Rose Garden Palace in Dhaka city- Bangladesh
Looks like a wax palace when looked from far.
The Rose Garden Palace was built by a Hindu Zamindar Hrikesh Das in the late 19th century. Around that time jalsas (parties) held at Baldha Garden were an important part of the social life of the city’s wealthier Hindu residents. The story goes that Hrishikesh, a Zamindar of lower caste background, being insulted on this account by someone at one of the jalsas at Baldha Garden, decided to create his own garden to outshine that of Baldha. Here he staged jalsas of his own. The centrepiece of the garden is an elegant pavilion. However, this was not created as a residence, but rather a setting for entertainment such as musical performances (although subsequent owners did use it like a house). This extravagant lifestyle caused Hrikesh to go bankrupt and he was forced to sell the property.
The palace was bought by Khan Bahadur Kazi Abdur Rashid from Hrikesh in 1936 and renamed the building Rashid Manzil. His eldest son Kazi Mohammed Bashir (Humayun) who carried his name and fame until this generation.
The building, which remains a private property to date, has been renovated by its owners keeping the original character fully maintained. At present, it is owned by Qazi Abdur Raqib, Barrister, who has leased it out to the Bengal Motion Picture Studios Limited.
The building has Corinthian columns and has eight apartments including a central hall on its ground floor. The upper floor has a further five apartments including a large dance hall in the middle. In the front yard, there was a fountain originally, the structure of which still remains. There are several classical marble statues in the garden, although the rosegarden that gave the mansion its name does not exist anymore.
The lodge contains on the ground floor eight apartments including a central hall whilst the upper floor has a further five apartments including a large dance hall measuring in the middle. At the back of the building to the east, there is a veranda triple-arched entrance porch which leads to a staircase for the upper storey. Originally there was an ornamental fountain in the garden and a number of a classical marble statue.
