This article is on tourism in Malda district. You will get information about what to visit, how to reach Malda and where to stay.
Malda is a district of West Bengal. Malda district is famous for the production of mango and silk. District headquarter of Malda district is English Bazar which is also known as Malda. Malda was once the capital of the state.
Malda district has many tourist attraction places with historical importance. Some of the places are Gour, Adian, Pandua, Jagjibanpur.
Tourist attraction places in Gour
Gour is located at 16 km. south of Malda town. This town is situated on the border of India and Bangladesh. Gour was the capital of King Shashanka in the 7th century. Gaur was an important place for three major dynasties of Paschimbanga, Hindu kings, Muslim Nawabs and Buddhist Palas. This is a place of great historical importance. There are many forts, Mosques in this area. Some of those are as listed below:
Dakhil Darwaza is a Muslim monument. This monument is made of small red bricks and is beautifully decorated by terracotta works. In ancient times cannons were fired from here.
Feroze Minar is located at about 1 km from Dakhil Darwaza. Feroze Minar was built by Sultan Saifuddin Feroze Shah within 1485-89. Feroze Minar is a five-storey tower which resembles with the Qutub Minar. Tughlaqi style of architecture was adopted in constructing the Feroze Minar and use of terracotta works can be found on the walls.
Qadam Rasool Mosque is located at about half kilometre away from the Feroze Minar. Meaning of ‘Qadam Rasool’ is Footprints of the Prophet. It is believed that the mosque contains the footprints of Hazrat Muhammad on its stones. Sultan Nasiruddin Nusrat Shah built the Qadam Rasool Mosque in 1530.
Tomb of Fateh Khan is located just opposite the Qadam Rasool Mosque. This tomb was built in 17th century and Fateh Khan was a commander of Aurangzeb's soldiers. Tomb of Fateh Khan was built in Hindu style.
Ramkeli is situated at 14 km south of Malda and it is a tourist attraction place, specially for Hindus. Sri Chaitanya, the religious leader of Vaishnavas, stayed for a few days when he was going to Brindaban. A small temple is here which contains Sri Chaitanya's footprints on a stone. On every year in Jaisthya sankranti of Bengali calendar, a week long fair is held here to celebrate the great occasion of arrival of Sri Chaitanya.
Baroduari mosque is considered as the largest monument in Gour. This mosque is also known as Bara Sona Masjid and is located half a kilometer from Ramkeli. Though the name is Baroduari, means twelve doors, the mosque has actually eleven doors. The construction of this mosque was started by Allauddin Hussein Shah and was completed by his son, Nasiruddin Nusrat Shah in 1526. Indo-Arabic style of architecture of the mosque still attracts tourists.
Chika Masjid: - Sultan Yusuf Shah built the Chika Mosque in 1475. It is said that the mosque used to provide shelter to number of chikas or bats. This mosque is almost in ruined condition now. An unique feature of Chika mosque is that it contains images of Hindu idols on the stonework of doors.
Lukochuri Darwaja or Lakhchhipi Darwaza is located at the south-east corner of Qadam Rasul Mosque. During that time, Nawabs used to play a famous game with their begums, hide and seek. In Lukochuri Darwaja, nawabs used to play with their begums. It is a tourist attraction spot in Malda.
Tourist attraction places in Pandua
Large numbers of famous Muslim monuments are concentrated in Pandua of Malda. Pandua has a large concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal. Some of the famous monuments in Pandua are as follows:
Adina Masjid was built in 1369 by Sultan Sikander Shah and it one of the largest mosques in India.
Qutb Shahi Masjid also kmown as Chhoto Sona Masjid was built to honour Saint Nur Qutb-ul-Alam.
The Eklakhi Mausoleum is one of the most elegant monument in Pandua. . It is a tomb of the son of a Hindu King, who was converted to Islam.
How to reach Malda
Maldah is easily accessible through rail or by road. Malda town is situated 347 km. away from Kolkata towards north and 256 km. from Siliguri towards South. NH-34 passed through this district. Number of super fast private buses and government buses are plying from Asansol, Durgapur, Burdwan, Kolkata etc towards Malda on regular intervals.
By rail, Malda Town is on the Howrah/Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri line. Many express and mail trains are passing through Malda stations. Few of the trains are:
Janasatabdi Express
Gour Express
Kanchenjungha Express
Teesta Torsa Express
Kamrup Express
Hate Bajare Express
Darjeeling Mail
Uttar Banga Express
Where to stay - hotels and lodges in Malda
There are number of hotels and lodges in Malda town. Malda main bus terminal and Malda town railway station are about two kms. apart. Most of the hotels and lodges are located in this area.
In Rathbari, Maldah Tourist Lodge of state tourism department is available. For advance booking dial on phone numbers: 220911 / 9733008792.
Many hotels and lodges are available and the hotels names with contact numbers are given below.
Malda tourist lodge
Phone number: 220911
Mobile: 973308792
Hotel new heaven
Phone: 252735
Hotel landmark
Ac and non-ac rooms are available
Phone: 221560
Hotel Payel
Phone: 267350
Hotel Purbanchal
Ac and non-ac rooms are available
Phone: 266183
Hotel Kalinga
Ac and non-ac rooms are available
Phone: 283567
Hotel Meghdoot
Phone Number: 266216
Hotel Continental
Phone Number: 251505
Information might have changed since this page is last updated.
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