Sonargaon Tour: Explore the Old Capital of Bengal and its famed Dhakai Jamdani villages
4.9
12 Ratings
North Rupshi
Discover the rich history and cultural heritage of Sonargaon, the old capital of Bengal. Explore the famous Dhakai Jamdani villages and immerse yourself in the beauty of its historic sites and traditional crafts.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Anwar Jamdani Weaving Factory - Jamdani was originally known as Dhakai named after the city of Dhaka, one of many ancient textile weaving centers in Bengal region.[5] Under the Mughal Empire the Persian term Jamdani came to be in popular use, since it was the court language of the Mughals. Jamdanis are popularly known as Dhakai Jamdani or simply Dhakai. The earliest mention of jamdani and its development as an industry is found into Dhaka, Bangladesh.
    Jamdani is a hand loom woven fabric made of cotton, which was historically referred to as muslin. The Jamdani weaving tradition is of Bengali origin. It is one of the most time and labor-intensive forms of hand loom weaving, and is considered one of the finest varieties of muslin, and the most artistic textile of Bangladeshi weavers. Traditionally woven around Dhaka and created on the loom brocade, jamdani is rich in motifs. In the first half of the nineteenth century, James Taylor described the figured or flowered jamdani; in the late 19th century, T. N. Mukharji referred to this fabric as jamdani muslin.
    Whether figured or flowered, jamdani is a woven fabric in cotton. This is a supplementary weft technique of weaving, where the artistic motifs are produced by a non-structural weft, in addition to the standard weft that holds the warp threads together. The standard weft creates a fine, sheer fabric while the supplementary weft with thicker threads adds the intricate patterns to it. Each supplementary weft motif is added separately by hand by interlacing the weft threads into the warp with fine bamboo sticks using individual spools of thread. The result is a complex mix of different patterns that appear to float on a shimmering surface. The pattern is not sketched or outlined on the fabric, but is drawn on a graph paper and placed underneath the warp. Jamdani is a fine muslin cloth on which decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white. Often a mixture of cotton and gold thread was used.
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Bottled water
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • All fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Old Capital of Bengal Sonargaon is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Just 30 km far from Dhaka, Sonargaon has a lot to offer. Historically it was the center of trading and people from Far East countries to come to do trade here. This fertile land was also famous of Dhakai Jamdani and muslin. With the glorious history, there are still some exciting tourist site from pre mogul and colonial period like the beautiful abounded panam city, the goaldi mosque, sardarbar palace, the folklore and art museum, Jamdani villages!

Location
Anwar Jamdani Weaving Factory
Circle
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(12 Ratings)
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Elisabeth_g
May 13, 2024
Great day trip - thoroughly recommend - Really good day trip exploring the countryside around Dhakar. Very knowledgeable local guide and good transport. Interesting historic and natural sites, and a glimpse at local life.
Review provided by Viator
954barendb
Apr 5, 2024
Great day, great tour and amazing guide! - We had a very nice day with Jerry! The transport in our own car with AC was very lovely and the itinerary of the tour was great and very diverse. Jerry knew so much about the things we saw during the day and was happy to share this with us. He is pleasant company and will do his outmost best to keep you safe and to create the best experience for you. Definately recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thalyt2018
Apr 4, 2024
Great day trip - Jerry was amazing and I got to see so much and he had great history and cultural information to share! Really interesting experience that allows you to see so much.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
849bastians
Mar 1, 2024
Panam City day trip - Today we had a great day-trip to Panam City. Our guide Shovon was very nice and we made a lot of interesting stops like a boat tour and a visit at a weaving village. I realy recommend the tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
710camillea
Feb 1, 2024
Exciting excursion - After experiencing the discovery of Dhaka with Bangladesh Eco Adventure, I also wanted to discover the ancient capital Sonargaon. The friendly and knowledgeable guide Afridi collected me from the hotel. We first took a suburban train to Sonargaon. Then we had to take a ferry and then a tuk tuk to get to our destination. We first visited Panam City, the old abandoned street of Sonargaon with very beautiful houses and their colonial architecture. Then we took a private boat tour on the impressive Meghna River. After lunch, we visited the palace and the Sonargaon museum again before returning by bus this time. I really enjoyed taking all these means of transport and Sonargaon is really calm compared to the noise that reigns in Dhaka. Afridi was very efficient and gave me a lot of information. His level of English is very good which allows for a real exchange! I really recommend this excursion!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicholer703
Dec 27, 2023
Bangladesh is a must! - Wow! Bangladesh is a must do experience and I couldn’t recommend Eco Adventure Bangladesh more. It was a really last minute trip and the owner of the company phoned before hand to help plan the trip. He has many connections throughout the country that ensure a smooth sailing and enable you to get immersed in the country. Ali brought me around Mongla and Barishal. He is super kind natured and local to the area. Jerry brought me around Dhaka and got me to do things that I wouldn’t have if alone which made it a great experience. The owner, Mahadi also recommended sites that I was unaware of which were really cool. I only had 4 days, but would definitely recommend more time and explore more of the country if possible. Eco Adventure Bangladesh make it 100 possible with their drivers, guides and planning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
645kevenb
Sep 29, 2023
An easy and colorful day trip out of Dhaka - Thoroughly enjoyed this day trip out of Dhaka in the company of very friendly and informative tour guide Raihan. Since government managed tourist sites were closed due to the religious holiday, Raihan flexibly adapted the itinerary to visit a nearby small island by riverboat. The tour agency also accommodated my request to visit the Padma Multipurpose bridge by boat at sunset on the way back to Dhaka, which gave me the opportunity to cross the lush countryside along the way and pass by multiple villages. To cap it all off, a hilsa fish dinner upon return to the Padma river port, in the best of Bangladeshi culinary traditions. A very complete day with amazing pictures to take away.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariastein_k
Aug 1, 2023
Must do experience in Bangladesh - I had such a great time at the trip. Very pleasant and informative guides, very interesting experiences to see the old Sonargon capital, the Panam city and the boat ride. The guides made a perfect trip and we’re very observant to what would be the best experience for me. It is definitely a must do if you are in Bangladesh.
Review provided by Viator
Jamila_h
Jun 21, 2022
The most fun we've had in a while! - Our guide Afridi is the best! He's professional, knowledgeable, respectful, friendly and can make history fun :) he also felt like our personal genie! We wanted to see a haunted house on a whim and he made it happen! We were intrigued by a wooden ferris wheel and he took us to a park to ride one! We asked for an early morning pick up and he arrived exactly on the dot! He also took some amazing photos of us! After seeing how jamdani is made, we bought some jamdani clothes at cost (bring cash! You'll regret not having enough on you!). We also bought some souvenirs and met a very kind hearted shopkeeper who gave us everything at a bargain. The chauffeur was also friendly and knowledgeable. We had great conversations, a lot of laughs, a lot of goofing around and an amazing time! Highly recommend booking this tour with Afridi!
Review provided by Viator
Rachaelhz
Oct 1, 2023
Good Tour - Tour company was able to accommodate my request on very short notice. Office staff is very helpful and easy to communicate with and easy to get ahold of. Was provided an English speaking guide, Jerry. He was very professional and courteous. Saw all the main sights and didn’t feel rushed. Tour was just what I requested and everything went well. Would recommend this company. Cost is also reasonable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
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June 2024
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