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Loton Mosque, Gaud, Malda,West Bengal
Loton Mosque
Loton mosque is one of the several medieval architectural wonders built in Gaud, the erstwhile capital of Bengal, presently in the district of Maldaha (or Malda) in West Bengal, India.
This beautiful mosque was built in 1475 in the reign of Sultan Yusuf Shah, though some historians say that this was built in the reign of Sultan Hussein Shah. There is also a mystery regarding the identity of the person who built it. The popular idea is that a court dancer “NOTU” or “LOTON” who was very close to Sultan Yusuf Shah built it. The name Loton is derived from the name of the dancer.
Perhaps the most beautiful of all the medieval mosques built by the Muslim rulers of Bengal, the mosque was covered by colorful enameled bricks, only a fraction of which is visible now. However, the terracotta art works are mostly intact. & present a feast to the eyes. One specialty of the terracotta works here is that majority are “Cut-brick” variety.
The mosque is 72X51 feet in size, with the central room/hall measuring 34 feet square, topped by a huge central dome.
There are one large & two smaller mihrabs inside.
The inside of the central dome has exquisite art work, still appealing to the eye. There are some stucco works also, with some Hindu motifs like lotus & pitcher (Ghat).