Discovering Murshidabad: A Weekend in Bengal’s Royal Past
A mere 200km from the heart of Kolkata, nestled in the historical district of Murshidabad, West Bengal, I set off for a weekend steeped in stories and grandeur. Before sharing the trip’s highlights, let me give you a quick primer on this fascinating place.
Murshidabad: Where Bengal’s Destiny Changed
Murshidabad, once an obscure village called Maksudabad, was transformed in 1704 when Murshid Quli Khan, Aurangzeb’s formidable general, shifted the capital of Subah Bangla from Dhaka to this very spot. The move not only brought prestige but also changed the fate of the Bengal province, stretching across present-day West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Bangladesh. The town was renamed after its patron, and by 1716, Murshid Quli Khan was crowned Nawab of Bengal by the Mughal Emperor. The region’s influence soon encompassed what are now the districts of Nadia and Murshidabad.
Berhampore: The Modern Gateway
Today, the district revolves around Berhampore (Baharampur), connected seamlessly to Kolkata by both train and road. Trains make the journey comfortable, 3 to 4 hours with both reserved and general coaches, while buses offer a six-hour, non-AC trip (not for the faint-hearted in summer!). My pick: visit between November and February, or during the green flush of the monsoon. Avoid the oppressive heat at all costs! Two to three days is perfect for a relaxed, thorough tour, no rushing needed.
Where to Stay and What to Eat
Accommodations are best chosen in Berhampore rather than Murshidabad town (10km away); after the sites close for the evening, Murshidabad offers little in the way of food or entertainment. Some reliable options: Hotel Samrat, Hotel Sagnik, and Moti Jheel Resort all offer comfort after long days of sightseeing. For culinary adventurers, roadside dhabas serve rustic Bengali thalis: ₹70 for veg, ₹90 for fish, ₹110 for chicken/egg, and ₹120 for mutton, each complete with rice, dal, sabzi, and bhuji. Hotel restaurants are your best bet for Chinese, continental, or tandoori fare.
Interestingly, the Nawabs once elevated Bengal’s cuisine by introducing delicacy fishes, hilsa, bhetki, pomfret, into biryanis, kebabs, and other Mughal-inspired dishes. While Murshidabad today doesn’t market this heritage much, the fish preparations I sampled were superior to most meat options.
The Journey Begins: Kassim Bazar's Chota Rajbari
We boarded the Hazarduari Express from Kolkata at 6:50 am, reaching Berhampore Court station by 10:30 am, an easy, scenic ride. Our stay was at the Chota Rajbari of Kassim Bazar, a mansion built in 1903 by a British-era Dewan, later titled “Raja.” Booking rooms is simple via their website or phone. The palace provides classic Bengali meals and a homey sense of hospitality. An added bonus: the adjacent museum (₹30 entry for visitors; free for overnight guests) is a trove of local history.
Stepping out, the first things that caught my eye were the vast, shady mango orchards lining rural roads, their presence as iconic to the region as the imposing palaces. The soil, with its bright yellow hue, felt familiar, strikingly reminiscent of the golden rocks of Haldighati.
Katra Masjid: The Soldier's Fort
Among the many architectural treasures here, the Katra Masjid (1723 CE) left me awestruck. More than just a mosque, it was a centre of learning, a stronghold for the Nawab’s army, and today, it is also the Nawab’s final resting place. The sprawling tunnels, echoing corridors, magnificent arches, and timeless domes all make the site a true history lover’s paradise.
Walking through the ruins, I felt as though the walls still whispered stories of medieval Bengal’s grandeur. The Katra Masjid was undoubtedly the highlight of my trip, an unforgettable glimpse into the Nawabi era. The legend behind the Katra Masjid is an interesting one. They say the roof of this mosque, once built by Murshid Quli Khan, was broken after a curse. It is said that after the battle of Plassey and the killing of Siraj-Ud-Daulah, the son of the new Nawab Mir Jafar, Mir Miran, had killed the mother and aunt of the old Nawab by drowning them in the Ganges with a boat. Begum Ghaseti, the aunt of Shiraj, cursed Miran to be killed by thunder. Almost within a year, a thunderbolt killed Miran. He used to pray in the Katra Mosque every day. It is said that after his death, another thunderbolt hit the mosque, and the grief-stricken father Mir Jafar believed the place to be ill-fated and shifted his army away from Katra. The Nawab's army shifted base from the Katra first time since the time of Murshid Quli Khan during that time.
Begum's Mosque: A Haunting Tale
In the quiet town of Murshidabad lies the tomb of the 'cursed queen' Azimunnissa Begum, daughter of Murshid Quli Khan. Surrounding her existence is a tale wrapped in mystery, tragedy & whispers of the supernatural. I chanced upon it during a trip in 2017.
History says she was a beloved princess, but after her father’s death, the throne passed to her husband, Shuja Ud Daulah, the second Nawab of Bengal. Power made him greedy. He married other queens, favouring them over her. Childless and alone, Azimunnissa’s sorrow deepened.
One chilling legend claims a fakir told her that to bear a child, she must drink the blood from children’s hearts. Perhaps an absurd rumour… or a cruel ploy by her husband to label her a witch & lunatic, erasing her dignity forever. Nevertheless, it earned her tomb the name "Zinda Kabr" because the end was as haunting as her life. She was reportedly buried alive beneath the staircase of the mosque she once built during her father’s reign. The steps still pass right over her tomb. Locals whisper that each time someone walks over her, she blesses them… perhaps seeking love she never received.
Standing there, I felt a wave of melancholy, from royal majesty to a forgotten grave; her story is a reminder of how easily history can silence women’s voices. Azimunnissa Begum remains one of those lost souls wandering between fact & folklore.
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| Gate of the Mosque |
Jagat Seth's House: The centre of conspiracy
The House of Jagat Seth in Murshidabad is now a museum that displays his belongings as an example of the household of a rich trader in medieval Bengal. Jagat Seth and his fellow trader Omichand were natives of Surat, Gujarat, who had settled in Bengal during the Mughal rule to use the port of Calcutta and Haldia for their trades. After coming to power, the young and inexperienced Shiraj Ud Daulah lacked proper guidance and diplomacy. In his impulse, he had imposed heavy taxes on the merchant class as he suspected them of holding too much wealth for their positions. He felt that such wealth for one person could lead to a potential threat to the monarchy. He also suspected them of helping rebellions and aiding the British. Jagat Seth, on getting caught, openly joined hands with Mir Jafar and met Robert Clive at what is today known as Sang E Dalan or Courtyard (of the old palace belonging to Shiraz's aunt) to offer help. He not only helped monetarily but also in kind, with animals and armoury, as well as information about the Nawab to the British. He is suspected of warning the British against Shiraj's popular and successful siege of Calcutta in 1856 as well. After the battle of Plassey, he enjoyed a good position with various trading aides from the East India Company as well. Some stories suggest that he, too, fell from the English favour along with Mir Jafar, as they believed that spies who sold their own motherland couldn't be trusted. True or not, he played an important role in the results of the Plassey that led to the fall of Subah Bangla.
Khosbagh: The final resting place
The tomb of Shiraj Ud Daulah and his grandfather Alivardi Khan is situated in a secluded garden across the river Bhagirathi (distributary of the Ganges). It is said that Khos Bagh, or Khush Bagh as it is called, meaning "Garden of Happiness", was originally a garden of Alivardi Khan where he wished to be buried. After Shiraj was killed, his wife, Luft Un Nissa, requested Mir Jafar to let him lie beside his grandfather. Luft Un Nissa was deported to Dhaka (Janjira Fort) with her child and offered marriage by both Mir Jafar and Mir Miran. She refused both of them. Her daughter died young after having four daughters of her own. She returned to live in this garden after her granddaughters were married. She spent her last days tending to the roses in this garden and was buried beside her husband. (One with the headrest is Shiraj, and beside him lies Luft Un Nisa) The Khos Bagh now lies in a very simple, deserted look and can be reached by boats from the Hazar Duari Palace.
Namak Haram Deori: The murderous gate
The Namak Haram Deorhi, literally meaning the doorway of the traitor, is the entrance to the palace of Mir Jafar. It is where his son Miran had ordered the public killing of Nawab Shiraj Ud Daulah naked in front of the commoners. Such cruelty was very common in those days, especially from one power-hungry ruler to another. Mir Jafar was the general to Alivardi Khan, whose sister he had married. Eventually, when Shiraj came to rule at the age of 23, the young and inexperienced ruler trusted his general too much and lacked foresight. After the battle of Plassey, Shiraj was caught along with his newborn daughter and his wife, Luft Un Nissa, on the Ganges to Dhaka. After killing him brutally, this gate locally came to be known as Namak Harem Deori to remind Mir Jafar's kins of the betrayal. His palace ruins or house cannot be visited as his descendants still live there, and it is private property.
Moti Jheel Masjid:
Moti Jheel Jama Masjid, also called Kala Jama Masjid, was built in 1749 by Nawab Nawaei Muhammad Khan, who was the son-in-law of Nawab Alivardi Khan and husband of his first daughter Ghasetti Begum. It was used by the royals living in the Moti Jheel royal premises till the time of Nawab Siraj Ud Daulah in 1757. The Jama Masjid is used by locals today. In the premises are the graves of some Mughal Generals as well as that of Nawaei Muhammad and his adopted son.
Hazar Duari: The Palace with a thousand doors
The most iconic landmark in the Murshidabad district is the Hazar Duari Palace. Originally, the palace of Murshid Quli Khan, known as Kila Nizaamat it was rebuilt as the Bada Kothi by Nawab Nazim Humayun Jah under the British to act as an official and administrative building with a Durbar Hall. Popularly called a palace with 1000 doors, legend says that the palace has about 200 real doors and nearly 800 false ones to deceive an enemy if attacked. The complex consists of a clock tower, the Bada Imambara (largest, not allowed inside), Madina Mosque, Bacchowali Tope, two more Masjids and the Wasif Manzil, the house of the last Nawab of Bengal. The palace is now a museum maintained by the ASI that houses British artefacts and paintings along with Bengali Silk, Muslin and Paintings.
Kat Gola Palace: A grand testimony of past glory
The Kathgola Palace, also known as the Kathgola temple complex, was built by Lakshmipat Singh Dugar as his summer residence. Apart from the private aquarium and zoo of the owners, this palace houses artefacts, and the pond side is the most interesting. There are tombs attributed to the owner's pets in the garden. Along with that, the domes on four sides of the pond are built in a Mughal fashion, and the most magnificent art in the complex is the archway to a tunnel that looks like a step well. The tunnel leads out to the Bhagirathi and was used as an escape route in case dacoits attacked. The archway is a magnificent wooden area that is built exactly like Shah Jahan's designed marble roofs at Agra. This palace is an example of the kind of grand life and power the merchant class enjoyed in Bengal in the British era.
Nashipur Raj Bari: Ruins speak a thousand words
The Nashipur Raj Bari was originally built by Raja Debi Singha near the Hazar Duari Palace. The latter palace was built by Raja Kirti Chandra Singha Bahadur in 1865. These traders from Bengal established their stronghold in the British Era by supporting the East India Company during the rebellions of 1857. The house, mostly in ruins with its Bengal style of architecture, European pillars, Mughal style arches and large windows, is a classic example of Medieval Bengali Architecture. The palace consists of a Natmancha, a Thakur Dalan (temple complex), a servants' quarter, Andar mahal, court yards, ponds, garden and orchard, as well as a room to hang thieves (chain in picture). The palace now houses rare idols of the Navagraha, saptarshi, idols of Ganesha, Shiva, Vishnu, etc.
Jahan Kosh Cannon:
The Jahan Kosh cannon was a gift from Shah Jahan to his Subedar in Bengal after he had successfully saved Prince Shuja in a battle. This cannon was ignorantly tied to a tree over the years before a lightning hit the tree, prompting the ASI to notice it and hence keep it for public display. The inscription on the cannon is in Persian and says that the Emperor Shah Jahan, in gratitude, built this by Jahan (after whose name it is named) and gifted it to Bengal.
Murshidabad is more than a cluster of palaces and faded grandeur; it’s where echoes of Bengal’s glory linger in mango groves, Mughal-era architecture, and the aroma of home-cooked fish curry. Perfect for a leisurely 2–3 day trip from Kolkata, this is Bengal at its most authentic, unpolished, unhurried, and unforgettable. You will find the pictures of where we travelled to in detail on my Facebook Page.
