Malda, the district Head quarter town is located 335 km north of Kolkata & 260 km south of Siliguri. It was formerly known as English Bazar as an English factory was established here in 1771. Laying on the confluence of the Mahananda and Kalindri rivers the Malda town rose to prominence as the river port of the Hindu capital of Pandua. Malda is a base for visiting Gaur, Pandua and Murshidabad. Gaur, capital to three dynasties of ancient Bengal - the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs - has seen three distinct eras of glory. Pandua, once the alternate seat of power to Gaur, has the third largest concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal. During the 18th century it was the seat of prosperous cotton and silk industries. English Bazar Constituted a municipality in 1867, it has a Medical College, University with several colleges affiliated with the Gour Banga University . Rice, jute, legumes, and oilseeds are the chief crops in the surrounding area. Mulberry plantations and mango orchards occupy large areas; mango trade and silk manufacture are the main economic activities.
To generations of people in West Bengal, Malda always meant best of mangoes. And not without reason. Apart from being the mango orchard of the state with a huge production of mangoes in summer, the variety of mangoes and their quality have all captivated the connoisseur and layman alike.
But in these columns we mention Malda for a different reason and that is tourism. Malda is a destination worth a visit for the archaeological treasures that are on display there. Washed by the water of the Ganga, Mahananda, Kalindri and Fulahar, Maldah – the ancient Gaur – was once the capital of the kingdom known variously in different ages as Gaur and Banga, which the Turkish conquerors of the 13th century called Bengal (whence Bengal of the British). The earliest reference of the city of Gaur (synonymous with Maldah of present) is said to found in the writings of Panini the Grammarian (circa 5th century BC) where it had been known. Gaur and its twin Pandua (Pundrabardhana) served as capital of many a king and Sultan. The Palas ruled their considerable empire from here during the eighth to eleventh century, which was the only time when Bengal had a powerful empire competing, clashing and coexisting with Subsequently, during the rule of Sen dynasty , the erstwhile empire having been reduce to a modest Bengal kingdom although the Sens had a habit of shifting their capital. In 1204 Bakhtyar Khilji conquered Bengal destroying the Sen Dynasty and from then on Pandua became more prominent as the sultanate continued mostly as independent principality upto the time of the Mughal conquest under Akbar. The nearby settlement of Rajmahal served as the provincial capital of Suja’s Bengal Suba until his defeat and ruin by Aurangazeb. Important tourist information is given below.
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Pandua & Adina 8 km by Road, from GOLDEN PARK, ADINA MOSQUE is one of the finest examples of medieval Muslim architecture in Bengal. Comparable to the great mosque in Damascus in size and magnificence, Adina, the 3rd largest mosques in the world, was built by Sikandar Shah in 14th century. Richly ornamented mausoleum, EKLAKHI, is said to have cost Rs 1 Lakh - hence the name, built by Raja Ganesh or Kansa, his son QUTUB SHAHI (1582) with 10 domes and corner turrets, was erected to honour saint Hazrat Pir Nur-Qutubhl -Alam. BARI DARGAHI, dedicated to saint Hazrat Shah Jalaluddin Tabrizi and CHOTI DARGAH hold within the campus relics of Bengal's Muslim Heritage. The Marble footprints of Muhammad at MAKDUM PIR'S MOSQUE is a place of pilgrimage. An excellent Tarkish Bathroom beside Sataishghara Dighi is a most attractive relic ever seen in eastern India. But now most neglected site due to non highlight of the same by the Govt. |
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Gour 12 km by Road ,from GOLDEN PARK was the ancient capital of Bengal. BARA SONA MASZID (1526) is the largest monument here. Remains of the mighty embankment around the fort project a feeling of wonder as you walkthrough the impressive DAKHIL DARWAZA (1425). The mosques around show a diversity of architectural styles - LOTAN MASZID (1475) is popularly attributed to a nautch girl. TANTI PARA MASZID is an elegy in elegance; CHAMKATTI MASZID (1475) is almost in ruins & on the lintels of CHIKKA MASZID appears Hindu icons bearing testimony to previous rulers. QADAM RASUL MASZID (1531) enshrines the prophet's footprint in stone, while the later FATHKHAN'S TOMB carries a gory legend. Late Mughal architecture is evident in double storey LOOKO CHURI DARWAZA. The blue tiled FIROZ MINAR is legacy of a 15th century Abyssinian sultan. At Ramkeli, on the way to Gour, the MADAN MOHAN JIU MANDIR celebrates the visit of the 14th century vaisnava reformer, St.Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. |
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Jagajjibanpur JAGAJJIBANPUR A few miles away from GOLDEN PARK stand the ruins of huge Jagajjibanpur monastery constructed during the pala period. Another mount stands a few miles away known as the ruins of Jagddal Mahavihar, where from monks were sent to the Far East & China to preach the doctrine of Buddhism. |
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Gurudwara at Old Malda At old Malda, only few K.M. away from Golden Park Hotel, stands a beautiful Gurudwara constructed by the Sikhs to celebrate the visit of the Great St. Sri Gurunanak who came to this place in 1564 AD and stayed over for more than 3 months. Sikhs Guru St. Sri Tegbahadur also visited this place in 1665 and stayed for 9 days. |
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Malda Museum A destination, having a collection of huge archeological treasures is Situated in the heart of Malda Town on the bank of the river Mahananda . |
GOLDEN PARK Hotel & Resort
N.H. 12, Narayanpur, Malda
West Bengal - 732141, India
Web: www.hotelgoldenpark.com
