| Baba Adam's Mosque and Tomb is
situated in the village of Kazi Qasba under Rikabibazar Union in Rampal
thana of Munshiganj district. The rectangular multi-domed mosque measures
internally 10.35m x 6.75m and externally 14.30m x 11.45m; the thickness
of the wall is about 2m. The mosque is divided into three bays and two
aisles. The back of the western wall is projected in three steps of which
the central part contains an ornamental multicusped arch-panel. The mosque
is roofed over by six uniform hemispherical domes, three in each row.
There are two freestanding slender pillars of black basalt, octagonal
at the base, then sixteen-sided, having chain and bell motifs. The stone
pillars, apparently of pre-Muslim origin, support the arches from which
spring six domes. The arches are of the pointed two-centred variety. The
mosque is brick built, but the freestanding pillars and engaged pilasters
are made of stone.
The cornice and roof of the mosque are curvilinear as is most
of the buildings of the sultanate period. On the eastern side,
there are three impressive arched entrances parallel to the mihrabs
in the west wall. The central mihrab shows a multi-cusped
arch curved on ornamental pillars.
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Baba Adam Mosque, Munshiganj |
The spandrels of the arch are embossed with rosettes,
above which is a row of decorative niches, topped with tiers of mouldings.
All the entrances and mihrabs are recessed within rectangular frames.
The south and north walls contain rectangular niches. The mosque does
not have a minaret. On both sides of the central doorway there are two
multi-cusped rectangular panels. The arches are supported on faceted small
pillars and decorated with a beautiful terracotta floral design and a
hanging motif. This type of facade decoration is also found in shahjadpur
mosque (Serajganj).
Baba Adam's Mosque shows all the decorative and architectural
characteristics of the sultanate architecture of Bengal. This mosque,
in fact, bears the mature form of the sultanate mosque style of this region
(Bangladesh). It is a six-domed mosque. The only other extant example
of this type of mosque is Satgaon Mosque (1529 AD).
An inscription, fixed above the central doorway in the
east, records 888 AH/1483 AD as the date of construction of the mosque.
Malik Kafur built it during the reign of Sultan Fath Shah. Baba Adam's
Mosque is now a protected monument under the Department of Archaeology,
Bangladesh. It has been renovated and is in a comparatively good state
of preservation.
Besides the mosque there is a tomb known as Baba Adam's
Mazar, where, according to a legend, baba
adam shahid, who died in a holy war, was buried. It is difficult
to ascertain the historicity of this tomb due to lack of authentic sources.
There is a newly built small tomb structure situated on the south-east
side of the courtyard of the mosque. Previously, there was no roof over
the tomb. The present tomb is square in plan (7.62m a side) and is undated
and without any inscription tablet. The simple grave has no feature of
architectural importance and the Department of Archaeology is not responsible
for preserving it. [Ayesha Begum]
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