# Chawk Mosque, Murshidabad

The Chawk Mosque, also known as the Chawk Masjid and also as the Chowk Shahi Masjid, is a mosque located in the Hazarduari Palace complex at Murshidabad, in the state of West Bengal, India. The Chawk Mosque was founded in 1767 CE by Munny Begum, the wife of Nawab Mir Zafar, on the banks of the Bhagirathi River. Earlier in this place, Nawab Murshid Quli Khan built the "Chahel Sutan", which was the city's forty pillared audience hall. The mosque still recalls the stories of the ruling days of the Nawabs and still holds on its glory of the past.

## Architecture

The mosque was founded by Munny Begum, the wife of Nawab Mir Zafar in 1767 CE, and was built under the supervision of Shaikh Khalilallah. Earlier on this venue Nawab Murshid Quli Khan built the "Chahel Sutan", which was the city's forty pillared audience hall. The mosque still recalls the stories of the ruling days of the Nawabs and still holds on its glory of the past. The mosque is located in the Nizamat Fort Area near the Hazarduari Palace and its other nearby buildings.
This mosque was of great importance in the Nawabi era as Munny Begum was a favourite of Robert Clive and Warren Hastings in terms of her lavish distribution. She in turn received several gifts; one was a palanquin which could accommodate 30 people from Rani Bhavani. Munny Begum had her allowances separately assigned. Thus, she was a Gaddinashin Begum. There have been several other Begums who have been a Gaddinashin Begum, like Babbu Begum another wife of Nawab Mir Zafar, she was on a receipt of ₹8000 per month while Munny Begum received ₹ 12000. There have been more such Gaddinashin Begums. Munny Begum had done several acts of munificence to the East India Company and their servants. On her death a salute was fired by the Government corresponding to the number of years of her age as she was always viewed with cordial regard and has a distinguished consideration to the Government of the East India Company.
The mosque has a majestic and grand appearance, completed in the traditional Bengali Mughal architectural style. The 38-metre-long (125 ft) mosque features seven hemispherical domes, with the central dome standing taller than the others. There are five domes mosque on the pediment and two chau-chala-end-vaults at the two corners at the side of the mosque. The exterior and the interior of the mosque are decorated with intricate stucco decorations with floral motifs and arabesques across its façade. Five gates passing through arched gateways lead in front of this grand mosque. There are several shops around so this place is known as the "Chawk" (shopping place or market, square in shape). This market is the principal market of the city of Murshidabad.
, following traditional elements

## Festivals

Earlier this mosque usually used to remain closed throughout the year. But nowadays, daily five-time prayers are led by the Imam of the Masjid and a large number of people attend the daily obligatory prayers. For prominent occasions like Eid al-Adha, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Ghadir the mosque is decorated and whitewashed to welcome the people of the town. Earlier a single gun was fired from the Hazarduari Palace and several other guns were fired from several other places - one was fired from here - to proclaim the different intervals of the hours for the meals and prayers during the great fast of Ramzan.

## Gallery

* An elevated view of the mosque in 2018
* Chawk Masjid
* An old photo of the Chawk Masjid, by C.B. Asher
* Chawk Masjid
* A map of the Nizamat Fort Campus (excluding Wasef Manzil, Dakshin Darwaza or the South Gate of the campus, Nawab Bahadur's Institution and the South Zurud Mosque) showing the Nizamat Imambara in yellow and other buildings surrounding it, like the Madina Mosque, the Hazarduari Palace, Chawk Masjid, Bacchawali Tope, the clock tower, Shia Complex and the Zurud Mosque (north).