A trip to Malda, the district in West Bengal famous for its mangoes, might be the last thing on your mind when you plan your weekend getaway in this heat. However, if the unusual combination of fruit and flashback attracts you, then this small town just eight hours from Kolkata, with a veritable treasure of Mughal architecture in its vicinity, could well be your destination next weekend.

The town itself is nothing to write home about and looks like any other suburban setting in the state with its congested roads and rows of shops. It’s Gour, once the capital of Bengal and just an hour’s drive away from Malda, that promises to be a great experience.

Gour makes the must-visit list simply because it has at least five different ruins of mosques and palaces that were built by nawabs who ruled Bengal at various times. In fact, the Adina Masjid was built at least 200 years before the structures of Gour and is testimony to the architectural excellence of the time.

The ruins of Gour and Adina Masjid, though in opposite directions, can be visited in a day. The mosque is a 40-minute bus ride from the central bus stop in Malda. Built with slim, red bricks and black marble, the structural remains of the huge mosque speak not just of the excellent craftsmanship, but also of the customs of the times.

A section of the mosque, replete with jharokhas and arches on the marble floor, was reserved for the king and his women. The serene and lush green surroundings of the mosque tempts one to breathe easy in the cool confines of the structure.

The trip to Gour isn’t as smooth as that to Adina. The road seems to be in worse shape than the century-old structures it leads you to. Moreover, there aren’t any buses to Gour, so one needs to avail of a shuttle tempo that resembles an overflowing cauldron with people clinging on for dear life. An hour of jumping and bumping later, one arrives at a cluster of exquisite ruins that lure the visitor to linger.

Maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, the excavated spots were built around the 14th century with the same kind of slim, red bricks that one sees at Adina. The carvings on the pillars and domes, which have been built primarily out of red or black stone, reveal both Indian and Persian influences.

At the entrance to the ruins, an open field is readied for the biggest annual fair of the district, set to take place as soon as the mangoes begin to ripen. Usually celebrated in the beginning of May, a trip at that time would add to the Malda experience a taste of the village fair, too.

How to get there:

Take the Gour Express that leaves Sealdah at 10.15 pm daily, reaching Malda town around 5 am next morning. Buses and private taxis take you to the heart of the town from the station.

Where to stay:

The British-style Malda Circuit House in New Malda is the best place to stay. A number of private hotels are also available in Malda town.

For advance booking, contact: Malda Circuit House.
Phone: 03512-251274



The Telegraph