S. M. Sultan Memorial Museum travel guide

At a glance

Lifetime

10 August 1923 – 10 October 1994

Location

Machhimdia, Narail town

Distinction

Ekushey Padak (1982), Independence Award (1993)

Fair

Sultan Fair (around his birthday)

History and details

Sheikh Mohammed Sultan was born at Machhimdia, Narail, into the poor family of a mason. With a local zamindar's help he got into the Calcutta Art School but left without finishing, wandered across India, painted in Kashmir, and in the 1950s exhibited in the USA and Europe — his work was shown in the same exhibition as artists like Picasso and Dalí.

Back home he lived simply in Narail — keeping animals and birds, playing the flute and working with children. In his paintings Bengal's farmers are muscular and strong — not poor, but the real builders of civilisation; 'The First Plantation', 'Char Occupation' and 'Tilling the Land' are among his famous works.

For children he made 'Shishu Swarga' and a big floating boat-school on the Chitra. His home is now a museum, and his grave is on the Chitra bank.

Things to do

• See Sultan's paintings in the museum
• See the Shishu Swarga boat on the Chitra bank
• Pay your respects at Sultan's grave
• Watch the boat race during the fair

How to get to S. M. Sultan Memorial Museum

At Machhimdia in Narail town.

Narail is about 165 km from Dhaka; the journey takes 3.5–4 hours.

• 🚌 By bus: Narail buses via the Padma Bridge and Kalna Bridge, fare ৳450–600.

Where to stay

The district town has basic and mid-range hotels (roughly ৳800–2,500). Government circuit houses and dak bungalows can be used with permission.

What to eat

Chitra River fish, Narail's pera (milk sweet)

Good to know

• See the huge 'Shishu Swarga' boat he built on the Chitra bank

More to see nearby

• Chitra River (next door)
• Narail Zamindar Bari
• The boat market of Kalia upazila

More places to visit in Narail district

• Chitra River — The banks of the calm Chitra River; village scenes like Sultan's paintings.

Location on the map