Ramu
Ramu is a peaceful and culturally rich village located just 10 km southeast of Cox’s Bazar town, known for its ancient Buddhist temples, Rakhaine community, and serene countryside atmosphere. This historical village is one of the most underrated tourist spots in Cox’s Bazar, perfect for those seeking spiritual tranquility and cultural exploration.
How to Reach Ramu
You can take a local auto from Sugandha to a little distance from the pump for 20 taka. The bus fare here is 35 taka. The waiting time for the bus is long, so you can get CNG here for 50 taka per person.
The car will drop you off at the junction of these three roads in Ramu, which is called Nib Kolom Mor.
Tourist Places in Ramu
Kana Raja Cave
There is actually nothing to see in the Kana Raja Cave yet. Still, the reason to come here is because it has a great history.
According to one historian, the real name of the King of Kana was Chin Pian. Originally, in 1798, Chin Pian was defeated by the Burmese Raj and fled as a refugee across the Naf River with several thousand followers to the Cox's Bazar region of Chittagong. He has lived here since then. Godfery Eric Harvey's book "History of Burma (1925)" published in 1925 states that Chin Pian, the patriotic king of Arakan, died of illness in 1815 while in hiding. It is said that he hid in this cave. Apart from this, it is known from the book 'Rohingya Genocide' edited by Mofidul Haque published by the Bangladesh Liberation War Museum that this Chin Pian was the Kana Raja. After his death, the local Buddhist monks of Ramu performed his funeral rites near the present cave. Since then, it has been known as the "Kana Raja Cave" or "Adhar Manik". It was named 'Adhar Manik' because the entrance to this cave to glow like a manik on dark nights.
It is known that this cave started to be known in late 2018. Once this cave was full of green plants. Now, although people have settled around the hill, the cave was abandoned. No one has even taken the initiative to renovate the cave, which is several hundred years old.
Many explorers from Ramu have already tried to enter this cave. It is said that Tanvir Sarwar, the president of Cox's Bazar Art Club, entered this cave first. He said that the length of the cave is 350 feet. The entrance of the dark cave is 25 feet high from the ground in a triangular shape. You can walk 70 feet. After that, you have to crawl. Then there is a sitting room 25 feet long and 25 feet wide. There are four tunnels there. Two of them go up the hill, and the other two go down. The tunnels have been filled with soil. Drawings have been seen on the walls of the tunnel. Inside the cave, there are numerous bats and insects.
The Andhar Manik cave has already been listed in the government's archaeological department. Once the excavation and research work is completed, it will become one of the most important tourist attractions in Cox's Bazar.
How to go: You get off the bus or CNG at Ramu bus stand and first go a little to the left. There is a lane on the right. From the front of this lane, you will have to take a local auto to Kawarkhop Union. The fare is 30 taka per person.
When you reach Kawarkhop Union, you have to take the road on the left. From here, you have to reserve an auto. First, you will have to bargain, you will get it for 200 to 300 taka each way.
There will be a brickfield on the road. The auto will go right from here. From there it's a dirt road.
You will see many people on the way. There are many settlements around. So there is nothing to be afraid of even if you come alone.
The auto will not go the entire way. You will have to walk some roads. The auto driver will be with you as a guide. I got two local boys here with me. They will show you the way. Give each child 20-30 Taka, they will be happy.
U Chai Chan Rakhine Buddhist Temple
The exact date of construction of the U Chai Chan Rakhine Wooden Buddhist Temple is debated, but local history suggests that it was founded in 1885.
The legacy of U Chai Chan and the Rakhine community's devotion to their cultural and religious traditions continues through this temple.
This monastery is built with huge, well-hewn timber. All the timber has been brought from Rangoon, Myanmar. At the beginning of the monastery, you will be mesmerized by the rows of flower-decorated gardens. As you enter the monastery, your eyes will be drawn to a sky-high spire of Burmese craftsmanship.
There is a statue here which is Shivali Buddha. During his life as Shivali Buddha, who was supreme in attaining the four essentials, the Buddha taught that the four things were necessary for life and thus a monk could possess clothing, food, shelter and medicine.
As a result, the venerable Shivali always carried these essentials with him wherever he went. When the Buddha sent several monks to a distant city for the welfare of the people, he sent the venerable Shivali with them, so that the monks would always have sufficient necessities during their travels. That is, Shivali can be seen as the 'patron saint' of travelers.
U Maungrhee Buddhist Temple
U Mongri Buddhist Monastery was established in 1883. It was restored to its current form in 2013.
Ramu Maitree Vihar
It contains the Lalching and Sadaching temples. They are located next to Lalching and Sadaching. One is red in color, the other is white. The Lalching was built with beautiful wooden craftsmanship. It was founded by Maury Saudagar, who came from Kolkata, India. But in 2012, Lalching was completely burnt down.
There is a statue of standing Shivali Buddho.
There is a Reclining Buddha. This statue is a representation of the Buddha, who, just before passing away, was lying on his side, with a calm and contented expression. The statue was built to commemorate his death. The Buddha is seen lying on his right side, with his head propped up by his right hand.
There is a Seated Buddha. The pose in which the Buddha is often depicted. Sitting cross-legged. The Buddha gave many of his teachings in this pose and it is the meditation pose. Only by sitting can you develop deep concentration.
There is a sitting style Buddha is called "Bhumi-Sparsha Mudra", which means touching the earth, and it means calling the earth as a witness. In Southeast Asia, this coin is also known as the Marvijaya coin, meaning victory over evil. According to ancient scriptures (the Pali Canon), it was on this coin that Siddhartha Gautama attained complete incomparable enlightenment and thus became the Buddha.
Shreekul Puraton Buddhist Monastery
It was established in 1888.
Watch the video of Kana Raja Cave, U Chai Chan Rakhine Buddhist Temple, U Maungrhee Buddhist Temple, Ramu Maitree Vihar, Shreekul Puraton Buddhist Monastery
Ramu Rubber Garden and Factory
About 46,000 types of products are made from rubber. To meet such a huge demand, synthetic rubber has also been added along with natural rubber.
But do you know where this natural rubber comes from? And how does it start from the tree and reach the factory?
Let's take a look—the entire process of making rubber, step by step, from start to finish!
The first use of rubber, around 1600 BC, can be found in indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica, where rubber was first used to make balls for the Mesoamerican ballgame. The first scientific paper on rubber was published in France in 1755. In England, Joseph Priestley, in 1770, observed that a portion of the material was very good at erasing pencil marks on paper, hence the name "rubber". It gradually spread to England.
The 19th century saw the "origin of rubber" in South America, particularly in the Amazon. Cities like Manaus in Brazil became incredibly wealthy.
In India, British planters began commercial rubber cultivation, although experimental attempts at commercial rubber cultivation began as early as 1873 at the Calcutta Botanical Gardens.
Rubber plantations have been created in the hilly and plain lands of Ramu Upazila, 18 kilometers away from Cox's Bazar district town. Rubber cultivation started in Ramu in 1960-61. The Ramu Rubber Plantation covers 2,682 acres of land. Initially, there were 58,000 rubber trees in this plantation, but now there are about 140,000 trees.
Although rubber trees are native to South America, they are currently best grown in Southeast Asia - particularly Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia are the four leading rubber producing countries.
There are several types of rubber trees that produce rubber sap, but Hevea brasiliensis is the most commonly used tree.
A rubber tree begins to produce rubber in the 8th year, 7 years after planting.
The trees are cut in a special style. This is called tapping. The cutting machine is called a tapping knife. Tapping should not be done if the tree is less than 18 inches in diameter. Despite modern technology, rubber trees are still tapped by hand, which was done centuries ago.
Tapping produces a white sap called latex from the tree. To get more latex, tapping should be done early in the morning. Tapping should be done before the sun. As the sun rises, the latex decreases. Usually, rubber is collected 4 hours after tapping. In this way, latex is collected two to three times a day.
About 250,000 kg of rubber is produced annually from these trees in rubber plantations. A tree can produce rubber continuously for 25 years and the trees lose their productivity at the age of 32-33 years. This latex is collected and taken to the factory.
It is measured repeatedly to give the correct amount of latex. To prevent the latex from clotting, 1 cc of formic acid and a certain amount of water are mixed with each kg. The mixture is mixed in such a way that the pH range is between 4.6 and 4.9.
Then the partition plate is installed. It takes a night for the latex to set.
The next day, when it dries, the plate is removed, resulting in a lot of water accumulating underneath. The rubbers are lifted and pressed through this machine to remove any water inside.
Some of these are washed in clean water again in this house and allowed to dry.
It is then kept in the same chamber at a temperature of 130-150 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 days. The rubber then turns brown in color.
It was then stored and sold in this house.
This rubber is quite soft when it is taken to the factory. It cannot be used to make tires or erasers. To strengthen its elasticity, it is kept at a temperature of 140 degrees with sulfur.
By the end of the 19th century, demand for natural rubber products had outstripped supply, leading to the chemical production of synthetic rubber in 1909.
Watch the video of Ramu Rubber Garden
100 Feet Buddha
This Bhuvan Shanti Vihar was established in 2002.
You have to take off your shoes at the bottom of the stairs and go up.
Siddhartha Gautama, who is simply called Buddha.
The exact dates of Buddha's birth and death are unknown. However, it is widely agreed that Buddha lived for 80 years.
Sometimes the Buddha's life is dated between 624 and 544 BCE, and this is the accepted date in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. On the other hand, most scholars believe that Buddha's life span was between 566 and 486 BCE.
However, Indian sources and Chinese and Tibetan translations place the Buddha's lifetime at a later date, 448–368 BCE.
The Buddha's birthday is called Buddha Purnima because it is believed that he was born on a full moon day.
According to Buddhist legend, he was born in Lumbini, Nepal, to royal parents of the Shakya dynasty, but renounced his home life to live as a monk. According to Buddhist tradition, he died in Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh, India.
This pose of the Buddha is called the reclining Buddha. This statue was created as a representation of the Buddha, meaning that just before the Buddha passed away, his image lay like this next to him, with a calm and contented expression.
The statue was built to commemorate his death. The Buddha is seen lying on his right side, with his head propped up by his right hand. The hand rests on a pillow.
This statue was built in 2002. Its length is 100 feet. It is the largest reclining Buddha in Bangladesh.
Entry Fee: 20 Taka.
How to go: From outside the Ramu Rubber Factory, take a local auto 1.3 kilometers south, that is, towards Ramu, it is called Cha Bagan Bazar. Although there is no tea garden here now. The fare is 10 taka per person. Which is 2.3 kilometers north of Ramu. The fare is 20 taka per person.
If you walk 650 meters west from here, you will find the 100-foot lion-bed Gautam Buddha statue on your right.
Ramu Central Seema Bihar
It was established in 1706.
The many-headed snake you see behind the Buddha on the left as you enter. Its name is Muchilinda. It can be pronounced differently. For example, Muchalinda, Mucalinda. However, Muchilinda is often depicted as a many-headed snake coiled under the Buddha. Usually with 5, 7, or 9 heads. It is said that six weeks after Gautama Buddha began meditating under the Bodhi tree, the sky darkened for seven days and a heavy rain fell. However, the mighty serpent king, Muchilinda, descended from beneath the earth and protected the Buddha from the storm with his hood.
When the great storm passed, the serpent king took human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned to his place.
The first extant artwork of Muchilinda is found on a 2nd-century BCE stupa in Pauni, Maharashtra, India, where the serpent is depicted as having five heads and guarding the empty seat of the Buddha.
In fact, no real snake has multiple heads like the Muchilinda. Although two-headed snakes do occur in nature, they are extremely rare.
But in reality, there is no record that such a snake exists in the world or has ever existed.
Here is a standing Buddha.
This is a pagoda. In Buddhism, pagodas are significant as sacred structures, originally built to house relics and scriptures, and originated from the Indian stupa, which serves as a symbol of spiritual growth and enlightenment.
There is a statue under this pagoda. Sitting Buddha. This style of sitting is called “Bhumi-Sparsha Mudra”. Which I mentioned earlier in this episode.
Here is the Seated Buddha
The pose in which the Buddha is often depicted. Sitting cross-legged.
The Buddha gave many of his teachings in this pose and it is the meditation pose. Only by sitting can you develop deep concentration.
Behind it are numerous Buddha statues.
Ramu Coconut Garden
This garden is controlled by the Bangladesh Army. So it is absolutely safe. If there is an army at the gate, they will let you in. Absolutely free.
With the aim of supplying improved varieties of coconut seeds across the country, an isolated coconut seed garden was established on 250 acres of land in Rajarkul, Ramu Upazila in 1982. Initially, 14,000 seedlings of Sri Lankan Tall and Malaysian Dwarf varieties were planted in this garden. But before it could start producing, the garden was hit by the devastating cyclone of 1991. Most of the trees in the garden were destroyed. Later, due to being closed for a long time, the garden became an abandoned garden.
This garden was revived in 2009. It is the largest coconut garden in the country.
Originally, 10 acres of the 250 acres of land had a nursery and 184 acres of coconut mother garden. Currently, various types of fruit gardens including improved varieties of lemon, mango, orange, malta, litchi, and dragon have been established in the vacant space inside the mother garden.
After collecting coconut seeds from the tree, they are sorted. Those that are suitable for seed are planted in the nursery. They become seedlings within 10 to 11 months of being planted in the nursery.
A coconut seedling called "Opiwan Byte" from Vietnam has been added to this garden. This type of coconut tree will bear fruit in just 3 to 4 years. But usually coconut trees bear fruit in 8 to 10 years.
It is known that about 15,000 running feet of boundary wall has been built in the garden. Along with 3,000 old trees, another 15,000 new saplings have been planted in the last few years. This garden produces 90 to 100,000 coconuts and 16 to 20,000 saplings annually.
Once the garden is fully operational, it will be possible to produce 12 to 15 lakh improved varieties of coconut seedlings every year, which will meet the demand of the entire country. In addition, it will be possible to earn an annual revenue of over a crore taka by selling seeds and coconuts. However, for this, the financial and manpower crisis must be reduced. The poaching of wild elephants must be stopped.
How to go: The last spot of Ramu among the few spots in the south is the coconut garden. I will go there first. From here, the auto fare is 20 taka per person. The distance is 5 kilometers.
Rangkut Buddhist Monastery
Buddhist Monastery
The name of this Buddhist monastery is Rangkut. Rang means the chest bone of Lord Gautama Buddha. And Kut means mountain. But in history we know that Buddha died in Kushinagar, India. So how did his chest bone come here?
The history of the temple says that Siddhartha was born in Lumbini, Nepal in 623 BC. At the age of 29, he left home and practiced rigorous meditation in the forest for 6 years.
There he met two Myanmar merchants, Tapsu and Bhallik. They invited the Buddha to Myanmar.
Many years later, the Buddha, accompanied by his chief attendant, the monk Ananda, came to this mountain on his way to Myanmar.
Here he rests. Here he tells the monk Ananda about his future. When and where he will die. Who will cremate him. And hide his bones in a mountain. 239 years after his death (304 AD), a great man will be born, Emperor Ashoka spoke of. He will spread the 84,000 teachings of the Buddha throughout the world. And he will build 84,000 metal caityas. Each Chaitya will house the bones of the Buddha. One of the 84,000 will be here, where the chest bone of the Buddha will be kept. It will be called Rangkut. Saying this, the Buddha, accompanied by the monk Ananda, set out for Myanmar.
Emperor Ashoka was born in 304 AD, 239 years after the death of Buddha. Ashoka, also known as Ashoka the Great. His empire extended across a large part of the Indian subcontinent, from present-day Afghanistan in the west to present-day Bangladesh in the east, with its capital at Patliputra, adjacent to modern-day Patna in Bihar.
He converted to Buddhism after winning the Kalinga War around 260 BC. He excavated the bones of Buddha and established 84,000 metal temples. One of them was Rangkut, which was established in 269 BC.
It is said that in the 6th century, more than 700 Buddhist monks lived in this monastery. At that time, the king of Arakan, known as Chandrajyoti or Chendi Raja, took the chest bone of the Buddha from inside the temple and attached it to the head of a 6-foot-tall white stone Buddha image, establishing the Buddha image. Which is known as the "Riddhimay Buddha Image". King Rangkut added the word "Rang-u" before it. It is said that this word "Rang-u" was transformed into Ramu over time.
In the 7th century AD, the Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler Xuanzang, also known as Hiuen Tsang, visited this place during his pilgrimage to India and Bangladesh and recorded it in his book.
The staircase is beautifully crafted.
After climbing the stairs, there are roads on both sides. And in front is the history of the temple written. Which I told you. There is a Hanging Bridge on the left, and main temple on the right.
Arhat, a term used in Buddhism to refer to a person who has achieved enlightenment and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. An arahant has attained nirvana, the ultimate goal in Buddhism, by understanding the true nature of existence and overcoming suffering. The term "Venerable" is an honorific title for a Buddhist monk or high-ranking religious figure. Here is a statue of an arahant monk from Thailand.
Entry Fee: 29 Taka.
How to go: After visiting the coconut garden, take a local auto to Rangkut Buddhist Monastery for 10 taka per person. If you don't go to the coconut garden, you can come directly from Ramu. The distance is a little more than 3 kilometers and the fare is 20 taka.
Sri Sri Ramkut Tirthadham
Hindu Temple
It is said that this temple was established 2800 years ago BC. It is said that Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, who had to live in exile for fourteen years to fulfill their father's condition, crossed many forests and came to this Panchavati forest. They built a hut here and lived there. This incident is mentioned in the famous pilgrimage texts of India. Hindus believe that the name Ramu is derived from the name of Lord Rama.
Hiram Cox's House
During the reign of the last king of Arakan, Maha Thammada, from 1784 onwards, the Burmese king Bodawpaya began to gradually conquer Arakan and finally captured the city of Mrauk U on 1 January 1785, thus ending nearly five centuries of independence for Arakan Rakhine. There was conflict between the Burmese and the Arakan Rakhines.
As a result of the Burmese civil war, Arakanese refugees settled in Cox's Bazar and the Bandarban Hill Districts of Bangladesh, as well as in the Patuakhali and Barguna regions, who were completely invisible to the previously permanent Rakhine residents of the area. The conflict escalated as Arakanese pirates set fire to the coast and looted the area.
In the 1790s, British Captain Hiram Cox was appointed superintendent of the Palanqui. It was an area of potentially dangerous conflict.
Captain Hiram Cox provided open refuge for these Rakhines. He was very generous to the local Hindu and Muslim Bengalis and the Buddhist Rakhines in practicing their native religion. To wage an effective war against the Burmese king, he recruited local Rakhines and Bengalis from the region into his army and gained a lot of respect and admiration.
It is said that in 1799, Hiram Cox wrote an article titled "A Narrative of the Burmese War, in the Years 1783 and 1784" in Volume 7 of Asiatic Research, the official journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Hiram Cox is said to have been one of the early proponents of the actual Cox–Forbes Theory of chess - although his name has now been eclipsed by Duncan Forbes, who later popularized it. Chess originated in India around the 7th century as a four-player game called Chaturanga, which eventually evolved into the two-player game we know today. Hiram Cox, writing about the Indian origins of chess, mentions a four-player version of the game. His writings contributed to early chess research, particularly in the Asiatic Society and Asiatic studies.
Although Cox did not create a detailed history of chess, his ideas laid the foundation for Duncan Forbes's later development of a full-fledged theory in the 1860s.
In 1799, Captain Hiram Cox, before completing his work with the Rakhines of Arakan and Bengal, died of a severe fever at this Ramu house at the age of 39.
In memory of his role in the rehabilitation work, a market was established and named after him: Cox's Bazar. Later, the entire district was named after him, Cox's Bazar.
In Hiram Cox's bungalow, there is a large veranda in front. There is some history written at the veranda, which is very little. There are two rooms inside. The house is more than 225 years old. Although many things have been repaired later. Quite a large attached bathroom. A small common balcony behind the two rooms. Now this house remains as a government rest house. You can stay there for a very small fee if you want.
Lamar Para Buddhist Monastery
It is said that the Lama Para Buddhist Monastery was founded in 1905 by local businessman Thu Aung Gia.
The Rakhine traditional wooden architecture is very attractive and the main temple is tall and decorated with wood carvings and ornate domes.
This Buddhist monastery, an impressive Buddhist monument, is a Buddhist educational and cultural center and a symbol of cultural heritage. A notable feature of the monastery is the huge bronze Buddha statue located on a marble platform inside. It is recognized as the second largest Buddha statue in Bangladesh.
In addition, there are two huge bells.
How to go: From Hiram Cox's house, we walked 350 meters to the left or north along the main road. Then we went 450 meters west along the first road on the left. Then we went 100 meters along the small alley on the left again and came to the Lama Para Buddhist Monastery.
Bodhirotno Buddhist Monastery:
Badhiratna Buddhist Temple was established in 1999.
How to go: From Hiram Cox's House, walk 700 meters northwards, towards Ramu about 1 km. You can come by local auto. It costs 10 taka. You will see a gate of a Buddhist temple on the left. Walk through the gate on the road on the left.
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