Mosque City of Bagerhat

             Mosque City of Bagerhat

The Mosque City of Bagerhat  is a formerly lost city, located in the suburbs of Bagerhat city in Bagerhat District, in the Khulna Division of southwest of Bangladesh. Bagerhat is about 15 miles south east of Khulna and 200 miles southwest of Dhaka.
Originally known as Khalifatabad and nicknamed the "mint town of the Bengal Sultanate the city was founded in the 15th century by the warrior saint Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan.
The historic city, listed by Forbes as one of the 15 lost cities of the world, has more than 50 Islamic monuments which have been found after removing the vegetation that had obscured them from view for many centuries. The site has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 under criteria (iv), "as an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble which illustrates a significant stage in human history", of which the Sixty Pillar Mosque (Shat Gombuj Masjid in Bengali), constructed with 60 pillars and 77 domes, is the most well known. Apart from these monuments, UNESCO also includes the mausoleum of Khan Jahan, the mosques of Singar, Bibi Begni, Reza Khoda, Zindavir among the unique monuments.

Geography

The mosque city is positioned at the flowing together of Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, at a upper limit of around 60 kilometres (37 mi) from the sea coast. The city is spread over an area of 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi),on the banks of the Moribund branch of the Bhairab River along a 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) stretch (in an east west direction and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) width in north-south direction), which was part of the Sundarbans mangrove forests. According to numismatics, it was built in the 15th century and was known by the name of Khalifatabad during the 16th century. Given the nature of the heavy forest habitat and it being inhabited by tigers, the city was developed with unique infrastructure to make it inhabitable. Today all monuments are set in the unspoilt environment of what is now farmlands, surrounded by palm trees.

History

The history of the present-day Bagerhat is traced to the Bengal Sultanate under the rule of Sultan Nasir al-din Mahmud Shah (1442–1459). It was established by the Ulug Khan Jahan (1433–1459), an administrator under the sultanate in the 15th century; an inscription on his tomb here mentions 1459 as his date of death, testifying the construction of the city in the mid 15th century. He was responsible for establishing a planned township with roads, bridges, and water supply tanks (ponds – two are still surviving: the Ghoradighi and Dargadighi), cisterns, and a very large number of mosques and tombs, and palaces and his own mausoleum, all attributed in the same “Khan Jahan Style”; Khan Jehan lived in the town and did extensive philanthropic work. It is mentioned that the Delhi Sultanate, for political and religious reasons, wanted to establish an outpost of Islam in the then-remote part of India in Bengal and deputed Ulug Khan Jahan to brave this task.
Ulug Khan was known for his unique capability as an administrator (administered the districts of Jhenaidah, Sathkira, Patuakhali, and Barisal in South Bengal) and a builder. He was also a pir, a saintly person who shunned personal aggrandizement (who rejected royal titles and did not issue any mint in his name). His tomb is thus venerated in Bangladesh and attracts a large number of pilgrims.
A study of ten mosques and tombs seen in the town reveals that seven of them — Shait Gumbaz Mosque, which adjoins the Ulug Khan Tomb, Ranbijaypur Mosque, Bibi Begni Mosque, Shingra Mosque, Chunakhola Mosque, the Nine Domed Mosque are in Ulugh Khan style. The other three mosques of a later period are the Ten Domed Mosque, Rezai Khan Mosque and Zinda Pir Tomb.
In 1895, an extensive analysis of the area was conducted, and restoration was put into effect in 1903-04 on the Shait Gumbaz mosque. In 1907-8 part of the roof and 28 domes were restored.
In 1982-83, UNESCO drew up a master plan for the Bagerhat area and it became a World inheritance Site in 1985.

   Shat Gombuj Masjid:

The Sixty Pillar Mosque (the Shat Gambuj), in Bagerhat in south Bangladesh, on the eastern bank of a sweet water tank or pond (the takur dighi) is one of the oldest mosques in the country and is described as "historic mosque representing the Golden Era of Muslim Bengal".It is laid is over an area of 160 feet (49 m) by 108 feet (33 m). The mosque is unique in that it has 60 pillars that support 77 exquisitely curved "low squat domes" that have worn away over time; it has seven central domes that are four-sided and built in Bengali style. It was established in 1440 by Khan Jahan Ali.

Nine dome Mosque

The Nine Dome Mosque is located to the west of the takur dighi tank and built in the 15th century, it is close to Khan Jahan Ali's Tomb. Its western wall conventionally faces west towards Mecca, where the mihrab is inset on the western wall; terra cotta floral scrolls and flower motifs are the decorations seen around the mihrab. Circular towers are provided in the four corners. The walls of the mosque support a large central dome which has eight smaller domes around it. This structure was also
affected by sulphates. It has been since substantially restored. Close to this mosque are the Zinda Pir Mosque and mazar (tomb), which are in ruins.

Six-Domed Mosque

The Six-Domed Mosque (also called the Rezakodha Masjid), built in the 15th century near thakur dighi pond, had six domes supported by stone columns. Protected under the Antiquities mihrab displayed a chain and bell design. However, since it was all in ruins, a new building had been built, which has since been removed and the old ruins retained.
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