Old Dhaka's Wari: From cultural hub to just another urban jungle

Wari was the "most decent area" in Dhaka in the 1930s, according to Pratibha Bose, wife of writer Buddhadeva Bose. She wrote in her memoir 'Jiboner Jolchobi' that the area's residents were known to be highly educated and active in cultural events. 

Living in Wari back then was a matter of prestige. 

Pratibha's family had moved there from Banogram because the neighbours were annoyed by her singing practice; the sound of tabla and harmonium especially irked them. But at Wari, they were relieved because while other areas of the city were still somewhat conservative, here, homes were filled with music and dance practices every evening. 

However, as Dhaka expanded and grew bigger, Old Dhaka and with it Dhaka's first planned neighbourhood, Wari, gradually lost its grandeur. Many Hindu families migrated to India, especially after partition, while many Muslim families relocated elsewhere in the city. 

Over the years, the area, which was home to some of the most iconic Bengali personalities including Amartya Sen, Architect FR Khan, and Justice Debesh Bhattacharya, changed into yet another residential area in Dhaka. 

Photo: Noor-A-Alam

Considering the narrow alleys and congested neighbourhoods, elements common to Old Dhaka, Wari still possesses some of its carefully designed old look. The streets, wider and more organised than most in Old Dhaka, retain their old names given by the British: Rankin, Larmini, Wyer, Folder and Hare. There is also a Nawab Street and a Chandni Charan Bose Street.    

Amidst modern buildings, high-rise apartments, luxurious shops and restaurants, a few old buildings remain, such as the White House — a stark white building with columns and green windows (some locals told us this house once belonged to Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque, but it could not be verified). 

The house adjacent to it, an old, yellow one-storied beauty with a long front verandah, is partly concealed by a huge signboard. Yet another developer company is going to demolish it soon. 

The remnants of old Wari seem to be on their way out. 

Most people say Wari was named after Frederick Wyre, Dhaka's District Collector. However, historian Hashem Sufi says the name had existed long before him, from the Mughal period. Mughal soldiers used to live here in tents and the name Wari was derived from the Persian word for tent. Before the British government acquired the area in the 19th century, Muslin artisans, those who fixed the wears and tears of clothings, used to live there. 

"The idea was to build a European style rectangular or square shaped neighbourhood with wide streets and modern, European designed houses. The residents were native supporters of the British. They held high positions in the government, many were lawyers, judges, etc.," he said. 

A failed search for an old 'Wari-an' 

Reaching out to families who had lived there for generations proved difficult as very few still reside here. Some said there may be no such families left at all.  

However, with Hashem Sufi's help, we tracked down one particular family in Wari, who have been living there for at least three generations. Their property is huge, although it is difficult to appreciate its true size from outside. Part of the house has been turned into a warehouse whereas the main residential part is almost hidden inside. 

From outside, you can see the date of establishment carved on the cornerstone — the house is almost 150-years-old. 

Inside, the house wears a rustic look, with old wooden windows and doors and rusty light fixtures on the walls. A rope for a bell also hangs from the ceiling. 

Unfortunately, the owner refused to speak to us in detail about the history of his house, citing legal disputes as the primary reason. 

A harmonious history tarnished by communal violence 

Dr CR Abrar, executive director of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), grew up in a joint family in Wari. Their house remained empty for quite a few years before it was given to a developer three years ago.  

"Best part of Wari was Mukul Fauj [a children's cultural organisation] where all the children were together. There was a Judge's house in Hare Street where we would practise our activities. In Larmini Street, there was a huge space in front of a Hindu-owned house where local 'boro bhais' would organise events," he said. 

Photo: Noor-A-Alam

He remembers visti-walas (water-sellers) carrying water in their leather bags and one 'Ukil Shaheber bari' (a lawyer's house), a bungalow with a manicured lawn. 

According to Dr Abrar, Wari was a happy, thriving neighbourhood where communal harmony was at its best. He remembers getting extra prasad on Pujas for being the next door neighbours of a Hindu family and the conch blowing during Hindu weddings. 

"There were economic disparities, true, but everyone was respectful of each other. A large part of who I am is influenced by my childhood in Wari, especially developing respect for other faiths." 

As perfect as Wari was, its residents also witnessed the ghastliness of communal riots. "I remember a cobbler who lived with multiple wives, something we were always intrigued by. He was stabbed during the riot. Miraculously, he survived." 

Dr Abrar mentioned that as times went by, communication with other parts of the city became difficult and his children went to schools in Dhanmondi. So, in 1991, he and his family moved out of Wari. 

Film Director Shameem Akhter, who also grew up in Old Dhaka, said, "Residents of Wari were not just wealthy or educated, they were enlightened as well. They were aware of our culture, our country and its politics.There was no religious fundamentalism, everyone mingled with each other. There was music and poetry in their lives. 

"We would celebrate Bashanto and Sharad Utshab together. During winters, we would stage dramas, all by ourselves. Children were taught about Ekushey February and other important events. We had wall magazines and we shared books all the time," she recalled. 

Her dark memories about Wari also include the riot. "Our Hindu neighbours hid in our house."

The last time she visited the neighbourhood, she was astonished by how much of it was destroyed in the name of development. "Every time a new mayor came, he made some new plan or other."