Odommo Chattagram
<i>A glance into Ctg history</i>
The endless quipping of 50 or so inquisitive minds reverberated though the Chittagong MA Aziz Gymnasium yesterday where “Chirayato Chattagram Prodarshani” (Eternal Chittagong Exhibition) was being held.
The rows of photographs and artefacts, being showcased as part of the “Odommo Chattagram” festival of The Daily Star, were a constant source of amazement and wonder for these students of Sunshine School and College.
The glint in their eyes was prominent as the budding talents tried to establish a connection with the different historical periods -- prehistoric, pre-medieval Harikela, Sultanate's Chatigram-Chatigaon, from Mughal Chatgaon to Islamabad and Colonial Chittagong.
A class nine student, Shafia Rahman, residing in Bangladesh since her return from Canada at the age of 8, said the exhibition was an eye opener for her as she had rarely visited the historical sites of Chittagong.
“We visited many industries as part of our school's study tours but never any place of historic significance. Chittagong is our home city and we must know more about it to learn our roots,” she said.
Of the displays, she liked the grandeur of the gateway to “Badr Auliya”, the oldest masonry building in Anderkilla area of the city. The shrine embodies the architectural excellence of the Sultan era (1206-1526).
She also expressed her interest in the tomb of Mullah Miskin Masjid of the Mughal period and the Akara coins of the 8th century.
Her classmate, Farhad Al Mahmud, who returned from Saudi Arabia two years ago, said he was all too excited to be there to witness what his hometown had kept in store for hundreds of years.
The pictures which caught his attention include those of the rare and huge turtles at the Shrine of Bayazid Bostami and the footprint thought to be of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) at Kadam Mubarak Mosque in the city.
One student, Abdullah Al Hasan, studying in class five, expressed his eagerness to visit the Chittagong War Cemetery. Pictures depict the evergreen cemetery with its bonze plaques marking the final resting place of 775 men who died in World War II.
His classmate, Afnan Kabir, likes the pictures of Bagh Hamza Tomb while his friend Ismamul Hoque was moved by the glowing interiors of Fakir Masjid, which was recently renovated.
A student of class three, Mofajjel Hossain, jumped up when he came before photos of Zia Museum at Chittagong Circuit House premises. “I have been there and I saw the belongings of that man,” he said, pointing a finger at an image of Ziaur Rahman.
Both the parents and the teachers of the children expressed their plans to take the children to the places presented in the pictures and through the artefacts.
The exhibition began on March 30 and ends today. It will remain open for all from 10:00am to 9:00pm.
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