Tara Mosque: A Stunning Archeological Site Bearing Classical Signs of Mughal Architecture

Muslim community revolved around mosques. As a result, mosques have been built wherever Muslims live in the world.

According to statistics, the total number of mosques in the world is more than 2.5 million. The largest number of mosques is in neighbouring country India. There are around 3,00,000 mosques there.

The number of mosques in Bangladesh is more than 2.5 million. The capital Dhaka is called the 'city of mosques' in terms of its number, architectural style and aesthetics. Dhaka has a proud golden tradition of mosque architecture.

Every day, 'Allahu Akbar' is chanted from minarets  180,000 times.

The history of Dhaka is 400 years old. It has a long history. There are 6000 mosques in Dhaka. Most of the historical mosques in the capital are located in Old Dhaka. One such mosque is Tara Mosque.

Located in Armanitola, Dhaka, Tara Mosque a beautiful and ancient mosque that has stood for centuries. It is known for its architectural beauty and has undergone several renovations and restorations to maintain its beauty and historical value.

The mosque is adorned with an impeccably beautiful design, from the walls and floors to the top of the dome on the roof. The entire interior and exterior of the mosque are expertly decorated with various materials, including rare ancient tiles, colorful glass pieces, and porcelain plaques. The mosque is decorated with a type of mosaic known as 'Chini Tikri' (a mosaic design composed of small chips of porcelain and glass that originated from China).

History

Although it was known as Mirza Golam Pir's Mosque or Sitara Mosque since its construction, it is now known as Tara mosque. The locals gave the mosque this name because of the blue star pattern on the white ground of the wall.

Built with an aesthetic design and unique architectural style, Tara Mosque is considered one of the oldest surviving examples of Mughal architecture in Bangladesh.

The mosque, which has been very popular with the locals since ancient times, has now become a tourist attraction. Hundreds of people come from different parts of the country to see this establishment every day, which is under the Department of Archaeology.

While speaking with Tara Mosque's Pesh-Imam Shahidul Islam, He told the brief history of the mosque

According to Shahidul Islam, the mosque was built in the 17th century (1760) by a wealthy merchant named Mirza Golam Pir during the Mughal Empire.
He said, "Mirza Ghulam Pir passed away in 1860. The previous form of the Tara Mosque is no longer there. It was not even so ornate in the beginning. This mosque, with three domes in the Mughal architectural style, was quite simple."

"In 1950 Alijan Bepari, a local businessman, became the Mutawalli of this mosque and financed the masjid's renovation. He spent a huge amount of money and brought valuable construction materials including high-quality tiles and marble from various countries including Japan to renovate the Mirza Saheb Mosque."

"At that time, the dome and the inner and outer walls were decorated with flowers, vines and aesthetic designs. A veranda was connected to the main building." He added.

Shahidul Islam also informed that Alijan Bepari added those stars and other motifs and hence, elevating the building from simple to the highly decorative one we see today. Since then, it has also been come to be known as Tara/Sitara Masjid.

Contribution of former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad
According to Shahidul Islam, the original mosque's renovation and enlargement were officially opened by the special initiative of the former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 1985. He came to perform prayers at the mosque on March 8, 1985. At that time, the three-domed mosque was small in size. It was 30 feet long and 12 feet wide. He ordered the expansion in keeping with the original architectural style of the mosque. The nationalization order covered the mosque as of December 4, 1987.

The Religious Affairs Ministry commissioned Giasul Huque and Zahiruddin Zahiruddin to make additions to the prayer hall, which was extended to include two more domes without any respect to its antiquity, architectural style and decoration. Now the expanded mosque is 70 feet long and 26 feet wide.

The most recent restoration was done in the late 2000s, which included the repair and restoration of the dome, minarets, and other architectural elements.

After the second round of renovations, the mosque has been run under government management since 1987, according to Shahidul Islam
Earlier the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner was the head of the mosque management committee. But recently this responsibility was entrusted to the Waqf administrator. The mosque is being run under the management of the Waqf administration. There is a Hefzkhana, Maktab and Lillah boarding here. These activities are run with government grants and donations from the local people. The mosque arrange iftar for about 100 people every day during the month of Ramadan.

Current face after two rounds of renovation
Currently there are four rows inside the mosque and three rows on the veranda. About 285 worshipers can stand here for congregation.
In front of the mosque's veranda, there is a large open space covered with green grass, like a field.  There is also a star-shaped fountain in the middle of the field. This was also built during the second phase of renovation. There is a marble-paved road around the fountain and through the field. The entire mosque, including the field, is surrounded by an ornate iron grill.

During the second renovation, a large space in front of the old veranda was also made available for prayer with a marble slab. A tarpaulin canopy hangs over during juma prayer or Eid prayer. As a result, the beautiful star-studded domes and minarets of the mosque are no longer visible from the front. However, about 1,500 worshipers can perform their prayer here, including this part and the front field. Apart from that, two Eid congregations are also held here.

Tara Mosque on banknotes and khadi cloth

The historic Tara masjid has been featured on various banknotes. For the first time in 1976, the Bangladesh government printed a series of banknotes ranging from 5 to 500 taka centered around this mosque's structure. The following year, the mosque was also featured on the revised design of the 100 taka note.

The mosque prominently displayed on the Bangladesh Bank's current Tk 100 printed note is the historic Tara mosque.

In addition, on December 10, 2016, a Khadi Fashion Show was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the capital, organized by the Fashion Design Council of Bangladesh, depicting the design of this mosque in khadi cloth.

There is no way to deny that the 'Tara Mosque'is truly a spectacular sight amidst the narrow streets of old Dhaka, crowded with vehicles, crowded with houses and shops.

Everyday worshippers come to perform prayers for five times. Many foreign tourists, ambassadors, and distinguished guests also come to see this ancient and traditional mosque as an eye catching tourist attraction.


Adnan Hadi is a senior sports
journalist. He could be reached
at: [email protected]