MALDA
The gateway to North Bengal, Malda. With its rich history and heritage, is one of the most famous tourist destinations of West Bengal. Nestled at the confluence of the Mahananda and Kalindi rivers. Malda town, with all its grace, adds to the beauty of Bengal.
Malda was previously known as English Bazaar. It got that name from the English factory that was established here in 1771. From Malda, you can visit Gaur and Pandua. Gaur was the capital of three dynasties of ancient Bengal - the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs. Pandua, once the alternate seat of power to Gaur, has the third largest concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal. Historical monuments include the mosque Jami Masjid (1566) and the landmark Nimasari tower across the river. The Malda Museum has a great collection of the region's architectural and anthropological specimens.
During the 18th century, Malda was the seat of prosperous cotton and silk industries. The area grows rice, jute, legumes and oilseeds. Malda is also famous for its mangoes and mulberries.
Malda was previously known as English Bazaar. It got that name from the English factory that was established here in 1771. From Malda, you can visit Gaur and Pandua. Gaur was the capital of three dynasties of ancient Bengal - the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs. Pandua, once the alternate seat of power to Gaur, has the third largest concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal. Historical monuments include the mosque Jami Masjid (1566) and the landmark Nimasari tower across the river. The Malda Museum has a great collection of the region's architectural and anthropological specimens.
During the 18th century, Malda was the seat of prosperous cotton and silk industries. The area grows rice, jute, legumes and oilseeds. Malda is also famous for its mangoes and mulberries.
Sl No. |
Name of the Places to Visit |
Brief description of the Place |
1 |
Ramkeli (Situated at a distance of nearing 14 Km from Malda towards south) |
A small village on the way to Gour, Ramkeli is famous for being the temporary home of Sri Chaitanya, the great religious reformer of Bengal, where he had stayed for a few days on his way to Brindaban. A conglomeration of two tamal and two kadamba trees can still be seen, under which the saint is said to have meditated. A small temple constructed under this tree contains Sri Chaitanya's footprints on stone. There are eight kundas or tanks flanking the temple. These are named as Rupsagar, Shyamkunda, Radhakunda, Lalitakunda, Bishakhakunda, Surabhikunda, Ranjakunda and Indulekhakunda. Every year, on the Jaishthya Sankranti, celebrations are held here to commemorate the arrival of Sri Chaitanya. A week-long fair also starts on this day. |
2 |
Gour (Situated at a distance of 16 km. south of Malda town on the border with Bangladesh. Gour came into prominence as the 7th century capital of King Shashanka, and was the capital of ancient Bengal for several centuries.) |
Dakhil Darwaza, an impressive gateway built in 1425, is an important Muslim monument. Made of small red bricks and terracotta work, this dominating structure is more than 21 m. high and 34.5 m. wide. Its four corners are topped with five-storey high towers. Once the main gateway to a fort, it opens through the embankments surrounding it. In the south-east corner of the fort, a 20-m. high wall encloses the ruins of an old palace. In the past, cannons used to be fired from here. Hence the gate also came to be known as the Salaami Darwaza
A kilometre away from the Dakhil Darwaza, is the Feroze Minar. It was built by Sultan Saifuddin Feroze Shah during 1485-89. This five-storey tower, resembling the Qutb Minar, is 26 m. high and 19 m. in circumference. The first three storeys of the tower have twelve adjacent faces each, and the uppermost two storeys are circular in shape. A spiralling flight of 84 steps takes one to the top of the tower. Built in the Tughlaqi style of architecture, the walls of Feroze Minar are covered with intricate terracotta carvings. This landmark is also known as the Pir-Asha-Minar or the Chiragdani.
The Lakhchhipi Darwaza or Lukochuri Gate is located to the south-east of the Kadam Rasool Mosque. Shah Shuja is said to have built it in 1655 in the Mughal architectural style. The name originated from the royal game of hide-and-seek that the Sultan used to play with his begums. According to another school of historians, it was built by Allauddin Hussein Shah in 1522. Situated on the eastern side of the royal palace, this double-storeyed Darwaza functionally acted as the main gateway to the palace. The innovative architectural style makes it an interesting place to visit.
Half a kilometre away from the Feroze Minar is the Kadam Rasool Mosque. Aptly named Kadam Rasool, which means Footprints of the Prophet, the mosque contains the footprints of Hazrat Muhammad on stone. On the four corners there are four towers made of black marble, with the spires on top covered with intricate artwork. Sultan Nasiruddin Nusrat Shah built the mosque in 1530. Opposite the Kadam Rasool Mosque stands the 17th century tomb of Fateh Khan, a commander of Aurangzeb's army. This interesting structure was built in the Hindu chala style. A short distance away is the elegant Tantipara Mosque, with its intricate terracotta decoration.
Lattan Mosque, legend attributes the building of this mosque to a dancing girl of the royal court. However, historians believe it was built by Sultan Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah in 1475. Traces of intricate mina work in blue, green, yellow, violet and white on the enamelled bricks lining the outer and inner walls are still visible. The splendour of colours has also led to the Mosque being called the Painted Mosque. Another interesting feature of this mosque is its arched roof, supported by octagonal pillars.
Standing to the north-east of the Chika Mosque, the Gumti Darwaza was built in 1512 by Allauddin Hussein Shah. Made of brick and terracotta, the once brilliant colours woven into the artwork are still partly visible. It is said that real gold was used in the decorations. The Darwaza, however, is closed to the public now. |
3 |
Adina (Situated at 15 km north of Malda town) |
Adina Masjid, built in 1369 by Sultan Sikander Shah. One of the largest mosques in India, it also typifies the most developed mosque architecture of the period, the orthodox design being based on the great 8th century mosque of Damascus. Carved basalt masonry from earlier Hindu temples is used to support the 88 brick arches and 378 identical small domes. |
4 |
Pandua ( Situted at 18 Km north of Malda town) |
Qutb Shahi Mosque, locally known as the Chhoto Sona Masjid, built to honour saint Nur Qutb-ul-Alam. The ruins of his shrine are nearby, along with that of Saint Hazrat Shah Jalal Tabrizi, collectively known as the Bari Darga.
The Eklakhi Mausoleum is the most elegant monument in Pandua. One of the first square brick tombs in Bengal, with a carved Ganesh on the doorway, it is the tomb of the convert son of a Hindu Raja. |
5 |
Jagjibanpur ( Situated at about 30 km from Malda town towards south east on Habibpur Block) |
The discovery of a Copper Plate Charter of 9th century in Malda has revealed that the Pala ruler Mahendrapala,who claimed himself as the son and successor of Devapala, granted a piece of land to Mahasenapati Vajradeva to build a monastery there. The archaeologists found five major mounds viz. Tulabhita, Akhridanga, Nimdanga, Maibhita in and around the village of Jagjivanpur. of these, the mound Tulabhita is the biggest and most impressive and was first selected for excavation.During the excavation a brick-built monastery with its sanctum, bastion-cum-cells, varandah, toilets,steps complex , well, courtyard, entrance has been discovered.The archaeologists claim that the monastery bears resemblance with the great Vikramsila Mahavihara. A bronze image of seated Buddha in Bhumisparsha Mudra along with another metal image of Buddhist Goddess Marichi, huge number of terracotta seals, plaques, beads of semi-precious stones and terracotta pot shreds were recovered during excavation. |