M Mahmud Ali

The district of Naogaon in northern Bangladesh is a historically rich area with a number of wonderful heritage sites. Dibar Pillar is one of those attractions from the medieval age.
Dibar Pillar, also known as Kaivarta Pillar, is located at Dibar village in Patnitala upazila, approximately 56 km from Naogaon town. There is a large water reservoir in Dibar village which is known as ‘Dibar Dighi’. In the middle of the reservoir, there stands a nine-angled pillar made of granite stone, with a crown-like ornament on the top. The pillar was probably built by Kaivarta ruler Divya, or his descendants Rudok and Bhim, in the late 11th century. The name of the village ‘Dibar’ may have been derived from Divya.
Anyone will be astonished to see the huge pillar in the middle of a water reservoir. The construction method and placement of the stone structure undoubtedly indicate an advance level of engineering skill of the medieval period.
It is obvious that there is a historical background behind this mysterious pillar. It can be gathered from historical accounts that Divya usurped the Pala throne after defeating and killing Mahipala II in the latter part of the 11th century. It is assumed that the pillar was built to commemorate the victory of Divya over the Palas. Therefore, the pillar is also known as the victory tower of Kaivarta Raja.
Regarding observations by different experts, renowned archaeologist Buckhannon Hamilton, who first visited the place in 1807-08, reported that the total length of the granite pillar was 33 feet 75 inches. Later, another legendary archaeologist Alexander Cunningham toured the area in 1879-80. In his report ‘A Tour of Bihar and Bengal in 1879-80’, he noted that the total height of the pillar was 30 feet and its diameter was 3.5 feet. According to Cunningham’s description, 8 feet of the pillar was below ground level, 12 feet was in the water and 10 feet was above water level. The width of each facet of the pillar was 1 feet. Bangladeshi archaeologist AKM Zakaria, who visited the Dibar in 1996, included a drawing of the pillar in his book, ‘Archaeological Resources of Bangladesh’. According to the sketch, the total height of this pillar is 30 feet, of which 10 feet is below ground, 8 feet in the water and 12 feet above  water level.  

References: ‘Report of A tour in Bihar & Bengal in 1879-80 AD From Patna to Sonargaon’ by Alexander Cunningham; and ‘Bangladesher Protnoshompod’ by Abul Kalam Mohammad Zakaria.

Photos: Writer