Muslim Architectural Heritage: Nasrat Gazi Jame Mosque of Bakerganj
Nasrat Gazi Jame Mosque of Bakerganj
A village named Shialghuni is situated on the east side about 15 kilometers from Bakerganj upazila headquarters under the Barisal district. The Pierpur Bazar-DC Ghat road with the West-East-bound is located at this village. A Chowdhury’s house is located on the way to 200 meters north of the bridge adjacent to the road and the west side of a canal. This ancient mosque as a muslim architectural heritage, is located on the way to the north side of the entrance of this Chowdhury’s house.
Mr. Jack mentioned in the Bakherganj District gazetteers an ancient mosque with beautiful flowers, spinach, and netting ornament. According to his description, this mosque was built by someone namely Nasrat Gazi. There was an inscription on the mosque and it was lost as Mr. Jack listened to local people. However, it is believed that the mosque was built in approximately the 16th century CE.
Map: Location of Nasrat Gazi Jame Mosque.
Lime-concrete and thin square-shaped bricks are used to build this Muslim architecture of one dome. The interior of the mosque built in square-shaped is 4.50 meters long and the walls 1.43 meters thick. There are four octagonal columns at the four corners of the mosque. There are three entrances with Gothic arches of the mosque. Every wall of the east, south, and north of the mosque has an entrance.
The arched design of the mosque’s entrance is almost similar to the arch design of the entrance of the Shatgumbad mosque of Bagerhat and Kasba mosque of Barisal. At present, the entrances of the south and north are closed with two iron railings. Only the east gateway is used to enter the mosque. There is a Mihrab on the western wall inside the mosque. There are some ornaments of flowers, netting, and leaves on the cornices, the columns, and the walls of the mosque. This Muslim architecture is listed and supervised by the Department of Archaeology as a protected archaeological heritage of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. [Md. Shahin Alam]
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