Atiya Mosque in need of renovation

The Atiya Mosque, one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in Tangail district, is known to the people as its features have been inscribed on currency notes in the denomination of Tk 10. The mosque is located about eight kilometer away from the Tangail district headquarters. At present, it is under Delduwar upazila in old Atiya Pargana. Atiya was an old administrative centre during the Mughul dynasty. The place was important during the Sultani rule. It became the sub-divisional headquarters during the British rule. But it has lost its past glory since then.

Ali Shahan Shah Baba Adam Kashmiri was a Sufi saint. He came to Atiya and was appointed the ruler of the area in 1598 by Alauddin Hossain Shah, Sultan of the then Bengal.

A disciple of Ali Shahan Shah Baba Adam Kashmiri, Syed Khan Panni, was appointed the ruler of Atiya by Moghul Emperor Jahangir. Syed Khan Panni, son of the famous Zaminder Bayezid Khan Panni, established the Atiya Mosque in 1606 AD (1018 Hijri year).

At that time, Selim Nuruddin Jahangir, the eldest son of Akbar, was the crown prince of Delhi. Noted architect Muhamud Khan was engaged for the planning and construction of the mosque. The mosque contains a blending of both Sultani and Mughal architectural designs.

The mosque is small in size, but has a fascinating design. It is 49 ft long and 40 ft wide. It rests on four large minarets, octagonal stone pillars and arcades. They go right up to the roof, turning into small domes. The sight of its ornamentation attracts visitors.

The mosque is divided into two parts: the main building and the veranda. The main house is square in shape. A large magnificent ornamented dome is on the main building. A beautiful veranda at the eastern side embellishes the mosque. Three small domes are elevated on the veranda. The front wall consists of three entrances. It is divided into upper and lower parts. Each entrance is made of rectangular stone pillars and arcades.

The exterior and the interior of the mosque provide a view of elegant architecture. These are wonderfully decorated with terracotta motifs, flowers and foliage. The history of the edifice in Persian and Arabic scripts is etched on a stone on the upper side of the mosque.

However, this old mosque has become dilapidated. Rausan Khatoon Chowdhurani repaired the mosque in 1837 AD. Abu Ahmed Gajnabi repaired it again in 1909. Since then, it has not been renovated.

The dazzling glaze of the mosque has become dull and dim. The mosque was greatly affected by the devastating flood of 1998. A crack has developed on the main dome of the mosque.

Khorshed Alam, chairman of Tangail upazila parisad, has urged the Directorate of Archaeology to come forward to preserve the unique archaeological establishment as early as possible.

Atiya Mosque in need of renovation

The Atiya Mosque, one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in Tangail district, is known to the people as its features have been inscribed on currency notes in the denomination of Tk 10. The mosque is located about eight kilometer away from the Tangail district headquarters. At present, it is under Delduwar upazila in old Atiya Pargana. Atiya was an old administrative centre during the Mughul dynasty. The place was important during the Sultani rule. It became the sub-divisional headquarters during the British rule. But it has lost its past glory since then. Ali Shahan Shah Baba Adam Kashmiri was a Sufi saint. He came to Atiya and was appointed the ruler of the area in 1598 by Alauddin Hossain Shah, Sultan of the then Bengal. A disciple of Ali Shahan Shah Baba Adam Kashmiri, Syed Khan Panni, was appointed the ruler of Atiya by Moghul Emperor Jahangir. Syed Khan Panni, son of the famous Zaminder Bayezid Khan Panni, established the Atiya Mosque in 1606 AD (1018 Hijri year). At that time, Selim Nuruddin Jahangir, the eldest son of Akbar, was the crown prince of Delhi. Noted architect Muhamud Khan was engaged for the planning and construction of the mosque. The mosque contains a blending of both Sultani and Mughal architectural designs. The mosque is small in size, but has a fascinating design. It is 49 ft long and 40 ft wide. It rests on four large minarets, octagonal stone pillars and arcades. They go right up to the roof, turning into small domes. The sight of its ornamentation attracts visitors. The mosque is divided into two parts: the main building and the veranda. The main house is square in shape. A large magnificent ornamented dome is on the main building. A beautiful veranda at the eastern side embellishes the mosque. Three small domes are elevated on the veranda. The front wall consists of three entrances. It is divided into upper and lower parts. Each entrance is made of rectangular stone pillars and arcades. The exterior and the interior of the mosque provide a view of elegant architecture. These are wonderfully decorated with terracotta motifs, flowers and foliage. The history of the edifice in Persian and Arabic scripts is etched on a stone on the upper side of the mosque. However, this old mosque has become dilapidated. Rausan Khatoon Chowdhurani repaired the mosque in 1837 AD. Abu Ahmed Gajnabi repaired it again in 1909. Since then, it has not been renovated. The dazzling glaze of the mosque has become dull and dim. The mosque was greatly affected by the devastating flood of 1998. A crack has developed on the main dome of the mosque. Khorshed Alam, chairman of Tangail upazila parisad, has urged the Directorate of Archaeology to come forward to preserve the unique archaeological establishment as early as possible.