Top 10 Historical Places To Visit In Gour (Malda) West Bengal

Gour Malda is famous for its historical monuments and excavation sites. You can visit the place as part of your Malda tour and explore these places.

Located close to the India-Bangladesh border, these monuments will surely take you back in time and help you learn more about a city that was a significant part of Bengal’s history.

In this article, you will get to know about the following historical places in Gour Malda,

Baro Shona Masjid
Daakhil Darwaja
Firoz Minar
Chika Masjid
Gumti Darwaja
Lukochuri Darwaja
22 Gaj Pacchir
Ballal Bati
Kotwali Darwaja
Lotan Masjid

Let’s see each of these places in detail.

1. Baro Shona Masjid

Timings	08:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Entry Fee	Free
Constructed in	1526 AD

Located in Ramkheli, Gour, 12 kilometers south of Malda city, the mosque is close to the India-Bangladesh international borders. It was consecrated in 1526 AD and is the largest mosque in Gaur.

As the name, Baraduari mosque suggests 12 doors, yet it actually has 11. The colossal rectangular structure is built up of Stones and bricks, and the doors have floral patterns made of glazed colored tiles.

The look is marvelous with the surrounding and was constructed to honor Saint Nur Qutab-e-Alam. The mosque is stunning and is worth a visit. The past is reflected in this holy site and gives a feel of a time when people used to chant their prayers here.

The Indo-Arabic style of architecture is still intact to date. It is now an inactive mosque, but you can visit it to witness its beauty.

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2. Daakhil Darwaja

Timings	08:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Entry Fee	Free
Constructed in	1425 AD

This is another site at Gaur that is a must-visit. The Dakhil Darwaza is the entrance to the citadel made by the Lakhnauti rulers in 1425.

The gateway is constructed out of red bricks with terracotta work on it. Two-story towers are built in the four corners of the gate. Some cannons were used to fire from the gate, and therefore it is also known as the Salaami Darwaza.

The sheer magnificence is still seen today as it stands proudly 21 meters in the sky. Guard rooms are situated on each side of the corridor, and the passage in between takes you inside. There’s a vaulted passage behind the smaller arch while you walk through the wider arch. The entire structure is in beautiful harmony and signifies the prestige and dignity of a great emperor.

The historic place is great for a one-day outing with friends and family. Here you will get to know so much of the Bengal’s past.

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3. Firoz Minar

Timings	07:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Entry Fee	Free
Constructed in	1489 AD

Constructed by Sultan Saifuddin Firuz Shah of the Habshi dynasty, the Firoz Minar is a five-story structure built between 1485 to 1489. It is under the Archaeological Survey of India and is located on the Kadam Rasul Road, Gaur, Kanakpur.

This Tughlaqi-style tower is 26 meters elevated and resembles the Qutab Minar of Delhi. The top two stories are circular, and the bottom three are dodecagonal in shape. The structure sits on a masonry pedestal. A spiral staircase of 73 steps winds up to the top of the tower.

The Minar also honors Firoz Shah’s triumph in the war field. The site is also known as Chiragdani or Pir-Asha-Minar. The place is intriguing with all the historical secrets in the complex.

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4. Chika Masjid

Timings	All day
Entry Fee	Free
Constructed in	1475 AD

Chika Masjid is another historical landmark that stands at Gaur. Sultan Yusuf Shah constructed it in 1475. The stunning mosque is now almost falling into pieces but bears the same grace as before.

It is a habitat for a load of bats or ‘Chikas,’ hence the name Chika Mosque. The single domed erection consists of walls adorned with compelling carvings, and the doors have stoneworks depicting portrayals of Hindu idols. There you will find three verandas at the entrance of the mosque.

It is riveting how the mosque has traces of the architectural styles of a Hindu temple. The Arabic carvings also add up to the beauty of the structure.

Drop by in the morning as the atmosphere here remains calm and serene. Greenery fills up the place along with the 500 years old structures. Explore the structure, and learn more about its past.

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5. Gumti Darwaja

Timings	All day
Entry Fee	Free
Constructed in	1459 AD

The Gaur Lakhnauti citadel’s eastern gate is the Gumti Darwaja. It contrasts the Mughal Lukochuri Darwaza to the North. The location of the gate is Kadam Rasul Road, Gaur.

The size of the Darwaja is smaller when compared to the others and constitutes a single-room brick structure. Fluted turrets bound the east and west entrances, and doorways are on each side of the building.

It was built under Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah and later strengthened in 1459 by Sultan Barbak Shah. Later in 1512, Allauddin Hussein Shah upgraded the structure. At the time, it was only for the access of the Royal members.

A solitary dome stands on squinches, and towers are on the corner of the building. These kinds of features are seen throughout the reign of the Sultanate across India.

The structures are remarkable to date with all the works of art and vibrancy. Breathe in the old time and admire the architecture of the forms.

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6. Lukochuri Darwaza

Timings	All day
Entry Fee	Free
Constructed in	1655 AD

After visiting the Gumti Darwaja, if you move a bit toward the north, the Lukochuri Darwaza will stand in front of you. The 17th-century structure is attributed to the son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Shah Shuja.

The genuine Mughal style of architecture is seen all over the gateway. The entry is through the Darwaza by an iwan-type portal, having four centered arches in the heart along with analogous arch doors on the edgeways.

The height goes up to around 20 meters, and the rectangular-styled gate is made out of Bricks. The structure has three floors. On the first floor, you will find flanked doors. Naqqar kanas were there above it for the entry and exit of the governor.

There is a lot more to be seen at the Lukochuri Darwaza and the Mughal rule in this part of Bengal. The site is placed amidst nature and therefore imparts serenity.

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7. 22 Gaj Pacchir

Timings	All day
Entry Fee	Free

Also known as Baisgazi Wall, the Pacchir is located on Kadam Rasul Road, Gaur.

The wall elevates up to 42 feet, and the thickness is 22 Gaz or yards. It was built by Ruknuddin Barbak Shah, son of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah.

The wall was constructed as a protection for the “Haveli Khas” palace in the kingdom of Gaur. The long wall is in ruins now. Still, some portions of it stand tall, showing its glory and the strength it had to work as a shield.

This is a must-visit when you are in Gaur.

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8. Ballal Bati

Timings	All day
Entry Fee	Free

The latest excavation in Gaur is the site of Ballal Bati, or as the locals say, it is a huge mound. The site is excavated in the year 2003.

A lot of the past stories are yet to be known. Some legend says that the remains of the Sena dynasty are beneath the mound, the palace of Kind Ballal Sen.

Through excavations, the foundation of a colossal building is unearthed. It is still a mystery if it is a palace. There are pilar-like structures that have holes in the middle of them. Therefore people are in confusion about the structures. Some believe it is way smaller for the foundation to be an Emperor’s palace.

Drop by the site and figure out the puzzles that the structure indicates.

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9. Kotwali Darwaja

Timings	All day
Entry Fee	Free

Kotwali Darwaja is located on Gaur Road. It was named after Persian Kotwal, the then chief of the city police of Gaur. He was stationed at the south wall to guard the city.

In recent times, you can see the outward towers and bastions with arrow slits formed in rows. The bastions even have fire apertures to fire when the enemy approaches. The side of the towers still has defensive walls that stretch from east to far west.

The eastern wall of the Darwaza runs through the Indian land, enters Bangladesh, and then again redirects its boundary in India through the north, forming the northern wall. The western defensive wall meets at the river.

An international boundary between India and Bangladesh makes its way through the Kotwali Darwaza and therefore is thronged with people. Looking at all the structural details, you can tell that the kingdom of Gaur was once under excellent protection.

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10. Lotan Masjid

Timings	All day
Entry Fee	Free
Constructed in	1475 AD

The religious monument is amongst the best-preserved ones. Located on Gaur Road, it was constructed during the period of the Husain Shahi Sultans in the late 1500s and early 1600s.

The building has a prayer hall in a square shape and a veranda that forms a rectangle. Enter the prayer chamber through an opening having three arches on every side, excluding the Kiblah side. The wall of the Kiblah is sunken with three bow-shaped mihrab niches fundamentally looking over at the eastward entrances.

The four towers at all corners have round flutings and are cleaved into sections. A single dome with a round base roofs the prayer hall, where once, people used to pray.

The structure is adorned with various colored glazed tiles with different patterns, inside and out. Even now, you can witness some of the carvings and works of art on the walls of the Lotan Mosque.

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These are some famous historical monuments and structures to visit in Gour, Malda. They will not fail to impress and astound you. These are some of the best places to visit in Malda.

Each empire can be seen in its raw forms through its lifestyles and taste in architecture. The glorious city was once a prominent kingdom, and you can surely witness it here.

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