Bagha Mosque (বাঘা মসজিদ)

Bagha Mosque stands at Bagha, about 40 kilometres southeast of Rajshahi city. Sultan Nusrat Shah, son of Alauddin Husain Shah, founder of the Husain Shahi dynasty of Bengal, built it in 930 AH, which is 1523 or 1524 CE.

The mosque originally carried ten domes. They collapsed in the earthquake of 1897, and the building was later restored. It has been repaired several times since, and the walls with their carved brickwork survive largely intact.

Ten domes, thick walls and terracotta inside

The brick mosque sits on a stone plinth and measures about 22.9 metres long, 12.2 metres wide and 7.5 metres high, with walls more than 2 metres thick. It has ten domes, four corner towers and five entrances. Inside, six pillars and arched mihrabs divide the hall. Terracotta panels with mango, lily, vine and other plant motifs cover the walls inside and out, and the courtyard is raised well above the surrounding ground.

Nusrat Shah's tank and the shrine of Shah Daula

Nusrat Shah also dug a large tank, or dighi, in front of the mosque, spread over 52 bighas and lined with coconut palms. In winter it attracts many migratory birds. The shrine of Shah Daula and his companions lies on the north side of the grounds.

Baghar Mela, three days from Eid ul-Fitr

The Baghar Mela, a fair with a long local tradition, is held beside the mosque for three days from Eid ul-Fitr and draws large crowds.