Seasonal Fruits in Brahmanpara Upazila | Cumilla

Local Market, Hat, Bazaar in Brahmanpara upazila under Cumilla district is full of seasonal fruits. Though there is dissatisfaction among the buyers about the prices. The seasonal change and turning has come in the nature. After a year, the Bangla month Joishtho which is the symbol of Mango, Jackfruit, Litchi and other seasonal fruits has come once again.

The summer season is also called month of honey in the country. At this time, various types of summer fruits can be seen all over the country. Like every year, various fruit markets of Brahmanpara upazila of Comilla district are flooded with summer seasonal fruits.

However, even though it is seasonal, the price of these fruits is also quite high. So there is dissatisfaction among the buyers about the prices. Fruit sellers are also admitting that prices are high. They said, this time we have to buy fruits from the wholesale market at a slightly higher price than last year. Due to which it is having an impact on the retail market.

In the Brahmanpara Sadar area, almost every market has summer seasonal fruit ceremonies. These fruits include litchi, jackfruit, mango, palm oil, pineapple etc. Besides, fruits like bel, melons and watermelons are also seen in the markets as the season is coming to an end. The aroma of these fruits is spreading in every market.

Among the summer seasonal fruits, litchi is currently at the top of the buyers' demand in the market. Besides, many people in the neighborhood are selling seasonal fruits in vans. Fruits are being sold at slightly lower prices from the markets in the mobile shops of the van. Sahebabad area, one of the fruit markets of the upazila, it is seen that the sellers are busy selling seasonal fruits. They are placing seasonal fruits in front of the main store, calling out to shoppers and trying to attract them.

Litchi is being sold more in the market. Besides, different varieties of mangoes including Himsagar and Lengra are also found in the fruit shops. However, even though litchi is fully mature, mango has just started coming to the market. Traders expect that most of the fruit market will be occupied by sweet and juicy mangoes soon.

At present the litchi is the most sold item in the market. Depending on the type, 100 litchis are being sold at BDT 250 to 300. This time the price is a bit higher than last time. But still buyers are buying litchi the most. Each store is selling more litchi than other fruits.

Besides, mangoes include Himsagar, Nakla and Langra. Himsagar is being sold at TK 80-90, Nakla at TK 70-80 and Lengra at TK 80-90.

Pineapples are being sold at TK 80-100 per hali / 4 pieces.

Taler Shash is being sold at TK 20 per piece.

The jackfruit is very expensive. Each piece is being sold for TK 200-250.

Watermelons are being sold for TK 300 to 500 per piece.

However, sellers say that prices will continue to fall as soon as more fruit arrives in the market. They said that the sales of mangoes had not yet picked up. However, litchi is now in full season. So the litchi business is booming. Besides, there are still watermelons in the market at the end of the season. Mango sales will freeze from next week.

A buyer who came to buy seasonal fruits, said, "I bought 100 litchis for TK 300." Although there are plenty of seasonal fruits in the market, the prices are high. So many family members will not able to eat these seasonal fruits even if they want to. The administration should monitor the market regularly. So that all classes of buyers can buy these seasonal fruits.

Besides, visiting different markets of the upazila, one can see various types of fruits. In this market, hilly jackfruits and pineapples from the border areas of India are sold in large quantities. Border traders are selling seasonal fruits like jackfruit, pineapple and banana on bicycles. In this regard, the general buyers said that if the administration does a little monitoring, people of all walks of life will be able to eat seasonal fruits at this time of the year.

 

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Comilla to be Developed as Tourism Hub

On the occasion of the golden jubilee of independence, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibor Rahman, an exhibition of photographs of the archeological sites of Comilla region has been inaugurated on 25 March. The Deputy Commissioner of Cumilla, Mohammad Kamrul Hasan inaugurated the exhibition.

Speaking as the chief guest, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamrul Hasan said, “I have had the opportunity to work in the Department of Archeology. I have traveled to many countries. Comilla was once the capital of education. Shalban Bihar was built at that time. Comilla will be developed as a hub of tourism. Whatever cooperation is required, I will work in consultation with the Minister”.

The deputy commissioner further said, "I have made a proposal to the minister." Dr. Akhtar Hamid Khan's House, Rani's cottage will be set up as a city museum and Sachin Dev Varman's house as a memorial museum in the city. Tickets will be introduced in both.

Special guests on the occasion were Shawkat Osman, Deputy Director, Local Government, Comilla; Mohammad Sadequzzaman, Former Chairman, Department of Archeology, Comilla University. The ceremony was presided over by the Regional Director of the Department of Archeology, Chittagong and Sylhet, Md. Ataur Rahman. UNO of Sadar Dakshin Comilla Shubhashis Ghosh, Custodian of Mainamati Museum and Shalban Bihar Hasibul Hasan Sumi and others were present on the occasion.

Some Famous Historical Tourist Spots in Cumilla:

• They are a series of hillocks, where the Northern part is called Moinamoti and the Southern part is called Lalmai.

• Shalbon Bihar is in the Middle of Lalmai and Moinamoti, which was established in the 8th century by the King Buddadev.

• Kotila Mura situated on a flattened hillock, about 5 km north of Shalban Vihara inside the Comilla Cantonment is a picturesque Buddhist establishment.

• Charpatra Mura is an isolated small oblong shrine situated about 2.5 km north-west of kotila Mura stupas.

• There is also a Moinamoti museum where one can find the historical things found in Lalmai & Moinamoti of the 7th & 8th centuries.

• Shalbon Bihar was the royal palace for the early Buddhist Students. Students from various places come here for their Meditation and Religious learning. It’s such a quiet place inside a barren forest.

• About 2 km North of Shalbon Bihar there is another monastery called Ananda Vihara or Anondo Bihar.

 

Thanks,

 

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Shalbon Bihar | Saloon Forest in Cumilla | Tourist Spot

Shalbon | Salon Forest in Cumilla | Tourist Attraction

As special tourism area can be built by taking some steps around Salon / Shalvan / Shalbon Forests of Comilla regions. Near the border area of Comilla there are three and one natural forest in Kotbari area.

If the facilities for tourists such as watch towers, benches, toilets and security system increase then these tourist spots will quickly become popular. People think that it is necessary to take initiative to protect biodiversity surrounding the natural Shalbon / Salon forest in the region.

• There are 138 acres of forest land in Jambari adjacent to Bangladesh-Indian border of Comilla Sadar upazila. Among them, natural forest is 27 acres.

• There are 587 acres of total forestland in the Rajeshpur area in Comilla Sadar South upazila, of which 306 acres of natural salon are included.

• There are 455 acres of forest area in Joshpur area under Sadar South upazila, of which 250 acres is natural.

• And the total forest area in the Kotbari area is around 500 acres, of which there are 15 acres of natural Salon forest.

Tourists / Visitors can enter the Rajeshpur forest bit though buying tickets. The green nature and birds will enthrall the visitors with the environment. But improvements of infrastructure and other facilities will increase the convenience of the visitors.

There are lots various known and not known birds in the border area of ​​the Jambari forest area. Here some visitors visit by their own initiative. The forest office and staff quarters are broken. Local people of Jambari are using these for cows and goats.

Each natural Shal tree in the natural salon supplies seven time oxygen compared to other trees. The natural salon has the importance of protecting the world's natural balance.

Some wild fruit trees should be preserved in order to preserve biodiversity. Besides, there is a need for bush for breeding animals. There are some rattan plants in Rajeshpur area. These should be spread in other forest areas. A well panning has become essential of the forest department to protect these areas.

Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, divisional forest officer of Comilla Social Forest Division, said, "We have a crisis of manpower. Yet, bit officers are on the alert to supervise the forests. In the meantime, there is a tremendous potential for the development of Comilla's forest area. If there is a project related to tourism, the government revenue revenues will increase.

Thanks,

Source: comillarkagoj.com

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Cast Images - History and Sculptures of Mainamati-Lalmai - Part 2
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Laksham - Lalmai Dual Gauge Railway Track is Ready

Between the Dhaka – Chattogram rail route, in the highly-anticipated Laksam-Lalmai section, a trial run on the newly built dual gauge rail line has been completed. The trial run has been done by Light locomotive-2712 and Max's gang car. This portion inside Cumilla district from Lalmai to Laksam is now fully ready and equipped for train movement.

At the same time, the reform of the old railway track and the transformation into Dual gauge will start very soon. This will be the entrance of the Eastern railway route of the country into a new era. Due to the introduction of this rail line, the speed of the train will increase on the Dhaka-Chittagong and Chittagong - Sylhet routes which will save travelling time.

Railway sources said that the construction of the Dual Gauge railway line in the east of the railway is estimated to cost BD Taka 6,504 crore. In the year 2014, a project to constructing a 72-kilometer double railway line from Akhaura Brahmanbaria to Laksham Cumilla was taken. After the project was amended, it was planned to build a double line from Akhaura to Laksham as well as to dual gauge.

At the same time, a project has been taken to convert the existing 320 Kilometer long meter gauge railway track from Dhaka to Chittagong into Dual Gauge. In the existing track one is completely new and the other one exists which is meter gauge will be converted into dual gauge.

The distance between Akhaura to Laksham is 72 kilometers. Total rail line has been constructed which is a double line track has total length of 144 kilometers. Besides, another 40 kilometer dual gauge rail track has been constructed as the loop and sidings line. In total, dual gauge rail line of 184 kilometers has been constructed.

Based on the information’s provided by the official’s of Railway Eastern part of the country; the trial run was given on Laksam to Lalmai Cumilla dual gauge line recently. This section is now suitable for train movement. Some finishing work has to be done which will be completed soon.

Thanks,

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Cassava Cultivation in Lalmai Cumilla

Cassava is a root vegetable which is similar to sweet potatoes. It is a tuber crop like potatoes and yams. The Latin name of cassava is Manihot Esculenta. It is the underground part of the cassava shrub. People can also eat the leaves of the cassava plant. Cassava is grown in most agro-ecological zones of Ghana and it is a major staple in West Africa. Cassava is the raw material for some industrial products.

The economy of Lalmai region under Cumilla district can change for Cassava. Comilla Sadar South Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohiuddin Majumder said, Cassava which is also known as ‘Wood Potato (Kath Alu)’ is good yield on Lalmai hills. He also said that he will talk to the senior authorities about how to help the local farmers in the agricultural sector to produce more Cassava in this hilly region.

The Cassava plant has been cultivated for many years in the hills of Lalmai region. The economy of Lalmai Hills area can be changed due to cultivation of cassava. Now to develop this production the public and non-governmental integrated enterprises need to work together.

According to the information from Agriculture Department, 6 to 7 tons of cassava can be produce from every acre of land. Cassava can be used to prepare glucose, barley, suji, bread, noodles, crackers, cakes, breads, biscuits, papor, chips and other varieties food items. In addition, starch made from cassava is also used in the textile and pharmaceutical industry. Organic fertilizers are made with leaves and the rest of the leaves of Cassava plant.

Cosmetic Starch is required 0.3 million tons per year in the garment industry, pharmaceutical industry and food processing industry in Bangladesh. But presently in the country the total production of Cassava is only 5 to 6 thousand tons a year. The rest are imported from different countries including India, Thailand and Vietnam and other countries.

This is the season of Cassava. So, farmers are busy on harvesting in different areas including Kotbari, Salmanpur, Jammura, Hajir Khamar and Lalmai area. Cassava is coming out of red soil in the hands of the farmer. After being cleaned, these Cassavas lift up on the truck. The roots of the plants are transformed into Cassava.

A farmer from Lalmai said that he used to cultivate other vegetables before. Due to varieties diseases, the crop was less. Now he is cultivating cassava because the disease is less. Less fertilizer and irrigation takes less capitalization.

One of the farmers of the village Jammura of Sadar upazila of Lalmai Hill said that he has been cultivating Cassava for last 13 years. He said that his family had cultivated this crop for a few decades till now. He has cultivated cassava in 50 acres of land. It costs BD taka 25 thousand per acre. If you get good yield, then Cassava on every acre can sell BD Taka 30 thousand.

In our country, the indigenous people of Garo Hills, Haluaghat, Madhupur in the greater Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sylhet, Lalmai Hills in Cumilla and Chittagong Hill Tracts cultivate small quantities of Cassava locally. Some Private Company of the country collects these cassavas as raw materials for different industrial use.

Lalmai hills are very ideal for harvesting Cassava. At present there are only few buyers of Cassava in the country. Some private companies collect this crop. They have to satisfy with the price they pay. Farmers will get good profits after expansion of marketing of agriculture department.

The economy of the mountain area in Lalmai zone can change due to Cassava cultivation. If the Agriculture department of the government takes some initiatives and helps the local farmers then it will save lots of money for the country.

Related:

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History and Sculptures in Mainamati Lalmai Comilla | Part 3

Whereas stone and bronze were both used for representing icons, thus cult images, terracotta has been a medium with a wider range of uses. The production of stone and bronze images required importing the material from neighboring countries, but the soil of Bengal has always been an inexhaustible source of earth used for the construction and ornamentation of monuments till the most recent period, and for the representation of deities, as it is still the case today in the Brahmanical society.

Terracotta remained used in the following centuries for representing deities, as seen with the image of the Sun-god that was discovered at Mahasthangarh, dating probably from the 6th century, or with a perhaps slightly later head (image - 1). The smooth dress outlines the elegant lines of the body and the softness of the volume; its plainness, moreover, is balanced by the detailed carving of details, such as the typically Gupta row of large beads around the neck, the curls of the hair falling on both shoulders, the beaded belt to which the sheath of the sword is hanging, the folds of the shawl which fall on either side in vertical and slightly undulating lines.

Image - 1:

It is likely that at Mahasthangarh, like at Mainamati, the production of terracotta’s must have extended on a long period; some of the images found at Nangalkot, in the vicinity of Mahasthan, reflect the facial features of the Gupta style with thick sensual lips, the large eyes with heavy lids sloping towards the temples, the round face surmounted by curly hair whereas other ones reflect a much more simplified version with wide open and bulging eyes, flat lips, hard lines. At the moment, it is rather difficult to decide whether this rendering reflects a contemporary but poorer tendency, perhaps produced by less qualified artists, or a later (or earlier!) development.

The Ramayana reliefs collected at Palashbari, also in the vicinity of Mahasthan, constitute an example of the unsurpassed achievement reached by Bengali artists in the course of the 6th & 7th centuries (image - 2). Those panels form a sequence of independent scenes, all characterized by a harmonious composition where the characters are depicted in high relief if not practically freed from the back, and arising out of the inner space to hide partly the frame surrounding the panel. They show a large variety of movements and convey with strength their feelings through numerous facial expressions and their wide open eyes.

Image - 2:

The Ramayana panels were certainly distributed in rows on the outer walls of a brick temple, a tradition which was going to be preserved in the following centuries. Major Buddhist sites have indeed yielded such series of square panels, at times still found in situ. Be it at Mainamati in the 7th century, Paharpur in the 8th century, or Jagjivanpur in the 9th century.

All panels show a broad frame around the central recess out of which the images emerge, partly covering the frame. Most plaques from Mainamati and Mahasthangarh (image - 3) retain the vivacity, the energy and the elegance of the Gupta period, which elegantly merge into the iconography topics to be depicted: semi-divine beings are seen flying, warriors are depicted rushing, animals, real or fantastic are shown in various activities.

Image - 3:

The images are carved in very deep relief, which introduces an organic interaction of dark zones framing the main character whose presence is even more stressed through the fact that he completely covers the space of the panel. The volumes are full, the lines nervous but elegant. It is precisely this rendering of the movement which ties all the panels together: the warriors form an army, all rushing and in a threatening mood, the animals reflect the world of the nature within which semi-divine characters emerge.

On the contrary, later plaques, such as those at Paharpur, show more flatness; the characters or animals usually remain within the limits of the frame; the lines are harder, the facial features simplified. What comes through at Paharpur, is the tendency to present the characters as individual icons and no more as part of a large iconography program; and true, beside the topics already noticed at Mainamati and which are here repeated (warriors, animals, semi-divine beings), images of deities and of human characters are observed.

Image - 4:

These are shown in a frontal view, or slightly profiled, leading the way to the panels of Jagjivanpur (image - 4). Beside the fact that the iconography program is practically identical to the ones encountered in earlier sites, the terracotta’s of this 9th century, site breathe an extraordinary presence; the figures are tall, covering – like at Mainamati – the frame of the panels; the warriors and the musicians are profiled and are usually seen running, full of energy whereas those seen in frontal view and seated peacefully depict Bodhisattvas. Although the images do not betray any more the plasticity of the surface noticed at Mainamati, the relative flatness of the carving is balanced by the fluid movement of the outlines.

source: PDF version of "The Sculpture of Bengal", a stylistic History from the 2nd c. BC till the 12th c. AD, Claudine Bautze-Picron, C.N.R.S., Paris

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History and Sculptures of Mainamati-Lalmai Range - Part 1
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Cast Images | History and Sculpture of Mainamati Lalmai Ridge Comilla | Part 2

The earliest cast images discovered on the Lalmai-Mainamati ridge and in the region under Comilla district, date back to the 7th and 8th centuries. Moreover, images from this part of the country were also recovered at Nalanda and Kurkihar, in Bihar, as well as in the island of Java, attesting thus of a very flourishing influence in the 8th & 9th century. Other isolated images were found in regions located eastward, in the Sylhet and the Indian Tripura districts, attesting thus that the Lalmai-Mainamati hills held a major position as cultural, i.e. political, religious and art-historical, center. Beside Mainamati, another large group of cast images was recovered at Jhewari.

These images betray a smooth rendering of the surface (image - 1): the body reflects a soft modeling, the movements are delicate and fluid; the face, unfortunately very often rubbed out, presents a tender, if not compassionate, smile and shows half-open eyes; without any fold being indicated, the dress clings to the body, underlining the shapes of the limbs. Locks of hair fall on the shoulders and the head-dress often presents a round shape. The divine image is elegantly outlined in front of a plain back-slab adorned with rows of pearls and flames running along its edge and bearing an umbrella, unfortunately often broken away, to which wide loops are attached.

Image-1:

The pedestal can be highly elaborated with lions prowling above elephants on either side of the drapery; in contrary to the back-slab, it is widely open. Variations can be of course noticed: images of the Buddha can sit in front of a back-slab which is open through with struts bearing open flowers – thus reminiscent of images encountered at Nalanda and in North Bengal; another variation shows that the lower part of the back-plate is open through, supporting a plain nimbus. On the whole, variations in the composition are numerous and testify to a rich creativity.

This tradition apparently culminated in the 9th or early 10th century. with the production of human-size cast images such as those recovered in the last fifteen years on the ridge (image - 2). Through its evanescent smile, the face simultaneously displays the feeling of compassion and manifests the experience of meditation in which the Bodhisattva is sunken. If the features are clearly drawn – incised lines follow the eye-brows or underline the thick lips, the eyes show the classical form of the lotus petal, the line of the forehead is horizontal, the lines are never hard but always smoothly and elegantly delineated.

Image-2:

The face preserves the roundness noticed in the smaller images, which evidently contributes to the impression of imminent presence of the Bodhisattva, making him accessible. Similarly, the perfect distribution of the volumes in the representation of Vajrasattva is intermingled with the slenderness of the limbs and the strength of the chest. Whereas some of the bronzes found at Jhewari, near Chittagong, clearly relate to the first group of images mentioned above, a number of images of the Buddha were most probably produced locally (image - 3).

Image-3:

They present a very large head covered by a cap of extremely tiny curls and the cranial protuberance tends to lose its particular shape. The heaviness of the limbs, the eyes – eventually widely open –, or the treatment of specific motifs, such as the lap of the dress on the left shoulder ending in a straight horizontal line, are features reminiscent of stone images like the one seen at Betagi. These features make the presence of the Buddha accessible, which is also evidenced in the stone images through other means: the central depiction arises out of the shrine; the plainness of the depiction is clearly in contrast with the extremely complicated, if not confused, iconography and ornamental carving around it. This presence to the world of the Buddha differentiates itself from the meditative mood and expression of compassion betrayed by the images from the Lalmai-Mainamati ridge.

Image-4:

Twelfth c. images cast in Southeast Bengal show a shift in the stylistic idiom and reflect similarities with images produced in North Bengal at the same period (image - 4). It shifts away from the earlier structure showing the lower part of the image supporting the deity cast in the round whereas the back-slab constituted a fully closed space behind the icon. Icons are cast in the round above a compact pedestal and stand in front of a back slab which is open and constituted by a broad plain band fringed with flames, each of them individually attached to the band; a lotus flower can eventually be open behind the head of the deity. The rich ornamentation which adorns the deities is balanced by the plain band of the back-slab; details are shown with utmost delicacy. This refined art reflects the divine power as an image of richness; the abundant jewellery practically acts as a dress.

source: "The Sculpture of Bengal", a stylistic History from the 2nd c. BC till the 12th c. AD, Claudine Bautze-Picron, C.N.R.S., Paris.

Thanks a lot for reading this post.

other related posts:

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History and Sculptures of Mainamati-Lalmai in Comilla - Part 3
Little History of SouthEast Bengal - Conquest and Culture Changes
A little about Comilla District

Bangladesh Census Report - 2011 for Comilla
Total 16 Upazilas under Comilla District
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