Star Mosque is located at Armanitola in Old dhaka, about 350m
north of the Armenian Church. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions
of Old Dhaka. The mosque, both inside and outside, is decorated with mosaic.
The outer wall between the doors are decorated with the motif of Mount Fuji on
glazed tiles and a crescent-and-star design decorates the upper part of the
facade. Hundreds of blue stars have been created on the domes of white marble.
All over the mosque the motif of stars dominate the decoration and so the
mosque is called the Star Mosque (Tara Masjid in Bengali).
The mosque is not dated by any inscription. It is known that
one Mirza Golam Pir, whose ancestors had come to Dhaka and settled in Mohalla
Ale Abu Sayeed (present-day Armanitola), erected it. Mirza Golam Pir died in
1860, and hence the date of construction of the mosque may conveniently be
placed in the first half of the 19th century.
It was originally built in the typical Mughal style, with
four corner towers. In 1926 a local businessman financed its redecoration with
Japanese and English China-tiles, and the addition of a new veranda, almost
doubling the width of the mosque without changing its original plan. Five
arches were erected on four pillars on the eastern facade of the verandah.
The Star Mosque again received structural attention in 1987,
but this time, some of the original structure was demolished to make way for
two more domes to be added and for the mosque feature five arched entrances.
The reconstruction and renovations have in no way taken away any of the beauty
of the Star Mosque, but has managed to preserve this historical treasure in
pristine condition. It is definitely an attraction worth exploring.
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