The Only Surviving Mughal Eidgah in Dhaka Where Generations Gathered for Eid Prayers

  

Over the centuries, Dhaka — once a flourishing Mughal capital — has witnessed the disappearance of countless structures, landmarks, and even rivers that once shaped its identity. Yet, standing resilient against the erosion of time is the Dhanmondi Shahi Eidgah.

This Maghal Eidgah popularly known as Dhanmond Eidgah is located at Saat Masjid Road in the capital.

This open-air prayer ground continues to bear silent testimony to the grandeur of the past. Though parts of its original structure have faded away, the central monument has endured, preserved through conscious efforts and restoration initiatives that keep its legacy. It is a testament to the architectural prowess and religious significance of the Mughal era.

It is one of the earliest dated surviving Mughal Monuments in Dhaka. An inscription, depicted on the central mihrab, informs that it was bult by Mir Abul Qashim, the Dewan of Subader Shah Shuja in the year 1050 A.H/1640 AD.

The structure is a listed archaeological site of the Department of Archaeology and has historical, architectural and heritage values. It is an example of Mughal architecture. Conservationist architect Abu Sayeed M Ahmed wrote, "This Eidgah is the oldest surviving Mughal monument in Dhaka city. There is no second one with the architectural forms and features similar to it."

The word Eidgah originates from Urdu. In many parts of the world, the term is commonly used to denote any open ground designated for offering Eid prayers, regardless of its location or architectural form.

Eid prayers are held in numerous places, both permanent and temporary, during Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha in Bangladesh.

Eid prayers are held in Eidgah grounds unless the weather is adverse. In addition, worshippers also participate in prayers in mosques.

However, there is usually a central Eidgah ground in each city, district or upazila headquarters, which is maintained by the government.

Among these, Eidgahs that are more than a hundred years old are identified as ancient or heritage.

Archaeologist Professor AKM Shahnawaz says that, "Many ancient Eidgahs were actually built during the colonial period. However, an Eidgah was built during the Mughal period in the Dhanmondi area of Dhaka, which is now an archaeological site."

About four centuries ago, during the reign of Shah Shuja, the second son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and the Subedar of Bengal from 1639 to 1659, this historic Eidgah was built by his Dewan, Mir Abul Qasim, also known as Mir-i-Imarat (Chief Architect).

Originally, this ancient Eidgah stood on the banks of the Buriganga River. However, as Syed Muhammed Taifoor notes in his book "Glimpses of Old Dhaka", the river gradually changed its course over the centuries, leaving the Eidgah away from its waters.”

Shah Shuja ruled Bengal for two decades, a period marked by political stability, architectural patronage, and flourishing trade in Dhaka and its adjoining regions. The Eidgah, constructed under his administration, served not just as a place of prayer but also as a symbol of Mughal authority and cultural presence in Bengal. In its early years, it was primarily reserved for the Mughal nobility, who assembled here during Eid festivities. This piece of history is preserved in the inscription carved on the central arch of the Eidgah, offering a rare glimpse into Dhaka’s Mughal-era heritage.

According to historians, in 1639, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan appointed his second son, Shahzada Shuja, better known as Shah Shuja, as the Subedar (Governor) of Bengal. Born on 23 June 1616, Shah Shuja governed Bengal for two decades, from 1639 to 1659, until he was drawn into the bitter Mughal war of succession.

On appointment Shah Shuja found Dhaka as the capital of the subah, but later (the date is unknown), he transferred the capital to rajmahal. A man of refinement and taste, Shah Shuja was known for his knowledge, culture, and sense of grandeur. He had a particular passion for architecture and left a lasting legacy through the monuments he commissioned. Though he later shifted the provincial capital away from Dhaka, many of the city’s most celebrated Mughal-era structures were built during his time. Apart from the Shahi Eidgah of Dhanmondi, Bara Katra, Hosni Dalan, Churihatta Mosque are among them. Beyond Dhaka, his architectural footprint extended to other regions, with the Shah Shuja Mosque in Comilla and the Bibi Chini Shahi Mosque in Barguna, Barisal, standing as testaments to his vision.

Bara Katra, one of the most magnificent Mughal structures of Dhaka, was built in 1641 AD (1055 AH) on the orders of Shah Shuja as well and he construction was supervised by Mir Abul Qasim.

The famous etching of Bara Katra made in 1823 by Sir Charles D’Oyly, an English artist and administrator in British India, is widely circulated today, especially on social media. Charles D’Oyly documented many Mughal-era monuments of Bengal.

Despite his political demise, Shah Shuja's architectural and cultural contributions to Bengal remain.

Eid prayers have been offered at the historic Dhanmondi Shahi Eidgah since the Mughal period. At that time, the sighting of the moon was announced by firing cannons from Ahsan Manzil, the residence of the Nawabs of Dhaka. On the day of Eid, processions carrying colorful flags would march towards the Eidgah for prayers. Over the years, the city of Dhaka has changed significantly, and many heritage sites have disappeared. However, the Shahi Eidgah has survived and continues to be used for religious gatherings. Even today, one of the largest Eid congregations in the area takes place here, with thousands of worshippers attending the two annual Eid prayers.

According to various books on the history of Dhaka, during the Mughal period the Subadars, Nayeb Nazims, Amatyas (ministers), and other dignitaries used to gather at the Shahi Eidgah of Dhanmondi to offer prayers.

During the Mughal period, main city of the capital Dhaka was situated at today's old Dhaka. So this Eidgah denoted that it was the sub-urban area The Mughal administrators and local Muslims used to come to the Eidgah for Eid Prayers. The Eidgah spreads over around 3.5 bighas of land.

Although Old Dhaka had several small Sultanate-era Eidgahs, none of them were large enough for such grand congregations. It was Mir Abul Qasim, the Dewan of Subadar Shah Shuja, who sought a suitable place for a spacious Eidgah. He finally chose the open Dhanmondi area, close to the historic Sat Masjid (Seven Dome Mosque).

Researcher and writer Professor Muntassir Mamoon notes that a branch of the Pandu River once flowed by this site, eventually meeting the Buriganga near the mosque at Jafrabad. On Eid mornings, the Mughal rulers and their courtiers would proceed with great pomp and ceremony from the city to this Eidgah, about a mile away on the Buriganga side, to perform their prayers.

This Eidgah is surrounded by the wall. The 15-foot high west wall, the only surviving part of it. At the central point of the wall it has a 5- foot deep semi-octagonal Mihrab. Two wings of Mihrab of the western wall are decorated by the arch like design. Over the mihrabs is a band of horizontal cornice, topped with traditional Mughal design.

Like other Mughal-era structures, the Dhanmondi Shahi Eidgah was built using terracotta bricks, a hallmark of Bengal’s architecture of that time. The Eidgah stands on an open plain, raised about four feet above the surrounding ground. It measures 245 feet in length and 137 feet in width, extending on three sides to accommodate large congregations.

According to the historians, once upon a time, Eid in Dhaka meant royal processions, bustling fairs in Chawkbazar, and unrestrained joy in Ramna. The stories of those Eids in Dhaka are now just memories.

On the last day of Ramadan in 1729, Murshid Quli Khan II, then Subedar of Bengal, received glad tidings: Tripura had come under Mughal rule. Overwhelmed with joy, he ordered Mir Syed Ali and Mir Mohammad Zaman to distribute one thousand taka among the common people along the two-mile stretch from Dhaka Fort to the Dhanmondi Eidgah.

The next morning, after offering Eid prayers with the Naib-Nazims, Khan Sahib himself spread his hands to scatter coins among the waiting crowds on both sides of the road. Many believe that the tradition of Dhaka’s colourful Eid processions began from this very celebration.

This spirit of festivity lived on in the Naib-Nazim era. Based on this culture, Dhaka artist Alam Musawwir painted thirty-nine scenes of Muharram and Eid processions, now preserved in the National Museum. His works remain one of the clearest visual records of those vibrant celebrations.

Historian Muntasir Mamun notes in his "Dhaka Samagra" that the grand Eid procession would set out from Nimtali Palace, pass through Chawkbazar and Hussaini Dalan, and then return to the palace—distributing charity to the poor along the way.

But with the abolition of the Naib-Nazim system in 1843, the royal Eid procession disappeared. Today, Dhaka still throngs with people on Eid, but perhaps without the same communal joy that once bound the city together.

Eid in old Dhaka was also inseparable from its grand fairs. Chawkbazar, Armanitola, and Ramna fields once turned into festive grounds where families strolled in new clothes, children played, and traders sold sweets, toys, and household goods. Even the Nawab family was known to attend.
Those processions and fairs may be gone, but their echoes linger in the memory of a city whose Eids were once truly royal.

During the British period, Dhaka witnessed a sharp decline in population and a contraction of its urban sphere. With the once-bustling Pandu River gradually drying up, the Shahi Eidgah of Dhanmondi lost much of its former prominence as a central congregation ground for Eid prayers.

According to Banglapedia, The Idgah has recently (1981) been taken over by the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh Government, as a protected monument.

Recently the remaining damaged north, south and east wall is restored and rebuilt by the department of archaeology according to its original structural Every year, when the crescent moon ushers in Eid, thousands of believers gather at the Dhanmondi Shahi Eidgah, carrying forward a centuries-old tradition.

 
Adnan Hadi is a senior
journalist mainly writing on archeological sites and sports. 
He can be reached at: [email protected]