Story 136 of the old Bankura Mosque, how it became a religious place inside Kolkata Airport and what is the whole controversy now

There are many such historical buildings in India, about which historians, archeology experts and local people have different claims. There is a 136-year-old Bankra Mosque inside the Kolkata Airport of West Bengal, about which there is an uproar and an order has been given to stop offering Namaz there, after which Mamata’s minister announced to offer Namaz, after which the atmosphere there has changed and not only this, the state government is also talking about shifting this mosque somewhere else.

Bankra Mosque is also one such building, which has been in the news for a long time because of its history, architecture and mysteries related to it. Some people consider it an excellent example of medieval Islamic architecture, while some local claims also say that some other religious structure existed before it. However, these claims have not been officially confirmed yet. With this, let us know the history of this temple…

Where is Bankra Masjid located?

Bankra Masjid is located in Bankra area of ​​Howrah district of West Bengal. This area is considered historically and culturally important due to its proximity to Kolkata metropolis. Over the years, this mosque has remained a center of attraction for the local people as well as those interested in history.

What is the history of Bankra Masjid?

According to available historical information, many mosques and religious buildings were built in this area during Muslim rule. It is believed that Bankra Mosque is also a historical structure of the same period. However, there are different opinions regarding the exact date of its construction and the manufacturer.

Some local traditions claim that some other religious structure previously existed on the site where the mosque is built. But no final conclusion in this regard has been publicly released by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or any competent government institution.

Why is the word ‘mystery’ associated?

The mystery regarding Bankra Masjid remains because many things related to its history are not clearly recorded in the documents. From time to time, different claims have been coming out on social media and at the local level, in which it is said that old remains are present here or it is built on top of some ancient structure. However, there is no publicly available conclusive archaeological evidence to support such claims. Therefore historians do not consider these claims as proven facts.

Why is architecture special?

The architecture of Bankra Masjid is considered to be influenced by the architectural style of Bengal Sultanate and Mughal period. Its main features are-

• traditional islamic arches
• thick brick walls
• dome based structure
• A mixture of local Bengali building style and Islamic architecture.
• vintage hand carved decorative carvings

For this reason, this building also remains a subject of interest for researchers of history and architecture.

Was any archaeological investigation ever done?

So far, there is no official report publicly available which concludes that remains of any other religious site have been found beneath the mosque. If a scientific survey is conducted by ASI or any competent agency in future, new information may come to light.

Why does she remain in the news due to social media claims?

In the last few years, many videos and posts regarding Bankra Masjid went viral on social media, in which different claims were made. In some attempts were made to connect it with the ancient temple, while in some questions were raised about its historical nature. Experts believe that in such cases any conclusion should be reached only on the basis of official investigation, archaeological evidence and historical documents.

What is the condition of Bankra Masjid today?

Presently Bankra Mosque holds religious importance for the local community. Besides, it is also counted among the historical places of the area. If any official survey or new report on its history comes out in the future, answers to many questions related to it may be found.