phones and some are bold enough to ask to take our pictures. Once this starts there is no stopping them and we have to make a hasty retreat to our dinner location. We are running behind so the market is given a miss and we eat in the “best place in town”.

We have noticed, but were too concerned to ask, that many children have large black spots (we thought they were birthmarks) on their foreheads. Ratin explains that they are used to keep away demons. They placed there initially after a few months after birth and remain until about 5 or 6. Its another example of how religious these people are and of how they expect support from their deities.