Query: Wize Ghat, Artists patronized by the Nawabs

I am writing from Dhaka, Bangladesh.  I am Rafi Omar’s Chacha Lt.Col.Nooruzzaman’s daughter.  I am a dancer and researcher.  Presently I have been assigned by the Asiatic Society to do research on 400 years of Dance in Dhaka.

I am trying to collect the following information:

-  Information about the building in which Bulbul Lalitkala Academy is presently housed.  It used to be called ‘Wize/Wise House’ and was attached to the Dhaka Nawab Family.  It is situated within 5 minutes of walking distance from Ahsan Manzil at Wise Ghat.

-  I would also like information about any dance/dancers which/who were patronized by the Nawab Family.

- If there are any documents (letters, bio-graphes, photographs) mentioning artistes/dancers I would be grateful if I were allowed to view them.

 

I would also like to congratulate you for a very fine site on the Nawab Family.  I see from the site that K.Anas and his wife Sanya are involved in research on the Family.  If I could have their contact emails it would be very helpful.

 

Look forward to hearing from you,

 

Lubna Marium

mob: +880-1713040814

House 69, Road 5

DOHS (old), Dhaka 1206

Dhaka’s pieces of India

Excerpts from an article published on The Sunday Indian. This article deals with how different Indian communities such as Telegu, Kannada, Benarasi and Kashmiri settled in Dhaka are passing their days.

 

Whether they are in slums or chandeliered living rooms, Indian communities add to the cosmopolitan sheen of Bangladesh’s capital, says Saurabh kumar Shahi……

 

….With the Banarasis in Dhaka, I didn’t face any language barriers. They are fluent in Awadhi lashed Hindi. Most of them live in Mirpur Benarasi Palli. Impressed by their finesse, Nawab Salimullah settled 5,000 sari weavers in the late 19th century. Today, they number around 1,00,000. When you hear the sounds of the handlooms from afar, you know you are approaching the Benarasi neighbourhood.

Israel Jolaha’s home is at the end of the road. Unlike Telugus and Shankaris, Israel isn’t much amused seeing an Indian scribe. However, few sentences in Awadhi broke into his scepticism. What followed was a stupendous Awadhi meal, and yes, paan. Drowned by readymade salwaar-kameez, Benarasis are finding it difficult to sell their fine pieces of art. But today, with an Awadhi speaking stranger around, Israel doesn’t want to discuss “depressing” things. He poses several questions, most of which I answered, much to his satisfaction. “My son Ishmael doesn’t want to learn this traditional skill. He works at a readymade garment factory at Adamjee EPZ. But I am happy, at least he took weaving as his career,” says Israel with a nervous smile. There were other non-Bengali communities in the locality too. Kanpuris and Jabbalpuris were prominent among them. Israel brings a few of them to me. They looked much the same, but speak a slightly different tongue. There are less than 10,000 of them, living in Tikatuli locality. Most of them are businessmen and have small shops.

Khwaja Atique Alam’s living room is old world grandeur… chandeliers, Itradans and mirrors of all types and makes, a truly Nawabi ambience. Atique’s ancestors migrated from Kashmir during the reign of lesser-Moguls. While many settled in the Kashmiri Tola, Atique’s great-grandfather Khwaja Allimullah settled at the celebrated Ahsan Manzil. One of his great-grandfathers, Nawab Salimullah was co-founder of Muslim League in pre-Independence India. Please click the link below for the article in its entierity-

 

http://www.thesundayindian.com/08022009/storyd.asp?sid=6554&pageno=1

Family Tree Updates

Hello, 

Please correct the “Family Tree” of Nawab Khawaja Yousuf Jan, who also a had a daughter named Nuran Nesa Khanam (Nuran Bibi). Please write to me with your phone number and I will contact with you.

Best regards

Shakil Syed (asha-hoffnung@web.de)  Phone  0049/911/3408717

Nuremberg ,Germany

Nawab Family properties among others listed as heritage sites: Gazette notification soon to conserve

The Daily Star

2009-02-05

The government is all set to publish a gazette notification within next week to urgently conserve around one hundred buildings and sites that are parts of the country’s national heritage in the capital.

Buildings to be included in the gazette notification in old Dhaka are: Gol Talab (pond),  Nawab Bari Mosque (close to Rajuk Bhaban),  Ahsan Manjil,  Weiz House (Weisghat), Madhur Canteen, Sir Salimullah Muslim Hall at DU.

 

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), to this effect, sent the gazette notification on Tuesday to the government press for publication, sources said. 

Once the gazette is published no enlisted heritage property can be demolished, reconstructed, altered, and modified in the name of development without approval of the government’s Nagar Unnyan Committee (NUC).
Dhaka Metropolitan Building Rules of 2008 requires approval of the special committee to implement any sort of land development and construction within 250-metre radius of a listed heritage site.

The authorities are thinking of introducing Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) to compensate the private owners affected due to his property being enlisted as heritage property, he said. 

A person may still retain the heritage property under his or her ownership but will not be able to develop or alter it.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=74498