Sayed Jamaluddin’s Mosque – A Piece of Terracotta History

An almost empty GT Road led me to this place, unknown, yet of great worth. I first read about it on Deepanjan Ghosh’s Blog “The Concrete Paparazzi”. And immediately I found craving to see it with my own eyes. And it was just going to be a day trip as it was pretty close to where I live. So, on a fine sunny day a couple of years back, I decided to pack my camera, a bottle of water and boarded a local train, and via Bandel Junction, I went till Adisaptagram Railway Station. From there, it was a walk of 10-15 minutes, my destination; Sayed Jamaluddin’s Mosque.

Sayed Jamaluddin's Mosque

What’s so special about the mosque you ask? Well, unlike other mosques built in our country, this is made of Terracotta. Yes, a terracotta mosque! We have heard and seen the terracotta temples of Bishnupur, but never of a terracotta mosque. And that is what made the trip exciting. Although it is almost in ruins, it is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and has been stated as a place of great historical importance. Saptagram, currently known as Adisaptagram was a very important port and mint city in the Hussain Shahi Period of Bengal.

Mosque's Front Gate

Terracotta Work on the Front Gate's Wall

But the question remains, why terracotta? Why wasn’t stones used like other mosques built in India during those times? The main reason was unavailability. Built in the early to mid 16th Century, the area did not have stones and other materials available in abundance to build an entire mosque. Hence, a known and readily available style was used, that being terracotta. In fact, as stones were rare in Bengal during those times, and clay was readily available, not only Sayed Jamaluddin’s Mosque but many other mosques were also made in the terracotta style.

Courtyard of the Mosque

The walk from Adisaptagram Railway Station to the Mosque was quiet enough. As it was almost an hour past noon, most of the shops in the area were closed. The most exchange of words I had was with a tea shop owner where I stopped to have some tea in that humid weather because, why not! While paying for the tea, he told me that the new small one rupee coin doesn’t work in that area. Therefore I had to replace the coin with an older bigger one. As I continued to walk looking at the Google map on my phone, after some time, I could see the structure on the left side of the road, standing there in that hot weather all red in color. As I entered the premises, I found the caretaker of the structure, who was generous enough to guide me about the dos and don’ts inside the compound of the mosque.

Fakhruddin's Tomb

Stone Tablet explaining the foundation of the Mosque

The very first thing which I noticed after I entered the premises was three tombs located on a corner on the left-hand side from the main entrance. Those are the tombs of Sayed Fakhruddin and his wife, who are the parents of Sayed Jamaluddin who build the mosque. The third tomb is of someone from Jamaluddin’s family but it is unknown. There are stone tablets that are inscribed with the details of Fakhruddin which mention that he belonged to the city of ‘Amul’ or ‘Amol’. It is quite possible that Fakhruddin was a preacher and had arrived in Bengal and chose to stay here for the rest of his life.

The most distinctive thing about the body of the mosque which comes to notice is that the dome or the roof is completely missing along with three of the four minarets. Only one minaret stood the test of time. And through the walls and the minarets, one can see some amazing terracotta work. The designs mainly include flowers and leaves. Inside the mosque, there are two stone pillars. There are fine and detailed works of terracotta around and inside the mihrabs as well. A mihrab is a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the Qibla, that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a mihrab appears is thus the Qibla Wall. Being a photographer, it was an exciting experience for me to shoot these fabulous pieces of work up close. I stood there wondering what it would have looked like with all its glory.

Minaret of the Mosque from the Front

Minaret of the Mosque from the Side

Mihrab

After spending an hour in the compound of the mosque cherishing the beauty and finesse of the terracotta work, I left the place with a great experience and respect for the art form. I walked back to Adisaptagram Railway station and took another local train. When visiting the mosque one can also take a detour to Bandel and enjoy some peaceful time at the Basilica of the Holy Rosary and the Hoogly Imambara located on the bank of Hoogly which is also in the same area. One can hire an e-rickshaw and visit these places as well. I did the same and then took another local train and via Naihati Junction came back home.

Terracotta Work on the Walls of the Mosque

Terracotta Work of the Interiors of the Mosque

There are so many hidden gems in our country like these waiting for us to discover them. Our country is not just about the Taj. I do understand that the Taj Mahal is one of the Wonders of the World and it puts India in the World Tourism Map, and I do agree that the Taj Mahal is an engineering and architectural masterpiece, but there are many more such brilliant architectural masterpieces in our country with a rich history. It is upon us to go out and look for them, learn more about them, praise their beauty, and treat them with equal respect. Let us put the Kailash Temple of Ellora also beside the Taj in the World Tourism Map. Let us lookout for the Cave Paintings of Bhimbhetka, cherish the forts of Rajasthan, immerse ourselves in the brilliance of the Sun Temple of Konark, and explore the delta of Sunderbans and the churches of Goa. In fact, these are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They all are the pride of India. In the same way, let us just take a day from our schedule, obviously when things get back to normal, and go out and check out the lesser-known places nearby, like the Terracotta Mosque of Sayed Jamaluddin.

Sayed Jamaluddin's Mosque from the Front

If you’re interested to know more about Sayed Jamaluddin’s Mosque in-depth, do visit the blog of Deepanjan Ghosh, “The Concrete Paparazzi” or click on the link below.

Click here for Deepanjan Ghosh's article on Sayed Jamaluddin's Mosque

You’ll find a detailed article about the mosque and many other articles as well which are full of information about architecture, history, and travel.