This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Bibi Maryam Masjid | |
---|---|
বিবি মরিয়ম মসজিদ | |
Religion | |
Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
Location | |
Location | 114 Mukarba Road, Killarpul, Narayanganj, Bangladesh |
Geographic coordinates | 23°37′55″N90°30′39″E / 23.6320°N 90.5107°E |
Architecture | |
Type | Mosque |
Style | Mughal Architecture |
Date established | c. 1664 |
Interior area | 9,980 sq ft (927 m2) |
The Bibi Maryam Mosque, also known as the Hajiganj Mosque, is in Hajiganj, Narayanganj. The mosque is said to have been constructed by Nawab Shaista Khan, Mughal subadar of Bengal. The construction of the mosque began in 1664 and finished in 1688. It took 24 years to complete. Bibi Maryam, apparently his daughter, is said to be buried nearby in a tomb. The mosque is a three-domed type, the central dome being more comprehensive than the side ones. The side domes are reduced by thickening the side walls instead of adding an intermediate half-dome, as seen in some Mughal mosques. The basal leaf decoration of the domes and the battlemented merlons speak of the standard style. The panel leaf decoration on the top of the roof is seen only on the front side. The eastern facade of the mosque has the usual three arched entrances, each opening under a half dome and the central one being more expansive than the side entrances. Two windows, one each on the south and north sides are of later innovation. The four engaged corner towers, almost merged within the wall, are extended beyond the parapet. The interior hall shows simple lateral arches. The side bays are made square by thickening the side walls. The mosque has been repaired and renovated several times. It has significantly lost much of its original features through repairs since the corner towers are being wholly modernised. A veranda on masonry pillars on the eastern side has completely overshadowed the front view. It is now being used as a Jami mosque.
Most historians suggest that Shaista Khan, the Mughal governor of the Bengal Subah from 1664 to 1688, built the mosque within a fortified complex in the early 1680s. Presumed to be Bibi Maryam's father, Khan named the site after his daughter's premature demise and also had her tomb built nearby.[1] Historians who have examined the building materials and applied construction techniques have found that both were exercised contemporaneously with Nawab Shaista Khan. According to the present mosque authority, Shaista Khan's family and administration formed the Muslim population of present-day Killarpul during its construction, which explains the limited accommodation. Even as late as the 1950s, Killarpul's population was almost monopolised by Hindus, with hardly ten Muslims appearing for congregational prayer. This starkly contrasts today, where hundreds of worshippers appear for worship.
The mosque was initially built as a highly tall single-storied mosque with a great emphasis on vertical qualities. Three mihrabs are located in the western wall from the base of the ground floor to one-third the height of the first floor. These mihrabs have been compressed in width and shortened in height; otherwise, they would structurally relate to the three domes to portray one of the site's prime architectural essences. The authentic mihrabs' remains are on the first floor and rise as much as one-third of their height in the western wall. In 2001, the first floor was inserted directly into the mosque, jeopardising the structural beauty of the relationship between the domes and the mihrabs. After the construction of the first floor, the beauty of the domes and mihrabs remains undecipherable, where the roof of the first floor completely obstructs the former's view, and the latter's size has been dramatically altered. A combination of embellishments and proportional adjustment among elements such as arches, domes, mihrabs etc., defines the architecture of the Bibi Maryam Mosque.
All of which have been used in a series of three members. In such elements, the middle one is much larger and more emphasised than those flanking it. For instance, the three domes roofed the interior space where the central dome is much larger than the subsidiary ones on either side. Using three domes in such a manner for a mosque is a distinctive feature of the Mughal style. There is a minaret situated at the eastern corner of the main building. It was built during the 1971 Liberation War and has lost its original features due to later repairs, which modernised it. The interior hall has simple lateral arches, but the side domes have been reduced by adjusting the side walls' thickness. The three domes are embellished with basal leaf imitations, and the walls are fortified. The embellishment of the outer surfaces or walls, which in the contemporary typical Mughal mosques were plaques and floral and geometric motifs, are also untraceable. A veranda has been added alongside the first floor due to the eastern facade of the mosque to accommodate more worshipers, which has marred the mosque's beauty. Initially, an open plaza adjoined the east face, adding to its beauty and measuring 50 feet by 20 feet. Even though rectangular, the mosque looks more like a square due to its 50 feet width being marginally more extensive than its 45 feet breadth.
The historical records clarify that the fortified complex existed before the masjid and the shrine it houses. This complex is entirely fortified with 4-foot-wide and 12-foot-high boundary walls. The prime building is the Bibi Maryam Shrine. The masjid faces the shrine opposite it, and its central axis is aligned with the shrines.
The Masjid was built simultaneously with the shrine to fulfil the need for congregational prayer and complement the shrine's significance by availing the scope for worshipers to pray for the deceased Bibi Maryam's salvation. This shrine leads to a subsidiary shrine and, located at the western end of the Masjid, is a secret passage by which Nawab Shaista Khan's soldiers could access the Hajiganj Fort. The rectangle-shaped Bibi Maryam shrine is accessible from all directions with five arches on all its facades and is topped by a dome. Unlike the Bibi Maryam Masjid, the shrine has retained all its architectural qualities despite undergoing conservation numerous times.
It reflects the age during which it was built. After the 1971 Liberation War, Bibi Maryam Girls Primary School consumed a substantial area of the Bibi Maryam complex, for which a large part of the eastern and southern fortifications had to be demolished. The shrines and the masjid are located on elevated surfaces. Another building adjoined the fortified walls in the south direction, which was the dwelling of Nawab's soldiers who guarded the complex. The main shrine is a monochromatic structure plastered with light-brown surfaces and adorned with recessed rectangular panels. The parapet of the shrine is decorated in the same style as the top of the fortified boundary walls. It is presented with three arches in the middle flanked at the right and left sides by a single arch of identical size and features. The shrine has been built on an elevated platform which measures three feet high and is accessed by an open staircase whose appearance is ruined.
Although the plaques and motifs which adorned the Bibi Maryam Masjid disappeared long ago, their themes can still be deduced by analysing those still preserved in the shrine and other buildings of the complex. Some embellishments were produced as patterns of voids and minute angular shapes by piercing the walls directly. The other elements are projected or recessed rectangular plaques and floral and geometric motifs. The latter types also enhance the incident natural lighting in buildings for comfort and aesthetics. This strategy has been commonly employed in Islamic architecture and is strongly featured in the shrine and subsidiary shrine.
Unlike the shrine, it has transformed radically under the different conservation and construction phases. The Masjid stands wholly deprived of its true architectural significance. Several books have been written to unravel its wonders, albeit with limited hypothetical conclusions, and are oriented more towards the sensitivity of its values. The scarcity of the information is attributed to its faint documentation in the context of history and the government's irresponsibility in treating it as a national heritage. However, it is not dilapidated since a lot can be traced from the surviving elements, such as domes, arches and load-bearing walls that defined the space in its inception.
The Wazir Khan Mosque is a 17th-century Mughal masjid located in the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The mosque was commissioned during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a part of an ensemble of buildings that also included the nearby Shahi Hammam baths. Construction of Wazir Khan Mosque began in 1634 C.E., and was completed in 1641. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
Mughal architecture is the type of Indo-Islamic architecture developed by the Mughals in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries throughout the ever-changing extent of their empire in the Indian subcontinent. It developed from the architectural styles of earlier Muslim dynasties in India and from Iranian and Central Asian architectural traditions, particularly Timurid architecture. It also further incorporated and syncretized influences from wider Indian architecture, especially during the reign of Akbar. Mughal buildings have a uniform pattern of structure and character, including large bulbous domes, slender minarets at the corners, massive halls, large vaulted gateways, and delicate ornamentation; examples of the style can be found in modern-day Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.
Binat Bibi Mosque is the earliest surviving mosque in Dhaka built in 1454 by Bakht Binat, the daughter of Marhamat. It was built during the rule of the Sultan of Bengal, Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah (1435–1459). The mosque is located beside the Hayat Bepari’s Bridge in Narinda area.
Indo-Islamic architecture is the architecture of the Indian subcontinent produced by and for Islamic patrons and purposes. Despite an initial Arab presence in Sindh, the development of Indo-Islamic architecture began in earnest with the establishment of Delhi as the capital of the Ghurid dynasty in 1193. Succeeding the Ghurids was the Delhi Sultanate, a series of Central Asian dynasties that consolidated much of North, East, and Central India, and later by the Mughal Empire during the early 16th century. Both of these dynasties introduced Islamic architecture and art styles from West Asia into the Indian subcontinent.
The Mahabat Khan Mosque, sometimes spelt Mohabbat Khan Mosque, is a 17th-century Mughal-era mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan. The mosque was built in 1630, and named after the Mughal governor of Peshawar, Nawab Mohabat Khan Kamboh, father of Nawab Khairandesh Khan Kamboh. The mosque's white marble façade is considered to be one of Peshawar's most iconic sights.
Choto Katra is one of two Katras built during Mughal's regime in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was constructed in 1663 by Subahdar Shaista Khan. It is on Hakim Habibur Rahman lane on the bank of the Buriganga River. It was built to accommodate officials and Shaista Khan's expanding family. Chhota Katra is slightly smaller than Bara Katra, but similar in plan and about 185 metres east of it.
The Jama Masjid of Bijapur is a congregational mosque in the Indian state of Karnataka. Initiated by Ali Adil Shah I of the Bijapur Sultanate in the 16th century, the mosque was never completed. It is the largest mosque in Bijapur, and has a capacity of 4000 worshippers.
Begum Shahi Mosque, officially The Mosque ofMariyam Zamani Begum, is an early 17th-century mosque situated in the Walled City of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Constructed by Mughal Empress Mariam-uz-Zamani, chief consort of Emperor Akbar, it is one of the largest mosques in Pakistan. The mosque was built between 1611 and 1614 during the reign of Mughal Emperor Jahangir.
The Jama Masjid is a 16th-century congregational mosque in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fatehpur Sikri, located in Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Akbar, and was the largest mosque in the empire at the time of construction. The Jama Masjid's design drew from earlier mosques built by various pre-Mughal sultanates, and served as an important precedent in subsequent Mughal architecture.
Moth ki Mosque is a heritage building located in Delhi, and was built in 1505 by Wazir Miya Bhoiya, Prime Minister during the reign of Sikander Lodi (1489–1517) of the Lodi dynasty. It was a new type of mosque developed by the Lodis in the fourth city of the medieval Delhi of the Delhi Sultanate. The name of the mosque literally translated into English language means ‘Lentil Mosque’ and this name tag ‘Lentil’ has an interesting legend. This mosque was considered a beautiful Dome (Gumbad) structure of the period.
Shahbaz Khan Mosque is a historic mosque located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Located near Mir Jumla’s Gate, this mosque serves as an example of late Mughal architecture in Bengal, known as the Shaista Khan architectural style.
The Sat Gambuj Mosque is near the northwestern outskirts of Dhaka in the Mohammadpur area. It is a fine example of the provincial Mughal style of architecture introduced in what is now Bangladesh in the 17th century. The mosque's most notable features are its seven bulbous domes crowning the roof and covering the main prayer hall. The monument stands in a romantic setting on a buttressed 15-foot-high bank overlooking an extensive flood plain. The mosque dates to the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and may have been built by the Mughal governor Shaista Khan.
Jama Masjid, also known as Jumah Mosque or Jami' Masjid, is a mosque in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It was built in 1424 during the reign of Ahmad Shah I. The inscription on the central mihrab commemorates the inauguration of the mosque on the 1st Safar A.H. 827 or January 4, 1424 A.D. by Sultan Ahmad Shah I. The mosque lies in the old walled city, and it is situated outside Bhadra Fort area. The old walled city is divided into separate quarters or pols, and the Jami' Masjid is found on the Gandhi Road. Along the south side of the road, the mosque is a short distance beyond the Teen Darwaza or Tripolia Gate.
The Badshahi Mosque is a Mughal-era imperial mosque located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was constructed between 1671 and 1673 during the rule of Aurangzeb, opposite of the Lahore Fort on the northern outskirts of the historic Walled City. It is widely considered to be one of the most iconic landmarks of the Punjab.
There are eleven different types of buildings at the UNESCO-protected Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park in Gujarat, India, including mosques, temples, granaries, tombs, wells, walls, and terraces. The monuments are situated at the foot of and around the Pavagadh Hill. The Baroda Heritage Trust lists 114 monuments in the area, of which only 39 are maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, due to limited funding. The Forest Department owns 94% of the land here, while the temple trusts and other sectarian establishments provide facilities for boarding and lodging to pilgrims and tourists. On the southern side near the foot of the hill some dilapidated houses and the foundations of Jain temples can also be seen.
Lalbagh anda is a fort in the old city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Its name is derived from its neighborhood Lalbagh, which means Red Garden. The term Lalbagh refers to reddish and pinkish architecture from the Mughal period. The original fort was called Fort Aurangabad. Its construction was started by Prince Muhammad Azam Shah, who was the son of Emperor Aurangzeb and a future Mughal emperor himself. After the prince was recalled by his father, the fort's construction was overseen by Shaista Khan. The death of Shaista Khan's daughter Pari Bibi resulted in a halt to the construction process, apparently due to Shaista Khan's superstition that the fort brought bad omen. Pari Bibi was buried inside the fort.
Asrafia Jame Masjid, previously known as the Mosque of Ahladi Bibi, is a mosque located in the urban neighbourhood of Amlapara, in the city of Narayanganj, Bangladesh. It was built during the British Raj colonial period, dating back to the 1890s.
The Shrine of Khwaja Abd Allah, commonly called the Shrine at Gazur Gah and the Abdullah Ansari Shrine Complex, is the funerary compound of the Sufi saint Khwaja Abdullah Ansari. It is located at the village of Gazur Gah, three kilometers northeast of Herat, Afghanistan. The Historic Cities Programme of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture has initiated repairs on the complex since 2005.
The tomb of the noble Isa Khan Niazi is located in the Humayun's Tomb complex in Delhi, India. The mausoleum, octagonal in shape and built mainly of red sandstone, was built in 1547–1548 during the reign of Sher Shah Suri. The mosque of Isa Khan is located west of the mausoleum, which along with other buildings form the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Humayun's tomb complex.
Situated in Rajasthan, a region known for its rich cultural diversity, specifically on its border near Mathura, the Chaurasi Khamba Mosque exemplifies syncretism by standing alongside Hindu temples and other historical monuments. This coexistence underscores Rajasthan's tradition of harmonizing various religious and cultural practices. Over the years, conservation efforts have been undertaken to preserve this architectural gem, ensuring its historical and cultural significance is maintained for future generations. Today, the mosque attracts tourists and history enthusiasts worldwide, inviting them to explore its splendor and learn about the rich heritage it represents. Through its enduring presence, the Chaurasi Khamba Mosque continues to be a testament to India's diverse cultural legacy and the Ghurid empire's architectural brilliance.