Gour-Pandua is the medieval capital of Bengal. They are twin towns located to the north and south of Malda town, 340 km from Kolkata, in West Bengal. Malda is the base for a visit to Gour-Pandua. The area saw three eras of glory - the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Sultan. The Senas, the last Hindu kings of Bengal, were displaced by the Muslims in the beginning of the 13th century. They ruled till the Battle of Palashi in 1757. There is no trace of any shrine or structure of the Buddhist or Hindu periods. Even those of the Muslim period are virtually in ruin.
It is about 7-8 hours from Kolkata. All trains going to North Bengal stop at Malda. Convenient connections – Gour Express from Sealdah, Shatabdi and Intercity Express from Howrah.
The normal route is to take NH 34, which links Siliguri with Kolkata, but the longer route via Durgapur Expressway from Dankuni, Grand Trunk Road from Saktigarh to Panagarh bypassing Bardhaman town, and then taking the Panagarh-Moregarm Expressway up to Morgram on NH 34 is a more comfortable and enjoyable option.
Ramkeli – 14 km south of Malda- contains footprints of Sri Chaitanya on stone.
Bara Sona Masjid – Half a kilometre from Ramkeli, it is also called Baro Duari Masjid. It was, started by Allaudin Shah and completed by his son, Nasiruddin Nusrat Shah in 1526. The Indo-Arabic style of architecture and the ornamental stone carvings make Baroduari a special attraction for tourists.
Dakhil Darwaza – Built in 1425 and also known as Salami Darwaza it was once the main entry for the fort. It is more than 21 metres high and 34.5 metres wide.
Feroze Minar – A kilometre away from Dakhil Darwaja, it was built by Sultan Saifuddin Feroze Shah during 1485-89. 26 metres high and 19 metres in circumference, it resembles the Qutub Minar of Delhi.
Chika Masjid - Sultan Yusuf Shah built the Chika Mosque in 1475. The beautifully ornate carvings on the walls and the images of Hindu idols on the stonework of doors and lintels are still partly visible.
Kadam Rasul - Half a kilometre from the Feroze Minar, this mosque was built by Sultan Nasiruddin Nusrat Shah in 1530. It contains the footprints of Hazrat Muhammad on stone.
Tomb of Fateh Khan - Opposite the Kadam Rasul Mosque this 17th century tomb of a commander of Aurangzeb's army is an interesting structure, built in the Hindu chala style.
Tantipara Masjid – a short distance away has intricate terracotta work.
Lukochuri Darwaja – Located to the south-east of the Kadam Rasul Mosque, this is a place where the sultans played hide and seek with the begums. There is a difference of opinion as to who built this gate, some say that Shah Shuja built it in 1655, others opine that it was built by Allauddin Hussein Shah in 1522. The innovative architectural style makes it an interesting place to visit.
There are a number of other places that one can visit if one has the time.
Adina Masjid - built in 1369 by Sultan Sikander Shah it was one of the largest mosques in India. Carved basalt masonry from earlier Hindu temples is said to have also been used.
Qutb Shahi Masjid - locally known as the Chhoto Sona Masjid, built to honour Saint Nur Qutb-ul-Alam. The ruins of his shrine are nearby, along with that of Saint Hazrat Shah Jalal Tabrizi, collectively known as the Bari Darga.
Eklakhi Mausoleum is the most elegant monument in Pandua, with a carved Ganesh on the doorway. It is a tomb of the son of a Hindu Raja, who converted to Islam.
Malda is famous for mango,called "mango city".Otherwise Nothing special about Malda but those who are very keen can look for Murshidabad silk. Those who are travlling by car can look for fresh vegetables, particulalrly extra-large aubergines.
There are some good sweet-meat shops with local varieties.
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Farakka Barrage – about 35 km south of Malda. It is on NH 34 and those travelling by road from Kolkata will cross it.
Murshidabad – about 140 km from Malda
Siliguri – about 250 km from Malda
Kolkata – about 347 km from Malda
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