Star Mosque (তারা মসজিদ)

The Star Mosque, known locally as Tara Masjid, stands on Abul Khairat Road in the Armanitola neighbourhood of Old Dhaka. It is credited to Mirza Golam Pir, a local landowner, and was built in the 19th century, though some sources give a late 18th century date. The original building was a simple rectangular Mughal style mosque of about 33 by 11 feet, with three domes and towers at the corners.

In 1926 a local businessman, Ali Jan Bepari, paid for a major renovation. He added a verandah on the east side and had the walls covered with mosaics made from pieces of broken china, using Japanese and English ceramic tiles. The blue star pattern of these mosaics gave the mosque its name.

Every surface of the mosque is decorated. Stars of different sizes in blue and white cover the domes, while the walls and arches show flowers, crescents, vases and patterns in the chini tikri style, a technique using fragments of porcelain. Inside, the mihrab and prayer hall carry the same detailed tile work. In 1987 the prayer hall was extended and two more domes were added, giving the mosque its present five domes and four corner minarets.

The mosque is still used for daily prayers and is one of the best known buildings of Old Dhaka. It appears on the 100 taka banknote.

There is no entry fee. Visitors should dress modestly, remove shoes before entering, and avoid prayer times, especially Friday midday prayers. Women should cover their hair and may be asked to view from the verandah. The narrow lanes of Old Dhaka are easiest to reach by rickshaw, and the mosque is often combined with Ahsan Manzil and the Armenian Church nearby.

A small mosque with five domes and four minarets

The Star Mosque is small for a building so well known: the present structure measures about 21.3 metres long and 8 metres wide. The 1987 extension enlarged the prayer hall to that size and added two domes, bringing the total to five, with four minarets at the corners. Even full, the hall holds only a modest congregation, so local worshippers spill onto the verandah at Friday prayers.

Chinitikri, the broken china mosaic on walls and domes

The decoration is chinitikri, a mosaic of broken china pressed into plaster. On the outside walls and domes, Ali Jan Bepari's craftsmen used Japanese and English china clay tiles, setting blue and white pieces into stars of every size. Inside, the walls switch to assorted glazed tiles and white plaster patterns, with more floral work around the mihrab.

Stand back on the lane before entering to see how the stars repeat across all five domes. The best light comes in the morning, when the sun falls on the east-facing verandah and the tiles shine. The renovation also gave the building its name, Tara or Sitara Masjid, meaning star mosque.

Armenian Church and Ahsan Manzil a short walk or rickshaw away

Armanitola is one of the oldest quarters of Dhaka, settled by Armenian merchants in the 18th century. The Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection is a few minutes away on foot, and Ahsan Manzil on the Buriganga riverbank is a short rickshaw ride south. A morning loop of all three takes about three hours, ending near Sadarghat.