Ulipur Munshibari

Munshibari was an ancestral property located in Dharanibari Union, Ulipur sub-district of Kurigram. Bonowari Munshi who was the surveyor of the Nawab established it. It is said Nawab and Bonowari had come here for hunting expendition, when Bonowari Munshi was amazed by seeing a frog eating a snake there. Consequently, he asked the place from Nawab for himself.  

Only 2 km away from Ulipur Bazar, the huge buildings of Munshibari stand on a 39 acre plot of land. As he was childless, he adopted a son, named him Binod Lal. He was too childless and adopted a son.

This Munshibari of outstanding architecture was created in the 18th century under the direction of Shri Brajendra Lal Munshi, Binodi Lal's foster son. The domed architecture property has bedrooms, dining hall, kitchen, drawing room, rest room and guesthouse. At the rear of the main house there is a Shiva temple, open swing stage, Tulsi Bedi, Nath temple, Durga temple and baths with wells. Apart from this, beside the main gate, there are jackfruit trees and pond ghats.

After the death of Krishnanath Nandi, the 7th zamindar of Kashim Bazar, a Munsef or Munshi named Binodi Lal worked as an accountant for his wife Maharani Swarnamoyi Devi. Binodi Lal Munshi is believed to have seen a frog grabbed and eaten by a snake while hunting one day. People used to believe that if you built a house in a location where frogs caught and ate snakes, you would become wealthy. So, with Maharani Swarnamoyi's consent, Binodi Lal erected a residence here.

When Munsilal's ancestors relocated to Kolkata during the liberation war in 1971, ownership of the house shifted multiple times. Ulipur Munsibari is currently registered as a conserved antiquity under the supervision of Bangladesh's Directorate of Archeology. Dharnipur Union Land Office is housed in two rooms of the main edifice. In addition, puja is performed everyday at Munsibari's Govinda Mandir.

How to go & Where to stay:

By road, Kurigram can be reached by buses from Dhaka's Asadgate, Kallyanpur or Gabtali. Again, you can go directly to Kurigram by Kurigram Express train from Kamalapur railway station. After reaching Kurigram city, you can take easy bike or CNG to reach Munshibari of Dharanibari Union of Ulipur Upazila.

There are several residential hotels of different quality near Ghoshpara and Central Bus Terminal in Kurigram city. You can stay on any of them if you wish.