Brief
Chowk Bazar Shahi Mosque also known as Chowk Mosque is one of the oldest Mosques in Dhaka. It is located in the Chowk Bazar area of the old town of Dhaka, south to the current city center.
The mosque was constructed in 1676 by Subahdar Shayesta Khan (সুবাহদার শায়েস্তা খান). It is called ‘Shahi Mosque’ as it is founded by Subahdar Shayesta Khan. The mosque is built above a raised platform. The three domed mosque above the platform, now transformed into a multi-storied structure was originally a copy of Shayesta Khan’s another three domed mosque at the Mitford Hospital compound near the Buriganga River. Some square shaped rooms may be built for Imam and for students of the Madrashah. As a result of several renovation & reconstruction work, this mosque has lost its ancient original view.
History: This Mosque was constructed in 1676, as noted by an inscription in the Persian language over a gateway. The inscription attributes the project to Subahdar Shaista Khan. So far, this is known as the earliest dated mosque in the History of Muslim Architecture in Bengal, built on a high vaulted platform. Its architectural design was perhaps influenced by Tughlaq Architectures; such as Khirki Masjid or Kalan Mosque of Delhi. Influenced by this structure, some other mosques were built in Dhaka and Murshidabad.
Architectural Properties: The western half of the 3.05 meter high vaulted platform (28.65 meter from north to south and 24.38 meter from east to west) is occupied by the original three-domed mosque. It measures, inclusive of the four octagonal towers on the exterior angles, 16.15 meter by 7.92 meter. There are three four-centered archways in the east, all opening out under half-domed vaults. The half-domed vault of the central archway still contains beautiful Muqarnas works in stucco.
Corresponding to the three eastern entrances, there are three Mihrabs inside the west wall, all now redesigned. The central mihrab still has a semi-octagonal aperture, while its flanking counterparts are rectangular in design. The mihrabs are now all studded with lustrous pieces of enamel. The rectangular frames enclosing the mihrabs are now topped by rows of painted cresting. The floor of the mosque is now laid with marble.
Three bays divides interior view of this Mosque- the central one square shaped and the side ones are rectangular. All these bays were covered with domes, the central one being bigger than its flanking counterparts. This can be deduced from the newly built three-domed prayer chamber exactly above the original one, where the central dome has been kept larger than the side ones.
The vaulted rooms, all round underneath the platform, are either square or rectangular in shape. Many of them are now let out to shopkeepers and others are still being used as accommodation. The under ceilings of these rooms are flat on the top and barrel-shaped at the sides.
Very uniquely designed and Space utilized Madrasa & Mosque: The promenade around the three domed prayer chamber, since there was no separate structure for study purpose, might have been used for open-air classes and the vaulted room with book-shelves on their walls underneath the platform may have been designed to provide residential accommodation for those who used to teach and study here. In that perspective, Chawk Mosque may be regarded as the first known example of Residential Madrasa Mosque.
It is an ingenious way of accommodating two structures-a madrasa and a mosque in a single building which not only saved space but also a considerable amount of money.
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[name] => Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque
[post_id] => 7286
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/khan-mohammad-mridha-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Khan-Mohammad-Mridha-Mosque1-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque is another archaic mosque from our Dhaka city. Unlike other mosques, this one has plenty of spaces around it, and not consumed by the proximity buildings.
The mosque was built over a very high vault like platform. Using the stair, anyone can go to the upper store and able to have the beauty of the antiquity. According to the inscription of the central doorway of the mosque, it was built during 1704–05 AD by someone named Khan Muhammad Mridha, and the mosque was named after him.
The mosque has three domes at the top of it and has four pillars at the four corners with traditional ornate. If you visit the mosque, you may find that the door is closed. It usually opens at the time of the prayer.
At the eastern side of the mosque, there is a tomb exists, but no epigraph over the tomb, so it is hard to find anything further about this. Also the there is a garden available at eastern side having various kind of seasonal flowers.
There are plenty of spaces around the mosque. It will allow you to observe the mosque without any obstacle unlike any other mosques from Dhaka City. Having roads at west and north of the mosque kept it detached from other buildings.
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[name] => Chand Gazi Bhuiya Mosque
[post_id] => 1083
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/chand-gazi-bhuiya-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Chad-Kha-MosqueFeni12-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
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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[name] => {:en}Shah Mahmud Masjid{:}{:bn}শাহ মাহমুদ মসজিদ{:}
[post_id] => 5104
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/shah-mahmud-masjid/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Shah-Mahmud-Masjid2-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => {:en}
Shah Mahmud Masjid is an attractive building at Egarosindur may be dated sometime around 1680 AD. The mosque stands at the back of a slightly raised platform, which is enclosed by a low wall with a gateway consists of an oblong structure with do-chala roof. The mosque proper is a square structure, 5.79m a side in the inside, and is emphasized with octagonal towers on the four exteriors angles. All these towers shooting high above the roof and terminating in solid kiosks with cupolas, were originally crowned with kalasa finials, still intact in the southern one. The western wall accommodates inside three mihrab –the central one semi –octagonal and the side ones rectangular. The central doorway and central mihrab are larger than their flanking counterparts. The mosque has four axially projected front ones, each corresponding to the centrally located doorways and the central mihrab. The parapets and cornices are horizontal in the usual Mughal fashion.
All the mihrabs are enriched with terracotta decoration. The mihrabs are arched having cuspings in their outer faces. The pilasters, supporting the mihrab arches, show a series of decorated bands topped by a frieze of petals. The spandrels of these arches, though now plain must have been originally enriched with terracotta plaques. Above the rectangular frame of the central mihrab there is a row of arched-niches filled with varieties of small trees containing flowers. The mosque should specially be noted for its four axially projected frontons with bordering ornamental turrets, a device which must have been borrowed from the four axial iwan-type gateways of the Persian influenced north Indian Mughal standard mosques of Fathpur, Agra and Delhi.
The mosque has a very large dome at the top. Four corners of the mosque are having octagonal columns and the middle of the walls are having eight small columns (each wall two). The Shah Mahmud mosque has stylish terracotta at the eastern wall. Also it has expensive (considering that period) decoration at the top of the walls, columns and mini-minarets.
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এগারোসিন্দুর গ্রামে অবস্থিত অন্যতম আকর্ষণীয় এই স্থাপনাটি সম্ভবত ১৬৮০ সালের দিকে নির্মিত হয়েছিল। একটি উঁচু প্লাটফর্মের পেছনে অবস্থিত এই মসজিদটি নিচু দেয়াল দিয়ে ঘেরাও করা হয়েছে। মসজিদে ঢোকার ফটকটি আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার এবং এটিতে দোচালা ছাদ রয়েছে। ছাদের উপর চার কোণায় অষ্টভুজ চারটি টাওয়ারসহ বর্গাক্ষেত্রাকার এই মসজিদের ভেতরের প্রতিটি দিকের দৈর্ঘ্য ৫.৭৯ মিটার। মসজিদের টাওয়ারগুলোতে ছোট কক্ষ ছিল এবং টাওয়ারগুলো অলংকার দিয়ে সাজানো হয়েছিল। দক্ষিন দিকের টাওয়ারে এখনও সেসব অলংকারের দেখা মেলে। মসজিদের পশ্চিম দেয়ালে তিনটি মিহরাব আছে যেগুলোর মধ্যে মাঝের মিহরাবটি অষ্টভুজ আকারের এবং বাকি পাশের দুটি মিহরাব বর্গক্ষেত্রাকার। মসজিদের মাঝখানের মিহরাব এবং দরজাটি অন্যান্য মিহরাব ও দরজাগুলোর চেয়ে আকারে বড়। মসজিদের প্রাচীর এবং কার্নিশগুলো মুঘল স্থাপত্যের মত সমান্তরাল।
মসজিদের ধনুকাকারের মিহরাবসমূহে টেরাকোটার নকশা করা রয়েছে। মসজিদের মিহরাবের সাথেকার প্রতিটি কলামে পাতা এবং শৃঙ্খলের নকশা রয়েছে এবং ধনুকাকার মিহরাব এবং ছাদের সংযোগস্থলে একসময় টেরাকোটার ফলক ছিল বলে বোঝা যায়। এখানকার মাঝখানের মিহরাবের উপরে বিভিন্ন ফুল সমেত ছোট গাছের নকশা রয়েছে। মসজিদের সম্মুখভাগের চারটি চূড়ার নকশার উত্তর ভারতের ফতেহপুর, আগ্রা এবং দিল্লির মুঘল আমলের মসজিদগুলোর পারস্য নকশার সাথে মিল পাওয়া যায়।
মসজিদের উপরে একটি বিশালাকার গম্বুজ রয়েছে এবং এখানকার পূর্বদিকের দেয়ালে টেরাকোটার কাজ ছাড়াও দেয়ালের উপরে, কলামে এবং মিনি মিনারে সে আমলের ব্যয়বহুল নকশার কাজ রয়েছে।
ছবির জন্য এখানে ক্লিক করুন http://www.panoramio.com/photo/91597929
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/91597914
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[3] => Array
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[name] => Belabo Bazar Mosque
[post_id] => 7930
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/belabo-bazar-mosque/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/241559351-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Belabo Bazar Mosque,a grand mosque constructed with Tk 35 million, was inaugurated on 8th of November 2008. At least 12,000 people can say their prayers at a time at the mosque of 200 feet length and 125 feet width. Renowned industrialist of Narsingdi district Abdul Kadir Mollah carried the whole construction cost of the mosque.
The first founder and land owner of the Moque named 'Alhajj Mahmud Ali Bhuiyan' donated his land for building this Mosque. Who is known as 'Mamdi Bepari'. Later Abdul Kadir Mollah announced his grand donation on a public place in Belabo to build this Mosque as a Mega Structure. Local people feels proud to be the inhabitants of this Upazila. Many people from different direction come to visit this Mosque everyday.
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