Dhaka II

My Uber drove me to Dhakeshwari National Temple, one of the few prominent Hindu temples in Dhaka. I was immediately greeted by familiar faces including Ganesha and Durga. It was really amazing to see such large and ornate statues. The inside was also very clean and peaceful, a perfect oasis amidst the chaos of Dhaka. The temple colors and shapes were very photogenic.

From the Hindu temple, I walked to Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque where I met a kind Muslim man who seemed so happy to have met a foreigner. The mosque here was old and surrounded by residential buildings yet it still maintained a certain level of tranquility as well.

Traveling from one place to another in Dhaka was quite an experience in itself. My senses were constantly bombarded by the smell of garbage and exotic perfumes, spices and food. The sounds of horns blaring from cars and the cycle rickshaws, the constant chatter and shouts of people all around. The never-ending waves of crowds that I had to push through and the piercing stares of everyone who ever caught a glimpse of me. It was a mental and physical battle all at once and it took a lot from me just to go a few meters.

Eventually, I reached Lalbagh Fort, one of Dhaka's prized jewels. A beautiful place with an expansive landscape. Another brief respite from the city, and a very welcome one at that. Walking around and taking photos of the ruins juxtaposed against the modern structures was very fun as well. Many people here were also curious and friendly enough to say the usual "Hello" and "How are you."

I left to find Chawkbazar Shahi Jame Masjid next. This was a mosque tucked in a bazaar as the name suggests but honestly, I couldn't find it nor could I bring myself to explore to find it everything was just too overwhelming so I skipped it and went to Tara Masjid, the Star Mosque.

I particularly liked the wall of this mosque and its intricate engravings, it seemed like it was also prayer time so I dared not intrude on their space. I made my way to the Armenian Church which was something I didn't expect to find in Bangladesh but here it was. The kind caretaker opened the lock of the church and I made my way up to the rooftops to see Dhaka from a different angle. Not bad at all!

In search of Gol Talab, I ended up in another bazaar but this time I was able to snag a shot of a vendor and his rug store, really dope shot too. I asked for directions until someone approached me and told me to follow him. He led me to a dark alley, into some dark buildings but beyond that was Gol Talab, a man-made perfect circular pond. This was perfect because all I had to do was follow this route to end up in Ahsan Manzil Museum, the Pink Palace.

I definitely didn't expect to see such a magnificent building in Dhaka, the palace was huge and the interior also took a while to fully explore. The main highlight of course was the pink facade the building had.

Satisfied with the day, I went to Sadar Ghat to try and find food and perhaps try to visit Ruplal House. But a restaurant caught my eye: Buriganga Riverview Restaurant. That seemed like a good a place as any to grab some food as I was quite hesitant about getting street food.

I ordered some pineapple fried rice and vanilla ice cream for dessert. After eating, I called my Uber and spent a lot of time outside catching the golden hour and seeing the hundreds of boats crossing the river. Right outside, there seemed to be a flash rally happening as the elections were still underway in Bangladesh. My Uber had to swerve in and out but I was able to make it back to my hotel in time.

Ate some more dinner for the long journey ahead, another Uber to the train station to catch a sleeper train to Khulna. Unfortunately, Dhaka wasn't too kind to me as I was already feeling a bit of a sore throat by this time. Should have worn a mask.Read more