Malda

Malda

The gateway to North Bengal, Malda, with its rich history and heritage, is one of the most famous tourist destinations of West Bengal, nestled at the confluence of the Mahananda and Kalindi rivers. Malda town, with all its grace, adds to the beauty of Bengal.

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Malda was previously known as English Bazaar. It got that name from the English factory that was established here in 1771. From Malda, you can visit Gaur and Pandua. Gaur was the capital of three dynasties of ancient Bengal - the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs. Pandua, once the alternate seat of power to Gaur, has the third largest concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal. Historical monuments include the mosque Jami Masjid (1566) and the landmark Nimasari tower across the river. The Malda Museum has a great collection of the regions architectural and anthropological specimens.

During the 18th century, Malda was the seat of prosperous cotton and silk industries. The area grows rice, jute, legumes and oilseeds. Malda is also famous for its mangoes and mulberries.

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By Air: Nearest airport to Malda is Bagdogra Airport.

By Rail: By rail, Malda is on the main line between Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri, served by numerous trains from the major cities of India.

By Road: Malda is easily accessible by road from any part of the rest of the India. The National Highway 34 passes through the District. NBSTC, SBSTC, CSTC buses and many privately operated buses ply between Kolkata and Malda.

silk

silk

The Malda district of West Bengal is famous for large-scale silkworm culture and the vast production of one of the finest silks in the country. Hence, it is no surprise that one of the most in-demand sarees from Bengal is the Tussar silk saree that is traditional, classy, and timeless in appeal. Tussar silks are often used as a canvas for Kantha work or as a base for Baluchari sarees. Also, handloom Tussar silks with solid-coloured bodies and woven patterns on the pallu are the most popular variety from this region. Majorly spun in the Malda and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal, these sarees are rich and elegant.

wooden mask

It is typically associated with the traditional Gambhira performances, one of the unique art forms observed in this region. Gambhira performances are characterized by use of colorful wooden masks that represents various characters from Hindu mythology and folklore. These masks are typically hand carved from the jackfruit wood and painted with bright colors.

wooden mask

gambhira

gambhira

Gambhira is a traditional form of Bengali folk music and dance that originated in Malda district. It is usually performed by male artist who wear colorful costumes and wooden masks. The performers usually dance to the beats of traditional instruments such as dhol, kartal and harmonium. The songs and dance usually deals with a range of themes including social issues, mythology etc. Gambhira Festival is basically a socio-religious celebration that is celebrated to worship and seek blessings from Shiva. As a part of these religious festivals, the followers wear colourful clothes with a hope of getting the blessings of God at the beginning of the upcoming new year.

ramkeli fair

ramkeli fair

Ramkeli, a small village in Malda, is famous for being the temporary home of Sri Chaitanya, the great religious reformer of Bengal. One can still see a conglomeration of two 'Tamal' and two 'Kadamba' trees, under which the saint is said to have meditated. A small temple constructed under this tree contains a stone with Sri Chaitanya's footprints. Every year, on the Jaishthya Sankranti, celebrations are held to commemorate the arrival of Sri Chaitanya. A week-long fair also starts on this day. Vaishnav devotees from all over India gather here at this time where ritualistic songs are performed.

alkap

alkap

Alkap is a village dance-drama performance prevalent in West Bengal's Rajshahi, Murshidabad, and Malda areas. It's a unique combination of dance, drama, and music. Alkap is comparable to Jatra, a type of theatre popular in rural areas. It's a musical play in which a cast performs dance and sings songs with dialogue.

santhali dance

santhali dance

Santhali dance is one of the popular folk dances of West Bengal. Santhali dances mostly revolve around religious celebrations of the Santhali community, who have a dance for almost every occasion. They have harvest dance which is known as ‘Sohrai’; and they have ‘Dasai’ dance which is performed before Durga puja. This dance form reflects the beauty of the folk culture of West Bengal. Different musical instruments like Madol, Flute, Dhamsa, Jhanj, Kartal have been accompanied with this traditional dance form.

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Malda

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