Places to visit in Malda

Dakhil Darwaza is known to be the most important monument in the city. This monument is located in Gaur and it is the surviving ruin of an old castle that dates back to about the 15th century. The gate acts as a gateway to a fort. The gateway was built by Babak Shah and is made up of small red bricks and consists of terracotta work. The visiting hours are 9 AM to 6 PM. The gateway was constructed in small red bricks and terracotta work. The darwaza was used  for housing cannons and firing them as a salute. This gate is also known as the Salaami darwaza and is surrounded by a beautiful garden which is well maintained.

Located on the banks of the holy river Ganges, Gour is a place that displays the rich and diverse history of Bengal. The place is one of the oldest residential colonies that is existing in the state. The place is now in ruins but it has a unique history and magnificent architecture. This feature attracts tourism from different places. In earlier days, the settlement was the capital of ancient Bengal and was also a centre of political and state affairs.  The city is preserved under the Archaeological Survey of India and the department of Archaeology in Bangladesh. The permanent artifacts are shown in an exhibition which highlights major monuments in Gour and the exhibits are made of brick mouldings and glazed tiles from the region.

The seminar is located close to the Dakhil Darwaza. It was built during Sultan Saifuddin Feroze Shah’s rule and is a five-storey tower. The first three storeys have 12 adjacent faces each which is dodecagonal. The top two floors are circular. The way to reach the top is to take a flight of stairs. The minar was built between 1485 and 1489 by Saiduddin Firuz Shah who was the emperor of the Habshi dynasty. The minar is known to be built in the Tughlaqi style of Architecture. The minar resembles the Qutub Minar in Delhi and the topmost floor was replaced by a flat roof due to restoration work. The minar also has terracotta works on its wall and it is on top of the masonry plinth.

Adina Deer Park is located about 20 km from Malda. The park is a natural habitat of the deer and one can witness numerous deer. The species found here are the Spotted Deer and Nilgai. It is also a home for many migratory birds. The park is also known to be an important breeding centre for cheetah or spotted deer in the state which has led to the overflow in number. A small fraction of the park is protected and this is done by an orchid plantation. The park not only houses migratory birds it also houses butterflies and bird species like Asian Openbill, Paradise Flycatcher, etc.

The museum is one of the most important places in the town as it has a collection of architectural and anthropological samples of the town. These samples or specimens date back to 1500 years and the museum preserves these artifacts. The museum is closed on Thursday and is open for 24 hours. The total time required is 2 hours to complete the tour of the museum. The museum is an archaeological museum under the West Bengal Directorate of Archaeology. The city came up after the British colonial rule after being the power of Bengal from the 7th century till late 16th century. The specimens preserved range from inscription tablets written in calligraphy, terracotta plaques, sculptures etc.

It is located about 35 kilometres away from Malda and is an important archeological site. The town was discovered as there were many interesting artifacts found such as the copper plate inscription.The site was not known till 13th march 1987 and later the site was excavated by the department of Archaeology. There were many artifacts found on the site which were the copper plate inscription, the terracotta seal, terracotta plaques and other artifacts like scroll motifs, lotus petal motifs and diamond chain motifs.

The gate was built in the year 1655 and displays a Mughal Architectural style. The Luko Churi gate is also known as the Lakhchhipu Darwaza and was built on the south east corner of the kadam rasool mosque. The structure was built in order to create an imposing structure. The gateway was created of four central arches with similar arched doors on the sides and was built in brick. The gateway was designed in a rectangular shape and is a three storied gateway. The gateway has a flanking doorway on the first floor which is similar to the one on the ground floor and the structure is a flat roof which has a naqqar khana that is a governor’s entrance and exit. 

As the city is a muslim dominated city, Madla is famous for the hindu temple: Temple of Jauhra Kali. The temple is beautiful and is surrounded by trees. The temple was constructed on a raised platform. The architecture of the temple is simple yet eye-catching. The devotees believe that praying in the temple leads to results which are considered to be a miracle. The temple is located on the outskirts of the town and was built around 1500 AD. The temple is known to be the Adishakti and the deity is represented by Maa Kaali. There are three faces of the goddess represented in the temple as it represents the three faces of the goddess that is MaKali, Ma Laxmi and Ma Saraswati. The temple opens only on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The Broduari Mosque is the largest mosque in Malda. As the name suggests, the mosque is a 12 door mosque and it has only eleven doors which are open. The mosque was started by Allauddin Hussein Shah. Sadly he died before the completion of the mosque. After his death, the mosque was completed by his son and it is known to be the first of its kind. The mosque represents the Arabic style of Architecture.

Originally built with intricate carvings in 1445 by Sultan Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah, the carvings in the mosque were built with precious stones and colors. The construction of the mosque is surrounded by many historic tales. The facade displays the past remnants which are still visible. The mosque was once very colourful which was the reason behind its name as the Painted Mosque. The mosque has an arched roof which is supported by octagonal pillars.