A blend of Sultanate tradition and nature

As I stepped into the Shah Muhammad Mohsin Khan Mausoleum premises, I was greeted with a crisp and cool breeze — a stark contrast to the sweltering heat that had engulfed the country on the second day of the Bengali year 1430. Surrounded by lush greenery and a tranquil pond, the mausoleum was a respite from the scorching weather.

The verdant trees provided a natural canopy, casting dappled shadows all around. The air was filled with the sweet melodies of various birds, especially the melody of cuckoos, creating a symphony of soothing sounds.

Despite being located near the bustling city of Manikganj, the mausoleum was a hidden oasis, veiled by the verdant trees that encircled it. A gentle breeze added to the serene ambience, offering a refreshing respite from the oppressive heat.

The mausoleum is owned by a renowned scientist of Bangladesh and he is the eldest son of Pir Shah Muhammad Mohsin Khan, a famous religious leader of Manikganj. And this mausoleum contains the tombs of Shah Muhammad Mohsin Khan, his father, and his wife. Another grave space has been reserved for the owner himself.

Architect Md Sharif Uddin Ahammed designed the mausoleum in the client's native home Hijuli, Manikganj, to pay homage to the memory of the Pir and develop an institution for exercising Islamic knowledge for the betterment of society.

"From the 13th century, until the British captured Bengal in the middle of the 18th century, Bengal was ruled by Muslims. Almost three-quarters of mosques were built in Bengal during the independent Sultanate period (1342 to 1576). The mosques and tombs of the period were mostly square-plan. This project is highly inspired by the Sultanate period's mosques and tombs," said Sharif Uddin.

"The square single unit of the mausoleum was primarily used for tombs in this subcontinent. These tombs were mostly inspired by the traditional structure of the Bengal huts. The plan of this project adopted the same square shape plan measuring 36'x36' and accommodates three graves on a white marble platform," the architect further said.

The project blends nature with a residential complex. Thus, the design tries to keep the approach informal and natural instead of creating an obvious entrance.

"We tried not to damage anything natural while doing this project. So we tried to keep all the plants around," he added.

As soon as one enters the mausoleum, one will feel as if there is a chandelier hanging above, through which bright natural light seeps in. There is no need for any kind of artificial light inside the complex during the day. The presence of graves and the pattern painted by the light of the "chandelier" creates a mysterious celestial ambience that invokes a spiritual notion in one's mind.

"It was supposed to be a 'Dargah' and a space for religious practice. I had in my mind that those who work on the propagation of Islam are highly respected in the society. And we see chandeliers in the high places of society. That's why I tried to make the ceiling look like a chandelier," Sharif Uddin explained.

Covering a 1,296 sqft area, the height of the structure is almost 24 feet on a three-feet-high square base. The ceiling, composed of 36 circles, is inspired by the multi-domed mosques of the Sultanate period.

Out of the 36 circular punches on the ceiling, 16 become cylindrical droppings and hang from the waffle ceiling. The circular punches and hanging cylindrical droppings from the waffle roof all together appear as the dynamic chandelier. Natural light seeps into the 'Dargah' through the chandelier and reflects off the floor.

To establish the significance of any structure, corner turrets were frequently used in the Sultanate period mosques. The side elevations of the Dargah are composed of reinvented repetitive turrets, creating a familiar yet iconic composition that draws the attention of the community. The turrets are half circular and the upper part is perforated with 'jalis' (nets) for natural lighting and ventilation.

Local masons and construction methods were employed due to the limited resources. "I trained them for three days before the project started," Sharif Uddin said.

Because of the natural length of locally found bamboo, the scaffolding needed to be constructed in three tries to construct the 21-feet-high ceiling.

According to the architect, the most challenging part of the construction was hanging six feet of concrete cylindrical droppings from the waffle slab, by using local construction techniques. Firstly, the waffle slab was cast with circular perforations and then the cylindrical droppings were hung from it.

Each of the cylindrical droppings required four parts of metal shuttering and every part consisted of two divisions three feet in height, to cast the six feet droppings in between waffle structures.

For this project, the materials used were all local. In the Sultanate period, brick and terracotta decoration was the primary material for the enclosure. To achieve uniformity and create significance, only red brick had been used as the envelope and the base of the 'Dargah'.

To achieve localisation in every sense, burned red bricks were hand-picked from the nearby brick field. Structural elements: columns, slabs, and cylindrical droppings were made of concrete because of their functional need to support the bigger span and load of the droppings and flexibility in construction.

And in the mausoleum lie three graves on a raised white marble base on the brick floor.