Katra Masjid

Another striking tourist spot of Murshidabad and perhaps one of the most well maintained too, Katra Mosque was built in 1724 by Murad Farash Khan, a devoted follower of Murshid Quli Khan.

The mosque is also a tomb of Quli Khan who is buried under the flight of stairs comprising the entrance to the mosque from the eastern end. It is believed that the mosque was built after Murshid Quli Khan expressed his desire to be buried in a mosque.

History of Katra Masjid

Katra Masjid is situated about a mile on the northeastern side of Murshidabad town and is only 3 Km from Murshidabad Railway Station. It was built by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan in 1137 A.H. and 1723 A.D. The Mosque was built within 1 year by an architect named Murad Farash.

Architecture of Katra Masjid

Standing on a 54 meters high square plinth, this brick-built Mosque is surrounded by a row of double-storied domed cells that form a cloister to the spacious courtyard in its front. Four huge minars were built at four corners of this quadrangle of which one in the northwest and the other in the southwest are now surviving. Octagonal in shape the minars taper upwards. There is a winding staircase inside each minar which leads to the top.

The Mosque is approachable by a flight of fourteen steps from the east. Below the steps of the Mosque Murshid Quli Khan's mortal remains lie buried from 1727 AD. The Mosque stands on a high platform within a square courtyard measuring 50.60 meters on each side. The Katra compound can accommodate 700 Koran readers. In the compound within the Mosque, 2000 people can offer Namaz at the same time.