Gauḍa

The historic city of Gauḍa is also known as Gaur, Gour, Lakhnauti, Lakshmanavati and Jannatabador. It was the capital of the Buddhist Palas, then the Hindu Senas and finally the Muslim Nawabs. Numerous monuments stand as a reminder of the glorious period the town once knew.

During the 7th century King Shashanka established the Gour Kingdom. In 1203 it was conquered by Muhammad of Ghori. Between 1453 and 1565, Gauda was the capital of the Bengal Sultanate. During this time a citadel, many mosques, a royal palace, canals and bridges were built. In the 16th century the Mughal Empire took control of the city and it was renamed Jannatabad. Most surviving buildings in Gauḍa date from this period. Later, the city's sacking by Sher Shah Suri and an outbreak of the plague initiated Gauḍa's downfall. The city also lost its strategic location when the Ganges River changed its course.

There are several interesting sites in Gauḍa. The Tantipar Mosque dates from 1480 and boasts beautiful brick moulding. Around the same time, the Lotan Mosque was built. Another mosque is said to contain the stone footprint of Prophet Mohammed. It still retains some of its glazed tiles. The fortified Citadel has a beautiful gateway known as Dakhil Darwaza. It dates from 1474. Inside the Citadel is the 1530 mosque of Kadam Rasul. Next to it stands a tall tower known as Firoz Minar. Also in Gauḍa are the ruins of a huge fort, as well as the tomb of Fath Khan. South of the Citadel you can see the ruins of a palace that once stood there. The Royal Tombs were nearby. Some more Muslim constructions can be seen on the banks of the Sagar Dighi, including the tomb of the saint Makhdum Shaikh Akhi Siraj who died in 1357. Nearby is a 'ghat' used for bathing, where steps take you right down to the water's edge.

Accommodation and restaurants are available in Gaur. The town is on the border with Bangladesh, 100 km north of Kolkata (Calcutta) and 1260 km southeast of Delhi.