The Panam City is known as “The Lost City” located about 37 km south of the capital city Dhaka. It is a fully abandoned city of the Hindu merchants in Bangladesh built in early nineteenth century. It is a famous tourist attraction in Bangladesh.
THE RISE OF PANAM CITY
Panam,previously known as “Painam”,a locality in Sonargaon,is said to have been the site of the Hindu capital city in Sonargaon in the late thirteen century.
After conquering Sonargaon, the Mughal attached Panam Nagar with the capital through the bridges and highways.
In the 19th century at the time of colonial rule this city bacame a trade center for muslin and othe cotton goods. As there were about 1400 family of weavers from different religions, eventually this city became a great trade center for the British East India Company.
At that time a group of wealthy Hindu merchants from Kolkata returned to their land in Sonargaon and started to build a small township at Panam. The existing buildings in Panam City were the residents of Hindu merchants. Panam City continued to flourish until the end of the Second World War.
FALL OF THE PANAM CITY
Panam city was renounced during Bengal divide in 1947. The city was discarded after the migration of the Hindus to India during Indo-Pak War.
BUILDINGS OF PANAM CITY
All the buildings of Panam City are congested and built in a 5 meters wide and 600 meters long street. There are 52 houses in the abandoned condition. The buildings are of different shapes and sizes.
However, there was a constant competition among the owner of the houses. They wanted to represent their self image through the glory of the houses. And so,each of the building has its own identity which enriches the beauty of Panam City more.
TYPES OF DIFFERENT BUILDINGS
The buildings of Panam City can be divided into 4 different types :
Compartment
There are some single compartment houses but they have maintaned a formal balance among them. These buildings have single compartments.
Central Hall
The central hall is highly decorated and the center of this type of houses which is located in the first floor. These express the wealth of the owner.
Central Compound
Some traditional rural houses contain central compound. This compound is surrounded by the wall and open to the sky.
Contracted Type
Most of the buildings of Panam City belong to this type. This type of buildings are designed with either an entrance or a veranda or high pedestal.
MANUFACTURING OF PANAM CITY
Bricks,the main material that were used to construct the buildings of Panam City. Different shapes were given by bricks.
Plaster decoration has been used in interior decoration. Mosaic decoration with broken china was the main attraction then. It enriched the beauty of the interior. False wooden doors and windows were applied commonly in every building.
PRESENT CONDITION OF PANAM CITY
The archeological department declared Panam City as a protected heritage site in 2009. From then the buildings and the city were freed by Bangladesh Government. A new has been constructed so that the residents of that area can use the Panam street.
Panam city is now a famous tourist spot. It is open of the visitors six days a week by paying an entry fee.
It is said that history has its own signature. The Panam City is a signature of the wonderful history of bengal.
Bengal Elegance 