Gour in Malda

This ancient city located in Malda has also been mentioned in the puranic Hindu texts. Since 500BC, this history of Gaur can be observed in the books. During that particular phase, it was under the reign of the Mauryan Empire. Even its archaeological research indicates that entire north Bengal was once completely under Gupta Empire.

Next to the Gupta, comes the succession of the Karnasubarna during the 700 A.D. They again ruled for thirty years. After this, from 8^th to 11^th century AD, this part of Bengal was under the reign of Pala Dynasty. Next to Pala, the Sen Dynasty ruled Gaur and got the control within 1168 A.D. After 1204 A.D., the Sen Dynasty came to an end when the Mughals and Afghans invaded Bengal.

With numerous places to see here, one can get perplexed and therefore here is a small guide for people to some of the most popular historical places.

This is one of the known places in the Hindu culture. This place is famous as it was once the home of Sri Chaitanya. He was one of the greatest religious reformers of Bengal. On this voyage to Brindaban, he resided here for a few days. One can still observe the assembly of two Kadamba and two Tamal trees where the saint used to meditate. To keep the remains, a small temple has been constructed later with small footprints of Sri Chaitanya. Each and every year, a massive celebration is held here that incites people from the different corners on Jaishthya Sankranti. The celebration is to honor Sri Chaitanya’s arrival.

When it comes to historical moments, Gour’s historical sightseeing gene4rally starts from here. This mosque is situated at only a half kilometer from the above-mentioned location. Here you can observe a huge rectangular structure made of stone and brick. It is considered as the biggest monument in Gour.

From the name, it can be easily understood that this construction as Twelve Doors as in Baroduari. However, it has eleven. This massive mosque that measures 50.4m X 22.8m X 12m was initiated by Allauddin Hussein Shah but was completed by his son – Masiruddin Nusrat Shah in 1526. Its ornamental carvings and Indo-Arabic architectural design make this place a must-visit location for the tourists.

Dakhil Darwaza or the gateway is an impressive architecture constructed back in 1425. This is one of the crucial Muslim monuments in Gour. You can find the entire construction is made with the small red bricks along with the terracotta works on it. This is again a mammoth structure that measures 21m X 34.5m.

The four corners bordering it is like the five storey towers. This is once the main gateway to the fort. Along the south-eastern corner of this fort, you can observe a 20m high wall which encloses the remains of the old palace. In the ancient, this was the place where canons were fired. This is why it is also renowned as the Salaami Darwaza.

Feroze Minar is again a major sightseeing of this place and is located just a kilometer away from the above-mentioned location. If you are visiting Gaur, you definitely need to have a look at this masterpiece of ancient times. This famous structure was constructed by the Sultan Saifuddin Feroze Shah in the year of 1485 - 89.

This is a huge five-storey tower that resembles like Qutb Minar. It measures 26m X 19m along the circumference. The primary three storeys of this tower come with twelve adjacent faces and its uppermost two storeys have a circular pattern. In its interior, you will come across a magnificent spiraling flight consisting of 84 steps which takes you to the top of this tower. The Tughlaqi styled architecture and terracotta carvings on its walls, make this place a must visit the location.

In the year 1475, Sultan Yusuf Shah contrasted this mosque. The name might sound different and the reason for such an unusual name is this mosque used to provide shelter to a huge number of bats (popular as Chikas).

This single-domed edifice has nothing much left in it now. However, you can still find the magnificently ornate carvings and images of Hindu idols. Some stonework is partly visible along with the lintels. This is a unique place that still treasures some of the Hindu temple architecture within it.

You might hear it be addressed as the Lukochuri Gate or the Lukhchippi Darwaza. This is situated in the southeastern part of Kadam Rasool Mosque. This amazing architecture was built back in 1655 by Shah Shuja in a famous Mughal architectural style. This name was given by the famous game hide-and-seek. This is the place where the sultans and their begums used to play hide-and-seek.

Some other group of historian says that Allauddin Hussein Shah constructed this place during 1522. Being located on the eastern corner, this huge double-storeyed gate used to serve as the main entrance to the palace. Its innovative and unique architecture make this palace a magnificent place to visit.

This stands on the northeastern side of Chika Mosque. Allaunddin Hussein Shahs was the one of constructing this Darwaza back in 1512. Being constructed with bricks and terracotta carving, its brilliant artwork invited people here.

Even it is said by the historians that in construction consisted of real gold. However, this place is no more available to observe from close.

The best and easiest mode to reach this destination is by availing the Gour Express available from Kolkata to Malda. Moreover, you can also avail the roadways to reach Malda and then book a cab to Gaur. During this journey to Gaur from Malda, you can observe the many places on your way. Since it is located at 22kms from the Malda location, you can easily hire a car and visit this historical location.

If you love history and fascinated with the archaeological artefacts, Gaur is definitely a place for you to visit. It can be a great weekend destination as all the major locations are located at a close proximity.

So if you want to find the historical treasure of Bengal, Gaur has a number of fascinating locations in the bucket for you.