Kherur Mosque
Mosque in Kherur, Murshidabad, West Bengal, India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kherur Mosque (Bengali: খেরুর মসজিদ) also known as the Kheraul Mosque, is a former mosque in a partial ruinous state, located at Kherur in the Sagardighi CD block in the Jangipur subdivision of Murshidabad district, in the state of West Bengal, India.
- Inactive (as a mosque);
- Partial ruinous state
| Kherur Mosque | |
|---|---|
খেরুর মসজিদ | |
The former mosque, in 2016 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam (former) |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Mosque (former) |
| Status |
|
| Location | |
| Location | Kherur, Murshidabad district, West Bengal |
| Country | India |
  Location of the former mosque in West Bengal | |
| Administration | Archaeological Survey of India |
| Coordinates | 24°20′57″N 88°04′23″E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | Indo-Islamic |
| Founder | Rafa’t Khan |
| Completed | 1495 |
| Specifications | |
| Dome | Five (estimate) |
| Minaret | Four (since destroyed) |
| Site area | 0.81 ha (2 acres) |
| Materials | Bricks |
| Official name | Kherur Mosque |
| Reference no. | N-WB-115 |
The mosque is a Monument of National Importance, and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.[1]
History
The mosque was built by Rafa’t Khan in 1495 CE, during the reign of Alauddin Hussain Shah.[2]
Architecture
The brick-built mosque has a square prayer chamber with a verandah. Rectangular in shape, it is spread over 0.81 hectares (2 acres).[3][4]
Amitabha Gupta, a photographer, wrote[when?]:[citation needed]
This brick-built Mosque at Kheraul alias Kherur with a single-domed square prayer chamber and a triple-domed verandah on the front with four minarets at four corners was erected by Rafa't Khan in 1495 CE during the reign of Alaud-Din Husain Shah on the basis of two inscriptions on the mosque. The hemispherical dome of the main prayer chamber fell down in the earthquake of 1897. The mosque is constructed entirely of brick without any stone facing. This mosque at Kheraul is unique because of its terracotta decorations on its wall. Only a handful of mosques have such decorations on their walls and they predate the famous terracotta temples of Bengal which were constructed between 17th to 19th century.
