Kusumba Mosque: Black Gem of Bengal

M Mahmud Ali

I think the title ‘Black Gem of Bengal’ itself describes this exceptionally beautiful mosque of our country. Kusumba Mosque is located at Kusumba village in Manda upazila of Naogaon district.
According to an inscription, it was built in 1558 by one Sulaiman, probably a high ranking official, during the reign of Ghiyath al-Din Bahadur Shah. The mosque was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1897. Later, the Department of Archaeology (DOA) took the initiative to restore the damaged mosque and it is now under its protection. The mosque is one of the well preserved ancient mosques of Bangladesh.
Although the main construction material of the mosque is brick, stone was also used. The decoration of the mosque consists mostly of stone carvings, confined mainly to the mihrabs (niche) and archways. The interior up to the arches of the pendentives (vaults) have stone facing. The columns, platform, floor, and perforated side screens are also of stone.
The mosque stands within a walled enclosure with a monumental gateway. There is a large courtyard in front. The mosque has a rectangular plan, with three bays and two aisles. It has six domes. There is a raised platform ascended by a staircase on the east. The presence of such a platform in a non-imperial mosque not only indicates presence of nobility, it also serves to keep high ranking officials separate from the general public during prayers. In the north-west corner of the prayer hall, there is a raised stone gallery, called badshah-ka-takht or ladies gallery.
The stones used in the mosque are black basalt, which were imported from Rajmahal Hill in Bihar, India, through waterways. There is a large dighi or reservoir in front of the mosque that serves the devotees to perform their ablutions.  
The mosque is famous for its stunning terracotta ornamentation both inside and outside. The terracotta decorations consist of vegetal and floral motifs. The four octagonal corner towers are also decorated with terracotta and molded bands. All these wonderful decorations give the mosque an outstanding eye-catching look and a notable heritage value.

Reference: Muslim Monuments of Bangladesh by Sayed Mahmudul Hasan; Bangladesher Prachinkirti by Abul Kalam Md Zakariya.

Kusumba Mosque: Black Gem of Bengal

M Mahmud Ali I think the title Black Gem of Bengal itself describes this exceptionally beautiful mosque of our country. Kusumba Mosque is located at Kusumba village in Manda upazila of Naogaon district. According to an inscription, it was built in 1558 by one Sulaiman, probably a high ranking official, during the reign of Ghiyath al-Din Bahadur Shah. The mosque was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1897. Later, the Department of Archaeology (DOA) took the initiative to restore the damaged mosque and it is now under its protection. The mosque is one of the well preserved ancient mosques of Bangladesh. Although the main construction material of the mosque is brick, stone was also used. The decoration of the mosque consists mostly of stone carvings, confined mainly to the mihrabs (niche) and archways. The interior up to the arches of the pendentives (vaults) have stone facing. The columns, platform, floor, and perforated side screens are also of stone. The mosque stands within a walled enclosure with a monumental gateway. There is a large courtyard in front. The mosque has a rectangular plan, with three bays and two aisles. It has six domes. There is a raised platform ascended by a staircase on the east. The presence of such a platform in a non-imperial mosque not only indicates presence of nobility, it also serves to keep high ranking officials separate from the general public during prayers. In the north-west corner of the prayer hall, there is a raised stone gallery, called badshah-ka-takht or ladies gallery. The stones used in the mosque are black basalt, which were imported from Rajmahal Hill in Bihar, India, through waterways. There is a large dighi or reservoir in front of the mosque that serves the devotees to perform their ablutions. The mosque is famous for its stunning terracotta ornamentation both inside and outside. The terracotta decorations consist of vegetal and floral motifs. The four octagonal corner towers are also decorated with terracotta and molded bands. All these wonderful decorations give the mosque an outstanding eye-catching look and a notable heritage value. Reference: Muslim Monuments of Bangladesh by Sayed Mahmudul Hasan; Bangladesher Prachinkirti by Abul Kalam Md Zakariya.