Mosque of Kartalab Khan

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.

Walipur Alamgiri Mosque is situated in Walipur village under Hajiganj Upazila of Chandpur district. There are two mosques in the same locality - one known as Shahi Alamgiri Mosque and the other as Shah Shuja Mosque. The Alamgiri mosque has suffered much due to subsequent restoration works. Nevertheless, enough still survives to give an idea of its original plan and design. A Persian inscription in fine nastaliq character, fixed over the central doorway, records the construction of the mosque by one Abdullah in 1692 AD in the reign of Alamgir Aurangzeb.

In the middle of the eastern facade of the oblong mosque (15.24 m by 8.23 m) there is a projected fronton bordered with octagonal turrets through which opens out the main doorway. This has a higher arch with a half-dome within a rectangular frame. There are two more doorways in the eastern facade, one on either side of the central opening, having an outer arch with a half-dome below. Each of the north and south walls is pierced with a pair of arched doorways. The mosque has therefore seven archways in total -three in the east and two on each of the north and south walls. The four exterior angles of the building are strengthened by octagonal towers, which are carried beyond the horizontal parapets and topped over with kalasa finials, but have now been renovated.

Two massive octagonal brick pillars divide the interior of the mosque into five square bays - a large one in the middle (5.87m a side) and two smaller ones on its either side which are arranged in the east-west axis. Archways interconnect the bays; the arches are placed directly on two free standing octagonal pillars and engaged semi-octagonal pillars. It is worth noting that these arches are continued upwards as walls to make the bays above. This special device has given the mosque a two-storied appearance internally. All the five bays are roofed over with domes crowned with lotus and kalasa finials on cylindrical drums. The domes are carried on half-domed squinches on the upper corners and the blocked arches in between the square inches in the middle of the walls.

Octagonal turrets rising high above the horizontal parapets border the outside projection of the central mihrab, like that of the central archway. Inside, there are three mihrabs in the qibla wall. The central mihrab is semi-octagonal in design, but the flanking mihrabs are of the shallow rectangular type.

The original plastering of the building has been replaced by modern cement plaster. The horizontal parapet is now plain. The facade of the central archway projection is marked with shallow rectangular panels, each being further enriched with such motifs as plants and small trees with flowers in stucco. The central mihrab arch springs from beautifully decorated pilasters and has foliaged designs at its spandrels. The rectangular frame of the central mihrab, though now barely plain, is topped over with a frieze of blind merlons. A fine specimen of Mughal stucco ornamentation is still preserved in the squinches and blocked arches in between, which support the domes above. The extrados of the squinch arches and blocked arches are ornamented with interlocking scrolls, while the tympanums of the blocked arches are minutely embellished with floral scrolls with intertwining rosettes in the centers. Above them all round the interior base of the cylindrical drum runs a slightly sunken frieze decorated with floral scrolls.

Five-domed type mosque, one of the important varieties of Bengal mosques, shows two sub-types: (a) a mosque with a large central dome and a pair of small domes on each side in the same line and (b) a mosque with a large central dome and four small domes on the corners. The present mosque is the culminating example of the second variety. Both in planning and in the execution of elevation details of the building, the architect and the artisans have left behind a clear mark of their skills and perfection of ideas. The division of the interior of the mosque into five squares has been very scientifically effected by the disposition of two octagonal short massive freestanding pillars instead of the two east-west wide arches of the previous examples of the series. Mosques on this model were not built in Bengal for a long time, but almost two centuries later the type reappeared in the Becharam Dewri Mosque (1872) in the city of Dhaka. In plan Becharam Dewri Mosque is an exact copy of the Alamgiri Mosque but inferior in quality and elevation details.

Such mosque design in Bengal started with austagram mosque and evolved through the sarail mosque and the Walipur Alamgiri Mosque. The design is really unique. Question may now arise as to the origin of this particular kind of Bengal mosques. In Turkey under the early Ottomans the mosque of Rustam Celebi (c first half of the 15th century) at Tokat provides perhaps the earliest known example of its kind with five domes - the large central one and a small one on four corners. Similar plan is also found in such other Ottoman mosques as the Guzelce Hasan Bey Mosque (1406) in Hayrabolu and the Uc Serefeli Cam (1437-47) at Edirne. These mosques are generally regarded as the precursors of the great Ottoman mosques at Istambul - Bayezid mosque (1501-06), Sulaymaniya Mosque (1550-59), and the beautiful Selimya Mosque (1569-75) at Edirne. The five-roomed or five-domed planning of the Ottoman mosques may perhaps be said to have been dictated by those of some early Muslim buildings of Syria.

In India the Jamat Khana Mosque (1310-16) at Delhi is a lone example of its kind. This mosque design continued to have been practiced in Northern India in an elaborated form in Humayun's Mosque (1530) at Agra, where four small domed-rooms, instead of two, are attached on either side of the large central domed chamber. It may, therefore, be said that the plan of the second variety of the five-domed type mosques in Bengal was not innovated by Bengal architects, and its idea is very likely to have been borrowed from the sources stated above, particularly perhaps from those of Turkey or Upper India.

Written by: MA Bari

In every single part of Bangladesh there are some Archaeological & Historical remains, which has enriched our cultural history. Lack of awareness and proper knowledge in common people results in gradual ruining of many Historical & Archaeological sites in our country.

One of the great example of deteriorations of an Archaeological site in Narsingdi district is ‘Single domed Mosque and Tomb of Shah Mansur’ located at Kumradi, Shibpur upazila.

It was built in eighteenth century by a Muslim saint named Shah Mansur. In course of time, the existence of the mosque is totally replaced by a new built Madrasa. But, still now the remaining of ‘Tomb of Shan Mansur’ is existing, although it is hard to assume how the original structure was.

Architectural Property and Layout:

Tomb of Shah Mansur, A massive structure which is architecturally rich and decorated with different kinds of design. It is in rectangular shape and built in very unique way. In the western wall of this building there are five arch shaped entrance, among them middle one is open and decorated with multi foil design. Others are Closed arch & also contains the same design like the opened one. The southern side of the tomb is severely disturbed, broken and ruined. Main entrance of the tomb is totally vanished, but still we can observe some three archways very close to the grave of Shah Mansur. It seems like there are two grave inside the building. We assume that other grave might be Shah Mansur’s wife.

There is another unique structure situated in the southern side of the tomb. It is just a square shaped Minar containing open space inside of it, in the roof top it contains a bulbous shaped dome. It has four arch shaped ways in four brick wall.

In the most eastern part of this tomb there is a large pond. Which is probably same years old as the tomb is.

Myth related to this Structure:

There are several myths interrelated with this feature. People say that Shah Mansur used to pet a tiger inside of square shaped structure which is situated in the eastern side of the tomb. Although, It’s a myth but it contains some evidences which might prove it true. Inside of this square shaped structure there are two iron’s ring attached with brick wall.

And it is also said, Once there were some big fishes in the pond. Local people believe that, those fish were actually cursed human being and for this reason they buried those death fish in a grave yard near to Pond.

Present Condition and Immediate Conservation Issue:

Present condition of the features situated in this complex is in very sensitive condition. One domed Mosque built by Shah Mansur is vanished and a new Madrasa replacing it. The tomb of Shah Mansur is near to destruction. The whole brick building contains several banyan tree and different species of trees.
The unique square shaped Minar is also near to ruin. Beside this structure there is bathroom built very recently for Madrasa students.

Immediate steps should be taken to conserve and preserve these features from its deterioration.

Baba Adam Shahid Mosque (বাবা আদম শহীদ মসজিদ) is an archaeologically significant mosque situated in Munshiganj District.

Baba Adam's Mosque shows all the decorative and architectural characteristics of the sultanate architecture of Bengal. This mosque, in fact, bears the mature form of the sultanate mosque style of this region (Bangladesh).

It is a six-domed mosque. An inscription, fixed above the central doorway in the east, records 888 AH/1483 AD as the date of construction of the mosque. Malik Kafur built it during the reign of Sultan Fateh Shah. Baba Adam's Mosque is now protected monument under the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh. It has been renovated and is in a comparatively good state of preservation. Besides the mosque there is a tomb known as Baba Adam's Mazar, where, according to a legend, baba adam shahid, who died in a holy war, was buried. It is difficult to ascertain the historicity of this tomb due to lack of authentic sources. There is a newly built small tomb structure situated on the south-east side of the courtyard of the mosque. Previously, there was no roof over the tomb.

The present tomb is square in plan (7.62m a side) and is undated and without any inscription tablet. The simple grave has no feature of architectural importance and the Department of Archaeology is not responsible for preserving it.

বাবা আদমের মসজিদ এবং দরগা মুন্সীগঞ্জ জেলার রামপাল থানার রিকাবিবাজার ইউনিয়নের কাজী কসবা গ্রামে অবস্থিত। বহুগম্বুজবিশিষ্ট আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার এই মসজিদটির ভেতরের অংশের আয়তন ১০.৩৫ মিটার গুণিতক ৬.৭৫ মিটার এবং বাইরের অংশের আয়তন ১৪.৩০ মিটার গুণিতক ১১.৪৫ মিটার। মসজিদটির দেয়ালের পুরুত্ব প্রায় ২ মিটার। বাবা আদম মসজিদের তিনটি সারিতে প্রবেশের জন্য মোট দুটি পথ রয়েছে।   এই মসজিদের পশ্চিম দিকের দেয়ালের পেছনের অংশের তিনটি স্তর রয়েছে এবং মাঝখানের স্তরে নকশাকরা বহুখাঁজবিশিষ্ট খিলানের প্যানেল রয়েছে। মসজিদের ছাদে দুই সারিতে তিনটি করে মোট ছয়টি একই ধরনের গোলাকার গম্বুজ রয়েছে। বাবা আদম মসজিদে দুটি সরু স্তম্ভ রয়েছে যেগুলো কালো অগ্নিয়গিরিজাত শিলা দিয়ে নির্মিত। এই স্তম্ভগুলোর গোড়া অষ্টভুজাকার, ষোল পার্শ্বযুক্ত এবং শিকল ও ঘণ্টার আদলে নকশাকৃত। বাবা আদম মসজিদের মুসলিম আমল পূর্ববর্তী পাথরের পিলারগুলোর উপর মসজিদের সরু প্রজাতির খিলানগুলো দাড়িয়ে আছে যেখান থেকে ছয়টি গম্বুজের উদয় হয়েছে। মসজিদটি ইটের তৈরি হলেও এটির পিলার এবং আয়তাকার স্তম্ভগুলো পাথরের তৈরি।

সুলতানি আমলের বেশীরভাগ স্থাপনার মত এই মসজিদের কার্নিশ এবং ছাদ বক্ররেখা বেষ্টিত। মসজিদের পশ্চিম দিকের দেয়ালের মিহরাবের সাথে সমান্তরালভাবে পূর্বদিকে তিনটি চমৎকার বক্রাকার ফটক রয়েছে।

বাবা আদম মসজিদের খিলান ও ছাদের মধ্যকার স্থানে গোলাপের নকশা রয়েছে এবং ছাঁচের নকশায় প্রস্তুতকৃত কুলুঙ্গির সারি রয়েছে। মসজিদে সবকটি ফটক এবং মিহরাবে আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার নকশা খোদাই করা আছে এবং উত্তর ও দক্ষিন দিকের দেয়ালে আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার কুলুঙ্গি রয়েছে। মসজিদটিতে কোন মিনার নেই এবং মাঝখানের ফটকের দুই পাশেই বহু খাঁজবিশিষ্ট দুটি আয়াতক্ষেত্রাকার প্যানেল রয়েছে। ছোট পিলারসমূহের উপরে বাবা আদম মসজিদের খিলানগুলো দাড়িয়ে আছে যেগুলোতে টেরাকোটার চমৎকার ঝুলে থাকা ফুলের নকশা করা আছে।  বাবা আদম মসজিদের বহিরাংশের মত নকশা সিরাজগঞ্জের শাহজাদপুর মসজিদের বহিরাংশেও দেখা যায়।

বাবা আদমের মসজিদের নকশা এবং স্থাপত্যশৈলীতে সেসময় বাংলায় সুলতানি আমলের স্থাপত্যশৈলীর চরিত্র দেখতে পাওয়া যায়। এই অঞ্চলের (বাংলাদেশের) মসজিদগুলোতে সুলতানি স্থাপত্যশৈলীর পূর্ণ রুপের মসজিদ ছাড়াও এখানে একটি দরগা রয়েছে যেটি বাবা আদমের মাজার নামে পরিচিত। লোককথায় আছে যে বাবা আদম শহিদ একটি ধর্মযুদ্ধে নিহত হবার পর তাঁকে এখানে দাফন করা হয়। নির্ভরযোগ্য সূত্রের অভাবে এই দরগার ইতিহাস সঠিকভাবে জানা যায়নি। মসজিদের উঠানের দক্ষিন-পূর্বদিকে একটি নবনির্মিত ছোট দরগা রয়েছে। পূর্বে দরগার উপর কোন ছাদ ছিল না। বর্তমানে অবস্থিত দরগাটি বর্গাকার (যার প্রতিটি বাহু ৭.৬২ মিটার এবং এটিতে কোন শিলালিপি নেই তাই কবে এটি নির্মিত হয়েছিল তারও কোন তারিখের উল্ল্যেখ নেই। দরগার পাশে অবস্থিত কবরটি অতি সাধারণ তাই এটির কোন স্থাপত্যশৈলীর দিক দিয়ে কবরটির কোন গুরুত্ব নেই আর তাই প্রত্নতাত্ত্বিক অধিদফতর কবরটি সংরক্ষণও করছে না।