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Colourful Cultural Reflections of Dhaka and Delhi

Monday, 21 November 2011 03:00

By Srimal Fernando

Dhaka and Delhi reflects the flavors of the region. The cities are among the most vibrant and dynamic capitals in whole of South Asia.These are the lands of history filled with memory of many told and untold events. For centuries Delhi, the capital state of India and Dhaka the capital of neighboring Bangladesh earned its reputation for being at the crossroads of many cultures. The culture of both these towns possesses a rich history dating back to Mughal era. In Dhaka and Delhi many people belonging to different ethnic groups with different cultures, languages and beliefs have long lived together in peace and harmony. These two cities had produced some of the most influential legendary writers and thinkers and artists. Most eminent personality that has had a tremendous influence and belonged to both these places was Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The poems Vandey Mataram and the two national anthems “Amar Shonar Bangla” for Bangladesh and “Jana Gana Mana for India composed by him had a incredible inspiring impact on the people of the Indian sub-continent even 150 years after his birth. Every year millions of tourists prefer to visit these two major cities in the Indian sub-continent to marvel at its exquisite landmarks and beauty, taste and its exceptional cuisine and indulge in its famous shopping and for its unique fashion styles.

As the most populous city of Bangladesh, Dhaka has a vibrant cultural life crowded with a   legacy of a rich cultural past .There is no end to the breath-taking sites visitors can see in Dhaka. The city is also blessed with countless mosques, several temples and monuments which are symbols of this great city’s culture. The 17^th centaury Seven Domed Mosque, Chawk-bazaar Mosque and the Husaeni Dalan Mosque with towering minarets are some of the well-known mosques present in the city. There are many exotic places-of-interest in Dhaka. Of those  the most popular is Lalbagh Fort built in 1678 by the son of Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb and the Shahid Minar  the Symbol of Bengali nationalism .The city is also known as the Rickshaw capital of the world, where low-cost and non-polluting cycle rickshaws  are one of  the major modes of  transportation for  thousands of people in City.

Delhi is one of the busiest cities in the Indian sub-continent that is undergoing rapid development where modern buildings are rising besides the 19th century buildings.  Array of giant cranes show the development fever in the city. Delhi possesses an enormous cultural richness which it owes, not only to its history but also to its formidable heritage. Among its highest-esteemed attractions in the capital is the17th century Red Fort complex constructed in 1639 by Emperor Shahjahan. Humayun’s Tomb, the mausoleum of Mughal emperor Humayun built according to Mughal architecture in 1565 is one of the most recognizable and the best-known monuments in the city that attracts thousands of visitors every day. The 42-metre tall India Gate a hexagon complex a national monument of India,the 238 ft Qutub Minar built according  to Indo–Islamic architecture on  the ruins of the Red Citadel known as Lal Kot ,Raj Ghat the  place where Mahatma  Gandhi  was cremated and the National Museum are some of the  prominent land marks in the city. The two cities are well-known for its wide variety of exquisite handicrafts and for colorful souvenirs. Delhiites and Bengali’s of Dhaka    are known for their love for theatre, films, music and dances.