Vanga Shahi Masjid

This mosque is known as "Pathrail Mosque". But to the local people, it has other names, and it will be easier for you to find the place if you remember the other twos. People used to call this as "Dighir Par Mosque", also it has a name that is listed at Bangladesh government, "Majlis Awlia Mosque". This Masjid has three domes at the top of it. After taking the mosque under the Archaeological Heritages of Bangladesh, the government did some furnishing task over the mosque, so that it doesn't collapse, or doesn't become a ruin.

This mosque was built during anytime between 1393 AD to 1410 AD. The pundits are assuming that the mosque was built by the great ruler, Sultan Azam Shah. At the Southern side of the mosque, "Majlis Awlia Khan", the mosque was named after his name. There is a majar just near the mosque. The mazar was formed using the name of "Mastan Darbesh Nazimuddin Dewan" and "Fakir Salimuddin Dewan". There was a large Dighi(water tank) was created just near the mosque. The water tank was made to ease the water problem of the peasant. Thats why people used to call the mosque as "Dighir par jame moshjid".

পাথরাইল মসজিদ নামে পরিচিত এই মসজিদটির অন্য আরও দুটি নাম আছে। এগুলো হলঃ দীঘিরপাড় মসজিদ এবং মজলিশ আউলিয়া মসজিদ। মসজিদের নামগুলো মনে রাখলে আপনার মসজিদটিকে খুঁজে পেতে সুবিধা হবে। প্রত্নতত্ত্ব অধিদফতরের অধিগ্রহনের পর তিন গম্বুজ বিশিষ্ট এই মসজিদটি রক্ষার জন্য বেশকিছু রক্ষণাবেক্ষণের কাজ করে সরকার। সম্ভবত ১৩৯৩ থেকে ১৪১০ সালের মধ্যে মসজিদটি নির্মিত হয়েছিল। তবে, ইতিহাসবিদদের ধারনা সুলতান আজম শাহর শাসনামলে মসজিদটি নির্মিত হয়। মসজিদের দক্ষিনে রয়েছে ‘মজলিশ আউলিয়া খান’ যার নামে মসজিদের নামকরণ করা হয়েছে। মসজিদের কাছেই ‘মাস্তান দরবেশ নাজিমউদ্দিন দেওয়ান’ এবং ‘ফকির সালিমউদ্দিন দেওয়ানের মাজার রয়েছে। মসজিদের কাছে পানির সংকট নিরসনের জন্য একটি বিশাল দিঘীও খনন করা হয়েছিল আর একারনেই স্থানীয়রা মসজিদটিকে ‘দীঘিরপাড় জামে মসজিদ’ নামে বলে থাকে।

Baparipara Shahi Mosque is located at 1 km distance from Rajarhat Upazila of Kurigram district. The Mosque length is 32 feet and width is 10 feet. It is surrounded by 3 ft high wall. There are 3 door, 1 decorated gate, 2 tower and 4 high tower situated on the four corner of the Mosque. On the center of the roof, there are three big domes. There are no inscription found about the Mosque. From its architectural sign, you can guess Baparipara Shahi Mosque is around 200 year old.

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Atkandi Nilkuthi Mosque (আটকান্দি নীলকুঠি মসজিদ ) is situated in the Atkandi village of Raypura upazila, Narsingdi. It was built by a man named ‘Alim Uddin’. Alim Uddin built this Mosque just beside the grave yard of his wife ‘Sadetunnesa’. To build this Mughal stylistic Mosque he brought some masons from far land Mohishur, India. Some even compare it with Tajmahal, given its architectural style and the emotions behind it.

Alim Uddin completed his education on Islamic religion from Deobond and later worked as Teacher in a madrasa, conducted by Khawaza Family in Dhaka. Later in 18th century, he built this Mosque, however the exact date of founding this Mosque could not be determined.

It is a rectangular shaped Mosque. Which can be divided into three specific spatial context. We can exemplify it as below- 1. Inner zone 2. Exterior Corridor zone 3. Exterior Porch zone (under open sky)

Inner Zone of this Mosque contains three domes, and a Mihrab. Among these, three bulbous domes, among which the middle one is the biggest. The inner zone contains two entrances.

Exterior corridor zone of this mosque is elongated in north-south forming a rectangular shape. It contains five bulbous domes, which is smaller than other three. This zone also contains five entrances which are arch shaped and decorated with multi foiled design. In parapet it’s decorated with the Merlon design. In the base line of outer wall it’s decorated with a pitcher design.

Exterior porch zone of this mosque was built considering the large gathering which take place. It’s a square shaped plastered floor, with one feet high bordered wall all around the porch. It contains a main gateway to enter into the Mosque.

Public gathering in different occasion:

In different kind of public occasions, like in the eve of Eid-festivals and in common vacations people from different parts of the country come here to visit this place. On the southern part of this Mosque there is an old Ghat (in the edge of a river) which has stepped down to the branch of Meghna river. So far we know, it was built by G.P. Wize when this region was a place to plant indigo in a massive scale.

Present Condition and ruins of several unrevealed structure:

Present condition of this Mosque is not so consistent in a sense of building strength. It is in very sensitive condition, where it is randomly being used without any treatment of conservation & preservation. That’s why we can observe some deterioration in the brick building both in Exterior & interior part.

In the northern part of the Mosque there are some ruins of buried structure. Some outer portion of that buried structure is seem like spherical shape. Which demands more exploration and systematic archaeological excavation to reveal the history behind this region.

Musa Khan Mosque (মুসা খাঁ মসজিদ) is yet another edifice inside the Dhaka University premise that was built during the Mughal era. Location of the antique mosque is at south of Doyel Chattar, beside the Karzon Hall, opposite of the Dhaka University swimming complex. Exact Google map coordinate is (23°43'36.33"N, 90°24'2.92"E). You can find another mosque (Shahbaz Khan Mosque) near that place contemporary to this one.

Probably this mosque was built by Musa Khan, son of Isha Khan who was a prominent Zamindar from Baro Bhuiyan. It was quite unsure about the original time when it was built. Musa Khan died during 1623, but the structure of the mosque is almost similar to the Khwaja Shahbaz's Mosque and it was built during 1679. So neither the date nor the builder of the mosque is confirmed. Some people believe this one was built by either Shaista Khan or even later by Dewan Manawar Khan.

The mosque has a vault platform, and over this plinth the main architecture of the mosque is planted. It is a small building just like any other mosques during that period. It has three domes over the top. Middle one is the larger than other twos. Both the inside and outside of the mosque is plastered with cement and washed white with lime. There is a grave of Musa Khan is available at the northeast side.

The mosque has gone through several renovations. Also from the first sight it seemed to me, it is currently not under proper care. The authority just placed a signboard beside the mosque and thought their works are done. It is not a good practice to color this building with yellow this year, and next year white(I have seen this mosque in several colors over the last few years), and finally let the color be disappeared. We are not in a position to do experiment on such a precious object.