Bangladesh was a part of Bharat. Thus, it is apparent that Bharatiya culture is deeply ingrained in its social fabric. Bangladesh is the third-largest Hindu populated country in the world, after Bharat and Nepal. Hinduism is the second-largest religion in 61 of the 64 districts in Bangladesh. Therefore, numerous Hindu temples are all over Bangladesh. The most important and prominent amongst them is the Mandir of Dhakeshwari in Dhaka. Dhakeshwari is the Goddess of Dhaka, her Mandir in the city of Dhaka is the national Hindu temple of Bangladesh. It is one of the holiest Shakti Peethas.
Dhakeshwari (Durga) Mandir was built in the 12th century, 1100 A.D. by Ballal Sen, a king of the Sena dynasty. It is said that the city of Dhaka was named after the Goddess. The temple has been reconstructed many times after many destructions. It is considered a part of Dhaka’s cultural heritage.
Within the premises of Dhakeshwari, there are temples of two types of architecture. The ancient one is of Pancharatna, which lost its actual look after the renovation work.
Indeed, Bangladesh has a rich architectural heritage. Shaiva and Shakta are popular and many temples are dedicated to Goddesses Kali, Durga and other principal deities. Historians have grouped Hindu religious architecture of Bangladesh into three different periods – pre-Muslim (up to the end of 12th century AD.), Sultanate (14th to 16th centuries) and Hindu revivals (16th to 19th centuries). Temple architecture of Bangladesh is an interesting topic of study. However, little research and documentation of these structures have been done so far. It has been noticed that natives and citizens of Bangladesh are also not aware of the treasure that they possess. Though Dhakeshwari Mandir has lost its originality, the traces of original style may lead to important conclusions.
