|
Kazipada Mosque (Rangpur) a Mughal mosque built on a
raised piece of land in the Kazipada muhallah of village Dharmadas,
about a kilometre away from the Rangpur Cadet College and 3 km from Carmichael
College. Severely damaged by the severe earthquake of 1897, its four walls
have survived up to the roof level. Recently it has been partially repaired;
the roof is now covered with corrugated iron sheets and a verandah has
been added in the east.
With the usual octagonal towers on the four exterior angles,
there are three arched doorways in the east and a single arched
window on the side walls. The corner towers, of which only the
southwestern one now preserved up to horizontal parapet level,
extended far above the roof and were topped over with kiosks and
cupolas. The central doorway, slightly bigger and projected outside,
opens out under a high multi-cusped arch.
|
|
Kazipada Mosque plan, Rangpur |
The western wall is internally recessed with a single
semi-octagonal mihrab, which is in the axis of the central doorway.
The mihrab is contained within a rectangular frame topped over by a frieze
of blind merlons.
The three-domes, which once covered the three bays of
the mosque, were carried on two east-west wide arches and the Bengali
pendentives, for their traces are still noticeable on the upper part of
the walls inside the building. The eastern facade retains the sunken rectangular
panels and the surviving part of the parapet is faced with rows of blind
merlons. The southwestern corner tower, which is now intact, is divided
into sections by moulded bands. The spaces in between these bands are
richly ornamented with terracotta plaques depicting varieties of motifs
such as interlocking circles containing rosettes, network designs, floral
scrolls and geometric patterns.
Two traditions, as to the date of this building, are
current in the locality. The first one relates that the mosque was built
during the time of akbar.
But this seems to be untenable, for the Mughals during the reign of Akbar
could not have brought this area under their control. The other legend
ascribes the mosque to the time of aurangzeb.
There may be some truth in this latter tradition. The surviving features
of the mosque, specially its terracotta ornamentation has a closer affinity
with those of some late 17th century Mughal buildings of Bengal. [MA Bari] |
