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In mid-15th century, a Muslim colony was founded in the
inhospitable mangrove forest of the Sundarbans near the
seacoast in the Bagerhat district by an obscure
saint-General, named Ulugh Khan Jahan. He was the
earliest torch bearer of Islam in the South who laid the
nucleus of an affluent city during the reign of Sultan
Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah (1442-59), then known as 'Khalifalabad'
(present Bagerhat). Khan Jahan aborned his city with
numerous mosques, tanks, roads and other public
buildings, the spectacular ruins of which are focused
around the most imposing and largest multidomed mosques
in Bangladesh, known as the Shait-Gumbad Masjid
(160'X108'). The stately fabric of the monument, serene
and imposing, stands on the eastern bank of an unusually
vast sweet-water tank, clustered around by the heavy
foliage of a low-laying countryside, characteristic of a
sea-coast landscape. So in the year 1459 the great Azam
Ulugh Khan Jahan established this mosque, which called
Shat Gambuj Mosjid. In Bengali Shat means the number 60.
Though it is called Shat Gambuj Mosjid, actually the
numbers of Gamboj in the mosque are 81. The mosque
roofed over with 77 squat domes, including 7 chauchala
or four-sided pitched Bengali domes in the middle row.
The vast prayer hall, although provided with 11 arched
doorways on east and 7 each on north and south for
ventilation and light, presents a dark and somber
appearance inside. It is divided into 7 longitudinal
aisles and 11 deep bays by a forest of slender stone
columns, from which springs rows of endless arches,
supporting the domes. Six feet thick, slightly tapering
walls and hollow and round, almost detached corner
towers, resembling the bastions of fortress, each capped
by small rounded cupolas, recall the Tughlaq
architecture of Delhi. The general appearance of this
noble monument with its stark simplicity but massive
character reflects the strength and simplicity of the
builder. This mosque is 160 ft long and 108 ft. in its
width. This is one of the most beautiful archeological
and historical Mosque in Bangladesh made by red burn
mud. The archeological beauty of this Mosque enchants the
tourist till now. Besides this Mosque an archeological
museum is there where you can find that times
archeological and historical materials.
Shrine
of Hajrat Khan Jahan Ali:
Besides the Shat Gambuj Mosque, shrine of Hajrat Khan
Jahan Ali is only 3 km ahead. You can go there by
rickshaw (a three wheeled peddler). A great number of
tourist goes the shrine to pray for this great man
Hajrat Khan Jahan Ali. From this shrine a steamer goes
to the Thakur Dighi where you will find the ancient
crocodiles in this Dighi. (Dighi is a local name of
larger pond) Besides this Dighi a Nine Gambuj Mosque is
an attraction also for the tourists.
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