MOSQUE OF THE FIVE SAINTS. BETWEEN KURIGRAM AND CHILMARI, BANGLADESH

The ‘five saints', they say, came during the Mughal period,  and by five saints, they almost certainly are speaking of Sufi ‘missionaries’, much like the more famous ones who reached Chittagong, Sylhet and Bagerhat.

What is a little unusual about this small mosque, apart from being far smaller than those built by other ‘saints’, is the homogeneity of local society that its appearance represents.

In an area where there is a considerable Hindu tradition, the origins of this mosque are no hard to spot. The distinctive three domes, with their fine finials, maybe partially hidden by the more contemporary extension to the front, and the interior of that , probably about 500 year old construction, whitewashed in a very classical and tasteful fashion, its vaulted roof wonderfully presented, but that they have much treasured age is beyond doubt.

What is a little more unusual, and very appealing to the eye, is the wall decoration, and interior ceiling, of the extension, with vividly coloured floral patterns and flourishes; and, most of all, the use of pieces of glittering materials within the decoration. Altogether, a highly visible context of other places of worship in the area, clearly representing the sense of awe and devotion its members feels.

The appearance of this roadside place of worship is very pleasant. The emotion behind the care taken of its appearance, within, and without, palpable!