Bideshi
Home Catalog Articles Contact
All Culture History Theme Misc

Puran Patrika

A Bideshi Project

Khona and Her Parables
Khona and Her Parables
Khona, a legendary Bengali poet and astrologer believed to have lived in the 6th century CE, remains an enigmatic figure whose existence is documented only through oral tradition and folk legends rather than historical records. Though various myths surround her origins—from being a Sri Lankan princess to a child raised by Bengal's aboriginal peoples—most accounts agree she was the daughter-in-law of the famous astrologer Varahamihira and possessed extraordinary knowledge of agriculture, astronomy, and mathematics. Her parables, numbering possibly 150,000 and passed down orally through generations, provided scientifically sound advice on... Read more...
READ MORE
Khona and Her Parables

Khona and Her Parables

03.06.2026CultureHistoryLutfun Nahar Tithi
Khona, a legendary Bengali poet and astrologer believed to have lived in the 6th century CE, remains an enigmatic figure whose existence is documented only through oral tradition and folk legends rather than historical records. Though various myths surround her origins—from being a Sri Lankan princess to a child raised by Bengal's aboriginal peoples—most accounts agree she was the daughter-in-law of the famous astrologer Varahamihira and possessed extraordinary knowledge of agriculture, astronomy, and mathematics. Her parables, numbering possibly 150,000 and passed down orally through generations, provided scientifically sound advice on... Read more...
READ MORE
Mughlai Paratha
Mughlai Paratha
Mughlai paratha, a stuffed and fried flatbread rich with spices and fillings, emerged from the imperial kitchens of the Mughal Empire and became a beloved street food across Bangladesh and West Bengal. Legend traces its creation to the 1600s when Emperor Jahangir's cook Adil Hafiz Usman invented the dish—possibly influenced by Turkish gözleme—and was rewarded with gold coins and land for his culinary innovation. The recipe remained a family secret for generations before spreading across Bengal during the British Raj, with Mughal influence making Dhaka's cuisine distinctively less spicy than... Read more...
READ MORE
Mughlai Paratha

Mughlai Paratha

03.06.2026CultureHistoryZara Faride
Mughlai paratha, a stuffed and fried flatbread rich with spices and fillings, emerged from the imperial kitchens of the Mughal Empire and became a beloved street food across Bangladesh and West Bengal. Legend traces its creation to the 1600s when Emperor Jahangir's cook Adil Hafiz Usman invented the dish—possibly influenced by Turkish gözleme—and was rewarded with gold coins and land for his culinary innovation. The recipe remained a family secret for generations before spreading across Bengal during the British Raj, with Mughal influence making Dhaka's cuisine distinctively less spicy than... Read more...
READ MORE
Bangladesh at the Olympics
Bangladesh at the Olympics
Bangladesh's Olympic history reflects how colonialism, oppression, and natural disasters have systematically hindered athletic achievement in what is now the world's largest nation without an Olympic medal. Under British India and later Pakistan, structural discrimination meant that no athletes from the Bengali region ever medaled, despite talents like swimmer Brojen Das—the first Asian to swim the English Channel—emerging from East Pakistan. After independence in 1971, devastating cyclones in 1988 and 1991 diverted critical resources from sports development and left lasting nutritional and educational deficits in the generation that should have... Read more...
READ MORE
Bangladesh at the Olympics

Bangladesh at the Olympics

03.06.2026CultureHistoryDanial Zakaria
Bangladesh's Olympic history reflects how colonialism, oppression, and natural disasters have systematically hindered athletic achievement in what is now the world's largest nation without an Olympic medal. Under British India and later Pakistan, structural discrimination meant that no athletes from the Bengali region ever medaled, despite talents like swimmer Brojen Das—the first Asian to swim the English Channel—emerging from East Pakistan. After independence in 1971, devastating cyclones in 1988 and 1991 diverted critical resources from sports development and left lasting nutritional and educational deficits in the generation that should have... Read more...
READ MORE
Bengal Subah Architectural Influence
Bengal Subah Architectural Influence
During the 17th century, the Bengal Subah—the Mughal provincial empire centered in Dhaka—became a unique architectural laboratory where imperial design principles adapted to the challenges of a delta landscape. Rather than replicating the stone monuments of Delhi or Agra, Mughal architects in Bengal used local brick and lime plaster, creating structures like Lalbagh Fort and the Sat Gambuj Mosque that balanced grand aesthetic ideals with the practical demands of monsoons and shifting rivers. Strategic river forts such as Hajiganj, Sonakanda, and Idrakpur emerged along waterways to protect trade routes, embodying... Read more...
READ MORE
Bengal Subah Architectural Influence

Bengal Subah Architectural Influence

03.06.2026CultureHistoryFariha Rahman
During the 17th century, the Bengal Subah—the Mughal provincial empire centered in Dhaka—became a unique architectural laboratory where imperial design principles adapted to the challenges of a delta landscape. Rather than replicating the stone monuments of Delhi or Agra, Mughal architects in Bengal used local brick and lime plaster, creating structures like Lalbagh Fort and the Sat Gambuj Mosque that balanced grand aesthetic ideals with the practical demands of monsoons and shifting rivers. Strategic river forts such as Hajiganj, Sonakanda, and Idrakpur emerged along waterways to protect trade routes, embodying... Read more...
READ MORE
What You Are Looking For Is In Nilkhet
What You Are Looking For Is In Nilkhet
Nilkhet, Dhaka's iconic book market, derives its name from the indigo fields ("Nil" meaning blue, "Khet" meaning field) that once occupied the area during British colonial rule, when the region housed numerous indigo plantations until 1847. The market evolved gradually from abandoned indigo fields to a racecourse stable, then a settlement, before street vendors began selling books from baskets around 1974, eventually transforming into Bangladesh's largest book market by the 1990s. Strategically located at the heart of Dhaka's educational zone—within easy reach of the University of Dhaka, BUET, medical colleges,... Read more...
READ MORE
What You Are Looking For Is In Nilkhet

What You Are Looking For Is In Nilkhet

03.06.2026CultureHistoryLutfun Nahar Tithi
Nilkhet, Dhaka's iconic book market, derives its name from the indigo fields ("Nil" meaning blue, "Khet" meaning field) that once occupied the area during British colonial rule, when the region housed numerous indigo plantations until 1847. The market evolved gradually from abandoned indigo fields to a racecourse stable, then a settlement, before street vendors began selling books from baskets around 1974, eventually transforming into Bangladesh's largest book market by the 1990s. Strategically located at the heart of Dhaka's educational zone—within easy reach of the University of Dhaka, BUET, medical colleges,... Read more...
READ MORE
Lalbagh Fort Lore
Lalbagh Fort Lore
Marble, Myth, and Mughal Memory: The Enigma of Lalbagh Fort Attracting around 3 million visitors a year, in the heart of Old Dhaka lies one of Bangladesh's most iconic historic sites, Lalbagh Fort, or locally known as "Lalbagh Kella" meaning "Red Garden" [1][2]. However, as grand as it is, what remains of the fort is an unfinished construction, with mysteries and myths surrounding its sudden halt [1]. Though riddled with intrigue, the fort demonstrates the region's rich Mughal history and offers people a glimpse of Medieval Bengal [3]. Origins and... Read more...
READ MORE
Lalbagh Fort Lore

Lalbagh Fort Lore

03.06.2026CultureHistoryIbraheem Syed
Marble, Myth, and Mughal Memory: The Enigma of Lalbagh Fort Attracting around 3 million visitors a year, in the heart of Old Dhaka lies one of Bangladesh's most iconic historic sites, Lalbagh Fort, or locally known as "Lalbagh Kella" meaning "Red Garden" [1][2]. However, as grand as it is, what remains of the fort is an unfinished construction, with mysteries and myths surrounding its sudden halt [1]. Though riddled with intrigue, the fort demonstrates the region's rich Mughal history and offers people a glimpse of Medieval Bengal [3]. Origins and... Read more...
READ MORE
Bengal Subah Architectural Influence
Bengal Subah Architectural Influence
During the 17th century, the Bengal Subah—the Mughal provincial empire centered in Dhaka—became a unique architectural laboratory where imperial design principles adapted to the challenges of a delta landscape. Rather than replicating the stone monuments of Delhi or Agra, Mughal architects in Bengal used local brick and lime plaster, creating structures like Lalbagh Fort and the Sat Gambuj Mosque that balanced grand aesthetic ideals with the practical demands of monsoons and shifting rivers. Strategic river forts such as Hajiganj, Sonakanda, and Idrakpur emerged along waterways to protect trade routes, embodying... Read more...
READ MORE
Bengal Subah Architectural Influence

Bengal Subah Architectural Influence

03.06.2026CultureHistoryFariha Rahman
During the 17th century, the Bengal Subah—the Mughal provincial empire centered in Dhaka—became a unique architectural laboratory where imperial design principles adapted to the challenges of a delta landscape. Rather than replicating the stone monuments of Delhi or Agra, Mughal architects in Bengal used local brick and lime plaster, creating structures like Lalbagh Fort and the Sat Gambuj Mosque that balanced grand aesthetic ideals with the practical demands of monsoons and shifting rivers. Strategic river forts such as Hajiganj, Sonakanda, and Idrakpur emerged along waterways to protect trade routes, embodying... Read more...
READ MORE
What You Are Looking For Is In Nilkhet
What You Are Looking For Is In Nilkhet
Nilkhet, Dhaka's iconic book market, derives its name from the indigo fields ("Nil" meaning blue, "Khet" meaning field) that once occupied the area during British colonial rule, when the region housed numerous indigo plantations until 1847. The market evolved gradually from abandoned indigo fields to a racecourse stable, then a settlement, before street vendors began selling books from baskets around 1974, eventually transforming into Bangladesh's largest book market by the 1990s. Strategically located at the heart of Dhaka's educational zone—within easy reach of the University of Dhaka, BUET, medical colleges,... Read more...
READ MORE
What You Are Looking For Is In Nilkhet

What You Are Looking For Is In Nilkhet

03.06.2026CultureHistoryLutfun Nahar Tithi
Nilkhet, Dhaka's iconic book market, derives its name from the indigo fields ("Nil" meaning blue, "Khet" meaning field) that once occupied the area during British colonial rule, when the region housed numerous indigo plantations until 1847. The market evolved gradually from abandoned indigo fields to a racecourse stable, then a settlement, before street vendors began selling books from baskets around 1974, eventually transforming into Bangladesh's largest book market by the 1990s. Strategically located at the heart of Dhaka's educational zone—within easy reach of the University of Dhaka, BUET, medical colleges,... Read more...
READ MORE
Lalbagh Fort Lore
Lalbagh Fort Lore
Marble, Myth, and Mughal Memory: The Enigma of Lalbagh Fort Attracting around 3 million visitors a year, in the heart of Old Dhaka lies one of Bangladesh's most iconic historic sites, Lalbagh Fort, or locally known as "Lalbagh Kella" meaning "Red Garden" [1][2]. However, as grand as it is, what remains of the fort is an unfinished construction, with mysteries and myths surrounding its sudden halt [1]. Though riddled with intrigue, the fort demonstrates the region's rich Mughal history and offers people a glimpse of Medieval Bengal [3]. Origins and... Read more...
READ MORE
Lalbagh Fort Lore

Lalbagh Fort Lore

03.06.2026CultureHistoryIbraheem Syed
Marble, Myth, and Mughal Memory: The Enigma of Lalbagh Fort Attracting around 3 million visitors a year, in the heart of Old Dhaka lies one of Bangladesh's most iconic historic sites, Lalbagh Fort, or locally known as "Lalbagh Kella" meaning "Red Garden" [1][2]. However, as grand as it is, what remains of the fort is an unfinished construction, with mysteries and myths surrounding its sudden halt [1]. Though riddled with intrigue, the fort demonstrates the region's rich Mughal history and offers people a glimpse of Medieval Bengal [3]. Origins and... Read more...
READ MORE
Pohela Falgun and the Arrival of Boshonto
Pohela Falgun and the Arrival of Boshonto
Pohela Falgun marks the first day of spring in the Bengali calendar, celebrated across Bangladesh with vibrant displays of yellow, orange, and red clothing, flowers, and cultural performances. The Bengali calendar divides the year into six distinct seasons, with its modern form traced to Mughal Emperor Akbar's 16th-century administrative reforms that aligned tax collection with agricultural harvest cycles. What began in 1991 as an informal student celebration at Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Arts has evolved into a nationwide cultural phenomenon, centered at locations like Bakultala and featuring music, dance,... Read more...
READ MORE
Pohela Falgun and the Arrival of Boshonto

Pohela Falgun and the Arrival of Boshonto

03.06.2026CultureHistoryParizad Nizam
Pohela Falgun marks the first day of spring in the Bengali calendar, celebrated across Bangladesh with vibrant displays of yellow, orange, and red clothing, flowers, and cultural performances. The Bengali calendar divides the year into six distinct seasons, with its modern form traced to Mughal Emperor Akbar's 16th-century administrative reforms that aligned tax collection with agricultural harvest cycles. What began in 1991 as an informal student celebration at Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Arts has evolved into a nationwide cultural phenomenon, centered at locations like Bakultala and featuring music, dance,... Read more...
READ MORE
Behind the Tea Leaves: The Hidden Costs of Women’s Labour in Bangladesh’s Tea Gardens
Behind the Tea Leaves: The Hidden Costs of Women’s Labour in Bangladesh’s Tea Gardens
Bangladesh produces nearly 3% of the global tea output, according to the Bangladesh Tea Board, consistently ranking amongst the top 10 global tea producers as of 2025 and exporting to numerous countries, such as Pakistan, the UAE, Russia and the United States.[1] The industry provides over 100,000 people with direct employment in 166 tea estates, providing livelihood to 500,000 people directly and another 500,000 people indirectly through tea trading, brokerage, warehousing and other supporting service industries.[2] Overall, over 4 million people depend on tea cultivation and processing,[3] with the average... Read more...
READ MORE
Behind the Tea Leaves: The Hidden Costs of Women’s Labour in Bangladesh’s Tea Gardens

Behind the Tea Leaves: The Hidden Costs of Women’s Labour in Bangladesh’s Tea Gardens

03.06.2026CultureHistoryMajidah Chowdhury
Bangladesh produces nearly 3% of the global tea output, according to the Bangladesh Tea Board, consistently ranking amongst the top 10 global tea producers as of 2025 and exporting to numerous countries, such as Pakistan, the UAE, Russia and the United States.[1] The industry provides over 100,000 people with direct employment in 166 tea estates, providing livelihood to 500,000 people directly and another 500,000 people indirectly through tea trading, brokerage, warehousing and other supporting service industries.[2] Overall, over 4 million people depend on tea cultivation and processing,[3] with the average... Read more...
READ MORE
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Childhood Rabindranath (Rabi) Tagore was born on May 7th, 1861 in Calcutta, India. Although born in modern day India, he is a Bengali Brahmin with ancestral roots from Jessore district, Bangladesh. His father, Debendranath Tagore, studied philosophy and was a religious reformer. [2] His father was active in Brahmo Samaj, Society of Brahma/ God which can later be seen to have had an impact on Rabi Tagore's work. Tagore grew up in an affluent household and was raised mainly by servants. His mother, Sarada Devi, passed away in his early... Read more...
READ MORE
Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore

03.06.2026CultureHistoryAngela (Anj) Saha
Childhood Rabindranath (Rabi) Tagore was born on May 7th, 1861 in Calcutta, India. Although born in modern day India, he is a Bengali Brahmin with ancestral roots from Jessore district, Bangladesh. His father, Debendranath Tagore, studied philosophy and was a religious reformer. [2] His father was active in Brahmo Samaj, Society of Brahma/ God which can later be seen to have had an impact on Rabi Tagore's work. Tagore grew up in an affluent household and was raised mainly by servants. His mother, Sarada Devi, passed away in his early... Read more...
READ MORE
Jamdani
Jamdani
Jamdani, a centuries-old Bengali textile tradition known for its delicate hand-woven motifs that appear to float on translucent cotton, once flourished under Mughal patronage as a luxury fabric for imperial courts. The craft nearly vanished during British colonial rule when industrial textiles flooded markets and policies favored imported goods over handloom production, forcing most weavers to abandon their looms by the early 1900s. A remarkable revival began in the 1990s through government initiatives, NGO support, and artisan cooperatives, culminating in UNESCO's 2013 recognition of jamdani as Intangible Cultural Heritage and... Read more...
READ MORE
Jamdani

Jamdani

03.06.2026CultureHistoryFariha Rahman
Jamdani, a centuries-old Bengali textile tradition known for its delicate hand-woven motifs that appear to float on translucent cotton, once flourished under Mughal patronage as a luxury fabric for imperial courts. The craft nearly vanished during British colonial rule when industrial textiles flooded markets and policies favored imported goods over handloom production, forcing most weavers to abandon their looms by the early 1900s. A remarkable revival began in the 1990s through government initiatives, NGO support, and artisan cooperatives, culminating in UNESCO's 2013 recognition of jamdani as Intangible Cultural Heritage and... Read more...
READ MORE
Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta (1304-1369) was the most widely travelled explorer of the pre-modern world. Almost all that is known about his life comes from his own travel account. He left Morocco at age 21 to perform Hajj and did not return for 24 years. After spending eight years in India under the employment of the Sultan of Delhi, Ibn Battuta was sent on a diplomatic mission to China. Although a shipwreck threw off this expedition to China, Ibn Battuta continued towards China. It was on this journey that he visited Bengal.... Read more...
READ MORE
Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta

03.06.2026CultureHistoryMyesha Munro
Ibn Battuta (1304-1369) was the most widely travelled explorer of the pre-modern world. Almost all that is known about his life comes from his own travel account. He left Morocco at age 21 to perform Hajj and did not return for 24 years. After spending eight years in India under the employment of the Sultan of Delhi, Ibn Battuta was sent on a diplomatic mission to China. Although a shipwreck threw off this expedition to China, Ibn Battuta continued towards China. It was on this journey that he visited Bengal.... Read more...
READ MORE
Bangla Diasporas (Harlem & New Orleans)
Bangla Diasporas (Harlem & New Orleans)
In the early 20th century, Bengali Muslim sailors and peddlers—many from present-day Bangladesh—formed some of the first South Asian enclaves in New York's Harlem and the Lower East Side, arriving via British merchant ships or through Gulf Coast ports like New Orleans. These predominantly single men built interracial households by marrying African American and Puerto Rican women, creating hybrid cultural traditions that blended Bengali cooking, Islamic practices, and multilingual family life. Facing restrictive immigration laws and racial hierarchies, they survived through informal economies as peddlers, restaurant workers, and factory laborers... Read more...
READ MORE
Bangla Diasporas (Harlem & New Orleans)

Bangla Diasporas (Harlem & New Orleans)

03.06.2026CultureHistoryFariha Rahman
In the early 20th century, Bengali Muslim sailors and peddlers—many from present-day Bangladesh—formed some of the first South Asian enclaves in New York's Harlem and the Lower East Side, arriving via British merchant ships or through Gulf Coast ports like New Orleans. These predominantly single men built interracial households by marrying African American and Puerto Rican women, creating hybrid cultural traditions that blended Bengali cooking, Islamic practices, and multilingual family life. Facing restrictive immigration laws and racial hierarchies, they survived through informal economies as peddlers, restaurant workers, and factory laborers... Read more...
READ MORE