Bagerhat The City of Masjid, Khulna

Bagerhat Tour At A Glance

I have visited Bagerhat several times. In 2010, 2011 I have visited there for office purpose and this time in 2016, I went there for a small vacation. Bagerhat is an important place for many reasons. Shait Gombuz Masjid, Mongla Port, Sundarban Reserve Forest etc. Shait Gombuz Masjid is an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble which illustrates a significant stage in human history and because of that it has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. Bagerhat called the city of Masjid which is situated at the meeting of Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. It is also known as the lost city called Khalifatabad. Bagerhat was the mint town of the Bengal Sultanate. The city was established by the Ulug Khan Jahan Ali (1433–1459) in the 15th century. He was an administrator under the Bengal Sultanate Sultan Nasir al-din Mahmud Shah (1442–1459). More than 50 Islamic monuments have been found after many centuries.

My First visit to Bagerhat:
At the end of the year 2010, 10th of November, I went to Bagerhat. That time I visited the famous Shat Gombuj Masjid and The Khan Jahan Ali Mazar, Thakur Dighi, Bagerhat Museum etc.

Second Visit:
In 2011 from 17th to 19th April I had visited Khulna and Bagerhat. That time I had the opportunity to visit Koromjal Wildlife Rescue Center in Sundarban. It was a super experience. I went there with Atiqur Rahman Sir and his family.

Third Visit: 
This time it's a group tour with my wife and her friends. We stayed Bagerhat in one of her friend's house called Shoaib. They took a great care of us and arranged everything. So I am very tankful to them for their hospitality. We stayed Bagerhat from 19 to 21st of February. Within short time we saw some of the important and historical places of Bagerhat. On 20th February we visited Koromjal, Sundarban. Koromjal is a Crocodile, Deer Breeding and Ecotourism Center. We went there by boat over Pashur river. After that we visited Elephant Brand Cement Factory, Chandra Mahal Eco Park and Kodla Math. Next day we visited Shait Gumbaz Masjid and Khan Jahan Ali (R:) Mazar.

Transport: By Bus from Saidabad and Gabtali Bus Terminal.
Bus Fare: Golden Line 550tk (non AC).

Hotel: Local hotels are available.
Hotel Pashur
Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation
National Tourism Organization
Mongla Bus stop (Ferry Ghat).

Western Inn Intl. Ltd.
Khan-A-Sabur Road, Khulna. 
Shat Gombuj Masjid is 25 km southwest of Khulna.


Khan Jahan Ali (R:): Known as a Saint warrior. He was a Pir (Saint) and his tomb is respected in Bangladesh and attracts a large number of people (Pilgrims). He was responsible for establishing a planned town with roads, bridges, ponds and a very large number of mosques and tombs. Two ponds are still surviving: The Ghoradighi and The Dargadighi. Khan Jahan lived in the town and did extensive generous work. An inscription on his tomb mentioned that he was died on 25th October, 1459.

Khan Jahan Ali (R:) Mazar: The Mausoleum is located on the northern bank of the Thakur Dighi. Also known as Khan Jahan Ali Dighi. The pond is square in shape and infested with crocodiles. This crocodiles are look after by the Mazar authority and the locals. The tomb is a single dome structure built over a plan of 14 meter (45 feet) square. The building was made of brick walls over five layers of dressed stone which forms the basement. The tomb has black stones have been used in making the tomb and it is made of three steps. Verses from the Koran are decorated in Arabic and Persian. There are inscriptions on the walls of the crypt which are inferred as providing historical information about Khan Jahan's life. Khan Jahan spent his retired life here and after his death 1459, his tomb was preserved here.

Picture taken 10th November, 2010

Khan Jahan Ali (R:) Dighi

Picture taken 21st February, 2016

Khan Jahan Ali (R:) Mazar

Shait Gombuz Masjid: Known as Sixty Dome Mosque is the largest and the most traditional masjid in our country. Built in the year Khan Jahan Ali died, 1459. Shat Gombuj means 60 domes but there are actually 77 low domes over the main hall and one dome on each corner, bringing the 81 domes in total. There are exactly 60 stone pillars. The total length of the masjid is 160 ft and width is 108 ft. Around the Masjid there are three other single dome mosque called Bibi Begni Masjid, Chunakhola Masjid and Singara Masjid. There is a museum inside the Masjid area called Bagerhat Museum. It is one of the greatest tourist attraction spot and the best architectural beauties of our country.

Picture taken 10th November, 2010

Shait Gombuz Masjid

Shait Gombuz Masjid

	Singair Masjid

Picture taken 21st February, 2016

Shait Gombuz Masjid

Bagerhat Museum

Singair Masjid: The Singair Mosque is across the road from the Saith Gumbaz Mosque on its southeastern side. It has a single dome which is heavily built and a wide dome. The dome is supported on thick walls and topped with a cambered cornice.

Dargha Masjid: Dargha Mosque or The Pir Ali Tomb is an annex building of identical layout attached to this mausoleum. Pir Ali was a close associate of Khna Jahan Ali (R:).

Bigi Begni Masjid: The Bigi Begni Mosque is also of single dome mosque but much larger in size compared to the Singara Mosque. Chunakhola Masjid: The Chuna Khola Mosque is located in the village of Chuna Khola, built in the 15th century. It is a 7.7 meters (25 feet) square building with 2.24 meters (7 feet 4 inches) thick walls. It has three entrances on the east and one each on the northern and southern sides and it has three Mihrabs with the central Mihrab being the largest in size. It has a hemispherical dome with frontal arches. There are also squinches and half domes. It has four turrets with curved cornices.

Nine Dome Masjid: The Nine Dome Mosque is located to the west of the Takur Dighi pond is close to Khan Jahan Ali's Tomb also built in the 15th century.

Ranbijaypur Masjid: The Ronvijoypur Mosque has the largest dome of 11 meters (36 feet) width supported by arches and pendentives. The corners have tapering circular turrets while the external cornice has a slight curve. The mosque's interior is plain. However the main mihrabs have decorations of floral patterns. It is located on the opposite side of the Khan Jehan Mausoleum, on the
Khulna Bagerhat road.

Bagerhat Museum: A small museum has been established by the Directorate of Archaeology of Bangladesh, in collaboration with UNESCO, in front of the Shait Gumbaz Mosque, where antiquaries collected from the area of the historical site are displayed providing knowledge on the history of Bagerhat. It has three exhibit galleries of antiquaries related to the "Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat", which include inscriptions, potteries, terracotta plaques and ornamental bricks. Pictures of important historic buildings of Bangladesh are also part of the exhibits here.

Picture taken 10th November, 2010

Bagerhat Museum

Karamjal: Karamjal is a wildlife (Crocodile and Deer) breeding center located in Chandpai Range, Sundarban - East Forest Division, Bagerhat. It's an Ecotourism Center. Kormojal wildlife rescue center is one of the wonderful visiting place in Sundarban for the tourists. Thousands of visitors make their way to Karamjal. I have visited that place twice. 1st in 19th April, 2011 and 2nd in 20th February, 2016. The wooden bridge damage some places and miss the monkeys, those used to hang around the tourist.   

Transport: 1st go to the Mongla Bus stop (Ferry Ghat) from Bagerhat city. Hire a engine boat that will take you to the Karamjal and bring you back.  

Ticket: For locals 23tk and for foreigners 345tk. 

Karamjal - 19th April, 2011

Hotel Pashur	Hotel Pashur

Karamjal - 20th February, 2016

Chandra Mahal Eco Park

Chandra Mahal: Chandra Mahal Eco Park is in Ranjitpur, Bagerhat at Khulna - Mongla Highway. It's a nice place to pass the evening. In holidays it's become crowded. From highway you have to use local transport (kind of rickshaw) to reach there. Miss Nasima Huda Chandra and Mr. Soyed Amanul Huda Salim is the creator of Chandra Mahal. The design of Chandra Mahal reflects the traditional design of Persian and Mughal architecture. The road to Chandra Mahal main building is under the water. There they store some of their valuable collections like old currency, coins, bed, ornaments, signed cricket bat, stamps etc.

Chandra Mahal

Chandra Mahal Underground Passage 

Kodla Math: The elegant Kodla Math is located at a little village named Ajodhya in the Bagerhat district at a distance of 10 km from Bagerhat town. It is also called the Ajodhya Math. It is a tall structure with a square shaped base and about 18.29 m high from the ground having 2.75 m thick walls. It has three entrance one in each side except the north. The main doorway is in the south. The main attractive feature of the Math is profusely decorated of its break ornamentation. A fragmentary Bangali inscription on a brick fixed over the cornice records that the Math was erected by a Brahman and was dedicated to Taraka Brahma probably in the early 17 century. According to legend, the Math was built by Raja Pratapdity of Jessore as a memorial to his court Pandit, Abilamba Sarasvati. I went there at night so unable to take good pictures.

Video of Kodla Math 

Elephant Brand Cement Factory

Cement Factory: We also visited the Elephant Brand Cement Factory.


Some other tourist spots:
Ten Domed Mosque, Rezai Khan Mosque, Zinda Pir Tomb, Bagerhat district jail, Shabek danga monument.

Location Map

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