The Bank Notes of Bangladesh – The First Ten Years

Figure 27

 
 
Figure 27 – The 10-taka note of the fifth issue carries a depiction of the Atiya Jami Mosque, which is located in the Tangail district. The mosque was built in 1609 by Sayyid Khan Panni, son of Bayazid Khan Panni, in honour of a local saint named Pir Ali Shahanshah Baba Kashmiri. There are basically two types of mosques from the point of view of worship; one type is used simply for daily prayers that are performed five times a day, while the other is used not only for daily prayers, but also for the principal Friday services. Mosques used for the principal service on Fridays are known as ‘Jami’ mosques, and the mosque illustrated on this note is one built for this purpose. Architecturally, this mosque is rare for the period in which it was built, as the terra cotta façade, which is divided into small rectangular panels, belongs to a style used on sixteenth century mosques, while the high domes with decorative friezes belong to the later Mughal period. The decorative friezes also surmount the curved cornice.

© Peter Symes