TANGENTSBy Ihtisham Kabir

Panam <i>Nagar </i>

25 November 2011, 18:00 PM

Triple-arched entrance at Panam. Photo: Ihtisham Kabir

On a cool autumn morning, I decide to visit the century-old urban settlement of Panam Nagar. This is my third trip here. Its ghost-town atmosphere and collection of abandoned buildings make it a photographer's paradise. Panam was the luxurious habitat of rich Hindu businessmen of Dhaka and is located near Sonargaon, the ancient capital of Bengal. The area is 25km south of Dhaka off the Chittagong highway. About twenty minutes south of Kanchpur Bridge, a small blue sign on the left (“Department of Archaeology - Panam City”) points the way. I follow a narrow road through the countryside, sharing it with pedestrians and rickshaws. Before reaching Panam, however, I decide to make a stop. The Folk Art and Craft Museum is housed in Sardar Bari, an aristocratic home dating from 1901. It costs ten taka to enter (but seventy to park your car!) While the Museum contains interesting folk art, including terracotta objects, dolls, and a large palanquin, it is the building itself that charms. Its Raj style mixes British renaissance architecture with subcontinental elements. The enclosed courtyard, open from above, is surrounded by decorated columns. Its walls reach bravely skywards but, somewhere past the second floor, succumb abruptly to the ravages of time. Outside the building is a pond, its ghat guarded by two statues on horseback. A colourful array of restaurants, souvenir shops and chotpoti stands lines the road. A kilometre farther, I enter Panam Nagar. Abandoned buildings - many with shared walls - line the road, sadly majestic in their faded glory. Most facades have ornate columns and elaborate decorations (including the familiar triple-ached entrances) but plasters have often peeled revealing thin sun-dried bricks. Mundane activities were hidden away behind the buildings where canals once provided service access to the homes. Many backside ponds, showers and toilets are still in use. “You must be making a calendar!” The voice startles me as I am looking through the camera viewfinder. He introduces himself as Jalil. “Lots of calendar photographers this time of year,” he says, following me without my encouragement. I approach a building with shiny tiles made from colourful broken pieces. “Those are Japanese tiles,” Jalil says. Indeed, known as “chini-tikri” among architects, these “tiles” are assembled from pieces of decorative Japanese plates. During previous visits, I had climbed to the first floor of several buildings, but now everything seems closed off. Signs warning “Dangerous building - no trespassing” are posted on many buildings. Entryways have been boarded up with bricks or bamboo. Several buildings display litigation notices. This remarkable area has many places of historical interest, making it an excellent day trip from Dhaka. There are several Sultanate and Moghul structures - dating from Sonargaon's halcyon days - in Mograpara across the highway. Old temples dot the landscape. Following the village path behind Panam, you can explore the remains of several zamindar mansions. For photography, a wide-angle lens works better for the buildings; a tripod is also helpful. Bicyclists will enjoy riding the meandering village paths.