HazarDuari, the pride of Bengal

Dhaka was the capital of Subah Bengal during the Mughal period. At that time Kartalab Khan was the Dewan of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Kartalab Khan was a very close and trusted companion of Emperor Aurangzeb. At the request of Kartalab Khan, Aurangzeb decided to move the capital from Dhaka to Maksudabad, a town on the banks of the Bhagirathi river. After the death of Aurangzeb, Murshidabad became the capital of Bengal. The title 'Murshid Quli Khan' was given to Kartalab Khan by the Emperor himself, and changed the name of Maksudabad to 'Murshidabad' after Murshid Quli Khan. Hazarduari is a unique example of architecture located in the city of Murshidabad.

In 1829 Nawab Nazim Humayun Khan laid the foundation stone of this palace. Duncan McLeod was the architect of the whole palace. The palace was inspired by Italian architecture. The construction of Hazarduari, the main attraction of Murshidabad, was completed in 1838.

HazarDuari bears a valuable legacy of ancient Indian history.

The main secret of this 80 feet high three-storey domed palace is hidden in its naming. During that time, thousands of gates were built in the fort to confuse the enemies. Out of a thousand, a hundred doors are artificial, but from the outside, all the doors look real. Hazarduari is one of the most revered historical sites for its stunning architecture. The palace is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The place where Hazarduari is located is called 'Nizamat Qila'. It has a rich collection of valuable antiquities of the Nawabs of Bengal, Mughal period and British period. The sword of Siraj, the last Nawab of Bengal, the silver throne presented by Queen Victoria, an old-fashioned lurking mirror, oil paintings by famous European artists, expensive watches from home and abroad, paintings by the important Italian Renaissance artist Titian, ancient manuscripts and books of the Nawabi period - this palace has a collection of numerous precious things of the world. In addition, the Hazarduari is a treasure trove of valuable historical artefacts, including the gold-plated 'Quran Sharif' and the 'Ain-e-Akbari' manuscript.

Hazarduari is a popular place of interest in Murshidabad. It is currently maintained by the Central Government of India. It takes 5 to 6 hours to tour the whole palace. Many tourists from home and abroad come to Murshidabad every year to visit Hazarduari. About 30,000 people visit this ancient monument every month.