Tagore Terrace serves as a refuge from the ongoing aggression of the western culture overshadowing over ours. There is no one better than Rabindranath Tagore to lead the path of revival.
It is incredibly refreshing to see a wonderful rooftop café that is inherently Bangali. Tagore Terrace strums at your heartstrings with its beautiful views atop the eleventh floor, surrounded by a wide collection of books written by the world renowned author, while you sip a delicious cup of coffee, chit chatting with your friends.
Tagore terrace is a located in Banani 12, the same building that houses Dhaka Gallery. Its location makes it a perfect place to wind down at the end of a busy work day, or to spend a few hours hanging out and gossiping with your friends, or a cozy spot for a date. The very first thing that you see when you step off of the elevator is a beautiful statue of the head of Tagore, standing in the middle of the terrace, being one with the people who visit the café, courtesy of the floor-to-ceiling glass window. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows run along two sides which allow the maximum amount of natural light to enter the café.The heavy wood door opens you to the cozy café. The other side of the door has a decal of Tagore along with some of his writings.
The café has some beautiful art pieces, carefully positioned all over, such as a carved musical instrument, or the sitar at one corner, with some renditions of Tagore’s face on the walls. They add to the feel of the room, giving off an artistic vibe
The interior of the café is done in some lovely wood paneling that add warmth to the whole atmosphere.The 2000 sq feet rooftop has been divided into two parts, an indoor seating arrangement and an outdoor seating arrangement. Cozy, comfortable seating arrangement, with plush armchair-styled seats and low tables allow you to sit comfortably while you enjoy your foods and beverages. The outdoor area is perfect to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee or any of their other delicious foods.
The view from the rooftop is a sight to see. The edges of the rooftop walls are secured by concrete planters, which act as both a security measure and adds greenery to the café. Sitting there, watching the sun set against the silhouette of the concrete jungle after a long day, while a soft breeze stirs the leaves is certainly very peaceful. The most interesting thing about the interior is the ceiling lighting installation that has been made to mimic a starry night sky. The ceiling installation can be enjoyed at its fullest at night, when the café’s low and ambient lightings make fake stars shine.
At one corner is a bookshelf that holds many of the writings by Tagore. You can sit in one of the quaint, clever seating arrangement, which makes use of the wall, decorated by renditions of Tagore and faux wood- louver windows; and read on of the many books available for the patrons or enjoy one of the many documentaries on Tagore that play on loop in the café.
The whole idea of the café was to offer the patrons a space where they can spend a few hours alone or with their loved ones, indulging themselves a chance to revisit the eternal philosophy of the late poet and hopefully engage in a dialogue on how to reconstruct the dying values of Bangali nationalism.
Mustafa Khalid Palash, the renowned architect and founder of Tagore Terrace designed the terrace and the gallery downstairs with the intention to re-enlighten the values of Bangali nationalism. “Bangali values have been suppressed by the western influences continuously. We are trying to regenerate the dying values by initiating the literary philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore, and also engage the audience in various art forms of the culture,” he said.
