I have been traveling to Basberia, Bandel since childhood and never gave any attention to the numerous terracotta temples that line the street from the station to my cousin’s house. Much later when I started blogging did, I realize the importance of terracotta when it came to temples and even mosques. I just returned from a long Gour & Pandua trip so there I had seen many terracotta mosques let me start that series with one which has history and also is very near to Kolkata. Sayed Jamaluddin Mosque in Adisaptagram (Satgaon) has a history that tells us a lot about this region and its Islamic past.
To understand this what I have done in this blog is to have a section dedicated to the association of Adisaptagram and its Islamic rulers so that you can get a better perspective of things and their importance.
Islamic Rule of This Region
We are getting the first glimpse of the Islamic rule of this region due to another heritage site that of Zafar Khan Ghazi Dargah. We roughly get a date of 1298 A.D. for the construction of the mosque out there which is very well documented in the inscription on black basalt rock slabs. The distance between Tribeni and Adisaptagram (Satgaon) is not much thus it can be easily assumed that the influence and rules had already spread to these parts.
These regions were mostly ruled by governors appointed by a king. Satgaon and its importance came to light as this place got its importance from the mint that was churning out coins. We get old coins dated as early as 1329 which have been minted at Satgaon.
During the reign of Mohammad bin Tughlaq (1325 – 1351) the governorship of Satgaon was placed at the hands of Azam-ul-Mulk Izzuddin Yahya.
Post this period around 1358 most of the provinces in Bengal came under the direct rule of Sikander Shah (1358 – 1390).
For a brief period even though the majority of the population of mid-Bengal were Muslims a Hindu ruler known as Raja Ganesh started ruling this region (1409 – 1415). Things did not go well and he was attacked by the neighboring Muslim rulers, he reached a compromise by allowing his son Jalal-ud- din Muhammad Shah (1415-1430) to convert to Islam and rule this region.
Barbak Shah (son of Mahmud Shah I) was the governor of Satgaon around 1456.
Hussain Shah became the governor of Satgaon around (1493 – 1520). It was continued to be governed by his descendants till Mahmud Shah III who was overthrown in 1536 by the Sher Shah.
Sayed Jamaluddin Mosque
It was during this time that Sayed Jamaluddin Mosque was constructed. The exact dates can be figured out from the inscriptions on the black basalt rock slabs.
The confusion of dates in various publications is due to the presence of long black basalt rock inscriptions which might have been transported here after the original mosque where these were installed initially had collapsed.
Historians who had visited this mosque around the early 20th century confirm the presence of one rectangular basalt inscription on the wall while three (two long and one rectangular with the middle portion missing) were placed inside the old mosque resting on the walls.
During the restoration process, a lot of things have moved, if you read an older first-hand account of this mosque then it talks about a wall surrounding the enclosure of the tombs. Unfortunately, those don’t exist any longer and those stones with inscriptions were placed around the tomb.
So, for dating the mosque it’s a general approach to consider the one installed on the mosque wall
God has said, ‘That man will build, &c,” [Quran IX., 18).
The prophet has said, ‘He who builds for God a mosque in the world, will have seventy castles built for him by God in Paradise.’
This Jami Masjid was built in the reign of the just king, Abdul Muzaffar Nucrah (Nusrat) Shah, the Sultan, son of Hussain Shah the Sultan, the descendant of Husain, by the worthy Sayyid Jamal Din Husain*, son of Sayyid Fakhruddin of Amul, the asylum of the Sayyids, and glory of the descendants of Taha [the prophet], – may God preserve him in the world and the faith, – during the blessed month of Ramzan, 936 (May, 1529).
* Sayed Jamaluddin
Thus, from the above inscription is it very clear who built this mosque and when it was built. Amul if you search on the map will correspond to Amol a city in Mazandaran Province of Iran located very near to the Caspian Sea.
What to See at Sayed Jamaluddin Mosque?
From the main road, you will be easily able to spot this mosque. As you approach you will find three tombs in a separate section to your left and a terracotta mosque in the front.
The three tombs on the left are that of Sayyid Fakhrud-Din, his wife, and his eunuch. The largest tomb is that of Sayyid Fakhrud-Din, the next smallest one is that of his wife and the last one is that of his eunuch.
One can question why a eunuch would be buried along with the noble then one has to see it in historical context. It was a tradition to employ eunuchs at harems and for helping the women of the house as they were found safe to safeguard the modesty of the women in the family.
I am assuming here that I have rightly identified which translation belongs to which one. If you find any mistakes, please feel free to get in touch with me.
There is a rectangular rock with an inscription on the tomb of Sayyid Fakhrud-Din is in Arabic.
God has said, “that man will build the mosques of God who beloves in Him and the last day, and performs the daily prayers and gives the alms demanded by the law, and fears no one except God. Such perhaps belong to those that are guided [Quran IX, 18]
And He whose glory is glorious and whose benefits are general, has also said ‘The mosques belong to God. Worship no one else besides God.’ [Quran LXXII, 18]
The prophet (upon whom he peace) has said, ‘He who builds for God a mosque in this world will have a house built for him by God in Paradise’.
(* * * two lines broken and illegible) [of him who is strengthened]
by proof and testimony, the refuge of Islam and the Moslems, Naciruddin Abdul Muzaffar Hussain Shah, the Sultan.
May God perpetuate his reign and rule, and elevate his state and dignity.
This mosque was built by the great, exalted, and honored Khan who has the title of Tarbiyat Khan. May God preserve him from the misfortunes of the end of time by His benevolence and perfect grace.
In the year 861 (1457)
It is very obvious as I said earlier that these slabs have come from some other mosques and were placed here. Some historians have insisted that this is the actual name of this mosque and this is the actual date of construction.
In front of the three tombs are two long black basalt stone that has an inscription and another one rectangular with a somewhat triangular cut section in between. The two long stones were initially kept resting in a slanting position on the walls inside the tomb section. Post restoration these have just been placed in front of tombs along with the square one with hole.
One of them is in Arabic.
God has said, ‘ The mosques, &c.’ [Quran, LXXII, 18.]. And the prophet (may peace be upon him!) has said, ‘ He who builds a mosque on earth will have a castle built for him by God in Paradise’.
This mosque was built during the reign of the just and liberal king Jalal-ucldin Abul Muzaffar Fat h Shah, the Sultan, son of Mahmud the Sultan, may God perpetuate his reign!
The builder of this noble and great mosque is the Lord of the sword and the pen, Ulugh Majlis Nur, commander and Vazir of the district of Sajla Mankhbad, and the town known as Simlabad, and Commandant of the Thanah Laobla, and Mihrbak, District and Mahall (Perganah) of Hadigar, — may God preserve him in both worlds!
Dated 4th Muharram, 892, [1st January, 1487.]. Written by the humble servant Akhund Malik.
And the next one is in Persian.
God has said, — ‘O ye that believe, when the call to prayer is heard on Fridays, hasten to the worship of God, and give up buying and selling. This is good for ye, if ye did believe.’ [Quran, LXIL, 9]. Legacies are not to be taken possession of. The prophet, may God’s blessing rest upon him, has said —, ‘ When thou goest out of thine house, and it be Friday, thou art a Muhajir (companion of Muhammad’s flight); and shouldst thou die on the road, thou wilt be in Paradise, in the highest.’ And the prophet has also said, — ‘He who wrongly takes possession of the property of a mosque and legacies, acts as if he committed adultery with his daughter and his mother and his sister/ The mosques belong to legacies * * * (illegible) — the light of his countenance on the day of resurrection will be like that of the full moon. (Persian). This Jami Masjid was built during the reign of the just and perfect Sultan, Abul Muzaffar Sultan Nucrah Shah, son of Husain Shah, the descendant of Husain, — may God perpetuate his rule — by the refuge of Sayyidship, Sayyid Jamalud din Husain, son of Sayyid Fakhruddin of Amul, during the month of Ramazan, 936. [May, A. D. 1529]. Because the Mullas and Zamiudars (Arab), if defrauding legacies, are overtaken by the curse of God it is the earnest (bajane) duty of governors and qazis, to prevent such frauds, so that on the day of resurrection they may not be caught in their wicked deeds.
There are two more inscriptions on the corner of the tombs on the northeast side.
The main terracotta brick mosque is now present in the roofless form. I have already discussed the Arabic inscription which helps us in dating this mosque. Only some sections of the original ornamental decorations remain still visible after the restoration. The original design had minarets on each side but only one on the back is still visible on the northwest side.
Inside on the west wall, one can see three niches. The left and the middle one is large and of the same size while the one on the extreme right is smaller. Right next to the middle niche one can see a few flights of stairs, these were used by the imams for preaching on Jumma (Friday Prayers).
In the middle of the mosque, you can see remains of basalt rock pillars which once would have supported the roofs. You can see some of these scattered on the north-east side on the property.
How to Reach Sayed Jamaluddin Mosque
This place is around 2 kilometers from Adi Saptagram station, from outside the station you can catch an e-rickshaw (Toto) in a shared or booked mode. It’s around 4.5 Kilometers from Bandel Junction and you can also take similar local transport from there.
Ideally club this place along with other tourist attractions nearby like Bandel Church, Debanandapur, etc. Refer to the list below.
Location of Sayed Jamaluddin Mosque
Other Places Nearby
Bandel Church
Vande Mataram Bhawan
Zafar Khan Ghazi Dargah and Mosque
Hangseshwari Temple
Hooghly Imambara
Dutch Cemetery in Chinsurah
Tomb of Susanna Anna Maria
Resources
Archeological Survey of India – Kolkata Circle
Indian Culture
Bengal: past and present (January to June) vol.3 Publication date 1909
Natural History Museum Library – London
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Hunter’s Statistical Account of Bengal, Vol. III
Bengal District Gazetteers: Hooghly by L.S.S. OʼMalley & Monmohan Chakravarty
Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Part I for 1870
Riyazu-s-salatin; a history of Bengal. Translated from the original Persian by Maulavi Abdus Salam by Salim, Ghulam Husain
Hooghly: Bengal District Gazetteers by L.S.S O’Malley
UNESCO Digital Library