|
Gone are the golden days of Murshidabad when the Nawab of Bengal
elevated it to the position of state capital. Gone are the nights
when ‘Baijis’ (dancing girls) were brought to charm the
scions of the royal family. Gone are the moments of conspiracy
between the British and the Indian ‘Senapati’ which
culminated in a devastating defeat for the Nawab’s army. Time
has devoured it all – the splendour, the tension, the excitement
and the betrayal. Only the mute spectators remain – the ruined
bricks and walls within which the drama was enacted; the instruments
of war; the swords; the cannons which felt the pressure of the
feverish fingers of the soldiers; the Bhagirathi river along which
the Bojras (houseboats) sailed; the graves, cold and silent –
all testifying to the fact that the characters existed, the play was
enacted and the scenes were tumultuous.
Murshidabad is named after its Nawab, Murshid Quli Khan. He was
born in a Brahmin family, kidnapped and sold to a rich Muslim as a
slave. He converted to Islam and worded his way up by joining the
Mughal army. Murshid Quli Khan’s grit and determination as well
as his valour, impressed Aurangzeb who finally gave him the title of
Nawab of Bengal in 1706. Murshidabad witnessed eventful scenes. The
intrigues of the court led to the downfall of several Nawabs. The
British East India Company coveted this province and finally
succeeded in usurping it. The Battle of Plassey in 1757 is an
important landmark in the history of the town.
The Katra Masjid in Murshidabad has the tombs of Murshid Quli Khan
and his daughter. The masjid is said to have been built along the
lines of the main masjid at Mecca. This five domed mosque,
constructed in the centre of a ‘Katra’ or market in 1723,
was reputed to be a grand seminary of Muslim learning. Its courtyard
could hold about two thousand people to read the Quran collectively.
It also had many little cubicles where the qazis could read the
Quran undisturbed.
Mr. Jafar and his descendants lie buried in a huge area. Opposite
this is the masjid where he read his prayers. Members of this family,
even today, are buried in the same graveyard, which now contains over
a thousand graves.
Across the rive, resting in the midst of a huge garden are Nawab
Ali Wardi Khan and his grandson, Siraj-ud-Daula as well as other
members of their family. It is called the ‘Khosh Baag’ or
the garden of happiness and was built along the lines of the Jama
Masjid of Delhi.
The tombs scattered all over Murshidabad seem to indicate that
even in death the Nawabs believed in style and comfort. But the real
grandeur and style is evident form the magnificent palace – the
‘Hazaar Drari’ built on the banks of the river by Nawab
Humayun Jah. Its thousand doors and windows give this striking
structure its name. Built on a grandiose scale, at the cost of Rs.
18,00,000 this place is now a museum housing invaluable objects.
Apart from the excellent marble used in the construction, one story
of the palace has a collection of historic pieces of armoury. The
swords of Ali Wardi Khan and Siraj-ud-Daula are on display as well as
a cannon used by Murshid Quli Khan. You can also see the cannon that
misfired at Plassey killing one of the two loyal generals of
Siraj-ud-Daula. There are some exclusive paintings of the English
Renaissance style and a library which has an extremely rare copy of
the Ain-i-Akbari written by Abul Fazl.
In front of the palace is the largest Imambara in India, where
even today a fair is held at Muharram. It was originally mad of wood
but after a fire accident it was rebuilt in 1847. You can also try to
move an iron ring of the enormous Jahan Kosha gun. Cast in 1637 it
weighs more than seven tonnes.
In 1780 Rai lakhipat Singh Dugar Bahadur came with his brothers
from Rajasthan. He took some land on Lease from the Nawab. They built
the Kath Golar Bagaan – a large estate remains the private
property of the family. One can find some exquisite marble sculpture
pieces and the temple has both marble and terracotta work with stone
inlay floors and pillars.
A little away from Murshidabad is Plassey – the fabled spot
where the Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757. There is a monument
to mark the spot, and a detailed map and model of the lay-out of the
armies in battle. Siraj-ud-Daula had come armed with 50000 men
against a mere 3000 British soldiers but was betrayed by his main
general Mir Jafar who conspired with the British and refused to order
his men to fight. The British won and the East India Company gained
control over the ‘Bengal Suba’.
Apart from these historical monuments hidden amongst the crowded
houses and narrow roads of the Khagra Bazaar in Murshidabad there are
small niches of exquisite beauty – the ivory marts. According to
legend Tulsi Das Khatamber, a carpenter, live in the house of Nawab.
He learnt the technique of ivory carving form a Chinese craftsman and
started the business in Murshidabad. Soon it became an established
means of livelihood amongst a group of people there and the tradition
has traveled down the generations. Its requires vigorous training and
the craftsman must first master drawing before moving on to carving.
The picture is initially drawn on the ivory and stage by stage, after
chiseling out the rough model, the intricate designs are carved. An 8
inch piece of ivory, with detailed lattice work takes up to five
months to complete.
A kilogramme of good quality ivory costs up to Rs. 3500/- and the
find price of the ivory piece is often prohibitive. The market has
thus shrunk and there have been several regulation regarding the
procurement of ivory within the country. To tap new pastures some
craftsmen are now moving on to sandalwood carving. The Bhaskar family
in Khagra has the unique tradition of having won the National Award
four time for their exquisite pieces.
Murshidabad is also famous for the Bengali muslin and silk.
Weaving was a technique finely developed here and the silk sarees
were pieces or art in themselves. Even though the silk thread itself
is obtained from malda where the climate is right for the mulberry
trees, the weaving is still done at Murshidabad and production is on
the increase. Of course, the heavy brocades are no longer in demand
but those made in large numbers are the traditional ‘garod’
heavy silk sarees with bold borders and intricate work on the
‘Anchal’. Also available are the lighter raw silks, plain
printed silk sarees and the ‘Silk Jamdani.’
Traditional Bengali households use kansa or bell-metal utensils
for daily use and the women have a ‘kolis’ or a pitcher
made of this to collect water. This metal is a mixture of copper and
brass, traditional utensils are still bell metal crafted in
Murshidabad. However in the age of stainless steel it has had to slow
down its pace. It is an expensive metal costing between Rs. 120/- and
150/- per kilogramme but the scrap value is also vry high unlike
stainless steel or brass. The traditional mode of cleaning is by
rubbing the metal with ash and the village woman takes pride in
keeping her pitcher shining like gold. She place it on her waist to
take to the rive or the well or the village community tube-well.
To appreciate the culinary expertise of Murshidabad, one must
taste the ‘Khaja’ – prepared with sugar, lemon and
white sesame seeds (til). Though strictly for those with a sweet
tooth, it is evidence of the region’s long association with
sugarcane, a traditional crop in this district.
The best time to visit the town is in September when the unique
raft-festival is celebrated. Rafts are made fro the trunks of banana
trees and are decorated with coloured paper and released to float in
the river. Amidst cheer and applause, thousands of people scramble on
to the banks of the river to watch the rafts go by. They are lit up
by the numerous earthen lamps placed on them. As the river lights up
it seems as though the glorious past and its splendour has been
regained.
Getting There
Murshidabad town is located approximately 225 kilometres from
Calcutta in the district of the same name. It is about 20 kilometres
from the district capital, Baharampur.
By Rail
The nearest railway station is at Murshidabad town. There is also
a station at Lalbagh which is closer to the Hazaar duari palace and
thus more convenient for tourists.
By Bus
There are buses from Bharampur every hour, which leave from the
main bus stand in Baharampur and go up to Lalbag (the palace area)
from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m., the last bus is at about 6.15 p.m.
Baharampur is on National Highway 34.
Local Transport
While taxis can be hired at Baharampur, the usual mode of
transport is cycle rickshaw. At Murshidabad horse-drawn tongas are
also available.
| 
