Malda, West Bengal

Malda city of West Bengal is situated on the banks of the River Mahananda. It is one of the biggest cities in West Bengal and famous for the production of mango and silk. The city was earlier named 'English Bazaar', as it came into prominence when an English factory established here, in the year 1771. The city basically serves as the tourism base to the two historic cities of Pandua and Gaur. People interested in historical and archaeological expeditions must head towards this particular region in West Bengal.

Malda, once the capital city of Bengal, lies between Pandua and Gaur, two other prominent cities of ancient and medieval India. The city however is comparatively very new in origin. It also once acted as the river port for Pandua. Today, Malda is the one of the important rail link of West Bengal, where all trains bound for north Bengal and northeastern states of India halt. Apart from being known for its silk and mango production, the city is also renowned for its surplus rice, jute, wheat and cotton productions. 

Malda offers visitors the tourism prospect of Gaur and Pandua. Gaur, being the capital city of three dynasties of ancient Bengal - the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs, is a city with glorious past. On the other hand, Pandua, the alternate tourism spot near Malda, is one of the prominent centers of Muslim monuments in Bengal. Malda also houses the Malda Museum, which has a vast collection of the regional architectural and anthropological specimen. A trip to Malda will be extremely beneficial for understanding the historical and cultural emergence of Bengal.

History

Transport

Places To See:

Malda Museum

Malda Museum is the preservatory of local architectural and anthropological samples. Situated on the Bandh Road of the city, the museum runs under the directions of the West Bengal Directorate of Archaeology. It houses ancient sculptures, porcelains, calligraphic inscriptions and terracotta items. All these items belong to the nearby regions of Pandura and Gaur and are estimated to be about 1500 year old. The museum is an important place of survey and research on the historic existence of these two very important cities of West Bengal. 

Pandua

Pandua is known for its ancient existence and glorious past. The city was the seat of power in Bengal for a long time. It has also undergone three different eras of glory, under the reign of Buddhist Palas, Hindu Senas and Muslim Nawabs. However, the ruins of its leftover architecture can only be traced back to the era of Muslim Nawabs. A place in the city that is worth visiting is the Jami Mosque or the Adina Mosque, built by Sikandar Shah in 1369. It was described to be the finest example of existing Pathan architecture. Other places worth a trip are Eklakhi Mausoleum, Qutb Shahi Masjid and Masjid Bari Darga.

Gaur

Gaur is another place for which the city of Malda plays a tourism base. the city has practically been reduced to ruins now; however there is still a possibility for you to roam around and have a look at the chronological journey of this historical city, once a prominent center of politics and state affairs of the entire Bengal. The notable monuments of Gaur include Bara Darwaza, Small Golden or Mosque, Tantipar Mosque, Dakhil Darwaza, Kadam Rasut Mosque, Firoz Minar and the Tomb of Saint Makhdum Shaikh Akhi Siraj............
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