bagha shahi mosque

BAGHA SHAHI MOSQUE

BAGHA RAJSHAHI

*The Bagha Mosque (বাঘা মসজিদ) is located at Bagha, 25 miles southeast of Rajshahi in Bangladesh. It was established in 1523 by Nashrat Shah, an independent Sultan of Bengal. The mosque is depicted on the 50 Taka note of Bangladesh. The mosque was built of brick on the bank of a tank and is surrounded by a brick wall. The mosque is known for its ornate terracotta ornamentation. বাঘা মসজিদ রাজশাহী জেলা সদর হতে প্রায় ৪০ কিলোমিটার দক্ষিণ-পূর্বে বাঘা উপজেলায় অবস্থিত একটি ঐতিহাসিক মসজিদ। সুলতান নাসিরউদ্দীন নসরাত শাহ ১৫২৩ খ্রিস্টাব্দে মসজিদটি প্রতিষ্ঠা করেন।

ইতিহাস

মসজিদটি ১৫২৩-১৫২৪ সালে (৯৩০ হিজরি) হুসেন শাহী বংশের প্রতিষ্ঠাতা আলাউদ্দিন শাহের পুত্র সুলতান নসরাত শাহ নির্মাণ করেন। পরবর্তীতে বিভিন্ন সময় এই মসজিদের সংস্কার করা হয় এবং মসজিদের গম্বুজগুলো ভেঙ্গে গেলে ধ্বংসপ্রাপ্ত মসজিদে নতুন করে ছাদ দেয়া হয় ১৮৯৭ সালে।

স্থাপত্য বৈশিষ্ট্য

মসজিদটি ২৫৬ বিঘা জমির ওপর অবস্থিত। সমভুমি থেকে থেকে ৮-১০ ফুট উঁচু করে মসজিদের আঙিনা তৈরি করা হয়েছে। উত্তর পাশের ফটকের ওপরের স্তম্ভ ও কারুকাজ ধ্বংসপ্রাপ্ত হয়েছে। মসজিদটিতে ১০টি গম্বুজ আছে । আর ভেতরে রয়েছে ৬টি স্তম্ভ। মসজিদটিতে ৪টি মেহরাব রয়েছে যা অত্যন্ত কারুকার্য খচিত। দৈর্ঘ্য ৭৫ ফুট প্রস্থ ৪২ ফুট, উচ্চতা ২৪ ফুট ৬ ইঞ্চি। দেয়াল চওড়া ৮ ফুট গম্বুজের ব্যাস ৪২ ফুট, উচ্চতা ১২ ফুট। চৌচালা গম্বুজের ব্যাস ২০ ফুট উচ্চতা প্রায় ৩০ ফুট। মাঝখানের দরজার ওপর ফারসি ভাষায় লেখা একটি শিলালিপি রয়েছে। মসজিদটির গাঁথুনি চুন-সুরকি দিয়ে। ভেতরে এবং বাইরের দেয়ালে মেহরাব ও স্তম্ভ রয়েছে। বাঘা মসজিদের দৈর্ঘ্য ২২.৯২ মিটার, প্রস্থ ১২.১৮ মিটার এবং উচ্চতা ২৪ ফুট ৬ ইঞ্চি। এর দেয়াল ২.২২ মিটার পুরু। মসজিদটিতে সর্বমোট ১০টি গম্বুজ, ৪টি মিনার (যার শীর্ষদেশ গম্বুজাকৃতির) এবং ৫টি প্রবেশদ্বার রয়েছে। এই মসজিদটি চারদিক হতে প্রাচীর দিয়ে ঘেরা এবং প্রাচীরের দু’দিকে দু’টি প্রবেশদ্বার রয়েছে। মসজিদের ভিতরে-বাইরে সবর্ত্রই টেরাকোটার নকশা বর্তমান। মসজিদের পাশে অবস্থিত বিশাল দিঘীও একটি দর্শনীয় স্থান। এছাড়া বাঘা মসজিদের পাশেই রয়েছে একটি মাজার শরীফ।

বিবরণ

বাঘা মসজিদটির গাঁথুনি চুন এবং সুরকি দিয়ে। মসজিদের ভেতরে এবং বাইরের দেয়ালে সুন্দর মেহরাব ও স্তম্ভ রয়েছে। এছাড়া আছে পোড়ামাটির অসংখ্য কারুকাজ যার ভেতরে রয়েছে আমগাছ, শাপলা ফুল, লতাপাতাসহ ফার্সি খোদাই শিল্পে ব্যবহৃত হাজার রকম কারুকাজ। এছাড়া মসজিদ প্রাঙ্গণের উত্তর পাশেই রয়েছে হজরত শাহদৌলা ও তার পাঁচ সঙ্গীর মাজার। বাংলার স্বাধীন সুলতান আলাউদ্দিন হুসাইন শাহর পুত্র নাসিরউদ্দীন নসরত শাহ জনকল্যাণার্থে মসজিদের সামনেই একটি দিঘী খনন করেন। শাহী মসজিদ সংলগ্ন এ দিঘিটি ৫২ বিঘা জমির ওপর রয়েছে। এই দিঘির চারপাশে রয়েছে সারিবদ্ধ নারিকেল গাছ। প্রতিবছর শীতের সময় এ দিঘিতে অসংখ্য অতিথি পাখির কলতানে এলাকা মুখরিত হয়ে ওঠে। বর্তমানে দিঘিটির চারটি বাঁধানো পাড় নির্মাণ করা হয়েছে। এ ছাড়া এ মসজিদ সংলগ্ন জহর খাকী পীরের মাজার রয়েছে। মূল মাজারের উত্তর পাশে রয়েছে তার কবর। এ ছাড়া মসজিদ সংলগ্ন মাটির নিচ থেকে মহল পুকুর আবিষ্কৃত হয়। ১৯৯৭ সালে মাজারের পশ্চিম পাশে খনন কাজের ফলে ৩০ ফুট বাই ২০ ফুট আয়তনের একটি বাঁধানো মহল পুকুরের সন্ধান মেলেছে। এই পুকুরটি একটি সুড়ঙ্গপথ দিয়ে অন্দরমহলের সঙ্গে যুক্ত ছিল। তিন দিক থেকে বাঁধানো সিঁড়ির ভেতরে নেমে গেছে। মসজিদের ভেতরে ও বাইরে রয়েছে প্রচুর পোড়ামাটির ফলক। মসজিদের ভেতরে উত্তর-পশ্চিম কোণে একটু উঁচুতে নির্মিত একটি বিশেষ নামাজের কক্ষ আছে। এ মসজিদ সংলগ্ন এলাকায় প্রতিবছর ঈদুল ফিতরের দিন থেকে ৩ দিন পর্যন্ত 'বাঘার মেলা'র আয়োজন করা হয়। এ মেলাটি ৫০০ বছরের ঐতিহ্য।

Bagha Mosque

Bagha Mosque, Rajshahi is a religious monument which has become one of the important tourist attractions in Rajshahi. The Bagha Mosque, Rajshahi is a brick-built monument which is located at a distance of 25 miles from the city. Built in 1523, the construction of the mosque was initiated by Nashrat Shah, former Sultan of Bengal.

The Bagha Mosque compound originally spread across an area of 48.77 square meters. Tourists can enter the compound of the mosque via arched gateways which are located at the southern and the northern part of the compound. The gateways comprise of an oblong turret structure which offers a unique style and reflect on the architectural style of the period when it was originally built.

The mosque is basically an oblong structure that measures about 23.16 meters by 12.80 meters. The exterior angles of the Bagha Mosque in Rajshahi are accentuated by the presence of octagonal towers which are divided into various sections by moulded bands. The cornice of the Bagha Mosque reflects on the Bengalis style of architecture that might have been prevalent during the time of its construction. Apart from it, the mosque also features five arched openings and three mihrabs which beautify the mosque structure.

The interior of the Bagha Mosque is mainly divided into two main aisles that are longitudinal in nature along with five bays of four stone pillars. The doorway arches of the mosque offers a two-storied appearance from the outside. The mosque suffered immense damage in the 1897 earthquake but mush has been repaired by the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh.

The most noteworthy aspect of the Bagha Mosque, Rajshahi is its exquisite terracotta ornamentation, much of which has disappeared. The few remaining are mainly in the interior section which has been enriched by the presence of the rectangular panels.

While touring the site of the terracotta mosque, the tourists can also explore the surrounding locations which feature other notable attractions like the shrine of Aulian Hazrat Danishmand and his disciples. Nature lovers frequenting the mosque site can also venture down to the nearby pond which attracts a large number of migratory birds, making it a great birdwatching destination.

Bagha Mosque situated at Bagha, about 25 miles southeast of Rajshahi town, survives in a fairly good state of preservation. The mosque was built on the western bank of a fairly large tank within a brick-walled compound, 48.77m square. The mosque compound could be entered by two old arched gateways - one on the north and the main one on the south comprising a simple oblong curved structure with a turret on either side. This brick-built mosque, now a protected monument of the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh, is an oblong structure measuring externally about 23.16m by 12.80m. The four exterior angles of the building are emphasised with octagonal towers, divided into sections by moulded bands and topped over with polygonal solid cupolas. The cornice of the building is gently curved in the Bengali fashion.

There are five arched openings in the east and two on either of the south and north sides. Inside the mosque there are three mihrabs at the western end of the three southern bays, a panelled design in the fourth and a smaller mihrab in the raised gallery in the northwestern corner. The interior of the mosque is divided into two longitudinal aisles and five bays by a row of four stone pillars. The mosque has therefore ten independent square divisions, each being covered by an inverted cup-shaped dome. The Department of Archaeology has reconstructed the present domed roof, as the original roof had collapsed in the earthquake of 1897. The domes are carried on intersecting arches springing from stone pillars and engaged stone pilasters. It is important to note that the stone blocks in the form of a lintel at the springing point of the doorway arches run all round the building, which gives the mosque a two-storied appearance from outside.

The mosque is noteworthy for its exquisite terracotta ornamentation. Although much of the ornamentation has already disappeared, quite a bit still exists both in the interior and exterior of the building. All the archways and mihrabs are set within decorated rectangular frames, while the spaces around the mihrabs and archways are enriched with highly ornate rectangular panels, one above the other. One such panel in the eastern facade is encircled by a frame of tendrils and contains an exuberant engrailed and floreate arch. From the apex of this arch hangs a conventionalised chain motif, which ultimately evolves into a fantastic grape-cluster.

The mihrabs consist of deep recesses and are faced with beautiful engrailed arches carried on decorated faceted pillars. The deep recesses are divided by raised mouldings into rows of rectangular small panels, each embellished with cusped arches containing varieties of designs. The spandrels of the mihrab arches are enriched with flower vases, out of which rise vine-like scrolls and leaves intertwining boldly projected rosettes. The whole composition is enclosed within a rectangular frame filled with a series of decorated rectangular panels. A window grill of the building is marked with a fine design of intersecting circles and diagonals. The faceted corner towers are also enriched with varieties of terracotta designs.

It is interesting to note that the additional prayer chamber created by means of a raised platform in the north-west corner within the building appears to have been an exclusive gallery for the governor who ruled the area as a nominee of the reigning sultan. This sort of special prayer chamber, noticed in some other Bengal mosques, appears to have been meant as a substitute of maqsura - a feature introduced in the mosque architecture of early Islam for the safety of the caliphs. This particular feature of the Bagha mosque has given it the status of a Jami mosque.

An inscription, which was originally fixed over the central archway of this building (now in Karachi), records its construction by Sultan nusrat shah in 1523 AD.

Bagha Mosque was Built by Sultan Nusrat Shah in 1523 A.D. Bagha Mosque is a richly decorated monument originally roofed over with 10 domes which collapsed long ago. But recently this Mosque rebuilt carefully to their original form. From Rajshahi you can go there easily by any motorized vehicle.

North East Side Of Mosque

BAGHA SHAHI MOSQUE

Variant Names : Jami Mosque

Location : Bagha, Bangladesh

Date : 1523

Style/Period : Husain Shahi

Building Type : religious

Building Usage : mosque

Notes

Built during the Husain Shahi period by Sultan Nusrat Shah in the district of Rajshahi, this mosque has an oblong prayer chamber measuring 76' x 42', which was originally spanned by ten small, inverted-cup shaped domes. The domes were recently repaired and restored. Four corner turrets with copulas extend beyond the gently sloped cornice. The eastern fa�ade has five arched entrances each bordered by a rectangular frame.

Stone pillars divide the prayer hall into two aisles and five bays. And there seems to have been a women's gallery in the northwestern corner of the mosque.

The monument boasts some of the most impressive examples of terracotta wall carvings and relief in rich floriated patterns, combined with grapes and rosettes.

Ahmed, Nazimuddin. 1980. Islamic Heritage of Bangladesh. Dacca: Padma Printers, p.47.

Bagha Mosque

Bagha Mosque, an exquisite structure built in 1523-24, is situated near Bagha upazila headquarters, about 35 kilometers southeast of Rajshahi city. According to an inscription on the mosque’s central entrance, it was built by Sultan Nusrat Shah, son of Husayn Shah. The inscription is now preserved in Karachi, Pakistan.

The mosque was built on the western bank of a fairly large tank within a brick-walled compound. It could be accessed through two arched gateways from the north and the south.

The boundary wall with two entrances and the evidence of the ruler gallery shows that the brick-built mosque, now a protected monument of the Department of Archaeology, is an oblong structure measuring externally about 26.35m by 12.86m.

The prayer hall is divided into five aisles and two longitudinal bays by a row of four freestanding black basalt pillars. The shafts of those pillars are monolithic like the conventional stone pillars in Gaur whereas the capital and the base are also from two different pieces of stones. The external brick wall is 2.23-meter thick and has two stone layers. One stone layer is placed at the plinth level and the other at the lintel level.

The prayer hall can be accessed from the east by five identical arched openings, and the side walls contain two openings sealed at present.

A stone lintel proves the existence of perforated bricks in the side openings for ventilation and lighting. The kibla wall contains four richly ornate mihrab (niches) and three southern aisles have one mihrab each. The fourth aisle has no mihrab. It is believed to be used as a mimbar. The fifth or the northernmost aisle has a small mihrab placed at the upper level. This small mihrab proves that there was a raised gallery covering the northwestern part of the prayer hall.

Similar to the gallery of Kusumba Mosque in Rajshahi, this raised gallery was probably accessed from the interior of the hall, while the adjacent side in the northern wall has no entrance at the gallery level.

The four-corner octagonal turrets, one at each corner, are divided into five tiers by horizontal mouldings and are covered by a plain solid cupola. Four freestanding stone pillars and ten partly concealed pilasters support the roof of ten equal hemispherical domes. The brick pendentives at each corner of a grid transfer the square supporting area into a circular base, upon which the hemispherical domes rest.

Bagha mosque in Rajshahi is worth mentioning for its profound terracotta ornamentation, although much of the original terracotta panels have been replaced. The wall surfaces and the octagonal corner turrets are decorated with various terracotta motifs. The wall surface is vertically divided by a string course, with a lozenge on its face, run all around the four walls and breaking only at the position of all openings.

Above and below the string course are friezes of upright and inverted merlons respectively. All the openings and the mihrabs are set within ornate rectangular frames that are surmounted by ornamental merlons. Spaces between these rectangular frames for the opening are adorned with two large rectangular terracotta panels, placed one above the other. Each panel is encircled by a frame of tendrils, and a chain and bell motif inside. The upper part or cornice on all four sides is gently curved. There are four mouldings in this cornice impressed with ornaments. The interspaces between the mouldings are also ornate with continuous floral frieze motifs.

An earthquake in 1897 damaged all the domes and the eastern wall of the mosque.

In 1978, the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh took up the initiative and restored the mosque.

Mimber of bagha shahi mosque

Bagha Dighi

The Bagha Mosque is located at Bagha, 25 miles southeast of Rajshahi in Bangladesh. It was established in 1523 by Nashrat Shah, an independent Sultan of Bengal. The mosque is depicted at the 50 Taka note of Bangladesh. The mosque was built of brick on the bank of a tank and is surrounded by a brick wall. It is fairly well preserved and is now protected.

The mosque is known for its beautiful terracotta ornamentation. The mosque compound could be entered by two old arched gateways - one on the north and the main one on the south comprising a simple oblong curved structure with a turret on either side. This brick-built mosque, now a protected monument of the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh, is an oblong structure measuring externally about 23.16m by 12.80m. The natural surrounding of the Bagha Mosque, with thousands of migratory birds visiting the adjacent dighi (pond) can be another attraction for tourists. There is the shrine of Auliah Hazrat Danishmand (R) and his disciples at Bagha Mosque complex. The four exterior angles of the building are emphasised with octagonal towers, divided into sections by moulded bands and topped over with polygonal solid cupolas. The cornice of the building is gently curved in the Bengali fashion.

Thumb Of Bagha Shahi Mosque

PICTURE OF BAGHA MOSQUE& LOCATION 2010

About Bagha Mosque

South Est Side of Bagha Dighi

Bagha Mosque situated at Bagha , about 25 miles southeast of Rajshahi town , survives in a fairly good state of preservation . The mosque was built on the western bank of a fairly large tank within a brick walled compound , 48 . 77m square . This brick built mosque , now a protected monument of the Department of Archaeology , Bangladesh , is an oblong structure measuring externally about 23 . 16m by 12 . 80m . An inscription , which was originally fixed over the central archway of this building ( now in Karachi ) , records its construction by Sultan Nusrat Shah in 1523 AD . Bagha