Memories of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore from his visit to Mymensingh a century back lie unprotected and are in urgent need of preservation.

In February 15, 1926, Tagore arrived in Mymensingh on a train from Dhaka for a four-day visit.

He visited the "Shashi Lodge" of Maharaja Shashikanta Acharya Chowdhury, then zamindar of Muktagachha.

The zamindar also arranged special programmes under a banyan tree on the "Alexander Castle" premises, now known as "Rabindra Batamul", to welcome the poet.

The poet was also accorded several receptions during his visit by different organisations and educational institutions including Mymensingh Municipality, Mymensingh Nagorik Samaj, Bidyamoyee Girls School, City Collegiate School and Mahila Samity.

On invitation of Promod Chandra Roy Chowdhury, the then zamindar of Atharabari and also a student of Shantiniketan, Tagore also visited Roy's palace on February 19 in 1926.

The zamindar accorded the poet a grand reception and presented him a 'golden key' of Kacharibari, adjacent to the main palace on 21-acre land to inaugurate it.

The places where Tagore left his footprints include Alexander Castle, also popularly known as "Lohar Kuthir or Rang Mahal", "Shashi Lodge", Bidyamoyee Girls School, Mohakali Girls School, City Colleague School in Mymensingh city, and Atharabari Zamindars' Palace is in Ishwarganj upazila, said Ali Yusuf, a local social worker, quoting local history.

Alexander Castle was constructed by Maharaja Suryakanta Acharya Chowdhury on 27.50 acres of land at a cost of Tk 45,000 in 1879. After partition in 1947, the 14-room mansion was turned to the library of Teachers Training College.

According to college sources, officials of the Department of Archeological contacted the college authorities with a proposal to renovate the castle a few years ago, but there was no follow up to this end.

Shashi Lodge is now under the custody of the Department of Archaeology, while the Kacharibari is being used as Atharabari Degree College. Both are in need of preservation efforts.

"It is frustrating that even the regular programmes are not organised at these places to commemorate Tagore," lamented Mamunul Islam Rony, a Tagore artiste and former secretary of Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammilon Parishad, Mymensingh.

"The bard's memories in Mymensingh should be preserved for better interest of the future generations and the country's history," he also said, adding, "We contacted with the concerned officials on various occasions but no steps have been taken yet."

Echoing him, Prof Dr Monjurul Alam, president of the parishad, and Ali Yusuf, also a poet, urged the government for immediate steps to this end.

Meanwhile, different cultural organisations, including Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammilon Parishad, Mymensingh and Mymensingh Zila Shilpakala Academy, have taken separate programmes celebrating the poet's 164th birth anniversary.