Why visit Murshidābād
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Nashipur Rail Bridge and Hazarduari Palace.
Weather in Murshidābād
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Murshidābād
Murshidabad (Bengali pronunciation: [murʃidabad]) is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. This town is the headquarters of Lalbag subdivision of Murshidabad district. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River. During the 18th century, Murshidabad was a prosperous and cosmopolitan town.
From the Wikipedia article Murshidabad (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Murshidābād on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks4
Hazarduari Palace
Museum
Historical building of Murshidabad, West Bengal
Schools, colleges and libraries1
Healthcare4
History
The area was part of the Gauda Kingdom and Vanga Kingdom in ancient Bengal. The Riyaz-us-Salatin credited the initial development of the town to a merchant named Makhsus Khan. The merchant's role is also mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari.
During the 17th-century, the area was well known for sericulture. In 1621, English agents reported that large quantities of silk were available in the area. During the 1660s, it became a pargana of the Mughal administration, with jurisdiction over European companies in Cossimbazar.
In the early 18th-century, Murshid Quli Khan, the prime minister of Bengal Subah, had a bitter rivalry with Prince Azim-ush-Shan, the viceroy of Bengal. The latter even attempted to have Khan killed. The Mughal court in Delhi was also rapidly losing authority in much of the subcontinent. Amid the decline of the central government, the Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar promoted Khan to the status of a princely Nawab. As Nawab, Khan was given the opportunity to create a princely dynasty as part of the Mughal aristocracy.
From the History section of Murshidabad on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Map of Murshidābād
10 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Malda Airport (LDA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 93 km away.
- Baharampur 9 km south, about 9 min by car
- Lālgola 27 km north, about 27 min by car
- Beldānga 28 km south, about 28 min by car
- Kāndi 34 km southwest, about 34 min by car
- Debīpur 36 km east, about 36 min by car
- Jangipur 37 km northwest, about 37 min by car
- Rajshahi 40 km northeast, about 40 min by car
- Karīmpur 42 km southeast, about 42 min by car
- Nawābganj 45 km north, about 45 min by car
- Navadwīp 87 km south, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Hazarduari Palace West Bengal, Shaunak Roy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hazar Duari palace, Abhishek Ghosh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Minar at Hazar Duari complex, Abhishek Ghosh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nizamat Imambara in Murshidabad 01, Subrata Ghose, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.