Bayazid Bostami Shrine

The shrine on a hillock in northern Chittagong is attributed to Bayazid Bostami, a ninth-century Persian Sufi, though whether he ever came to Bengal is doubted; the site has been venerated for centuries regardless and is reached by a flight of steps up to a mosque and the tomb. At the foot of the hill is a large tank holding several hundred black soft-shell turtles, a population that has been kept and fed here for a very long time and that pilgrims feed with offerings. The turtles are of interest beyond the shrine: the population was long thought to be a distinct species surviving only here, and the taxonomy has been argued over, with the animals now generally treated as a relict group of a species otherwise close to extinct in the wild.

History

The shrine bears the name of Bayazid Bostami, a Persian Sufi born in Bostam in Iran, though there is no firm evidence that he ever came here. The tomb and its sarcophagus were discovered in 1831, enclosed by a wall with protective pillars since replaced by a newer structure, and the three-domed mosque at the foot of the hill is believed to date from the time of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (Wikipedia, Shrine of Bayazid Bostami).

What to look for

• The hilltop tomb and mosque - reached by a flight of steps.
• Several hundred soft-shell turtles - the tank population fed by pilgrims.
• A relict turtle group - animals otherwise almost gone in the wild.
• Pilgrim offerings at the tank - the feeding that has gone on for centuries.

When to go

November to March. One hour. Modest dress; women's access to the tomb itself is restricted. Feeding the turtles is part of the visit and food is sold at the gate.

Things to know

Access to the tomb chamber is restricted for women and sometimes for non-Muslims. The turtle tank is crowded and the animals are fed constantly, which is not ideal for them. The steps are steep. It is busy at weekends.

Nearby

Chattogram city surrounds it; Foy's Lake lies south-west.

Key facts