The Dhanmondi Shahi Eidgah (Bengali: ধানমণ্ডী শাহী ঈদগাহ), also known as Mughal Eidgah (Bengali: মোগল ঈদগাহ), is located in Saat Masjid road, in Dhanmondi residential area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Eidgah was built in 1640 CE during the Mughal era and has been in use for Eid celebration since then. The structure is a listed archaeological site of the Department of Archaeology and has historical, architectural and heritage values. It is an example of Mughal architecture. Conservationist architect Abu Sayeed M Ahmed wrote, "This Eidgah is the oldest surviving Mughal monument in Dhaka city. There is no second one with the architectural forms and features similar to it."

History

The Mughal Eidgah is a monumental structure built during the Mughal Empire. the Eidgah was built by Mir Abul Qasim, a Diwan of Shah Shuja and builder of Boro Katra. The Mughal subehdars and diwans living in this land used to come to the Eidgah for Eid prayers. 

Architectural

value The Eidgah for Eid congregating was a platform measuring 148 feet by 137 feet in size raised from the surrounding land by 4–6 feet. It was oblong in plan, with thick brick walls enclosing the courtyard on all side except east. The 15-foot high west wall, the only surviving part of it, has a 5-foot deep four –centred and stilted arched semi-octagonal Mihrab with an inscription on top. It was decorated with multi-cusped arch and flanked by shallow subsidiary niches, three on each side. The surrounding wall was possibly partly perforated; these had a row of battlement cresting with additional elements decorating the corners, the projected parts of the walls and the diminishing sections on the western wall, like in a fort. Though these had structural reason to be there, but their placement and shapes contributed to the aesthetic too. During Mughal period, a river branch flowed beside the Eidgah connected the river near Saat Masjid. The Mughal Subehdars and Diwans living in this land used to come to the Eidgah for Eid prayers. People still gather at the place for Eid prayer congregation. The Eidgah spreads over around 3.5 bighas of land.

Mughal-Library