The mosque city of Bagerhat:
In the early fifteenth century on the swamp mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans, a gorgeous township named Khalifatabad was induced by a saint-general named Ulugh Khan Jahan, which is current day Bagerhat, situated on the south-western a part of Bangladesh, and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Khan Jahan was either forced by unknown political circumstances to immigrate, or he was specially commissioned by the court of Delhi to settle a Muslim colony during this distant region. This remarkable adventurer, who was undoubtedly the earliest torch bearer of Islam within the south, braved all natural hazards during this unclaimed swampland and systematically laid out the nucleus of an affluent capital city, unnoticed within the annals of the amount .
Ulugh Khan Jahan, who was a coincident of theliberty Bengal Sultan Nasiruddin Muhammad Shah (1442-59), seems neither to possess refined his allegiance to the Sultan nor to the Lodi Sultan of Delhi. He governed over an expansive jungle territory in and around Khalifatabad, virtually as an independent chief, but seems never to possess produced coins during this name or assumed any lofty sovereign title – the 2 patents of an independent ruler.
Significant Stuctures of Bagerhat:
Khan Jahan impressed his capital city with numerous mosques, bridges, roads, reservoirs, palaces, mausoleum, and other public constraction in an astonishingly short rhythm of some time . it's said that Khan Jahan Ali parade through jungles with sixty thousand followers.
Every time he reached a serious township, he left behind a number of his disciples to interact in welfare work and continued to proceed southward with the remainder of his entourage, and eventually settled in Bagerhat. The saint’s main objective in rendering the swampy southern region of Bengal habitable was to spread Islam. a number of the important structures still remaining within the city are as follows.
The Shrine of Khan Jahan:
The main cairn in Bagerhat is that the single-domed dargah set as Khan Jahan’s mausoleum, which is found on the northern embankment of the Thakur Dighi. it's a standard belief in Bagerhat that Khan Jahan Ali select this site a couple of years before he died, which he even laid a tombstone upon which his followers later recorded his death: Dhu al-Hijjah 27, 863 A.H. (October 25, 1459 C.E.).
The entrance of the shrine features a typical Bengali chau-chala vaulted roof located between two broad, pointed-arch passageways. The orginal row of chou-chala domes is like the bamboo rafters utilized in the agricultural huts of Bengal.
The tomb sleeps on a base of 5 rows of dressed black stone that derive their form directly from earlier Pala traditions.
Within the enclosed spots to the west, there's a uniform mosque with a stone tomb located between the 2 buildings. The tomb is traditionally imposed to Pir Ali, alias Muhammad Tahir, an in depth associate of the saint.
Sixty Dome Mosque:
Among the various surviving cairns of the Khan Jahan manner and undoubtedly the foremost magnificent and largest brick mosque in Bangladesh, is that the so-called Sixty Dome Mosque. actually , the mosque is roofed over with 77 small vaults including seven
The appeal hall is 160’X190' in size, which may accommodate about 2,000 people for prayer. it's 11 subdued doorways on the east, and 7 each on the north and south, for ventilation and lightweight .
Unlike most of the contemporar mosques of that point , there's no acted for a private enclosure referred to as bahshah-ka-takht or “the King’s throne” during this mosque. However, there's alittle arched step within the western wall on the brink of the central mihrab which is an unusual feature. The western or the qibla parapet, therefore, has only ten mihrabs rather than eleven.
The large bare and plastered brick facade is released only by the standard curved Bengali battlements and cornice which, on the east, is broken the middle by alittle triangular pediment from which the cornice glacis gracefully away towards the corner towers.
In general outlook, this noble monument, with its stark simplicity and massiveness, strongly resembles the strength and austerity of the cyclopean grandeur of the Tughlaq architecture of Delhi.
Nine Domed Mosque:
The Nine-Domed Mosque, located on the western bank of Thakur Dighi, is a chic squire mosque which has recently been extensively repaired. it's covered with nine low hemispherical domes supported on four slender stone columns. it's three arched entrances to the east, north, and south sides and therefore the western wall is relieved inside with three corresponding arched mihrabs , of which the central one is larger than the others.
The miharabs are embellished with terracotta floral scrolls and foliage motifs within rectangular bands of panels, and therefore the monotony of the plain 7'-8? thick walls is merely broken by the pairs of arched lamp niches on the west, north, and south walls. Prominent chain-and-bell terracotta motifs adorn the middle of every miharab.
The round corner top are divided by eight bands of moldings and therefore the outer walls are relieved with tall vertical sunken panels terminating in pointed arches below the cornice. the ever present curved cornice, which may be a common feature of of these monuments, is additionally a feature of the decoration here.
Singair Mosque:
The Singair Mosque may be a 40'-9? square single doomed structure with 7' thick walls. it's four rounded corner turrets, relieved with five bands of brick moldings, and therefore the cornices on all four sides are gently curved.
On the eastern face, there are three arched entrances within the oblong frames, whilst on the north and south walls there are single entrances. The middle mihrab on the west wall, framed within rectangular brick moldings, is sparsely embellished with terracotta rosettes and foliate motifs.
Bibi Begni Mosque:
The Bibi Begni Mosque is analogous to the Singair Mosque generally , only larger and more massively built, with 9'-9? thick walls. There are three arched entrances on the east and single arched openings on the north and south. like the three entrances, the west wall is relieved with three ornate mihrabs of which the central one is far larger than those flanking it. The mihrabs are bordered with rectangular moldings and ornamented with multi-cusped arches and terracotta floral panels, each of which features a prominent central chain-and-bell motif.
There are two arched lamp niches on each of the west, north, and south walls. The four-round corner turrets are divided by ten brick moldings but their crowning kiosks are missing.
Chunakhola Mosque:
Chunakhola Mosque is picturesquely located on an isolated low mound amidst an expanse of flat cultivated fields. In plan and elevation, this single domed small monument closely resembles the Singair Mosque and has similarly suffered heavily at the hands of the inclement weather of this area.
Thanks to visit my website. If you travel any mosque of Bagerhat to share your experience with us in comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment