Shaista Khan Mosque
Encyclopedia
Shaista Khan Mosque or Shayesta Khan Mosque is a historically significant architectural monument situated by the Buriganga River
at Mitford Area in old Dhaka, Bangladesh
. The mosque
is an architecture of Mughal period. The mosque was built by Mughal Subadar Shaista Khan
.
subahdar who ruled the Bengal
from 1664 to 1688. The exact date of the building of this mosque is not known, but it is assumed that it was built when Subahdar Shaista Khan first came to Dhaka
in 1664. It is supposed to be built between 1663 and 1678, the first viceroyalty of Khan. During the British period the mosque was seriously damaged by an accidental fire. Recently the mosque has been repaired and has lost its original look.
An old inscription in Persian
fixed over the doorway still stands today, declaring that Shaista Khan erected the mosque. Other details including the dates are unclear.
s and four octagonal towers. The central dome is larger than the others. It has three doors in east side and one each on north and south sides. All the door are arched.
. The original look of the mosque has vanished. The ornamental works of surface is now plastered and painted green.
Buriganga River
The Buriganga River is the main river flowing beside Dhaka city, capital of Bangladesh. The average depth is and maximum depth is .-History:...
at Mitford Area in old Dhaka, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. The mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
is an architecture of Mughal period. The mosque was built by Mughal Subadar Shaista Khan
Shaista Khan
Mirza Abu Talib, better known by his title Shaista Khan , was a Subahdar and general in the army of the Mughal Empire. A maternal uncle to Emperor Aurangzeb, he served as the Mughal governor of Bengal from 1664 to 1688, and was a key figure during the rule of his nephew, the emperor...
.
History
Subahdar Shaista Khan built this small mosque at the bank of river Buriganga. Shaista Khan was the MughalMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
subahdar who ruled the Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
from 1664 to 1688. The exact date of the building of this mosque is not known, but it is assumed that it was built when Subahdar Shaista Khan first came to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
in 1664. It is supposed to be built between 1663 and 1678, the first viceroyalty of Khan. During the British period the mosque was seriously damaged by an accidental fire. Recently the mosque has been repaired and has lost its original look.
An old inscription in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
fixed over the doorway still stands today, declaring that Shaista Khan erected the mosque. Other details including the dates are unclear.
Architectural significance
The mosque is 14.13m x 7.62m in dimension. The mosque has three domeDome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
s and four octagonal towers. The central dome is larger than the others. It has three doors in east side and one each on north and south sides. All the door are arched.
Present condition
At present this three domed mosque is still structurally strong and it is lost among the huge structure of Mitford hospital. Though it is ill treated by the local people it bears a significant sign of the age of Shaista KhanShaista Khan
Mirza Abu Talib, better known by his title Shaista Khan , was a Subahdar and general in the army of the Mughal Empire. A maternal uncle to Emperor Aurangzeb, he served as the Mughal governor of Bengal from 1664 to 1688, and was a key figure during the rule of his nephew, the emperor...
. The original look of the mosque has vanished. The ornamental works of surface is now plastered and painted green.