Visit Malda: 6 Places in Malda That Every Tourist Must See (2024)
About Malda:
Located at the northern part of West Bengal, Malda is one of the most historically rich districts in India. With the district headquarters by the same name, Malda is one of the most visited tourist destinations in West Bengal. There are so many architectural masterpieces located in the entire district and the Malda city, that history, and archaeology-enthusiasts from all over the world visit Malda. Not only Malda city, but also other sites like Gour, Pandua, and Adina are immensely important to the tourism and historical aspects of the state.
The entire state of West Bengal is so full of culture and past glory, that you will genuinely fall in love with it. You will be surprised to know that the prior name of Malda was English Bazaar and the reason behind the name was that in 1771, a massive factory was constructed by the English over there. The state has been prosperous for many centuries. Due to its geographical location and agreeable climatic condition, this state was often favored by monarchies that ruled India. The Palas, the Senas, and the Nawabs had all headquarters in the Gour region of Malda. Also, most historical landmarks are located in the Gour and Pandua region of Malda. Even during the time of British reign, Malda was immensely important. It was not only home to one of the major silk industries in India, but also of cotton, jute, rice, and other crops.
Apart from the historical aspects, Malda city has great natural beauty as well. As the town is located at the intersection of Kalindi and Mahanadi rivers, the scenic beauty of the city is quite beautiful. If you visit Malda, it will be delightful for you to try the famous mangoes of Malda. You will be glad to know that Malda is one of the major producers of mangoes in India. One of the most famous varieties of mangoes that can be found in the state include Golap Khas and Langra. If you go there do not forget to try the products of mangoes like Aamswatta, Aam Sherbet, Aam Jelly, and others.
The handicraft industry of Malda is also pretty strong. People who visit Malda mostly buy Silk Sarees and dress materials that are famous all around the world. One of the major festivals that are held in Malda is the Ramkeli Mela. As this fair continues for three days, tourists prefer to visit there during that time. To encounter this fair, you should visit Malda in June.
How To Reach Malda?
Reaching Malda is quite easy as it has a fully-functional railway station. As this station is connected to almost all major cities of India, it will not be a problem to go there. The nearest airport to Malda town is in Bagdogra and the distance between them is 240 km. In this blog, we are going to provide you with all the necessary information about the best places in Malda. We hope, by following this article, you will get an idea of the beautiful state of West Bengal.
6 Places in Malda That Every Tourist Must See
The areas located in the following part of the blog are quite popular in India. They are both culturally and historically relevant in India.
1. Gour
Located at a half an hour drive from the heart of Malda city, Gour is one of the most important historical towns of West Bengal and India. Once the capital for King Shashanka, Gour has been a major site since the 7th century. If you visit Malda, you will have to keep one whole day in your hand to explore Gour as there are so many historical sites located over there. Among all the sites Baroduari, Firoz Minar, Dakhil Darwaja, Chamkati Masjid, Luko Churi Gate, and others are some of the most popular ones.
Al of the said sites are not only historically important but also, they are immensely beautiful. The Baroduari mosque in Gour is over 50 meters tall and it was constructed in 1526 by Allauddin Hussein Shah. When you will see the mosque for yourself, you will be quite dumbfounded. The architecture of this mosque was inspired by India and Arabia and it are quite noticeable due to their giant stature. Dakhil Darwaja is another important site that is mostly known for its terracotta work. This gate is so beautiful and the carvings on the walls are so vivid that you will not believe that it was built in 1425.
Firoz Minar is another historical site that you must not miss while exploring Gour. This massive tower inspired by Tughlaqi architecture has a lot of resemblance to the famous Qutub Minar in India. Like Dakhil Darwaja, Firoz Minar has also beautiful Terracotta carving on its walls. If you visit the Chika mosque in Gour, you will find that there are traces of Hindu idols carved on the walls of the building. Even though Chika mosque is an Islamic religious site, the architectural design of the site is inspired by Hindu temples. There are some other important sites in Gour that we are mentioning below.
The distance between Malda city and Gour is- 17.3 km.
2. Kadam Rasul Mosque and others
Continuing our exploration of Gour, we must talk about the famous Kadam Rasul Mosque located over there. If you walk around 500 meters from Firoz Minar in Gour, you will find Kadam Rasool Mosque. You will be surprised to know that Prophet Hazrat Mohammad’s footprints are found inside the mosque. This is one of the main reasons why this site is so sacred to the Muslim community of India. While exploring this site, you will also see the tomb of the commander of Aurangazeb’s army named Fateh Khan.
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Another important religious site of Malda is Lattan Mosque and this structure is also located in Gour. This mosque was built in 1475 by Sultan Shamshuddin Yusuf Shah. When you will see this site for the first time, you will be pleasantly pleased as it has marvelous work of Mina in green, blue, violet, and white throughout its brick lining. Many people prefer this site as the painted mosque. Another noticeable thing about this site is its octagonal pillars and an arched roof.
Although all the sites mentioned above are immensely important to the history of Malda, but the most important one is the Gumti Darwaza. This gate was built by Allauddin Hussein Shah in 1512 and it is one of the most beautiful sites in the region. Although most part of this gate has been destroyed, you can still see the goldwork on the terracotta walls of the structure. Some other important places to visit in Gour are Kotwali Darwaja, Luko Churi Gate, Chamakti Masjid, and others.
The distance between Malda town and Kadam Rasool Mosque is- 18 km.
3. Adina
There are many important tourist sites to visit in the Adina area of Malda. Usually, people explore different sites of Adina in a day. Among all the architectural sites in Adina, the most important one is the Adina mosque. Constructed in 1369, Adina mosque is one of the largest mosques in India. This site was commissioned by Sultan Sikander Shah and the architecture of the building is genuinely fascinating. When you will reach there, you will see that the architecture of the mosque has a resemblance to the mosques of Damascus in the 8th century. Throughout the building there are 378 domes.
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Other interesting tourist spots in Adina are Adina Deer Park and Adina Eco-park. Both of these sites are quite popular among both tourists and locals. They are both pristine, calm, and beautiful. Adina deer park is pretty famous as it is one of the main centers where Cheetal deer is bred.
When you will enter the park, you will notice a massive population of Nilgai deer. Apart from deer, this park is a great place for bird-watching. Some of the most gorgeous birds that can be seen in this region are paradise flycatcher, oriole, Asian openbill, fish eagle, and others.
As Adina eco-park is located right beside Adina mosque, most people visit there while exploring the mosque. This park is filled with lush greenery and tranquility. If you want, you can spend a day or two at the guest house located inside the park. Some of the other major tourist sites to see in Adina are Atbart Dighi, PandaB Dallan Minar, Turkey Bath, and Hamamghar.
The distance between Malda town and Adina is- 19 km.
4. Pandua
Among all the historically significant regions of Malda, Pandua is one of the most important ones. Sites like Eklakhi Mausoleum and Kutubshahi Masjid are the highlights of this area of Malda. Built-in 1425, Eklakhi Mausoleum contains the tombs of Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah, his wives, and his son Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah. This mausoleum is even more significant in West Bengal because it is the tomb of the first native Muslim ruler of Bengal. You will be surprised to know that Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah was born as a Hindu. He later converted to Islamism and became the mighty ruler of Bengal. As the height of the tomb is 23 meters, it can be noticed from a long distance. One of the notable features of the structure is that its architecture has typical Bengali traces. During that time, rulers used to be deeply influenced by Islamic architecture. The archways and the ceiling of the mausoleum is quite unique.
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Kutubshahi Mosque is another important site to see in Pandua. This structure was constructed to pay tribute to Nur Qutb-Ul-Alam and it was popularly known as Chhoto Sona Masjid. Apart from the shrine of Nur Qutb-Ul-Alam, shrines of Saint Hazrat Shah Jalal Tabrizi also lies there.
The distance between Malda town and Pandua is- 16.6 km.
5. Jagjibanpur
Located at an hour’s drive from the heart of Malda city, Jagjibanpur is one of the most interesting sites of the district. Throughout this region, you will see the ruins of a Buddhist monastery that was operable in the 9th century AD. When you will go there, you will see the copper plates that are historically significant. These plates are well-known for their inscriptions. One of the most notable inscriptions that can be seen in the copper plates is the royal seal.
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These copper plates belonged to the Pala ruler, Mahendrapala. Historians believe that he provided a piece of land to his Senapati to build a Buddhist monastery in the region. During the excavation process, archaeologists found a brick-built monastery with toilers, verandah, steps, bastion-cum-cells, and other traces. Along with the building, a statue of the Buddhist goddess Marichi and terracotta plaques were also discovered. It is a unique site in West Bengal. One of the strangest things about Jagjibanpur is that still now the reason for the demise of the Buddhist monastery has not been revealed.
The distance between Malda town and Jagjibanpur is- 30 km.
6. Malda Museum
To genuinely get exhaustive knowledge about Malda, you will have to visit Malda Museum. This building is located in the English Bazaar area of the city and it was constructed in 1937. As this museum is an archaeological museum, you will find artifacts from different time periods of Malda. While exploring this museum, you will see artifacts from the 7th century when the Palas ruled the region. You will also notice figurines, sculptures, calligraphic inscriptions from the 16th century during the reigns of the Islamic rulers.
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Malda museum is a great place to gain an idea about the history of Malda that spans across 1500 years.
The distance between Malda town and Malda Museum is- 2.2 km.
By reading this blog you can understand that Malda is for them, who love to explore the historical and archeological aspects of India. Even though Malda might not be that popular unlike the other historically enriched cities of India, it is certainly pretty important. There is so much hidden under the modern façade of the city, that you will need to unveil by exploring it. Even though you can visit Malda throughout the year, it is always better to visit any part of West Bengal between November to March.
So, we hope by reading this blog you got enough idea to plan the perfect Malda trip for you and your family. We hope you have a happy and safe trip!
