Rangpur -Hotel Information-

This time, I will tell Rangpur hotel information.
 
<Parjatan Motel>
Parjatan Motel has expansive grounds with grass and tree. (There are Mango tree, too)

Huge space for reception.
I found a mattress which is famous in Rangpur.

Room seems a little old.

Matress was too soft, water smelled a bit iron.... but it will be OK unless you look for fancy place.
My friend who stayed another room said he enjoyed room.
He prefers modern room to old room with atmosphere.

 

I had litchi from Dinajpur with me....and one told me to hang litchi to keep it good.
So, tried.

On the wall.

Litchi survived, good.
 
By the way....I came from Dinajpur and could get off just in front of Parjatan Motel.
You may need to wait for a while, but you can also get on bus in front of Motel's gate. Convenient.
 

Parjatan Motel

Address :  R.K. Road

TEL : 0521-63681

Budget : AC/2,500, NonAC/1,900

＜RDRS Guest House＞
This guest house run by NGO has good reputation.

 

 

Room is well mantained.

Not only room, but also conference room is available.
The organization works for the rural poor.
Guest will find some information about this NGO in lobby or corridor.

There is a showroom besides the guest room.
These are products rural people made with help of RDRS.

If you are interested, you can learn about the NGO and their activities.
However, be careful. 
Gate will be closed by 11pm.
Guest has to come back/check in before 11pm.
 
RDRS Guest House
Address : Jail Road, Radhaballv, Rangpur
TEL : 0521-62893,62767
E-mail : gh@rdsrangpur.org/gh.rdrs@gmail.com
Webpage : http://www.rdrsbangla.net/
Room Rate :Standard(W)-1,999, (S)1,499
Deluxe(W)-2,560, (S)2,090
Extra mattress- 604
<Hotel North View> 
The hotel is recently opened.
"5 star hotel in Rangpur" is a volunteer who lives there told me.

I couldn't take pictures of room because there was no empty room at that time.
So instead, view from balcony next to lobby.

Even though you don't stay there, restaurant can be nice for dinner.

 

 
Hotel North View
Address : Central Point, 97/1 Central Road, Paira Chattar, Rangpur
TEL : 0521-55405,6
E-mail : hotelnorthview@yahoo.com
Webpage：http://hotelnorthview.com/

＜Hotel Golden Tower＞
Japanese guidebook says entrance is difficult to find.
Yes, it was.
Good luck, I found......so let's take a look at a room.

 This room AC room for 2 people.

Thinking price and quality, it has balance.
I think it is good as a middle class hotel.

Hotel Golden Tower
Address : Heart of the town Station Road, Rangpur
TEL : 0521-65920,61169
Budget : AC/W -1,200, S-800 NonAC/W-500-600, S-250
<Hotel Royal>
The last one is budget guesthouse which is located along Station Rd.

 Room is.......as you see.

 Bathroom is maintained clearn.

What's important is it is super cheap.
If you only need place to sleep, it is one of your choices.

Hotel Royal
Address : 3/4th floor, Monshol Bhobon, Station Road, Rangpur
TEL : 0521-63699
Budget : W-200, S-100/150

Rangpur(1) -Satranjee Palli-

After Dinajpur, I moved to Rangpur.
It was about 2 hour journey by bus via Saidpur.
There are many buses going, so it isn't difficult to get one.(find bus with yellow flag!)

What is famous in Rangpur?
Carpet/mattress called Strangee.

So, let's check it out!
A factory is about 15 minutes from Rangpur city.
I was supposed to take auto from bus station near Parjatan Motel.
I went to bus station, asked
"How to go to Shapnapuri?" instead of "Satranjee".
Oh.....I should have realized when a staff said 72tk for the ticket.
It shouldn't cost that much.

Anyway I took wrong bus, rode almost 1 hour.
The bus ran in middle of nowhere.......field, field......
Something wrong.
"How long will it take more......?"
"You are going to go to the last stop, still some way."
Then I realized.

To go to Satranjee, I had to go back to the bus station again and start from there.
It was totally different way.
However, I couldn't get off bus in middle of nowhere.
Everyone tried to help me, talked to me in Bengali, in Arabic, in strange English.
Bus staffs stopped the bus coming from otherside, led me get on.
Then, he told to the driver to take me to right place and even told I didn't have to pay for bus ticket to the way back.
As I arrived at bus station, people got Rikshaw for me to go to Stranjee.

I was tired.....but that people made me so happy.
All the people were trying to help a lost foreigner.

So I finally came to Stranjee Para by Rikshaw.
(what's so sorry....Rikshaw requested to pay me more when we arrived. I was happy with that bus people, and the feeling has gone.....I fought hard against the Rikshaw)

Factory is next to show room.
A man rolling up strings.

Strings are so colorful and vivid.

 

Girls weaving small mattress.

 She is weaving the bigger mattress.

They are so friendly.
It is unfortunate for those who doesn't speak Bengali that workers don't speak English well....but they welcomed me and led me walk around in the factory.

This is show room next to the factory.

Bag, bathmat, place mat..... e.t.c...

These look good, don't it??
Satranjee is easy access from Rangpur(no need to take bus for 1 hour).
Visiting factory will be interesting expereience.

Satranjee Palli
Address：Stranjee Para, Nishbetgonj, Rnagpur
Tel : 01755574555/01713993757
E-mail : info@satranjee.com
Webpage : http://www.satranjeepalli.com/

Dinajpur (4) -Hotel Information-

I would like to introduce hotels in Dinajpur.
 
<Parjatan Motel>
I stayed in Parjatan Motel as usual.

Twin room which looks as usual.

(Actually it was comfortable with running hot water!)

 Restaurant which looks as usual.

Breakfast.(Picture is for 2 people)

Parta(30tk), Vegetable curry(50tk), and egg(30tk).
It is expensive comparing with restaurants besides road(which might cost around 30tk), but quality is good.
Parta was so hot that it was difficult to eat with hand.
Crispy like pie.
(but I and my female friend ate half of them. 2 girls may share parta for 1 person)
 
As usual, Parjatan motel isn't in the center of the city.
However, 20 tk is enough from the city by Auto.
Quite clearn and comfortable hotel, I can say.
 

Parjatan Motel

Address : Housing Moor, Dinajpur 

TEL : 0531-64718

Budget : AC/2,300, NonAC/1,900

 

There is a main road running from North to South which is called "Station Rd.".

Along the road, there are some hotels.

Let's start with Northern part.

 

<Riyadh Guest House>

This hotel opened in 2012.

Reception is 4th floor.

When you go up to stairs, you may find a person sleeping.....

But no worries.
He would not get up though you passed beside.
 
Here is twin room with AC.

Hot water and free wifi are available.
I think it is quite reasonable considering price and quality.

Riyadh Guest House

Address : Chandrababur Moor, Dinajpur

TEL : 0531-66640

E-mail : rghdinajpur@gmail.com

Budget : AC/TW-1200, S-800, NonAC/TW-600, S-400

 
Going down to South along the street, there are 3 hotels close to each other.

<Hotel  Shahara>

The first floor is restaurant, and accomodation is upper floors.

This is Twin room with AC.

Bathroom is maintained clean.

Not bad for your choice, I think.

Hotel Shahara

Address: New Hotel Building, Station Road, Dinajpur

TEL : 0531-61330

Budget : AC/TW-1200,S-800, NonAC/TW-600,S-400

<New Hotel>

Next to Shahara Hotel, there is another one.

The first floor is restauranto,too.

Unfortunately, I couldn't take pictures because there wasn't empty room.

So, just information below.

 

New Hotel

Address : Station Road, Dinajpur

TEL : 0531-64155/01784988222

Budget : AC/Tw-2000-2500, S-1500, NonAC/Tw-400-450, S-200-250

 

<Hotel Konica>

Opposite of these 2 hotels, one more hotel.

It is budget hotel.......reception was a bit dark.

They didn't have a room empty again, so I don't have picture.

Do Bengali people come to Dinajipur for litchi??

 

Hotel Konica

Address : Station Road, Dinajpur

TEL : 0531-64148/01818-291572

Budget : Tw-300, S-180 (AC room not available)

 

<Hotel Diamond>

This hotel is North-East of the city.

There are 2 buildings on the both side of road.

Picture is Twin room with hot water.

This bathroom was clearn.

However, each room has different quality even though price is the same.
So, please check in advance.

Hotel Diamond

Address : Maldahpatty, Dinajpur
TEL : 0531-64629
Budget : AC/TW-850, S-650, NonAC/TW-300-400, S-200-250
*Twin with Giza/1050
 
<Hotel Al-Rashid>
I will introduce a budget hotel at last.

The room smells a little dusty,

 but bathroom is maintained quite well.

AC room is now under construction (though I have no crue when it finishes).

Staffs are friendly.

One night for 150tk.......it may be your choice if you just need place to sleep.

 

Hotel Al-Rashid

Address :  Nimtola, Dinajpur

TEL : 0531-64621/01716-535956

Budget : TW-300, S-150-250, Tr-400

Dinajpur (3) -Kantaji Temple & Dipshikha school-

The second day of Dinajpur, I visited Kantaji temple and Dipshikha school.

Kantaj is a Hindi temple fully covered with beautiful terracotta in the motif of 
Sanskrit epics “Mahabharata”and  “Ramayana”.
This temple is registered as World Heritage and regarded as one of the most important tourist sites.
I finally got chance to visit there.

How to get there?
Take a bus from Dinajpur and get off at Kantanagar Mall.
It takes about 20 minutes.
Then, take a boat to other side of river.(can you see a small boat in the picture?)

From the boat.......I saw people walking in water.
???
Why?

Bad feeling.....does it mean....?
Yes.

We had to get off in water because river was too shallow for the boat.
OH.......
But what can I do?
I walked in water(I was scared to carry my camera and mobile), got wet till knee.
 
Then, take a bike taxi to Noyabad Mosjid.

Many people had worked for Kantaj temple for a long time.
So, mosque for Muslims was needed. It is still used for prayer.
Besides the mosque, there is grave of a head artisan.

Then, we headed to Kantaji temple going through litchi trees.

The temple is surrounded by wall, so it is not visible from outside.
Then, got in and the temple appeared.

Picture doesn't tell how impressive it was.
I have seen temple's picture many times, and my pictures look the same.
However, it looks much better when I saw it on my eyes.

Terracotta all over the wall.

A Maharaja started construction of the temple in 1704, and it was completed by his son in 1752.
It took 48 years and 28,000 artisans worked for construction. 
This work is worth seeing.
 
There is one another place I recommend to visit.
It is a famous school called "Dipshikha" which was designed by Anna Heringer from Austlia and had worked in Bangladesh in her 20s.
The building are made by local craftmen with local material like mud and bamboo.

Local transportation is a bit complicated, but people can tell how to go there.
From Kantaj temple,
1. go to Kaharol by Auto,
2. take bus to Dhukujbari,
3. change bus to Mongapur,
4. Then, take a van to Dipshikha school(about 50 minutes).

Taking van for almost 1 hour was tough, but scenery was good.
(I shouldn't say tough, maybe.....because van driver had tougher time!!)

Passing through villages...and arrived.

I wasn't sure where to go......and entered one building.

There were students working for some electric things.

Students study in natural wind.
I went to the second floor and found a classroom surrounded bamboo.

Corridor.

This is another building made of mud and bamboo.
The first floor is class room and the second floor is hall.

This is the classroom.

Can you guess what the holes are?
There are small space children go into and stay.
If a student is not comfortable to work with many other students, he/she can spend sometime in the space, works by him/herself.......and can come back anytime she/he wants.

There is no light neither 1st floor nor 2nd floor.
Natural light does.

Natural light comes into room made with natural materials.
This is regarded as an example of suitable architecture, and the project received the Aga Khan Award in 2007.

Access isn't good...but you can stay overnight if you want.
Their accomodation costs only 150tk.(hot water available!)
Breakfast is 100tk, dinner is 200tk if you need.

<DIPSHIKHA>
Central Office
Address : 282/5, First Colony, Mazar Rd, Mirpur-1, Dhaka
Phone : 880-2-9000782
E-mail : dipshika@agni.com

Project Office
Address : Rudrapur, Birol, Dinajpur
Contact person : Mr. Sepal CH. Debsharma
Mobile : 01718-121885
E-mail : sepaldipshika@yahoo.com