Gauda tourism has received a new push from the Malda district administration, which has begun illuminating major historic monuments and is planning sound-and-light features, visitor amenities and regular cultural programmes at the heritage site.
The initiative covers several monuments at Gauda, also known as Gour, including the Ramkeli temple, Lukochuri Darwaza, Firoz Minar and Baroduari. The structures were lit up on Thursday as part of celebrations marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. According to administrative sources, the illumination will continue.
Malda district magistrate Rajanvir Singh Kapur said the administration’s objective was to “bring Gauda back to life” and present the historic site as a more attractive destination for visitors. He said Gauda was located close to the district headquarters and had significant historical importance. The district administration is now preparing additional plans to develop the site as a major historic tourism destination.
Gauda’s heritage is connected to several phases of Bengal’s political history. Radhagobinda Ghosh, a researcher on Malda and a national award-winning teacher, said the city served as the capital of Bengal during different periods rather than continuously. It became a major political centre during the early medieval period and was later known as Lakhnauti under Muslim rule.
The capital shifted to Pandua during the 14th and 15th centuries before returning to Gauda in the 15th century, Ghosh said. The city eventually declined and was abandoned in the 16th century, with changing river courses and political developments contributing to its fall. Ghosh also noted that Vaishnava figure Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Ramkeli, near Gauda, in 1515.
The administration is expected to discuss the proposed development initiatives with the Archaeological Survey of India. Additional district magistrate Saptarshi Nag said officials were considering an aarti in front of a large lake at Gauda, along with a cafeteria serving special dishes and sweets from Malda.
The district administration is also exploring regular cultural programmes, preferably on weekends, to make visits more attractive to tourists. Kapur said the administration intended to extend the approach to other historically prominent locations, including Pandua and Jagjibanpur, with the broader aim of developing a tourism circuit across Malda.
