Katra Masjid

I will do my Pre wedding photo shoot here for sure!🥺

What a place! The ambiance the architectural design, the crafts are just beyond my words. We are getting frames at every angle of this place.

“Katra Madjid” definitely will stay in my heart ❤️
And it's definitely couple friendly!

NO PUN INTENDED.

This is the oldest and most imposing islamic architecture at Murshidabad built by Nawab Murshid Kuli Khan. It is also the tomb of him.You should definitely visit this place to witness such a wonderful architecture and it is completely free of cost you don't have to pay a penny for entrance. Best time to visit is obviously winter but you can explore it anytime.

The historical place.The Katra Masjid is a former caravanserai, mosque and the tomb of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan. It was built between 1723 and 1724.[1] It is one of the largest caravanserais in the Indian subcontinent. It was built during the 18th century, when the early modern Bengal Subah was a major hub of trade in Eurasia. The Katra Masjid is located in the north eastern side of the city of Murshidabad, in the Indian state of West Bengal. The most striking feature of the structure are the two large corner towers having loopholes for musketry.

The mosque stands on a square plinth. It is a brick built mosque and is surrounded by double storied domed cells, which were built for those who read the Quran in those days, they can also be called a Madrasa. All the rooms can in all accommodate 700 Quran readers. These rooms from a cloister to the huge courtyard in front of these rooms.[1] Four big minars stand at the four corners. These are octagonal in plan and taper upwards. The two towers or the minarets in front of the mosque are 70 feet high and 25 feet in diameter. The whole mosque is quadrangular in shape, the whole mosque has no pillar support but it has been given support by a raised platform below the mosque or by several arches. The mosque has however been destroyed in the 1897 earthquake. Each minar has a winding staircase which leads to the top, one can see a major part of the city of Murshidabad from there. At the two ends of the mosque, two miratets measuring 70 feet high, are still existing to date in a dilapidated condition, they had domes which were destroyed in the 1897 earthquake. In 1780 AD, a traveller name William Hodges wrote that 700 Quran readers lived there in the mosque. Hodges in his book Select Views of India describes it as "a grand seminary of Musalman learning, adorned by a mosque which rises high above all the surrounding buildings". The entrance to the mosque is by fourteen flight of stairs from the east, Nawab Murshid Quli Khan has been buried under these stairs.[1] It has been done so as per the Nawab's wish who was repentant for the misdeeds committed by him and ordered this out of humility. He wanted to be buried in such a place where he could be trodden and could get the foot prints and the touch of the feet of the noble men who climb those stairs and enter the mosque. So since the year 1725 when he died his mortal remain buried under the stairs. In the mosque there is a slab embedded at the top where it is written in Arabic: "Muhammad, the Arabian, the glory of both worlds. Dust be on the head of him who is not the dust of his portal". This mosque is rectangular in plan. The dimensions are: 45.5m X 7.32m. It has been divided into five bays, each with an arched entrance and the central one is the most prominent one as it has a slender turret. The mosque has five domes. Some of them have been destroyed others have survived the great earthquake of 1897, which almost destroyed most of the building. The total area is 19.5 acres and can accommodate 2000 Namaz readers, that is the reason one can find 2000 squared type mats depicted on the floor, each of them used by a single Namaz reader.

The cells in the mosque are two storied and are 20 feet square. each have 6 arched doorways. 15 steps edged with stones lead up to the gate with 5 arches on either sides and a stone paved pathway which leads to the central door of the mosque. The open spaces between these cells and the mosque are 13 feet wide on either sides and 42 feet wide at the back of the mosque. the terrace in front of the mosque is 166 feet by 110 feet.

This is the oldest and most important Islamic architecture at Murshidabad built by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, the first Nawab of Bengal. I just loved the iconic architecture of this place. There are no entry fees to visit this place. This mosque has a great historical importance. Hire a guide during your visit if you wish to know details about this place.

We walked from railway station to Jahan Kosa, then to Katra Masjid. It took 40 minutes. Toto services are very frequent and should not cost more than ₹20/- per ride.

📸 The masjid offers great scope for photography & clicking profile photos. Photography with DLSR camera was somewhat prohibited (as I found staffs asking some wedding photographers not to use camera) , but u can use it easily by avoiding the staffs who don't come often.

Tomb of Mushid Kuli Khan is situated under the stairs of entry.

A guide costs ₹50/-

So so beautiful & attractive architecture. A historical place must to visit in Murshidabad. It is mosque and the tomb of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan & it still hold the essence of that period.

Historically relevant. Do hire a guide for more intrigue info about this place. Keep 1 hour to enjoy the architectural marvel of the place. It is said that no rods etc used for the construction and many bricks used for the construction are parts of razed temples.

One of the nicest place of Murshidabad. Historically it is an improtant place. First Nawab of Bengal Murshid Kuli Khan made this. He gave the responsibility to his trusted fellow to complete this mosque. However, that fellow was ultra religious and made this mosque with the remains of Hindu temples. Knowing this fact Nawab was not happy and felt that he did wrong on this. So he choose to make his grave below the entrance of the mosque so that every pilgrim touches his grave with their feet. Few parts inside got broken due to earthquake.