Field guides / Sindh / Dabgir Masjid
Field guide · Heritage
Dabgir Masjid
This mosque is situated in the outskirt of Thatta city, this old brick mosque is also known as Amir Khusro Khan`s Mosque after the name of its builder, Amir Khusro Khan Charkas.
It was completed in 1688 CE. It measures 30 x 13.1 m and has three bays surmounted by one large and two small domes. Despite very bad state of preservation, it still retains some very fine coloured tile work. Its Mehrab is built with stone with most delicate tracery, a superb piece of work.
Why go
- ✦Thatta's oldest surviving monument
- ✦Among the earliest tilework of lower Sindh
- ✦A stone mehrab carved in exceptionally delicate tracery
- ✦Three bays beneath one large and two small domes
- ✦Built for Khusrau Khan Charkas, patron of over 360 public works in Thatta
History
Khusrau Khan Charkas built the mosque in 1588, and was made governor of Thatta in 1590 as the Mughals brought Sindh under direct rule. The building measures roughly 98 by 48 feet, with three bays under one large and two small domes. Its mihrab is stone worked in exceptionally delicate tracery, and its glazed tilework is among the earliest examples of the Thatta tile tradition that later covered the whole of lower Sindh.
Historical Significance
Often described as the oldest surviving monument in Thatta, and an early source for the blue tilework that became the signature of Sindhi architecture.
Architecture
A great brick mosque on the edge of Thatta, built in 1588 for Khusrau Khan Charkas — Mughal governor under Akbar, and the most prolific patron this city ever had. Its oblong prayer chamber runs three bays deep beneath one large and two smaller domes. Inside, faience revetment shows clear Iranian influence, while the stone mehrab, covered in the most delicate tracery, is local craft at its finest.
Why Visit
The beginning of Thatta's blue tile tradition, built by a man who gave the city hundreds of buildings and is now barely remembered.
Interesting Facts
- Khusrau Khan Charkas is credited with over 360 public buildings in Thatta
- He was a descendant of Genghis Khan, and became governor of Thatta in 1590
- The mosque is among the earliest examples of lower Sindh's famous tilework
- The stone mihrab is covered in fine tracery and is the finest single element in the building
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, October to February. Summer on the Thatta plain is severe and most of these sites offer no shade.
Getting there, Thatta is about 100 km east of Karachi on the N-5. The town's monuments, the Makli necropolis and Banbhore can all be reached in a single run from the city.
Allow, Half a day for Thatta town and Makli together; a full day if Banbhore is included.
What to Do
Make Dabgir Masjid Part of a Trip
GreenPak resorts within reach, and the journeys that travel this region.
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Dabgir Masjid, within 30 km.
