Choto Sona Mosque
The small golden mosque of the sultanate capital Gaur, stone-faced with fifteen domes, near the Indian border.
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The Choto Sona mosque was built around 1500 under Sultan Hussain Shah at Gaur, the sultanate capital that straddles what is now the India-Bangladesh border, and it is the best preserved building on the Bangladeshi side: a rectangular hall of brick faced in stone, with fifteen domes of which the central three are Bengali chala vaults shaped like hut roofs, corner towers, and carved stone decoration whose gilding gave the mosque its name, the small golden one. Around it lie other remains of the scattered capital: the Darasbari mosque and madrasa, the Khania Dighi mosque, tombs and tanks, reached along country roads among mango orchards, for which the district is famous. The border crossing is nearby.
What you actually see
- Fifteen domes with chala vaults - hut-roof shapes over the central bays.
- Stone facing with carved decoration - the work that was once gilded.
- The scattered remains of Gaur - mosques and tombs among the orchards.
- Mango country - the orchards the district is known for.
When to go
November to March; the mango harvest in May and June is the district's other season. Half a day for the mosque and the nearby sites. It is a working mosque; visit outside prayers.
Honest expectations
The other Gaur sites are scattered and need a vehicle and patience. Border sensitivity applies near the crossing. Interpretation is minimal. The journey from Rajshahi is long.
Nearby
The Sona Masjid border crossing is close; Chapainawabganj lies north-east.
What to pack for Choto Sona Mosque
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
