Brief
The Chandamari mosque in Kurigram is an ancient Mughal mosque that has been around for centuries. However, the mosque is falling inexorably into ruin due to acid rain and lack of proper maintenance. The mosque is situated in the village of Chandamari in Chakirpasha union under the Rajarhat Upazila in the district of Kurigram. No one knows the exact year the mosque was built or who built it. The locals consider it the oldest mosque in the area, at approximately five hundred years old. The architecture of the mosque is very similar to that of other buildings dating back to the Mughal times. It should be mentioned that there is no department of archaeology in the district. Should archaeologists visit the mosque and perform carbon dating experiments, its year of foundation may be pinpointed.
During a visit to the site, local man Abdul Zalil Sarker and President of the Mosque Committee Jakir Hossen Chowdhury told Star Insight that perhaps future generations will know the exact age of the mosque. “It was built in the 16th or 17th century. It bears some similarities to the structure of the Atia mosque (1609 AD) in Tangail,” a local historian said. Local sources say that though there are 52 decimals of land in the mosque’s name, whilst it is established on only five decimals. The height of the mosque is 45”. There are three large, four medium and twenty-four small domes on top, the four corners and around the mosque respectively. Nine of smaller domes have been damaged.
This mosque, however, is not one of a kind. Hundreds of old buildings with ample antique value and rich heritage are crumbling due to lack of care while others are even being deconstructed. The issue seems to be ignored completely by authorities despite plenty of public interest and protest.
The mosque was made with flat tally bricks, which were cemented together with a kind of paste called Bhishkas. The thickness of walls, roof and domes are 4”. From a long period of continued carelessness, a crack had formed in the center of the 3 large domes. Being unfit, the middle dome was reduced by ½ feet and repaired by the mosque committee, who also built a tin-shed porch in front of the mosque.
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[name] => {:en}Bagha Mosque{:}{:bn}বাঘা মসজিদ{:}
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Bagha mosque was constructed on a western embankment of a large pond surrounded by brick and walls of 48.77sq meter. It is one of the major tourist attractions of Rajshahi. In reference to the inscription on top of the mosque it may be conclude that the mosque was constructed by Sultan Nusrat Shah in 1932 A.D. Initially its roof was over 10 domes but later those disintegrated. The mosque was constructed with brick and stone plinth. An earthquake in 1897 destroyed all the domes.
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বাঘা মসজিদ নির্মাণ করা হয়েছিল একটি বিশাল পুকুরের পশ্চিম তীরে যেটি ছিল ইট এবং দেয়ালে ঘেরা এবং এলাকাটির আয়তন ছিল ৪৮.৭৭ বর্গ মিটার। এটি রাজশাহীর অন্যতম পর্যটন আকর্ষণ। মসজিদের শিলালিপি থেকে জানা যায় যে খ্রিষ্টপূর্ব ১৯৩২ সালে সুলতান নুসরাত শাহ মসজিদটি নির্মাণ করেন। শুরুর দিকে মসজিদের ছাদে ১০ টির অধিক গম্বুজ থাকলেও পরবর্তীতে তা ধ্বংস হয়ে যায়। মসজিদটি ইট ও পাথর দিয়ে নির্মাণ করা হয়। ১৮৯৭ সালের ভুমিকম্পে সবকটি গম্বুজ ধ্বংস প্রাপ্ত হয়।
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[name] => {:en}Chuna Khola Mosque{:}{:bn}চুনাখোলা মসজিদ{:}
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Chuna Khola Mosque or single domed square mosque is similar to Singair Mosque and Bibi Begni’s Mosque. Chuna Khola Mosque has three pointed arched entrances, rectangular frames border the north and south sides. The mosque has three Mihrabs along the west wall corresponding to the three doorways on the east. The central one is huge. Rectangular frames border the Mihrabs too with terracotta decorations. A horizontal row exists at the top. There is a Kalasa motif in the middle of the row above the central frame. The interiors of the Mihrabs are extensively decorated with terracotta motifs.
Unlike any other mosques from around, this one was having plenty of spaces around. In fact it was at the middle of the field (paddy or other seasonal). It is a single dome mosque and the dome is noticeably larger one. Also, the dome isn't placed at the center of the mosque. From my observation the dome is inclined slightly towards the Northern wall.
Apart from the beautiful semi spherical dome atop, the mosque is having three doors at the Eastern wall. And a single door each at the Northern and Southern walls. The mosque has beautiful four columns at the four corners of the mosque (similar to any other from it's contemporary). The shape of this Chunakhola Mosjid is square.
{:}{:bn}খুলনা বিভাগের বাগেরহাট জেলায় একটি বিশাল কৃষিক্ষেতের পাশে বিবি বেগনি মসজিদের ১ কিলোমিটার উত্তর পশ্চিমে চুনাখোলা মসজিদ অবস্থিত। এক গম্বুজবিশিষ্ট এই মসজিদটির সাথে সিঙ্গাইর মসজিদ এবং বিবি বেগনির মসজিদের মিল রয়েছে। মসজিদে তিনটি ধনুকআকারের ফটক রয়েছে এবং উত্তর ও দক্ষিনদিকে আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার কাঠামো রয়েছে। মসজিদের পশ্চিম দেয়ালের তিনটি মিহরাব পূর্বদিকের তিনটি ফটক বরাবর অবস্থিত। এখানকার তিনটি মিহরাবের মধ্যে মাঝখানেরটি আকারে বড়। চুনাখোলা মসজিদের মিহরাবগুলোতে টেরাকোটার নকশার পাশাপাশি আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার কাঠামো রয়েছে এবং মিহরাবগুলোর উপরিভাগে একটি সমান্তরাল সারি রয়েছে এবং মাঝখানের কাঠামোর উপরের মধ্যেখানে কলসের নকশা রয়েছে।{:}
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[name] => Nidariya Mosque
[post_id] => 4801
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/nidariya-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Nidaria-Masque.11-300x200.jpg
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Mughals subadar MANSUR KHAN donated 10.56 acres of land for Nidariya Mosque and built it in 1176. In that time there was Motayalli as Ijar Mahmood Sheikh, Bijara Sheikh Mahmud,and Khan Mahmud Sheikh. People says because Subedar Mansur Kha’s not of having dari(দাড়ী) for that the mosques was known as Nidariya. Now the local people pray in this mosque.
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[name] => Chand Gazi Bhuiya Mosque
[post_id] => 1083
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/chand-gazi-bhuiya-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Chad-Kha-MosqueFeni12-300x225.jpg
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Chad Gazi Bhuya Mosque, also known as Chad Kha Mosque, is an archaic mosque from the Feni district that was built during 1112 Hijri (Arabic Calendar). According to the inscription at the front door, the mosque was built by someone named Chad Gazi Bhuya. It’s a traditional three domed mosque, domes are in a single row. Center one is larger compared to the others. All the three domes are having a Lotus at the top and two Kolosh (native water pot). This looks delicately beautiful and adds an extraordinary beauty to the mosque.
Apart from the domes, the mosque has 12 minarets over the walls in a symmetric way. Four minarets at the four corners are having similar style and other 8 minarets amid the walls are also having similar style. Eastern side of the wall is having simple terracotta along with the terracotta above the front door.
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