>Prajjwal3959 at 12:31, 2 July 2021

2021-07-02T12:31:05Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
'''{{Use Indian English| date=September 2018}}'''
{{Infobox religious building|building_name= '''Adina Mosque'''|religious_affiliation=[[Sunni Islam]]| native_name= '''[[List of Monuments of National Importance in West Bengal|Monument of National Importance]]'''|image=Adina Mosque at Malda district of West Bengal 08.jpg|caption=Exterior facade of the mosque|map_type=India West Bengal#India|coordinates={{coord|25.1523|N|88.1647|E|region:IN-WB_type:mosque|display=inline,title|format=dms}}|map_size=|map_caption=|location= [[Pandua, Malda|Pandua]]|rite=|district=[[Malda district|Malda]]|province=[[West Bengal]]|country=[[India]]|consecration_year=|status=|leadership=|ownership=[[Government of West Bengal]]|website=|architect=|architecture_type=[[Mosque]]|architecture_style=[[Islamic architecture|Islamic]]|established=|year_completed=1375|construction_cost=|facade_direction=|capacity=|length=|width=|width_nave=|height_max=|dome_quantity=|dome_height_outer=|dome_height_inner=|dome_dia_outer=|dome_dia_inner=|minaret_quantity=|minaret_height=|spire_quantity=|spire_height=|materials=|image_size=|groundbreaking=1373|shrine_quantity=}}

The '''Adina Mosque''' is a former mosque in [[Malda district|Malda District]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. It was the largest such structure in the [[Indian subcontinent]] and was built during the [[Bengal Sultanate]] as a royal mosque by [[Sikandar Shah]], who is also buried inside. The mosque is situated in [[Pandua, Malda|Pandua]], a former royal capital.

The vast architecture is associated with the hypostyle of the [[Umayyad Mosque]], which was used during the introduction of Islam in new areas. The early Bengal Sultanate harbored imperial ambitions after having defeated the [[Delhi Sultanate]] twice in 1353 and 1359. The Adina Mosque was commissioned in 1373. Its construction absorbed materials from pre-Islamic Hindu and Buddhist structures.<ref name=":1">{{Cite document|title=The architecture and architectural decoration of the Adina Mosque, Pandua, West Bengal, India: The problem of the conjoined Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic motifs in the mihrab niches - ProQuest|language=en|id={{ProQuest|304044113}}}}</ref> The Bengal Sultanate disintegrated during the sixteenth century with the rise of the [[Mughal Empire]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Eaton|first=Richard M.|title=The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204-1760|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gKhChF3yAOUC|year=1996|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-20507-9}}</ref>

Adina Mosque is included in the [[List of Monuments of National Importance in West Bengal]] by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (serial no. N-WB-81).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140627005558/http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = 27 June 2014 |title = List of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains of National Importance| work= West Bengal|publisher= Archaeological Survey of India | access-date = 17 April 2020}}</ref>

==Design==
[[File:Adina Mosque central mihrab on large basalt wall.jpg|thumb|left|The central [[mihrab]] of the mosque]]
The design of the mosque incorporated [[Bengali Muslim architecture|Bengali]], [[Arab architecture|Arab]], [[Persian architecture|Persian]] and [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] architecture. Although the mosque is eye-catching from far because of its size, but because of the finely precise executed designed decoration makes it hard to see the characteristics it holds without standing in a good distance from it. It was built with rubble masonry that was covered with [[brick]], [[stone]], coatings of stucco, plaster, concrete, glazing or lime smoothing.<ref name=":1" /> Stone flowers were integrated into the arches of the interior and exterior all around the building.<ref name=":2" /> Its plan is similar to the [[Great Mosque of Damascus]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uunyz4qFZwEC|title=Sultans and Mosques: The Early Muslim Architecture of Bangladesh|first=Perween|last=Hasan| date=15 August 2007|publisher=I.B.Tauris|via=Google Books|isbn=9781845113810}}</ref> It had a rectangular hypostyle structure with an open [[courtyard]]. There were several hundred [[dome]]s. The structure measured 172 by 97 m. The entire western wall evokes the imperial style of pre-Islamic [[Sasanian]] Persia. The mosque's most prominent feature is its monumental ribbed barrel vault over the central nave, the first such huge vault built in the subcontinent, and another feature shared in common with the Sassanian style. The mosque consciously imitated [[Persianate]] imperial grandeur.<ref name="auto"/> The prayer hall is five aisles deep, while the north, south and east cloisters around the courtyard consist of triple aisles. In total, these aisles had 260 [[pillar]]s and 387 domed bays. The interior of the courtyard is a continuous façade of 92 arches surmounted by a parapet, beyond which the domes of the bays can be seen. The ornament on the building is simple, but if you look closer you can see the intensity and disciple in the engravings that have been created on the walls and arches.<ref name=":1" /> The interior elevated platform, which was the gallery of the Sultan and his officials, still exists. The Sultan's tomb chamber is attached with the western wall.<ref name=":2">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FjhUAAAAMAAJ|title=The Architecture of the Adina Mosque in Pandua, India: Medieval Tradition and Innovation|first=Naseem Ahmed|last=Banerji| date=1 January 2002|publisher=Edwin Mellen Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9780773472099}}</ref>

==History==
===Accounts of Pandua===
[[File:Adina Mosque at Malda district of West Bengal 13.jpg|thumb|left|Arches and columns in the interior of Adina Mosque. The elevated platform was the royal gallery where the Sultan prayed.]]
[[File:Adina Mosque at Malda district of West Bengal 07.jpg|thumb|left|Central prayer hall in the mosque]]
[[File:Adina Mosque Malda (37).jpg|thumb|A Ganesha idol carving on the stone wall|alt=]]
[[File:Wide view of tomb of Sikander Shah in Adina Mosque 01.jpg|thumb|left|Tomb of Sultan Sikandar Shah]]
[[File:Adina Mosque Malda (25).jpg|thumb|Detailed [[arabesque]]]]
The mosque was built during the reign of [[Sikandar Shah]], the second Sultan of the [[Ilyas Shahi dynasty]] of the [[Bengal Sultanate]]. The mosque was designed to display the kingdom's imperial ambitions after its two victories against the [[Delhi Sultanate]] in the 14th century.<ref>{{cite book| last = Eaton| first = Richard Maxwell| title = The Rise of Islam in the Bengal Frontier, 1204-1760| pages = [https://archive.org/details/riseofislambenga00eato/page/40 40–50]| publisher = [[University of California Press]]| date = 1996| isbn = 0520205073| url = https://archive.org/details/riseofislambenga00eato/page/40}}</ref> According to ''[[Encyclopedia Iranica]]'', the mosque's construction material included stone from Bengali temples.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bengal|title=BENGAL – Encyclopaedia Iranica|last=electricpulp.com}}</ref> A few parts of the mosque's exterior wall have carvings like elephants and dancing figures. Historians have considered whether the builders used stone from pre-Islamic structures or whether the mosque was built on the site of a pre-existing ruin. Inscriptions on the mosque proclaimed Sikandar Shah as "the exalted Sultan" and the "[[Caliph]] of the faithful".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Adina_Mosque|title=Adina Mosque |website=Banglapedia}}</ref> The Sultan was buried in a tomb chamber attached to the wall facing the direction of [[Mecca]].

The mosque was located in the historic city of [[Pandua, Malda|Pandua]], a former capital of the Bengal Sultanate. Pandua was a thriving and cosmopolitan trading center during the period of the sultanate.

According to the accounts of Chinese envoy [[Ma Huan]], Pandua developed from a small hamlet into a capital city with a military garrison and then a commercial, manufacturing and trade center. Its population included royalty, indigenous people, and foreigners from across [[Eurasia]] who settled or were part of a floating population. It was a [[walled city]] with well-arranged streets and bazaars. The marketplaces sold many kind of goods, including six varieties of [[muslin trade in Bengal|muslin]] and four types of wine. The markets included eateries, drinking houses and bathing areas. The Sultan's residence was a white mansion. Alcohol was not served in the royal court.<ref name="María Dolores Elizalde 2017 pp. 61, 68">María Dolores Elizalde; Wang Jianlang (6 November 2017). ''China's Development from a Global Perspective.'' Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 61, 68 and 69. {{ISBN|978-1-5275-0417-2}}.</ref>

Another remnant of the former royal capital that still stands is the [[Eklakhi Mausoleum]]. The main structure of the royal palace, with its high steps, nine walls and three gates, no longer exists. Remnants of the palace, including floral carvings, can be seen in Pandua's raised mounds.<ref name="María Dolores Elizalde 2017 pp. 61, 68"/> The mixture of seemingly Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic decorative characteristics of Adina Mosque has been questioned by many people. Wondering if this building is considered Islamic architecture or not, but with careful study it has become clear that this building was put together using Islamic traditions used in many other Islamic architecture.<ref name=":1" />

===Modern era===
The mosque was damaged by [[earthquake]]s in the 19th century. It fell into disuse. Much of Pandua also became part of the [[wilderness]].

====Tribal rebellion====
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2019}}
On 3 December 1932 AD, Jitu Santhal, the leader of an anti-landlord movement in North Bengal had engaged in his last combat at the ruins of the Adina mosque. A largeband of [[Santal people|Santhals]], marched up to the historic city of Pandua, occupied the ruins of Adina, and conducted Hindu worship in order to transform the mosque into a temple.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

Jitu, who now called himself Gandhi, declared the end of British Raj and proclaimed his own government from within the mosque. Eventually, Jitu was killed in the vicinity of the mosque after a battle with armed police, who opened fire after the Santhals refused to come out.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

== Gallery==
[[File:Adina Mosque through the peep hole.jpg|thumb|Adina Mosque through the peep hole]]
[[File:Adina Mosque, Malda, West Bengal 01.jpg|thumb|Adina Mosque, Malda, West Bengal 01]]
[[File:Adina Mosque, Malda, West Bengal 02.jpg|thumb|Adina Mosque, Malda, West Bengal 02]]

==See also==
*[[Bengali architecture]]
*[[Islamic Architecture]]

==References==
{{Commons}}
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Mosques in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Monuments of National Importance in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Maldah]]
[[Category:Former mosques in India]]
[[Category:Bengal Sultanate mosques]]
[[Category:Mosques completed in 1375]]
[[Category:Grand mosques|Adina]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Malda district]]

Adina Mosque - Revision history

>Prajjwal3959 at 12:31, 2 July 2021