Chuna Khola Mosque

Chuna Khola Mosque The single-domed square mosque, located about a mile away to the northwest of the shatgumbad mosque at Bagerhat, derives its name from the name of the village Chuna Khola. It has been thoroughly repaired and renovated by the Directorate of Archaeology, Bangladesh.

Chuna Khola Mosque, Bagerhat This is a brick built square structure having an outside measurement of 12.50 sq.m. a side. The massive walls, with a thickness of 2.14m, are pierced with arched doorways - three on the east and one each on the north and south sides. The width of the north and south doorways is the same as the central one in the east wall. Inside the qibl'a wall there are three arched mihr'a'bs corresponding to the three eastern entrances. The central mihrab shows the usual rectangular projection on the exterior side, which rises upto the roof level. The large hemispherical dome, which covers the roof, is internally carried on half-domed squinches. The corner towers at the four outer corners of the mosque are circular in the Khan Jahan style and divided by moulded bands at regular intervals. The three cornice bands of the building are curved in the typical Bengali style. The decoration of the mosque, consisting only of terracotta, is of no exceptional interest. Depicting varieties of designs such as j'a'li work, rosettes, floral scrolls, interlocking circles, lozenges and conventional hanging motifs, the decoration is now confined to the mihrab niches, archways and the curved cornices. Local legends relate that the mosque was built by one of Khan Jahan';s officials and its style confirms it. [MA Bari] [Bari, MA Professor of Islamic History and Culture, Rajshahi University]