Papers by Khoundkar Alamgir
Published in I. Sarkar and Anjashi Sarkar (ed.), Spacio-Temporal History of North Bengal, Abhijeet Publications, New Delhi, 2021
Kalhār (white water-lily): studies in art, iconography, …, 2007
A Short Account of Nine-Domed Mosques of Bengal, 2021
Navagram (Nawgaon) Mosque, Sirajganj, Bangladesh (1526 AD) and its inscription : An Analysis, 2017
Navagram mosque is situated under Taras Upazila of Sirajganj district
(formerly Pabna district), ... more Navagram mosque is situated under Taras Upazila of Sirajganj district
(formerly Pabna district), Bangladesh. This is a single-domed mosque
with a verandah on the east. But some authors did not mention the
verandah. Originally an inscription was fixed to this mosque. It is now
preserved in the Varendra Research Museum, Rajshahi, Bangladsh.
According to that inscription it was built in 1626 by Ajyal Mina Jangdar
son of Mir Bahr (admiral), Manawwar Ana (Munurana). Former name
of this area is Simlabad. It was a Khitta or fortified city and also an
important administrative unit during the Sultanate period of Bengal.
The inscription originally fixed to this mosque contains three important
words: Jangdar, Mir Bahr and Nazir. Considering these words this
inscription is very important in reconstructing the administrative and
economic history of Bengal. There are some other mosques of this type
in Bengal (Bangladesh and W. Bengal, India). This type of mosques is
also found in Turkey and Iran. The present author suggests Central Asia
as the common origin of these mosques.
Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, 2020
Giving immovable properties to charity began in Bengal from the very beginning of Muslim rule in ... more Giving immovable properties to charity began in Bengal from the very beginning of Muslim rule in 1204 and mosques, Madrasahs and Khanqahs were established to create a Muslim community. Henceforth, awqaf (plural of waqf) were created in Bengal by the state, noblemen of the community and wealthy individuals. There are various references of Awqaf in archaeological and literary sources.
Abstract: The word Shia ( Arabic: Shīʿah) is an abbreviation of Shia-ne-Ali, Shīʻatu ʻAlī ( , ... more Abstract: The word Shia ( Arabic: Shīʿah) is an abbreviation of Shia-ne-Ali, Shīʻatu ʻAlī ( , "followers of Ali"). It is a term meaning "followers of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali", the fourth Pious Caliph as well as son-in-law and cousin of Prophet Muhammad. Hazrat Husain, the Grandson of the Prophet and son of Hazrat Ali was martyred at the battle of Karbala on the 10th of Muharram of 61 A.H. (October 2, 680 A.D.). The Muslims of the world became divided at the impact of this tragic event. The 10th of Muharram in the Arabic or Hizri calendar is known as Ashura. On this day the massacre of Karbala is commemorated in the Muslim world, especially the Shia Muslims commemorate this with due reverence, solemnity, sorrow and grief. It was the Buwayhid Amirs (945–1055) of Baghdad who first introduced celebration of Ashura as a festival. Muizzudowla held the first full-fledged Ashura ceremony in Baghdad in 946 A.D. “These commemorations were also encouraged in Egypt by the Fatimid caliph al-’Aziz. From Seljuq times, Ashura rituals began to attract many participants from a variety of backgrounds, including Sunnis. With the recognition of Twelvers as the official religion by the Safavids, Mourning of Muharram extended throughout the first ten days of Muharram.” Shah Ismail (1501-1524), the founder of the Safavid dynasty of Iran patronized this and Shah Abbas the Great (1 October 1588-19 January 1629) also gave it much importance. Shia influence came to India with the Mughal Emperor Humayun (1531–1540 and again from 1555–1556). It may be mentioned that Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah Suri (17 May 1540- 15 May 1545) and he fled to Persia. He got his throne back with the help of the Persians. From this time onwards Mughal rule was Persianated in India. Ashura is observed in the sub-continent in Imambaras, a special building built for this purpose. These are also known as Husainia (Persian: ), Ashurkhana or Imambargah. Names of some Imambaras in the sub-continent are: Asafi Imambara Lucknow, built by Nawab Asaf ud Daulah is one of the largest Imambaras of India. Chota Imambara of Lucknow may also be mentioned. Another Imambara to be mentioned here is Imambara Wazeer Un Nisa in Amroha, India. No reference of any Imambara could be gathered about any pre-Mughal Imambara in Bengal. After the conquest of the Mughals Shia influence became manifest in Bengal. Many Imambaras were built in Bengal to celebrate Ashura. Among these Hughly Imambara, West Bengal; Murshidabad Imambara, West Bengal; Nizamat Imambara, Murshidabad, West Bengal; Hosni (Husaini) Dalan at Dhaka, Bangladesh and Hazi Muhammad Muhsin’s Imambara at Jessore, Bangladesh may be mentioned. In this article Shia Architecture in Bengal, especially Imambaras will be discussed and analysed alongwith illustrations. Imambaras are built by the Shia Muslims and not by the Sunnis. There are some Shia mosques in Bengal, but those mosques have not been included in this paper.
[Abstract: Bell and Chain decoration has been used widely in stone and terra cotta media in Sulta... more [Abstract: Bell and Chain decoration has been used widely in stone and terra cotta media in Sultanate Architecture of Bengal. It has been found profusely in re-used pre-Islamic stone pillars of Sultanate mosques and an evolution of this motif is observed in decoration used in different newly built edifices. In this period chain has taken somewhere the abstract form of a pendant rope tray (shika) of traditional Bengal and in other places the form of a lamp. It has been observed in the tomb of Zafar Khan Ghazi at Tribeni, Chota Pandua, and West Bengal, India and on the facets of the pillars of the nearby Bari Mosque. Bell and chain motif used in the Adina mosque at Hazrat Pandua, West Bengal, India is often compared to those used in the tomb at Sonargaon, Bangladesh. Hanging lamp in a chain is observed in the mihrab of Adina mosque. The place of the mihrab has been emphasized here by this in comparison to other places of the mosque. At the same time an indication has been given to light. Allah has been described as light (an-Nur) in the Holy Qur'an, the religious book of the Muslims. One calls to mind the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) by repeated use of lamp in the mihrab of this mosque. Because, Sufis repeatedly pronounce the name of Allah at the time of their dhikr. An evolution of the diversity and various abstract forms of this motif has been attempted to analyse in this paper. It has also been attempted to trace if this motif resembling pendant rope tray (shika) of traditional Bengal has any folk origin.] A special characteristic feature of Sultanate Architecture of Bengal is the use of bell and chain motif of decoration. Bell and chain and its various abstract or stylized forms have widely been used in the decoration of the then Bengal. Specimen of Sultanate Architecture of Bengal of the initial period is not found in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. But from 1300 AD onwards use of this motif is uninterrupted in decoration of almost all types of Muslim monuments. Its use
[Abstract: Many books and research papers have been published regarding architectural history of ... more [Abstract: Many books and research papers have been published regarding architectural history of Bangladesh. Though books are limited in number, innumerable research papers have been written on this subject. These are published in several reputed journals viz. Dhaka University Studies, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Asiatic Society Patrika (Bangla), Shilpakala, Journal of the Varendra Research Museum, Bangla Academy Patrika, Islamic Foundation Patrika, Itihas Patrika etc. In this article a modest attempt has been made to review some of the articles published in these esteemed journals. Authors selected for this review are: Md. Mosharraf Hossain, Ayesha Begum, Perween Hasan, Rozina Parvin, Shahnaz Husne Zahan Leena, A.K.M. Shahnawaz, A.B.M. Husain and M.A. Qadir. Many important articles of them and of other writers could not be discussed here owing to space constraint.]
[Abstract: Some papers have been written on gateway architecture of Bengal.1 Still there is scope... more [Abstract: Some papers have been written on gateway architecture of Bengal.1 Still there is scope for further writing on the same area. Subject matter of those published articles is not wide enough as well as origin and correlation of them are worth improving i.e. some additional points may be included to the findings of those papers. Gateways are used in all civilizations of the world. It was used in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Though at first disliked by the orthodox caliphs, the Muslims also used gateways in their architecture. Round city of Baghdad had several gateways. While discussing about gateways of the sub-continent one has to take into consideration all relevant factors. There were gateways in pre-Islamic India. Many gateways are found in the Imperial Mughal architecture and in other provincial architecture of India. Percy Brown is of opinion that the architecture and decoration of Dakhil Darwaza, Gaur, West Bengal, India is a fusion of indigenous and extraneous elements. Gateways of Sultanate Bengal are: Dakhil or Salami Darwaza, Kotwali Darwaza, Gumti Gate and Lukochuri Gate. There are references of Chand and Nim Gates. All these Islamic gateways of medieval Gaur are at present located in the Indian Territory. Shait Gunbad mosque, Bagerhat, Bangladesh; Bara Sona mosque, Gaur, West Bengal, India; Chota Sona mosque, Gaur, Chapai Nawabganj, Bangladesh and Bagha mosque, Rajshahi, Bangladesh have gateways placed in their enclosure walls. This tradition of gateway architecture continued forward and many gateways were built in the subsequent Mughal period. Some later gateways are: 1. Bara Katra Gate, Dhaka 2. Lalbagh Fort Gate, Dhaka 3. Husaini Dalan Gate, Dhaka 4. Nimtali Gate, Dhaka (Formerly used as the office of the Dhaka Museum, Bangladesh) 5. High Court Gate, Dhaka 6. Dhaka Medical College Gate, Dhaka 7. New Market Gate, Azimpur, Dhaka 8. Asad Gate, Muhammadpur, Dhaka, 9. Bir Shreshtha Shahid Jahangir Gate, Dhaka Cantonment, 10. City Gate, Chittagong, 11. Gateway of the tomb of Hazrat Shah Jalal, Sylhet. Dhaka Gate at Uttara (now extinct) was built in the Post-liberation period.]
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Papers by Khoundkar Alamgir
(formerly Pabna district), Bangladesh. This is a single-domed mosque
with a verandah on the east. But some authors did not mention the
verandah. Originally an inscription was fixed to this mosque. It is now
preserved in the Varendra Research Museum, Rajshahi, Bangladsh.
According to that inscription it was built in 1626 by Ajyal Mina Jangdar
son of Mir Bahr (admiral), Manawwar Ana (Munurana). Former name
of this area is Simlabad. It was a Khitta or fortified city and also an
important administrative unit during the Sultanate period of Bengal.
The inscription originally fixed to this mosque contains three important
words: Jangdar, Mir Bahr and Nazir. Considering these words this
inscription is very important in reconstructing the administrative and
economic history of Bengal. There are some other mosques of this type
in Bengal (Bangladesh and W. Bengal, India). This type of mosques is
also found in Turkey and Iran. The present author suggests Central Asia
as the common origin of these mosques.
(formerly Pabna district), Bangladesh. This is a single-domed mosque
with a verandah on the east. But some authors did not mention the
verandah. Originally an inscription was fixed to this mosque. It is now
preserved in the Varendra Research Museum, Rajshahi, Bangladsh.
According to that inscription it was built in 1626 by Ajyal Mina Jangdar
son of Mir Bahr (admiral), Manawwar Ana (Munurana). Former name
of this area is Simlabad. It was a Khitta or fortified city and also an
important administrative unit during the Sultanate period of Bengal.
The inscription originally fixed to this mosque contains three important
words: Jangdar, Mir Bahr and Nazir. Considering these words this
inscription is very important in reconstructing the administrative and
economic history of Bengal. There are some other mosques of this type
in Bengal (Bangladesh and W. Bengal, India). This type of mosques is
also found in Turkey and Iran. The present author suggests Central Asia
as the common origin of these mosques.