Location: Located 182
Km from Kolkata and 11 Km from Behrampore.
Tourist Attractions: Hazarduari, Bara Imambara,
Kathgola, Nasipur palace, Jafraganj Cemetry, Topkhana, Motijheel, Syedabad,
Wasif Manzil, Bhavaniswar Temple, Jain Parashnath Temples.
Best Buys: Silk textiles, Baluchari sari, Ivory carvings
and handicrafts.
Best Hangouts: Spend a day at Nizamat Quila (popularly
called as Hazarduari), an Italian style palace built by the British for
Nawab Mirjafar.
Best Activities: Enjoy a boat ride across river Ganges
(also called here as Bhagirathi).
Nearest Tourist Destinations: Behrampore, Kolkata.
When to Visit: One should come to the city during
October to April as the whether is very pleasant.
Festivals: Muharram is one of the most celebrated
festivals. During September, Bera-bhasan is celebrated on Ganga.
About Murshidabad
A city of Nawabs and there splendours, Murshidabad, is situated on the
banks of the river Bhagirathi. The city is a witness to those events which
have changed the course of Indian history. The city is close to Plassey, a
historic battleground. Named after Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, the city is home
to some of the best works which depicts the medieval period of Indian
history. The British established a military barrack here in 1767. In 1857,
Sepoy Mutiny had taken birth in these Barrack grounds. A memorial has also
been erected on 15th August 1957 in the ground. The old houses of the
British army, have now been converted into hospitals and govt. offices,
courts. The Circuit House here was once used by Robert Clive and Warren
Hastings. The city is also famous for its raw silk and silk products. Ivory
products and handicrafts are also a good buy here.
Major Tourist Attractions in Murshidabad
The Hazarduari Palace
Spread in 41 acres, the Hazarduari Palace, (palace with thousand doors) is
a chief tourist attraction of Murshidabad. The palace was constructed by
Duncan Macleod in 1837. The palace was built in typicaI European style of
architecture. The palace has been converted to a museum, which holds a
collection of armoury, paintings, portraits of the Nawabs, Ivory works of
China and many other valuables. There are also the vintage cars, used by the
Nawabs, in the museum.
Nasipur Palace
The palace was built by King Kirtichand Bahadur in late 19th century.
Within the palace compound are temples: the Ramachandra temple and the
Lakshmi-Narayana temple. Closely situated is the Ashram of Mohandas and
Jafraganj Deuri. The two cannons present here are said to be gifted to Mir
Jafar by Clive.
Motijheel
Motijheel is a lake, located 3 km from Hazarduari. The lake stands in front
of a beautiful three-storeyed palace, built by Nawab Naoajes Mohammad Khan.
People say, treasures of the Nawab are still buried in the lake. This place
was also called 'Company Bagh' as it was occupied by the East India company.
Kath-gola
Kath-gola is palace built by a Jain businessman. The palace is surrounded
by beautiful gardens. The palace has some of the rarest collections of the
luxurious western items of that age. In 1873, the famous Adinath Temple was
built by Harreck Chand. The temple has beautifully designed walls. The
temple is also a major tourist attraction.
Getting There
Air:
The nearest airport is NSC Airport, Kolkata. Murshidabad is around 182 Km
from Kolkata.
Rail: Berhampore Court is the nearest station and is well connected
Kolkata. Kolkata in also very well connected to the rest of India. It takes
around 6 hours from Kolkata to Berhampore via rail route.
Road: Berhampore and Kolkata are very well connected to the rest of
India via roadways network. Buses ply frequently from Kolkata to Murshidabad
and Behrampore.
Accommodation
A number of options for stay are available in Murshidabad, Berhampore and
Lalbagh. These include luxury, budget and government owned hotels. Lodges,
guest house are also available in these areas.
