Mehzad Ghalibs, the film maker made a film focused on the Armenian Church of Dhaka. It's a film on historical anthropology of the urban variety but as it happens the result is symbolic. The Armenians are a forgotten lot although they had done so much to stamp Dhaka with their urban sophistication and wealth. And so almost like an echo, the lovely documentary film remains largely unseen.

Armenians first arrived in Dhaka in the early 17th century though traders were already active by the 17th century. Documents mention dates as early as 1613. They formed a colony in the city which over time became known as Armanitola. Their area of trade was jute, leather, and textiles. But many consider their greatest achievement was in building the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection in 1781. It not only means that by then they had become stable and rich enough to have their own church, always the centre of any community's life. It was the ultimate stamp on a city's life that they built monuments of permanence like places of worship but they also built schools and buildings which blended into the city's landscape.

My two memories

I had a very early memory of an old infirm lady -in the late 50s - being escorted from home to home, selling fruit preserves. There is no question that it was a sort of "dignified begging "but the story that accompanied her was touching. Once very rich and childless, they gave away all the wealth and waited to die. But while the husband did pass on at a late age, the wife lived on. But expecting an early death for some reason, they had nothing to fall back upon and suddenly she was left alone and poor and had to take to this way of life.

They were not Armenians but of some other foreign descendance who had chosen Dhaka as their home. That Dhaka belonged to all was deeply resonating to my child's mind. And I have always felt that Dhaka should be shared amongst all.

Years later in 1980, when I was a freelance journalist, I did a series of reports on such people in Dhaka. And one of them was on the Armenians. Their glory days were over just like Dhaka 's and their most well-known claim was Armanitola and the Armenian Church. I remember visiting the zone in the heart of the old city and meeting one last resident Martin S. I remember him saying how the population dwindled and even the Church had to hire officials from Kolkata on the days services were held in it. His wife was buried here but his daughters had chosen professions that took them for long visits- probably as airline staff. The story was published in the then Daily New Nation , now extinct , like the Armenians from Dhaka.

The documentary

And so, it was a delight to find the documentary which I knew about but hadn't seen. I saw the marvelous product and how the ancient church had become a showcase of the community and its achievements. It wasn't just about the Church but uses it as a hook to discuss the community and its members. The presence of several Bangladeshi experts made the story stronger and the filming was particularly special. One long shot, inside the church tracking the auteur using that angle was truly great.

The film mentions Pogose school, the school that the community funded which has seen many years and luminaries to its name and the other achievements too making it a thoroughly engrossing view. And wonder of wonders, the documentary also has an interview of Mr. Martin, now living abroad, the same I had talked to in 1980. It was deeply touching.

So here it is and here is hoping that some of you will become interested enough to see the documentary the link to which is also provided here. It is a tale most will not have heard before. So best to all, to Dhaka, to the people who built it and all that they did and left back for us to enjoy and destroy.