Choto Sona Mosque

Choto Sona Mosque is located in Shahbazpur Union of Shibganj Upazila in Chapainawabganj District of Rajshahi Division , known as the jewel of Sultani architecture . According to the inscription above the main entrance of Chota Sona Mosque, the Chota Sona Mosque was built by one Mansoor Wali Muhammad bin Ali during the reign of Sultan Hussain Shah between 1493 and 1519. It is said that once the domes of the mosque were covered with gold and that is why the mosque came to be known as the Gold Mosque. And because there is another big gold mosque in India near the Bangladesh-India border, this mosque became famous as Chota Gold Mosque. The front yard of the mosque is 42 meters from west to east and 43.5 meters from south to north.

Granite tiles are used in Sona Mosque. Chota Sona Mosque, built in Sultani architectural style, has 12 domes made of brick. And the wall around the mosque is about 6 feet wide and covered with stone tiles inside and outside. There are 4 corner minarets at the four corners of the mosque. Chhota Sona Masjid has 5 arched entrances in the east and 3 in the south and 6 arches in the north. There are 5 mihrabs carved directly on the western wall of the eastern entrance.

The distance from Dhaka to Chapainawabganj is about 302 km and the distance from Rajshahi to Chapainawabganj is 319 km. Chhota Sona Mosque is located just 3 km from Kotwali Gate and half a km from Tahkhana Complex in Chapainawabganj District. There is a huge pond on the north side of the mosque. On the western side of the mosque is a modern guest house built by the Department of Archeology, Government of Bangladesh. Currently, the Department of Archeology of the Government of Bangladesh is overseeing the historic Chhota Sona Mosque.

You can go from Dhaka to Chapainawabganj in different ways. If you want to go to Chapainawabganj from Dhaka by bus, you can go directly to Chapainawabganj via Rajshahi. But if you want to go from Dhaka by train or plane, you will first come to Rajshahi and then Chapainawabganj. Modern, Hanif and Shyamoli Paribahan buses can easily reach Chapainawabganj via Rajshahi. You can directly go to Chhota Sona Mosque from Chapainawabganj city by CNG, autorickshaw or bus.

Rajshahi is accessible by road, rail and air from the capital Dhaka city. From Dhaka's Gabtali, Kalyanpur, Green Line and Desh Travels AC buses travel to Rajshahi at a fare of Tk 900 to 1400. Non-AC buses like Shyamli, Hanif, National Travels, Bablu Enterprise etc. operate at a fare of Tk 710 to 750.

Dhumketu Express, Banalata Express, Silk City and Padma Express trains leave for Rajshahi from Kamalapur railway station in Dhaka. In these trains, the fare according to category is decorative chair 405-585, snigdha 771-1116, AC seat 926-1024 and AC berth 1386 taka.

If you want to go to Rajshahi by air, you can travel from Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US Bangla Airlines and NovoAir for Tk 3500 to Tk 4099.

You can take a local bus from Rajshahi to Kansat for a fare of 70 taka, and from there you can reach Chhota Sona Masjid with an auto fare of 10 taka.

There are several hotels in Chapainawabganj town for overnight stay. In town is the three-star Sky View Inn (+88 01955 66 88 99). Other notable hotels for low cost accommodation include Hotel Rose ( 01761-855471 ), Lal Boarding ( 01718-279841 ), Hotel Al Nahid ( 01713-376902 ), Hotel Sapnapuri ( 01711-416041 ), Nawabganj Boarding ( 01715-167646 ), Hotel Rangdhanu ( 01712-339687 ) etc.

There are no food facilities around Chota Sona Masjid. However, you will find several quality hotels/restaurants for food in Chapainawabganj. But don't forget to eat Shibganj's Adi Chamcham.