| Malda |
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Malda
district, situated in the north-central portion of West Bengal, has Bangladesh
in the east and Bihar in the west. A natural port at the confluence of the Mahananda
and Kalindi rivers, Malda rose to prominence as the river port of the Hindu capital
of Pandua.
Malda saw three eras of glory - the Buddhist Palas,
the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs. During the Pala and Sena dynasties, Gour
flourished as a centre of learning, art and culture. The Senas, the last Hindu
kings of Bengal, were violently displaced by the Muslims in the beginning of the
13th century.
A foreign settlement was established in 1680. Malda
came to be known as Ingraj Bazaar or English Bazaar when the Dutch, French and
the East India Company started trading here. Ingraj Bazaar still houses the district
headquarters. During the 18th century, it was an important seat of cotton and
silk industries, and consequently a place of great wealth and prosperity.
Though the nearby cities of Gour and Pandua contain most of the culturally
and historically important places, there are a number of tourist attractions in
Malda town too.
Malda remains an important distributing centre
for rice, jute and wheat. Rice, jute, legumes and oilseeds are the chief crops.
Mulberry plantations and mango orchards occupy large areas. Mango trade and silk
manufacture are the main economic activities. The district has several colleges
affiliated with the University of North Bengal. It is also famous for its low-lying
marshes that offer ample scope for avid bird watchers. |
| Places
to See
| Baroduari
Built in an Indo-Arabic style of architecture, Baroduari is a gigantic rectangular
structure of brick and stone. Its 44 spires covered with intricate gold chikkan
work gave it its other name of the Bara Sona Masjid.
Beels
Beels are the low-lying marshy tracts found throughout the district. They provide
ample scope for birdwatching.
Chika Mosque
This single-domed mosque, built in 1475 by Sultan Yusuf Shah, contains traces
of Hindu temple architecture.
Dakhil Darwaza
This 21-m. high structure, made of small red bricks and terracotta work, was built
in 1425 as the main gateway to the royal fort.
Feroze
Minar
This 5-storey tower, built by Sultan Saifuddin Feroze Shah during
1485-89, follows the Tughlaqi style of architecture. Its spiralling flight of
84 steps lead to the top, which is a wonderful view point.
Gour
This small town which came into prominence as the 7th century
capital of King Shashanka, continued to be the capital of ancient Bengal for several
centuries. The existing relics are mostly Muslim monuments dating back to the
14th and 15th centuries.
Gumti Darwaza
Built in 1512 by Sultan Allauddin Hussein Shah, this brick and terracotta structure
was decorated in brilliant colours, some of which are still partly visible.
Kadam Rasool
Mosque This mosque,
built in 1530 by Sultan Nasiruddin Nusrat Shah, contains the footprints of Hazrat
Muhammad on stone.
Lakhchhipi Darwaza
The Lakhchhipi Darwaza or Lukochuri Gate was built in 1655 by Shah Shuja in the
Mughal architectural style. Situated on the eastern side of the royal palace,
this double-storey Darwaza functionally acted as the main gateway to the palace.
Lattan Mosque
Legend attributes the
building of this mosque to a dancing girl of the royal court. Also known as the
Painted Mosque, its walls are covered with intricate mina work in bright colours.
Pandua
This town contains the third largest concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal.
A ten-kilometre long, old brick-paved road runs through the entire town.
Ramkeli
This small village was where Sri Chaitanya, the great religious reformer of Bengal,
had stayed for a few days on his way to Brindaban. The main attraction is the
tamal tree under which Sri Chaitanya is said to have meditated. |
| How
To Get There | | Malda
district is accessible both by road and rail. NBSTC, SBSTC, CSTC buses and many
privately operated buses ply between Calcutta and Malda. The buses, leaving from
the Shahid Minar and the Ultadanga bus terminuses, take about eight hours to complete
the journey.
By rail, Malda is on the main line between Calcutta
and Darjeeling, served by numerous trains such as the Gour Express, the Kanchenjungha
Express, the Tista Torsa Express, the Kamrup Express, the Barayuni Express and
the Darjeeling Mail, to name a few. | |
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