An age-old artwork of a Dhaka heritage

Illustration: Ashif Ahmed Rudro; Artwork: Sir Charles D'Oyly (1823)/Wikimedia Commons

When Sir Charles D'Oyly worked as a civil servant in Dhaka during the British colonial era, he also portrayed our city as an amateur artist through several drawings, paintings, etc. One such work of art depicts the grand Mughal landmark known as Boro Katra, built in the 17th century. 

Once upon a time, it was a caravanserai, a traveller's inn of sorts. The building is still in Old Dhaka today, but it has suffered encroachments and demolishment activities. In fact, a part of Boro Katra was demolished recently.

This artwork, from the year 1823, gives a rare glimpse of Boro Katra. The portrayal by D'Oyly is beautiful and serene: a palanquin passing by, a man on an elephant, and so on. Behind all that, an imposing edifice -- the Boro Katra -- rises up. 

It is one of the visuals featured in a set of folios called Antiquities of Dacca, published in the 19th century, where the title of this image is "The Great Kuttra" and it is described as "a stupendous pile of grand and beautiful architecture".