Bangladesh has numerous historical temples reflecting the country’s rich cultural heritage. Among the most prominent is the Kantajew Temple in Dinajpur, renowned for its magnificent terracotta architecture. Kantajew Temple is also known as Kantaji Temple or Kantanagar Temple. Constructed in the 18th century, this Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna is one of the country’s finest examples of art. Location of Kantajew Temple This temple is situated at Kantanagar village in Kaharole upazila of Dinajpur district, approximately 20 kilometres from the main town in northern Bangladesh. The name derives from "Kantaji," a form of the Hindu god Kanta or Krishna. This 18th-century temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and his wife, Rukmini. Maharaja Prannath began the temple's construction in 1704, and it was completed by his son, Maharaja Ramnath, in 1752. Kantajew Temple is especially revered by Krishna devotees in Bengal. Read more: Top 10 Historic Places, Landmarks in Dhaka How to Visit Kantaji Temple from Dhaka From Dhaka to Dinajpur  By Air  Flying is the quickest way to reach Dinajpur. Daily flights operate between Dhaka and Sayedpur, the nearest airport, about 60 kilometres from Dinajpur. You can hire a car from Sayedpur or take a local bus to Dinajpur town, which takes approximately an hour. Airfare typically ranges between 2,800 and 9,500 BDT, depending on the airline and booking time. By Train  If you prefer a more scenic and affordable option, taking a train from Dhaka to Dinajpur is a great choice. Trains are available and the journey times range from 7 to 9 hours. Tickets are available from 575 BDT for a non-AC seat and can go up to 1,978 BDT for AC berths.  By Bus  For budget travellers, buses are the most economical option. Direct buses leave from Dhaka’s bus terminals heading to Dinajpur, with the journey taking around 10 hours. The ticket price ranges between 800 and 1,500 BDT, depending on the bus type.  Read more: Buddha Dhatu Jadi: The sacred tourist spot and its trouble From Dinajpur to Kantajew Temple After reaching Dinajpur town, travelling to Kantajew Temple is straightforward. You can hire a local CNG (auto-rickshaw), a private car, or even a rickshaw to cover the 20-kilometer journey. It will typically take about 30 to 40 minutes. The roads are fairly well-maintained, and the ride gives you a chance to enjoy views of rural Bangladeshi life. Construction and Architecture Kantajew Temple is an iconic example of terracotta architecture in Bangladesh. Originally constructed in the navaratna (nine-spired) style, the spires were destroyed by an earthquake in 1897, leaving the base of the temple intact. The temple’s design features four-centred, wide multi-cusped arches, semi-octagonal mihirabs, and intricate rectangular and square panelling. Its plastered walls are adorned with ornamental turrets and the domes, once bulbous and majestic, sat on octagonal drums with lotus and kalasa finials. The temple's exterior is covered with terracotta panels, depicting mythological and everyday scenes, skillfully crafted by local artisans from Krisnanagar. Read more: Day Trips from Dhaka: 5 Affordable Tourist Spots near Dhaka Notable murals show Krishna plucking coconuts, Radha-Krishna dancing on an elephant, and charming Bengali wedding scenes. These portrayals blend deities with familiar social scenes, offering a glimpse of 18th-century rural Bengal. The Persian-inspired muqarnas work in stucco inside the half-domes over the entrance arches and mihirab niches further highlights the temple’s blend of cultural and architectural elements. 

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid on Friday said that the tradition of palm leaf scroll painting and etching can be included as UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh’s National Museum will send proposals in this regard to the global organisation.  “Painting and writing on palm leaves is a unique artistic craft and is the first of its kind in Bangladesh. The renowned Bangladeshi artist Afrozaa Jamil Konka — the second daughter of the valiant hero Shaheed Col Jamil who sacrificed his life to save the Father of the Nation and his family — has decorated and designed the palm leaf scrolls based on the long poem 'Bangalir Porichoy Kabbo' by the France-based Bengali playwright Choyon Khairul Habib, symbolizing the various chapters of Bangabandhu's revolutionary life and the historical episodes of the nation. We will send an official proposal to UNESCO for including this procedure as part of its Intangible Cultural Heritage,” the state minister said. The state minister shared his remarks as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of an exclusive exhibition based on the unique project titled “Bangalir Porichoy Kabbo”, an epic verse engraved on ‘Taal Patar Puthi’ (manuscript on palm leaves) at the Nalini Kanta Bhattashali Gallery of the National Museum, Shahbagh in the capital. Bangladesh National Museum Director General Md Kamruzzaman, eminent artist Prof Hashem Khan, and Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Arts Dean Prof Nisar Hossain spoke as special guests while the welcome remarks were shared by Choyon Khairul Habib and artist Afrozaa Jamil Konka. “We all know that the palm leaf has multiple uses and the hand fans made with the leaves have been our lifelong companions before the availability of electric fans. The palm leaf scroll which we call ‘Puthi’ in Bengali, has been a great heritage element in our culture and my gratitude goes to Habib for such a wonderful poem on Bangabandhu and Konka for her majestic artistry,” Khalid said.  The engraving artist for the project was Prashant Maharana, a craftsman from the state of Odisha, India. The state minister conveyed his heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Shaheed Colonel Jamil Foundation for taking this great initiative. Choyon Khairul Habib, poet-playwright and the author of “Bangalir Porichoy Kabbo” shared the background story of this epic poem-turned-puthi, saying: “I have highlighted the history of Bangladesh, the evolution of the Bengali community and the nationality alongside the symbolic narrative of Bangabandhu in this poem.” “Since I started writing ‘Bangalir Porichoy Kabbo’, the incentive to preserve the work with palm leaf puthi was in my plan, and the very first person I thought of regarding the illustration was none other than Afrozaa Jamil Konka due to her connection to Bangabandhu through her great patriot father, Shaheed Colonel Jamil, and I can proudly say she did justice to the project.”

The activities carried out under ‘Our Shared Cultural Heritage’ (OSCH), a youth-led programme by the British Council, has been showcased in Rajshahi. The activities were showcased on July 28 and 29. This project has been designed to connect young people and inspire them to work with cultural heritages through organising a series of trainings and activities. 31 young people from different institutions have been working with cultural heritages since 2021 under this project. Read: International art exhibition held in Kathmandu paying tribute to Sultan It is to connect the heritages to the youth as well as to the wider audience so that people can understand and work on our heritages. On 28 July, a programme was held at Varendra Research Museum, the research partner of this project. Robert Chatterton Dickson, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, was present at the programme with Tom Miscioscia, Director Bangladesh, the British Council and other guests in attendance.

ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB) has organised a festival to celebrate the resilience of communities of Bangladesh and the country’s glorious heritage, culture, and traditions. The festival titled ‘Festival of Resilience: People, Planet and Possibilities’ will take place on Thursday and Friday at the Dhaka’s ‘NCC’ (Naveed’s Comedy Club) in Gulshan 2, said a press release. Centering on the strength of Bangladesh’s people to strive and rise against all odds, the festival aims to encourage celebration and participation among communities in recognition of their stories of resilience. For decades, people of Bangladesh have faced countless challenges, such as, climate and human-induced disasters, inequalities, economic instability, refugee crisis and pandemic. But every time, the mass bounced back with the power of resilience and survived with a renewed vigor. Very recent example would be the last two years, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the collective effort of the people of this country helped communities to stay hopeful and agile, despite all the uncertainties and despair, it said. Also Read: International NGO Job Circular : Jobs in ActionAid in multiple positions Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh said the organisation is organising such a festival because people's innate quality and resilience are worth to be celebrated, said the release. “The knack for survival through endurance and surpassing beyond obstacles is what makes us, as a nation, unique and commendable.” “Through this two-days long event, we are going to promote the diversity of the country’s culture, an attempt to learn the grassroots’ resilience mechanisms, explore opportunities for potential partnerships and highlight the work of ActionAid Bangladesh for building resilience to increase awareness,” She added. There will be exciting games, live story-telling sessions and different stalls as well, where different handicraft, boutique and food items can be purchased. On-site registration will be available on both days of the festival.  Exhibition (Photo, Arts, crafts, audiovisuals, etc.) and stalls of Aaurhi Trust, Barir Jeenish-Happy Home, Cox’s Bazar Rohingya Response will remain open from 03:00 to 06:00 PM on Thursday, and 03:00 to 08:00 PM on Friday.  

Baro Sardar Bari, one of the most significant heritage sites in Sonargaon, is a shining example of restoration of heritage site in Bangladesh in the truest sense, not just renovation, says architect and architectural conservation specialist Prof Dr Abu Sayeed Mostaque Ahmed. It is rare to get an entire one year or more purely to do research before the start of restoration work in Bangladesh. “I’m lucky as I was given the time to do required research first,” said Prof Sayeed, Project Director of the Baro Sardar Bari restoration. Also read: Jamdani brings Sonargaon in the limelight again South Korea-based global conglomerate Youngone Corporation restored Baro Sardar Bari in Sonargaon which is the first attempt to preserve a cultural heritage site in Bangladesh. “Kihak Sung had a dream to restore a building in Bangladesh and he chose Baro Sardar Bari after visiting many places across Bangladesh,” said the architect. Youngone Corporation Chairman and CEO Kihak Sung restored his own village home and he has a personal interest in restoration. Read Bangladesh’s first floating Mosque and the story of an Imam of Satkhira

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Brussels has virtually celebrated the Bangla New Year 1428 in advance with the participation of more than eight thousand Bengali and foreign guests from Europe and different corners of the world. Singer Nobonita Chowdhury performed songs from different regions and genres of the country in the event held on Monday, said the Embassy of Bangladesh in Brussels on Tuesday. She rendered songs including Rabindra, Nazrul and Lalon Sangeet, songs of Hasan Raja, Vijay Sarkar, and Bhawaiya, which showcased the richness of Bengali songs to the world. There was a narration in English by the singer on the theme and background of each song for foreign guests.

A cultural programme titled ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ was held on Monday to exchange the inland cultural diversity with participation of teachers from eight countries.

Thai Cultural Minister Itthiphol Kunplome on Friday announced that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has formally added traditional Thai massage to its intangible cultural heritage list, following the traditional Khon dance that had already been listed.

Beijing, Sept 11 (Xinhua/UNB) -- The seventh International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will be held in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, from Oct. 17 to 22.