The, so called, 60 dome mosque in Bagerhat, has, in fact, rather more than 60 domes, but since few of them are visible from the exterior, the name scarcely does justice to the real splendour of the brick built, mid 15th century construction.
It is the many pillared interior that constitutes the real charm. Reminiscent of the great Mughal palaces of the period, and even of some of the great religious buildings of Europe, the magnificent pillars and the light they admit and the shadows they cast create the atmosphere of sanctity and durability.
On my first visit, many years ago, I was refused admittance on the grounds I am a Christian.. a surprise since I had never encountered such refusal at any other of the 40 or 50 I have visited around the world. Worse still, when I approached the mosque a few weeks ago, I was in the company of a lady, and a Bangladeshi academic had told me that she, too, had previously been refused admittance on the grounds of her gender. However, this time, we were both admitted so perhaps things are slowly changing in Bangladesh in attitudes to tourism!
A pilgrimage well worth making to this, one of the great, ancient, intact buildings of Bangladesh.
(Perhaps the custodians have been put through a training course in hospitality that the staff at Bangladeshi Embassies and High Commissions around the world would greatly benefit from when processing visa applications for tourists!)
(Perhaps the custodians have been put through a training course in hospitality that the staff at Bangladeshi Embassies and High Commissions around the world would greatly benefit from when processing visa applications for tourists!)
Really this mosque is our pride. I visited this mosque 2 years back and it is quite influential to make our mind sacred.seo
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