Tourist Places to Visit in Malda, West Bengal, India

Tourist Places to Visit in Malda, West Bengal, India

Malda is a small town located in Malda district in West Bengal situated on the banks of river Mahananda and is the 5^th largest city in the state of West Bengal. It is also called as the “Mango City” due to the huge mango groves and mango cultivation. Malda has a literacy rate of 84% and Bengali, Hindi and English form the major speaking languages of the people of Malda. Malda Dakshin is the Lok Sabha Constituency and English Bazar is the Parliamentary Constituency of Malda. Malda coordinates with 25.00’ degree North Latitude and 88.15’ degree East Longitude and its Pin Code is 732101.

History of Malda:

The city was found in the mid 18^th century by the British. Malda is also known as the “Gateway of North Bengal” due to movement of goods, services and trade that was taking place in the region. Some inscriptions have found that Malda was ruled by Mauryans and Guptas during 5^th century A.D.

Tourist attractions in and around Malda:

Gour:

Gour is about 16 kms from Malda known for several historical monuments. Tourists can explore the remnants of Small Golden Mosque, Bara Darwaza, Dakhil Darwaza, Firoz Minar and Kadam Rasut Mosque.

Pandua:

Pandua is situated 18 kms away from Malda famous for Muslim architecture, Mosques and ancient historic monuments. Adina Mosque which was built by Sikandar Shah in the year 1369 is one of the biggest mosques of the country that attracts a lot of visitors.

Kadam Rasul Mosque:

This mosque is located in the close proximity of Feroze Minar and has more significance since it is believed to have the footprints of Prophet Mohammad on a piece of stone. The four corners of the Mosque represent the four towers built of black marble. It is a popular tourist site near Malda.

Ramkeli:

Ramkeli is situated about 14 kms away from Malda which is renowned for the abode of saint Chaitanya, the religious reformer of Bengal. The site still has two Kadamba and two Tamal trees which is said to the site where the religious saint used to meditate.

Tomb of Fateh Khan:

The tomb was built in 17^th century and lies opposite to Kadam Rasool Mosque. The tomb is built as per Indian style of architecture and attracts many visitors.

Firoz Minar:

Firoz Minar was built during the rule of Sultan Firoz Shah and is five storey structure that look alike Qutub Minar. The visitors have to take 84 steps to reach the top of the Firoz Minar.

Chika Mosque:

This mosque was built by Sultan Yusuf Shah in the year 1475 and is named so because the mosque is guarded by bats also known as chikas in local language. Presently only the ruins of the mosque are visible but still the tourists can view the carvings and the paintings sculptured on the walls of the mosque.

Gumti Darwaza:

Gumti Darwaza was constructed by Allaudin Hussian Shah in the year 1512 and is built using terracotta and brick. Some believe that real gold was used to built the mosque.

Dakhil Darwaza:

This mosque was built in the year 1425 made out of red bricks and terracotta. Dakhil Darwaza has four corners that represent 5 storey towers.

Tantipara Mosque:

This mosque is located near to tomb of Fateh Khan which is known for its architectural splendor and terracotta work that attracts many local as well as international tourists.

Luko Churi Gate:

Luko Churi Gate was built in the year 1665 by Shah Shuja and is named so because the king used to play hide and seek with his begums in this place.

Malda Museum:

The museum has large collection of sculptures, artifacts, paintings, inscriptions and much more which is cleanly displayed for public viewing. The museum draws many visitors during weekends and during public holidays.

Malda culture and fairs:

Malda is very famous for its rich culture, tradition and heritage. People from all walks of society jointly host many festivals and fairs on a grand manner. Some of the prime festivals and fairs that take place in Malda are Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Id-Ul-Fitr, Christmas, Ramzan, Kartik Puja Fair, Charu Baba Mela and Charak Fair.

Connectivity to Malda:

Malda is well linked by road, rail and air modes of transport as many Govt. owned and private buses ply between Malda and Kolkata at regular basis. Town buses, autos, rickshaws and six-seater vehicles form the bulk of the local transport. Malda is also connected by rail network as many trains bound for North Bengal and North Eastern States pass via Malda Railway Station.

Hotels in Malda:

There are several decent hotels located in Malda that provide good accommodation facilities to the tourists visiting the place all round the year. Hotels range from 1 star rating and goes up to 5 star rating offering hosts of alluring amenities and services. List of some of the hotels located in and near Malda are: