Dhaka CITYWALK (V) | The Call to Prayer at Sunset

Visited the Baitul Mukarram Mosque during the soft sunset of dusk. It is the national mosque of Bangladesh and also the largest mosque in the country. The mosque is located next to the national stadium and a large bazaar, with the surrounding streets always bustling. The Baitul Mukarram Mosque began construction in 1960 and was officially completed in 1968. It is a modern minimalist style mosque without traditional domes and excessive decorations. The walls are Muslim representative of pure off-white, with a large gate, a minaret, a passageway, and a square main building that draws inspiration from the Kaaba in Mecca. The mosque originally had a garden, but it was demolished during expansion due to impracticality. However, tradition has not been completely abandoned in this mosque, but is integrated into details such as the porch. It is this combination of modern minimalism and traditional details that makes it particularly special. As it was close to prayer time, I had planned to take a few photos of the exterior and leave, but I met a clergy member of the mosque who enthusiastically took me inside for a visit. The small arch outside hides a huge space, and with almost no decoration, it even feels a bit empty. The mosque's management staff took me all the way up to the 7th floor, but in fact, the 1st to 4th floors are all the same, and the 5th to 7th floors only have corridors without a hall. The 7 floors combined can accommodate more than 42,000 people, making it the 20th largest mosque in the world. However, during Ramadan, it is still not big enough, given the sheer size of Dhaka's population. The call to prayer rang out in the sunset, and believers began to pour into the mosque for prayers. The sultry air of South Asia is always bustling, but the golden sunlight on the white walls of the mosque is so dreamily peaceful. As night falls, the sky is filled with colors, a lonely Eastern face, like a background character in a movie.