Naogaon

Naogaon lies in the northern Bengal plains, near the rivers and wetlands of the Atrai basin. In the surrounding country stands the mosque of Kusumba, on the western bank of the Atrai. Its brick structure is faced in dark stone, and its gently curved cornice and octagonal corner towers follow the characteristic style of Bengal.

An inscription above the central eastern entrance dates the mosque to 1558–59. It records that Sulaiman built it during the rule of Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah, one of Bengal’s Afghan rulers. Despite the Suri dynasty’s connections with northern India, the building follows local Bengali forms. The substantial mosque and its enclosed courtyard show the resources available to its patron and the importance of religious building in the region.