Winter is almost here and so is the season of Calcutta's Heritage Hunts, organized every year by different clubs, motoring enthusiasts' associations and media houses. Being the defending champion of City's two most prestigious treasure hunts, we have already started to polish our Heritage IQ and gearing up for the brain storming trails in the coming months. Two weeks ago, in one of those random chit chats with my fellow hunter Abhijit and Souvik, we were discussing about the 'OLDEST's of the City. We jotted down the following :
And we decided to pay a visit...
If you come straight towards north from Bagbazar through Khirode Vidyavinode Avenue, then just after crossing the Chitpore Bridge or the Circular Canal, you will notice a flight of stairs on your left, at the start of Lockgate Road, leading to a slum. It will take you beneath the Lockgate bridge and you will end up in the middle of warehouses. A seems to be out of the place green structure is there and it is the Oldest Existing Mosque of the City - BHONSRI SHAH MOSQUE.
My only source of information about it is a book that I acknowledged at the end. According to it, Bhonsri Shah Mosque or Bhosari Shah Mosque or simply Bhosri Mosque was built in 1804, probably on the ruins of an older Islamic shrine. An inscription on the mosque mentions the name Ja'fir Ali and the date H.1219 (Hijri Year) which corresponds to the Gregorian Year 1804. The inscription states that it was built anew, perhaps implying an earlier structure at the site. The 'Ja'fir Ali' as mentioned in the plaque is possibly none other than Jaffir Ali Khan or better known as Mir Jaffar who was the Nawab of Bengal from 1757 to 1760 and from 1763 to 1765. After he was deposed, Mir Jaffar was allowed to live in Alipore where he died in 1765. Some online sources credited Dewan Reza Khan, the then Naib Dewan of Bengal Province as the founder of the mosque but no literary source vouches for its authenticity.
Like many other Islamic shrines of Kolkata, this mosque too is associated with the tomb of a Pir, Bhonsri Shah, after whom the mosque is named. 'Pir' or 'Pir Baba' is a title used in regard to Muslim saints in salutation to their honour. Here, the tomb or the 'Dargah' is at a stone throwing distance from the mosque. The shrine was supposed to have healing powers as mentioned in the book I referred above as well as in H E A Cotton's Calcutta Old and New. The Dargah is frequented by both Hindu and Muslims. When we were roaming around inside the Dargah, we noticed a middle aged man (probably a Hindu, assuming from the name he uttered) offering a packet of sweets before the tomb (just like we do at the Pujas) and he handed over an empty plastic bottle to the person in charge of the shrine. The bottle was filled up with the water from a special bucket (a well ornamented one) and returned to the man. The water is probably considered holy and having healing powers !!
The mosque is raised on a high plinth and the plinth is covered by one storeyed rooms from all sides. So there is no scope to look for the inscription today. The three bayed facade with its three domes and corner towers was renovated 7-8 years ago and painted in plain light green. Most mosques in Calcutta reflect the Anglo-Indian style of architecture popular in the nineteenth century, but this was originally built after the Bengal style, favoured in the previous century. The book mentions that the walls and the arches once contain terracotta work and floral decoration executed in stucco which is completely obliterated during the last 200 years. The mosque has a prayer hall on the first floor which is a single aisled plan. The hall can be reached through a staircase directly from the street. The mosque is also used as a Madrasa and the Imam used to teach the local children.
When we inquired about the details of the mosque in the locality, one aged man confidently told us that the shrine is 500 years old and the Dargah predates the mosque. Who knows??... probably an intriguing history has lost forever...
Acknowledgement:
- Oldest Existing Building - Dum Dum Clive House
- Oldest Temple - Kalighat or Chitteswari ??
- Oldest Church - Armenian Church
- Oldest Synagogue - Neveh Shalome Synagogue
- Oldest Mosque - ???...
And we decided to pay a visit...
If you come straight towards north from Bagbazar through Khirode Vidyavinode Avenue, then just after crossing the Chitpore Bridge or the Circular Canal, you will notice a flight of stairs on your left, at the start of Lockgate Road, leading to a slum. It will take you beneath the Lockgate bridge and you will end up in the middle of warehouses. A seems to be out of the place green structure is there and it is the Oldest Existing Mosque of the City - BHONSRI SHAH MOSQUE.
My only source of information about it is a book that I acknowledged at the end. According to it, Bhonsri Shah Mosque or Bhosari Shah Mosque or simply Bhosri Mosque was built in 1804, probably on the ruins of an older Islamic shrine. An inscription on the mosque mentions the name Ja'fir Ali and the date H.1219 (Hijri Year) which corresponds to the Gregorian Year 1804. The inscription states that it was built anew, perhaps implying an earlier structure at the site. The 'Ja'fir Ali' as mentioned in the plaque is possibly none other than Jaffir Ali Khan or better known as Mir Jaffar who was the Nawab of Bengal from 1757 to 1760 and from 1763 to 1765. After he was deposed, Mir Jaffar was allowed to live in Alipore where he died in 1765. Some online sources credited Dewan Reza Khan, the then Naib Dewan of Bengal Province as the founder of the mosque but no literary source vouches for its authenticity.
Like many other Islamic shrines of Kolkata, this mosque too is associated with the tomb of a Pir, Bhonsri Shah, after whom the mosque is named. 'Pir' or 'Pir Baba' is a title used in regard to Muslim saints in salutation to their honour. Here, the tomb or the 'Dargah' is at a stone throwing distance from the mosque. The shrine was supposed to have healing powers as mentioned in the book I referred above as well as in H E A Cotton's Calcutta Old and New. The Dargah is frequented by both Hindu and Muslims. When we were roaming around inside the Dargah, we noticed a middle aged man (probably a Hindu, assuming from the name he uttered) offering a packet of sweets before the tomb (just like we do at the Pujas) and he handed over an empty plastic bottle to the person in charge of the shrine. The bottle was filled up with the water from a special bucket (a well ornamented one) and returned to the man. The water is probably considered holy and having healing powers !!
 |
| Dargah of Bhonsri Shah |
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| The Mosque with a modern day Gouranga Mahaprobhu Temple in the front |
When we inquired about the details of the mosque in the locality, one aged man confidently told us that the shrine is 500 years old and the Dargah predates the mosque. Who knows??... probably an intriguing history has lost forever...
Acknowledgement:
- Calcutta through 300 years (Marg Publication)
- Calcutta Old and New by H E A Cotton
- Graded List of Heritage Buildings of Kolkata by KMC
Special Thanks:
- My friend and heritage enthusiast Abhijit Das who accompanied me on this trip.
Splendid and informative coverage! Many thanks for profiling this important site.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sir for the appreciation... Please keep visiting...
ReplyDeleteAll these places are truly incredible and totally worth visiting.
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For the oldest mosque in a very old city it is quite well-maintained.
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