//
City in West Bengal
Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Murshidabad (Bengali: মুর্শিদাবাদ Murshidābād) is a historic town in central West Bengal. It was the capital of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha during the Nawab rule. The last capital city of independent Bengal was named after Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, the Diwan of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. It is situated on the banks of the Bhagirathi River. A city of splendours and famous for its silk, it was made the capital of Bengal in 1717. The British East India Company starts its journey from that place. The British shifted the capital to Calcutta in 1773.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Palace of Thousand Doors
A palace of 1000 doors - 900 real and 100 fake. The palace was constructed by Duncan Macleod in 1837 on the orders of Sayyid Mubarak Ali Khan II, popularly known as Humayun Jah (reign: 1824 - 38) at the site of the old fort known as Nizamat Quila. It has a typical European style of architecture. This has now been converted into a museum. The Hazarduari Palace Museum is regarded as the biggest site museum of Archaeological Survey of India and has got 20 displayed galleries containing 4742 antiquities out of which 1034 has been displayed for the public. The antiquities include various weapons, oil paintings of Dutch, French and Italian artists, marble statues, metal objects, porcelain and stucco statues, farmans, rare books, old maps, manuscripts, land revenue records and palanquins mostly belonging to eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The imambara is a congregation hall for Shia commemoration ceremonies, especially those associated with the remembrance of Muharram. It is situated just opposite the palace. It was built in 1847 by Nawab Nazim Mansoor Ali Khan Feradun Jah (reign: 1838 - 80), at the site of the old wooden imambara built earlier by Siraj-ud-daulah and damaged by fire. The present Imambara is 680 feet long. It is divided into three large quadrangles: the central quadrangle has the Madina Mosque and the Memberdalan; the eastern quadrangle has the Nowbat Khana; the western quadrangle has a two-storied mosque.
Ghari Ghar
There is a Clock Tower between Hazarduari and Imambara. It was built by Sagar Mistri, assistant of Duncan Macleod. At the top of the tower is a big heavy sounding bell.
The barrel is 11′6″ long, with a girth in the middle of 7′9″. Made between the 12th and 14th centuries, it weighs 7657 kg. Look out for brass inlay lines and designs on the cannon.
The Chawk Mosque was built in 1767 by Munni Begum wife of Mir Jafar. The mosque has five domes and approached through an entrance flanked with minerates
South Gate
The southern entrance of Quila Nizamat. The single arch entrance is surmounted by a Nawbat Khana, where royal instruments were played. The entrance is large & high enough for an elephant to pass with a howdah on its back. It was built by Nawab Ahmad Ali Khan. The Ghari Ghanta just north of the Dakshin Darja consists of a bell on top of a bastion.
The old Madina Mosque built by Siraj ud-Daulah is in front of the Imambara. A new Madina Mosque was built as a part of the Imambara.
A small mosque located opposite the main entrance of the Hazarduari complex.
White Mosque
The white coloured Safed Mosque was built by Siraj ud Daulah in 1756 - 57. The three-domed mosque lies on the banks of Bhagirati and is near the Dakshin Darwaza (South Gate).
The triple arched gate is topped with a nahabatkhana. The arches are high enough to let elephant pass. It was built by Nawab Shuja Uddin Khan who succeeded Murshid Quli Khan.
The original palace was destroyed in an earthquake. The present palace was built by Nawab Wasif Ali Mirza Khan, the Nawab of Murshidabad. It has been beautifully restored. Behind the Wasif Manzil lie the ruins of Begum Mahal.
Yellow Mosque
Zurad Masjid or the Yellow Mosque is located a few yards from the Hazarduari Palace and is on the banks of the River Bhagirathi. It was built by Siraj - ud - Daula. It has three domes and is yellow in colour.
An abandoned mosque, with only two of its five domes being completed. Sarfaraz Khan (reign: 1739-40) started its construction in 1740, but after his defeat and death, the construction was abandoned and ever since then the mosque lies in that same state. It is 135 feet long and 38 feet broad. The centre of the western wall houses a triple mihrab.
Built by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan (reign: 1717 -27) in 1723 AD. It is damaged but well maintained. The main mosque had five domes, out of which two collapsed in the earthquake of 1897. Many of the buildings in and around the mosque also collapsed during the earthquake. 2000 people could offer prayers in the mosque at the same time.
Destroyer of the World
The Topekhana was to the south-east of the Katra Masjid, and there still is a huge cannon named Jahan Kosha (Destroyer of the World), which is said to have been brought from Dhaka when Mushid Quli Khan shifted his capital.
Mosque of Shahamat Jang
Just outside the Motijhil Park, this mosque is the only remnant of the nawab period in the Motijhil area. The mosque was built by Nawab Nawaei Muhammad Khan, husband of Ghasuti Begal and dates back to 1750. It consists of three domes and four corner minarets. There are five graves in front of the mosque and including that of Nawab Nawaei Muhammad Khan.
Khoshbagh, Garden of Happiness
Cemetery of Alivardi Khan, his grandson Siraj-ud-Daulah and other members of their family. The complex also hosts a three-domed mosque at the western end.
One of the 51 Shakti Pithas and the oldest temple in Murshidabad. It is believed that the crown (kirit) of Sati fell here. The present main structure of the temple complex dates back to 19th century. The complex houses a host of old and new temples and some of them are on the verge of collapse. The complex lies next to a pond and beyond it lies the structure of the original temple. The structure is abandoned and is hardly visited by the thousands of devotees visiting the temple complex. There is a legend that Nawab Mir Jafar on his death bed had requested the holy caraṇāmr̥ta (holy water) of Maa Kiriteswari while suffering from leprosy.
Houses the tomb of Nawab Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan, son-in-law and successor of Murshid Quli Khan. There is a mosque known as Shuja-ud-Din's mosque, which was most likely built by Alivardi Khan after Shuja-ud-Din's death.
A park complete with toy train rides and a children's activity centre.
On the bank of Bhagirathi and very close to Hazarduari.
AC Non AC Rooms * Bar Cum Restaurant
নেতাজী আবাস Netājī Ābās
50 seats in dormitory.
These are figured silk sarees produced in the town of Baluchar in Murshidabad district. Baluchar sarees essentially have a silk base with silk brocaded designs with respect to their colours, where in spite of a rich composition, the Baluchar bootidars almost avoid strong contrasts. Each pattern is treated in a colour which harmonises with the ground on which it is laid. The most popular colours used are red, blue, yellow, green and scarlet. The Baluchari sarees have large floral motifs interspersed with flowering shrubs. Traditionally the Muslim community was also known to produce these Baluchars with figured patterns depicting court scenes, horse with a rider, women smoking hookah. The Kalka design or the cone motif is often surrounded with floral borders.
Most Baluchar artisans have long migrated to Bishnupur. Hence Murshidabad is no longer famous for the Baluchari sari. Rather one can purchase a Murshidabad silk kora sari than particularly for different types of embroidery works in Kolkata. These things are available in most Khadi shops in Berhampore and Khagra. But purchase it if they provide a rebate of 20% on its printed price. Most of them give it throughout the year even when the government subsidy is not available.
By train
By bus
Regular long distance buses are also available from Kolkata. Volvo bus service is available for the Kolkata-Berhampore route.
By auto rickshaw. Cars are also available for hire. Horse-drawn carriage is also an option for short distances. There are no fixed rates so bargaining is required.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Rajshahi · Regional · RJH
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Murshidabad and India.
Travel tipsExplore the rainy seasons in Asia month by month. Compare Southwest and Northeast monsoons, typhoon belts, dry island escapes, and travel dates.
8 min read
Travel tipsSpot and avoid common tourist scams in India, including fake train ticket offices, closed hotel lies, rigged auto-rickshaws, and temple donation tricks.
8 min read
Travel tipsFull 2026 list of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries for Indian passport holders. Check entry requirements, stay limits, and transit visa rules.
6 min read
InspirationDiscover the best places to visit in India, from Delhi monuments and the Taj Mahal in Agra to Jaipur forts, sacred Varanasi ghats, and Kerala backwaters.
6 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.