Kusumba Mosque
A grey-stone Sultanate mosque from 1558 beside a large tank, the one pictured on the five-taka note.
Kusumba Mosque in Manda upazila was built in 1558-59 during the rule of the Afghan Sur dynasty. Unusually for Bengal, its walls are faced with dark stone, and it has six small domes in two rows, carved mihrabs and a raised platform once reserved for women or nobles.
The mosque overlooks the large Kusumba Dighi, and the combination of old stone, water and trees makes the setting especially attractive in the soft light of early morning or late afternoon. It is still an active place of worship and is familiar to every Bangladeshi from its picture on the five-taka note.
How to go
About 35 km west of Naogaon on the Naogaon-Rajshahi road. Take a Rajshahi-bound bus and get off at Kusumba (≈1 h, 60-80 BDT). From Rajshahi it is about 1 hour by bus.
Where to stay
Stay in Naogaon town (1,000-3,000 BDT) or in Rajshahi city, which has more choice (1,500-8,000 BDT).
