After driving for over two hours along the Dhaka-Barisal highway, I approached Torki, where my GPS signaled that Allahr Masjid was just ahead. The local betel leaf trade was in full, bustling swing as I arrived at Torki Bazar. This vibrant transit hub connects the Dhaka and Barisal divisions, sitting just past the Madaripur district border to mark one's entry into Gournadi, Barisal.
Moving a couple of kilometers further along National Highway-8, leaving Torki behind, I veered right and advanced a few yards. There, I was greeted by a 500-year-old, nine-domed mosque that locals call by a mysterious moniker: Allahr Masjid (God’s Mosque).
Located in Qasba village within Gournadi, this well-burnt red brick mosque features an adjoining courtyard and a calm, masonry-embanked pond. Believed to have been built in the early 16th century during the Bengal Sultanate period, the structure is alternately known as the Qasba Masjid.
I wondered why it was called Allahr Masjid in the first place.
According to oral folklore passed down through generations in Barisal, the mosque was not built by human hands. Local belief dictates that during the Mughal era—specifically during the reign of Emperor Jahangir—the area was blanketed by a dense jungle. When a group of workers cleared the forest for farming, they unexpectedly stumbled upon this beautiful, fully constructed brick mosque hidden beneath the overgrowth.
Because a massive, complete structure had emerged from the wilderness without a foundation plaque, stone inscription, or historical records, the local community could not attribute it to any specific king, saint, or builder.
Consequently, the locals decided that since only Allah knew its origin, it belonged directly to Him, thus naming it Allahr Masjid.
While legend attributes the structure to a miracle, architectural historians look at the mosque’s construction materials, curved cornices, and structural style to date it back to the early 16th-century Bengal Sultanate period. Some historical texts suggest it might have been commissioned by a local administrator named Sabi Khan during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah (who ruled Bengal from 1494 to 1519). However, because his identity became obscure to the locals over the centuries, the supernatural name survived.
Such legends fascinate many visitors who come to see the historic mosque at Qasba. Yet, what amazed me more was the architectural beauty of this gem, widely celebrated as the oldest and most significant multi-domed Sultanate-era mosque in the entire Barisal Division.
It was around midday, and the Zohr prayer time was fast approaching. Since the Azan (call to prayer) had not yet sounded, I seized the opportunity to step into the prayer area inside the Qasba Masjid without causing any inconvenience to the musallis (congregants). Inside, I found four massive basalt stone pillars supporting a roof of nine domes. The interior space is divided into nine equal bays.
Though this old mosque remains an active place of worship today and is recognized as a protected archaeological monument by the Department of Archaeology, it is in need of some renovations. I noticed carpenters hammering loose planks and nails just to keep the old, weak, solid wood doors upright. This is not how we expect our heritage to decay.
Allahr Masjid features a square structure measuring 11.68 × 11.68 meters, with walls over two meters thick. Many people draw architectural similarities between Allahr Masjid and another nine-domed mosque in Bagerhat built by Khan Jahan Ali—a legendary 15th-century Sufi saint, administrator, and warrior who pioneered the development of southern Bengal. He is credited with introducing a unique architectural movement to South Asia. Buildings in this style feature solid brick masonry, gently curved cornices, circular corner towers, and low-lying, unadorned domes designed to withstand heavy delta rains.
The single-story mosque’s stone pillars culminate in stone brackets, from which brick arches spring upward to form the squinches holding up the domes. It features three arched entrances on the eastern facade, with the central entrance being slightly larger. There are also single arched doorways on both the north and south walls for cross-ventilation.
The exterior consists of exposed, well-burnt red bricks laid with lime and brick-dust mortar, giving it a distinct, rustic red color. The facades, particularly around the arched openings and the Mihrab, are decorated with subtle terracotta relief panels. Mihrab serves as where the imam (prayer leader) stands to guide the congregation. These feature traditional geometric patterns, hanging chain motifs, and stylized floral designs that strictly avoid living figures in adherence to Islamic tradition.
As I left the mosque complex and its adjoining pond, I walked a few yards down a herringbone-patterned brick road lined with trees. Before rolling back onto the Barisal highway, I looked back; the radiant red-brick color of Allahr Masjid was still peeking beautifully through the dense green foliage.