Mughal fort, pitchers used as heat repellents

Pitchers under the floor

Bangladeshi Archaeologists recently discovered 300 earthen pitchers meticulously lined up underneath the concrete slabs of the ground floor of Mughal Idrakpur fort (Durgo) in Munshiganj district on 12 May 2015. 

These pitchers were perhaps used as heat repellents to keep the rooms cool. The fort is a 300 years Mughal establishment in Bangladesh and one of the beautiful fort as well. Few teachers from Archaeology department of Jahangirnagar University have been visited the site. 

The archaeological department said that the pitchers are more than 170 years old. Excavation work related to the project has been stopped temporarily, to save the pitchers from damage. A large crowd had gathered near the fort area after hearing that the pitchers had been discovered. 

Pitchers used in the fort

Mahabub ul Alam, assistant director of the archaeological department, said renovation was started with the help of an expert committee, which includes historian Dr. Mumin Chowdhury, specialist Saiful Hasan Badol, and the deputy commissioner of Munshiganj, along with other archaeologists, to preserve the historic fort.

Archaeologists are giving speech about the discovery

The archaeologists said, “We think the floor was constructed using the pitchers, to keep the rooms cool. We have already informed the deputy commissioner to take steps to preserve the sanctity of the Mughal fort." Mir Jumla, the former Subedar of Bengal, had built the fort in 1660, during Aurangzeb's time. It was later used as the residence of the governor of the subdivision and was declared a heritage structure in 1909.

About Idrakpur Fort: More than 350 years old Mughal architecture situated in Munshiganj district. In 1660 AD Mir Jumla, the commander of Bengal built the fort on the west bank of the Ichhamati river. Ichamati's direction now has changed in the course of time.

But Dhaleshwari, Meghna, and Shitalakkhya rivers are still flowing between one and three kilometers of the fort. The fort is slightly smaller in the area than Hajiganj and Sonakanda fort of Narayanganj. 82 m * 72m Built in rectangular brick, this fort was built on the bank of the Ichhamati river during the Mughal period to protect the entire area including Dhaka and Narayanganj from the Magh pirates and the Portuguese invasion.

At the confluence of Ichhamati and Meghna, the fort was important for military reasons. It is believed that it was built during the reign of Mughal Subahdar of Mir Jumla of Bengal (1660 AD).

The high rectangular tower at the four corners of the wall surrounds the fort. The tower has a foam or holes so that the weapon can be fixed. Compared to a lesser range of fortifications, there is a circular large drum in the wall.

There is a way to reach the drum part from the open square. On the east side of the Fort, there is a 32.5 meters high circular altar. There are stairs to reach the 9.14 meters high altar.

The Fort is one of the four water wrecks that were built to protect Dhaka from outside enemies. Idrakpur Fort was declared as a 'protected archaeological heritage' in 1909 as a unique feature of Mughal architecture.