Monday, December 1, 2008

Bibi Mariam's Mosque and Tomb

Bibi Mariam's Mosque and Tomb situated at Hajiganj locality in Narayanganj. The mosque is said to have been built by Nawab shaista khan, Mughal subahdar of Bengal (1664 - 1688) and ascribed to Bibi Mariam, presumably his daughter who lies buried close by. The mosque is of the three domed type, but has lost much of its original features through later repairs; especially the corner towers have been completely modernised. The eastern facade has usual three arched entrances - each opening under a half-dome, and the central one wider than the other two. The interior hall has simple lateral arches, but the reduction of the size of the side domes is achieved by thickening the side walls. The basal leaf decoration of the three domes and the battlemented merlons speak of the common style. The mosque has been repaired and renovated several times and extended; a verandah added on the east. It is now used as a Jami mosque.
The tomb, now greatly ruined, stands on an elevated spot in the middle of a quadrangle enclosed within a surrounding wall. It is a single domed square building having vaulted verandahs on all the four sides. The vaults have now fallen down, but some of the walls, pierced with arched doorways, still survive. The central square room contains the big masonry cenotaph of Bibi Mariam. presumably a daughter of Nawab Shaista Khan, Mughal subahdar of Bengal. The verandahs of the tomb building are now occupied by graves of less importance.

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