Satgachia Mosque
Satgachia Mosque is situated at bara bazar , Jhenaidaha district (6 km west of Kasthabhanga union of Kaliganj upazila). In 1978, while excavating a large mound at Satgachia for reclamation of arable land local villagers accidentally discovered the remains of a pre-Mughal mosque under the mound overlooking a pond known as Adina Pukur. Archaeological excavation was carried out here in 1990 and it is now a protected monument of the Directorate of Archaeology.
This oblong mosque with 1.5m thick walls measures 24.25m north south by 18.55m east west. Access to it could be gained through seven arched entrances on east; five on south; three doors and two niches on north and one postern doorway on the west or qibla wall in addition to the seven mihrabs. As such, it appears to have been originally covered with 35 squat domes. Its prayer hall is divided into seven aisles and five bays by 24 pillars arranged in six rows of four each, in addition to the 20 embedded in the walls. Its four corners are relieved with four round faceted turrets.
The 35-domed brick-built rectangular Satgachia mosque is very similar to the shatgumbad mosque. Of the seven mihrabs four have so far been exposed and they are embellished with rich terracotta ornamentation with such motifs as the chain-and-bell, sunflower, rosette, tendrils etc. There is a closed doorway to the north of the central mihrab, showing close affinity with the Shatgumbad mosque. [Khoundkar Alamgir]
