Atia Mosque
The Atia Mosque stands on the eastern banks of the Louhajang River in Tangail District, Bangladesh. Historical inscriptions preserved in the Bangladesh National Museum date its construction to 1610 or 1611 CE. This project occurred during the reign of Mughal emperor Jahangir. The Emperor gifted the Pargana of Atia to Sayeed Khan Panni. Panni was the son of Bayazid Khan Panni from the Karatia Zamindari family. He ordered the mosque built as a tribute to Shahan Shah Baba Adam Kashmiri. The Sufi saint died in 1507 CE and his mausoleum sits near the prayer hall. Panni hired the finest masons and builders available for this task.
A rectangular structure measuring 18.29 meters by 12.19 meters defines the exterior footprint. Walls reach a width of 2.23 meters throughout the building. A large domed square-shaped prayer hall attaches to an eastern veranda. Three smaller domes sit atop that veranda section. Quadrangular arches frame three entrances on the east side. The middle entrance rises slightly higher than the two flanking doors. Two additional side entrances exist for both the prayer hall and the veranda. Ornate mihrabs decorate the qibla wall inside the main room. Octagonal towers occupy all four corners of the mosque. These corner towers rise to the roof cornice with parallel moulding designs. Small domes topped with lotus and kalasa finials cap each tower.
An earthquake in the early 19th century caused significant structural damage to the site. Rowshun Khatoon Chowdhurani, a female merchant from Delhi, repaired the mosque in 1837. Another restoration effort took place in 1909 under Zamindar Abu Ahmad Ghuznavi Khan of Delduar. Local zamindars including Wajed Ali Khan Panni of Karatia cooperated during this second repair phase. The Department of Archaeology now designates the structure as a protected monument. A large water tank built by Panni remains in the western part of the compound. This tank likely served ablutionary purposes for worshippers.
The government of Bangladesh issued a ten taka banknote on the 3rd of August 1978. The obverse side of that currency features an image of the Atia Mosque. This visual association earned the building the popular nickname of the 10 Taka Mosque. The note circulated widely among citizens throughout the late 20th century. The image helped preserve public awareness of the historic site across generations. No other mosque in the region received such prominent placement on national currency at that time.
On the 6th of February 2010, officials marked the 400th anniversary of the mosque's completion. The celebration took place at nearby Shahan Shah High School. Attendees included Mohammad Abdur Razzaque and Khandaker Abdul Baten. Fazlur Rahman Faruque also participated in the commemorative gathering. The event coincided with the publication of Atianama, a book detailing the history of the mosque. These activities highlighted the enduring cultural significance of the structure within Tangail District.
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Common questions
Where is the Atia Mosque located in Bangladesh?
The Atia Mosque stands on the eastern banks of the Louhajang River in Tangail District, Bangladesh. Historical inscriptions preserved in the Bangladesh National Museum date its construction to 1610 or 1611 CE during the reign of Mughal emperor Jahangir.
Who ordered the construction of the Atia Mosque and when was it built?
Sayeed Khan Panni ordered the mosque built as a tribute to Shahan Shah Baba Adam Kashmiri who died in 1507 CE. The project occurred during the reign of Mughal emperor Jahangir with historical inscriptions dating its completion to 1610 or 1611 CE.
What are the architectural dimensions and features of the Atia Mosque structure?
A rectangular structure measuring 18.29 meters by 12.19 meters defines the exterior footprint with walls reaching a width of 2.23 meters throughout the building. Octagonal towers occupy all four corners of the mosque while three smaller domes sit atop the eastern veranda section.
When did restoration efforts occur for the damaged Atia Mosque after the earthquake?
Rowshun Khatoon Chowdhurani repaired the mosque in 1837 following an earthquake in the early 19th century that caused significant structural damage. Another restoration effort took place in 1909 under Zamindar Abu Ahmad Ghuznavi Khan of Delduar with cooperation from local zamindars including Wajed Ali Khan Panni of Karatia.
Why is the Atia Mosque known as the 10 Taka Mosque on Bangladeshi currency?
The government of Bangladesh issued a ten taka banknote on the 3rd of August 1978 featuring an image of the Atia Mosque on its obverse side. This visual association earned the building the popular nickname of the 10 Taka Mosque and helped preserve public awareness of the historic site across generations.
What events marked the 400th anniversary of the completion of the Atia Mosque in 2010?
On the 6th of February 2010 officials marked the 400th anniversary of the mosque's completion at nearby Shahan Shah High School. The celebration included attendees such as Mohammad Abdur Razzaque and Khandaker Abdul Baten alongside the publication of Atianama detailing the history of the mosque.
All sources
3 references cited across the entry
- 1newsHistoric Atia Mosque about to wear away8 February 2010
- 2banglapediaBegum, Ayesha
- 3webAtiya Jame MasjidNayeem