Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park, IllamBazar, near Bolpur (Shantiniketan)

Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park

IllamBazar, near Bolpur (Shantiniketan)

The villagers of Amkhoi village, near Bolpur, while digging a pond in 2006 stumbled upon giant bone-like structures. Unable to figure out what they were, they informed the local administration.

Entrance of Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park, Illambazar

These lead to a scientific investigation revealing what look like giant bones were actually fossilized wood. Scientific digging continued at the pond site extracting more such fossilized wood specimen, which was estimated to be 15 to 20 million years old.

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Cossimbazar, colonial mansions, cemeteries and church

Cossimbazar

Colonial mansions, cemeteries, churches and more

Also see: Murshidabad Heritage Festival 2022

The non-descript settlement of Cossimbazar is sandwiched between Murshidabad and Berhampore. Once a busy river port and a flourishing trading center it presently lives in the shadows of its more famous historic counterpart Murshidabad. Only a handful of tourist who visits Murshidabad makes it to Cossimbazar, which have all elements of an independent tourist destination.

Cossimbazar
Top row left to right: Palace of Roys, Nandi Family Mansion and Old English Cemetery
Bottom row left to right: Dutch Cemetery, Dos Shiva Temple and Armenian Church

The emergence of Cossimbazar as a river port happened in the early part of the 17th century long before the emergence of Murshidabad. By the mid of 17th century the Dutch, French and British have already established their trading post (known as factories) in Cossimbazar. Known for its exotic silk Cossimbazr soon started attracting traders from far and wide turning the small settlement into an international trading hub.

Bhot Bagan, Howarah Buddhist Monastery with a tumultuous history

Bhot Bagan

The Howarah Buddhist Monastery with a tumultuous history

Visitors in the Himalayas are all familiar with monasteries. They generally consist of Buddhist shrines of Tibetan origin surrounded by fluttering prayer flags with green hills or snow peaks in the backdrop. But can you imagine such a monastery in the plains of Bengal!! That too right next to the Hooghly River and bang opposite the city of Kolkata.

Bhot Bagan Monastery, Ghusuri, Howrah

Bhot Bagan, literally meaning the Tibetan Garden, is presently located in the winding lanes of Ghusuri in Howrah. It dates back to 1780 and happens to be the oldest Tibetan Buddhist Monastery outside the Himalayas.

Canning House, the last remains of the failed Canning Port Project

Canning House, 24 Parganas (South)

The last remains of the failed Canning Port Project

Since the late 17th century Calcutta (now Kolkata) has flourished as a flourishing river port and contributed a chunk of the trade of East India Company. It also served as the Capital of British India and was considered the second city of the British empire.

Canning House, Canning, 24 Parganas (South)

Plan for a new port: But In the early 1850s it was found that the river was first silting up and the East India Company decided to make a new port further down the river. Surveyors were sent deep into the Sundarban area and they finally came up with a spot on the banks of the Matla River.

Nandadirghi, Buddhist Vihar, Jagjibanpur, Malda

Nandadirghi Vihar

Buddhist Vihar, Jagjibanpur, Malda

Also see: Gour Pandua Tour

During the summer of 1987 Jagadish Gayen, a farmer from the remote village of Jagjibanpur bordering Bangladesh in Malda district, stumbled upon a copper plate. The plate measured 52.5cm x 37.5cm and had inscription on both side.

Ruins of Nandadirghi Vihar at Jagjibanpur under restoration

Gayen had no idea what was written but he could figure out that the plate was something extraordinary. Understanding the historic importance he submitted it at the panchayet office. The plate soon moved to the BDO office and then onwards to the DM office and final made its way to the State Archaeology department.

Murshidabad Heritage Festival 2022

Heritage of Murshidabad, Cossimbazar, Jiaganj and Azimganj

Also see: Murshidabad Heritage Festival 2022

The Murshidabad Heritage Festival is an initiative of Murshidabad Heritage Development Society (MHDS). MHDS was founded in 2010 by the Sheherwali community of Jiaganj and Azimganj with an objective of reviving the tangible and intangible heritage in Azimganj and Jiaganj in particular, and Murshidabad in general.

Participants of Murshidabad Heritage Festival 2022 at Nasipur Rajbari

MDHS plans to bring back Murshidabad in the tourism, cultural and heritage map of India. This lead to the formation of Murshidabad Heritage Festival first edition of which was celebrated in 2011.

Nimasarai Minar of Malda, tower of a medieval inn

Nimasarai Minar, Malda

Tower of a medieval inn

Also see: Gour Pandua Tour

Today Malda town the district headquarters of Malda district serves a base for tourist visiting the two medieval citadels of Gour and Pandua. Today Pandua lies about 32 km north of Malda, while Gour is 15 km south of Malda.

Nimasarai Minar, Malda

Today Malda town with its share of hotels and restaurants serve as a night stay option for tourist heading for the two medieval citadels of Gour-Pandua. Today good roads connect both the ancient towns to Malda and vehicles are readily available for tours covering the monuments of the twin citadels.

Historic Sites of Bardhaman Town

A compilation of historic sites of Bardhaman town

From colossal colonial styled gateways to magnificent Mughal styled mausoleum and from elaborate temple complex to the resting place of the first husband of the Mughal empress Noor Jahan

Clockwise from top left: Curzon Gate, Christ Church, Mazar of Pir Baharam, 108 Shiva Temples, Sarbangla Temple and Nawab Bari

Located about 100 km from Kolkata, the town of Bardhaman predates Kolkata by at least a couple of centuries. It can serve as a interesting day or a weekend trip from Kolkata covering an wide range of historic sites.

Mausoleum of Khwaja Anwar (Nawab Bari), Bardhaman

Mausoleum of Khwaja Anwar (Nawab Bari)

Bardhaman Town, West Bengal

Also see: More on Bardhaman Town

Bardhaman Town, the district headquarters of the Purba Bardhaman District and the former capital of the undivided Bradhaman District has its share of history. From the iconic Curzon Gate to the 108 Shiva Temples of Nawab Hat and from the historic campus of Bardhaman University to the resting place of Sher Afghan, the first husband of the Mughal empress Nur Jahan (Also see: Mazar of Pir Baharam)

Complex of the Mausoleum of Khwaja Anwar (popularly known as Nawab Bari), Bardhaman

But the historical site that stands out among the rest is the magnificent Mausoleum Complex of Khwaja Anwar (popularly known as Nawab Bari), sadly it is all in ruins and overgrown with vegetation.

Mazar of Pir Baharam, Bardhaman

Resting place of Pir Baharam, Sher Afghan Khan and Qutubuddin Koka

Two men lies in eternal rest under exactly similar graves next to each other but it is hard to believe that these men died fighting each other in a deadly ambush more than 500 years ago.

Panoramic view of the Mazar of Pir Baharam, Brdhaman

Next to the two warrior lies a Sufi Saint, who was known for providing drinking water to thirsty travellers. This is the Mazar of Pir Baharam in Bardhaman, which also contains several unmarked and unknown graves.