The Shat Gambuj Mosque | Class 9-10 & SSC English | Unit 8, Lesson 1

Bangladesh is a country rich in history, culture and heritage. The Shat Gambuj Mosque in Bagerhat is one of the most remarkable historical places in our country. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a wonderful example of ancient Islamic architecture.

In Unit 8, Lesson 1, of English for Today, students learn about the history, architecture and importance of this famous mosque. This lesson helps us understand the value of our cultural heritage and the importance of preserving historical places.

In this article, you will find important MCQs, short questions and answers, and gap-filling exercises based on the lesson. These study materials are specially prepared for Class 9-10 and SSC students to help them understand the text and prepare effectively for their examinations.

You can also explore our study materials on Love for Humanity (Unit 7, Lesson 5) to prepare for your English examinations.

The Shat Gambuj Mosque

‘(1) Heritage‘ is what we (2) inherit from the past, live with in the present and then (3) pass on to our children or future (4) generations. Our unique source of life and (5) inspiration is our cultural and natural heritage. When we speak of ‘World Heritage’, it (6) indicates places and sites that we inherited from the past and pass on to the future generation of the (7) entire world.

The ‘Shat Gambuj Mosque’ in Bagerhat is such a heritage. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Originally, the historic Mosque City was known as ‘Khalifatabad’. It is (8) situated at the (9) outskirts of Bagerhat town, – not very far from the (10) dense mangrove forest of the Sundarbans. Khalifatabad was a Muslim colony. It was founded by the Turkish general, a (11) saint warrior Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15^th century. The (12) infrastructure of the city (13) reveals significant technical skills in many mosques as well as early Islamic (14) monuments. Baked bricks were used for the construction of the buildings. The planning of the city was (15) dominated by the tradition of Islamic architecture and the decorations were a (16) combination of Mughal and Turkish architecture.

Khan Jahan built a network of roads, bridges, public buildings and (17) reservoirs to make the city (18) habitable. There were about 360 mosques in the city. Among them the most (19) remarkable is the multi-domed Shat Gombuj Mosque. The mosque is unique in the sense that it has 60 pillars that support the roof, with 77 low height (20) domes. The 4 towers at 4 comers have smaller domes at the top as well. The

(21) vast prayer hall has 11 (22) arched doorways on the east and 7 each on the north and south for light and (23) ventilation. It has 7 (24) aisles running along the length of the mosque and 11 deep (25) curves between the (26) slender stone columns. These columns support the curving arches created by the domes. The (27) thickness of the arches is 6 feet and have slightly narrowing (28) hollow and round wall.

The west wall in the (29) interior has 11 ‘mihrabs’, (30) niche in mosque pointing towards Makkah. These mihrabs are decorated with stonework and (31) terracotta. The floor of the mosque is made of brick.

Besides being used as a prayer hall, Khan Jahan used the mosque as his court too. Today, it is one of the greatest tourist attractions and one of the best architectural beauties of Bangladesh.

Learn Vocabulary

Exercise

Choose the best answer from the alternatives.

1. The word ‘habitable’ in the context means___.

2. When was the Shat Gombuj Mosque declared a World Heritage Site?

3. Which of the followings describes Khan Jahan Ali best?

4. The original name of the city of ‘Shat Gambuj Mosque’ was —.

5. The mosque was established by a person who was___. 

6. What has made the mosque unique?

7. The word ‘outskirt’ in the text can be replaced by ___.

Answers: 

Answer the following questions in your own words.

1. Who founded the city and when?
2. What do you understand about ‘World Heritage’?
3. Why is the Shat Gambuj Mosque one of the greatest tourist attractions?
4. How was the mosque used?
5. How are the mihrabs decorated?

Answer:

1. The Turkish general and saint warrior Khan Jahan Ali founded the city in the 15th century. 
2. World Heritage means important places and things that we inherit from the past and pass on to future generations of the world. 
3. The Shat Gambuj Mosque is famous for its beautiful design, 60 pillars and 77 domes. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So, it is one of the greatest tourist attractions in Bangladesh. 
4. The mosque was used as a prayer hall and also as Khan Jahan Ali’s court. 
5. The mihrabs are decorated with stonework and terracotta. 

Fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text.

The Shat Gambuj Mosque is situated in (a) ________. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in (b) ________. The original name of the city was (c) ________. It was founded by Khan Jahan Ali in the (d) ________ century. He was a Turkish general and a (e) ________ warrior. He built many roads, bridges and (f) ________ to make the city habitable. There were about (g) ________ mosques in the city. The Shat Gambuj Mosque has (h) ________ pillars and (i) ________ domes. Its mihrabs are decorated with stonework and (j) ________. 

Answer:

The Shat Gambuj Mosque is a valuable part of the history and cultural heritage of Bangladesh. Its unique architectural design and historical importance make it one of the most remarkable heritage sites in our country. We should respect, protect and preserve such historical places for future generations.

We hope these questions and answers will help Class 9-10 and SSC students understand the lesson and prepare confidently for their examinations. Keep visiting EngNook.com for more English lessons, practice exercises and SSC examination preparation materials.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Where is the Shat Gambuj Mosque situated?

The Shat Gambuj Mosque is situated in Bagerhat, Bangladesh.

2. Who founded Khalifatabad?

Khan Jahan Ali founded Khalifatabad in the 15th century.

3. When did the Shat Gambuj Mosque become a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

4. How many pillars support the roof of the mosque?

Sixty pillars support the roof of the mosque.

5. How many domes does the mosque have?

The mosque has 77 low-height domes.

6. What is special about the architecture of the mosque?

The mosque is famous for its 60 pillars, 77 domes and beautiful Islamic architectural design.

7. How were the mihrabs decorated?

The mihrabs were decorated with stonework and terracotta.

8. How was the mosque used by Khan Jahan Ali?

He used the mosque as a prayer hall and also as his court.