Rajshahi
A ten-domed mosque from the early 16th century, rich in terracotta decoration.
The shrine of Shah Daula beside the mosque draws pilgrims through the year, and Eid prayers at the mosque and its grounds bring out the whole town. Bagha is also one of Rajshahi’s mango-growing areas, and the orchards are busy with the harvest from May to July.
The Bagha Mosque was built in 1523–24, in the reign of Sultan Nasiruddin Nusrat Shah, son of Alauddin Hussain Shah, when Bengal was an independent sultanate. It is a classic Sultanate-period brick mosque: a low rectangular hall roofed by ten domes in two rows, with stout corner towers.
What makes it special is the terracotta. The walls, the mihrabs and the arches are covered with fine plaques of flowers, vines and geometric patterns, among the best surviving terracotta work in the country. The building was well known enough to appear on the Bangladeshi 50-taka note.
The mosque stands beside a large old dighi (pond) in a walled compound that also holds the shrine of the saint Shah Daula and his family, who are remembered for bringing learning and Islam to Bagha. It is still in use for prayers.
Leave early to beat the heat and arrive while the light is soft.
Walk around the outside walls, then step inside to see the carved mihrabs.
Visit Shah Daula’s shrine in the compound and rest by the old pond.
Return to Rajshahi for lunch; in mango season, stop at a roadside orchard stall on the way.
October to March, in the morning or late afternoon; avoid Friday midday prayers if sightseeing
In Bagha, about 40 km south-east: 1–1.5 hours by bus or CNG from Rajshahi.
