Kuakata
A rare scenic beauty spot on the southern most tip of Bangladesh in the
district of Patuakhali. It has a wide sandy beach from where one can get the unique
opportunity of seeing both the sunrise and sunsetting. It is located at a distance of 70
km. from the district headquarters of Patuakhali. Accessible by road, by air to Barisal
and then by road, by river vessel. Mainamati
An isolated low, dimpled range of hills, dotted -with more than 50 ancient
Buddhist settlements of the 8th to 12th century A.D. known as Mainamati-Laimai range are
extended through the centre of the district of Comilla.
Salban Vihara, almost in the middle of the
Mainarnati-Lalmai hill range consists of 115 cells, built around a spacious courtyard with
cruciform temple in the centre facing its only gateway complex to the north resembling
that of the Paharpur Monastery.
Kotila Mura situated on a flatened hillock, about 5 km
north of Salban Vihara inside the Comilla Cantonment are is picturesque Buddhist
establishment. Here three stupas are found side by side representing the Buddhist
"Trinity" or three jewels i.e. the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Charpatra Mura is an isolated small oblong shrinesituated
about 2.5 krn. north-west of kotila Mura stupas. The only approach to the shrine is from
the East through a gateway which leads to a spacious hall.
The Mainamati site Museum has a rich and varied
collection of copper plates, gold and silver coins and 86 bronze objects. Over 150 bronze
statues have been recovered mostly from the monastic cells, bronze stupas, stone
sculptures and hundreds of terracotta plaques each measuring on an average of 9" high
and 8" to 12" wide. Mairiamati is only 114 km. from Dhaka City and is just a
day's trip by road on way to Chittagong. |
