INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025

Developing a Comprehensive Plan of Tourism for Malda District,

West Bengal

Dr. Sreejita Mukherjee

Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Raja Birendra Chandra College, Kandi Rajbati, Kandi,

Murshidabad, West Bengal, PIN: 742137, India

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100344

Received: 03 December 2025; Accepted: 08 December 2025; Published: 10 December 2025

ABSTRACT

Malda district is located in the central part of West Bengal. It is the most important link between the north and

southern parts of the state and shares an international border with Bangladesh in the east. The district is rich in

historical ruins from the Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic reigns. It is the mango capital of the state with vast orchards

and three varieties of premium mangoes getting the GI tag. The rich tourist heritage however has not been

exploited properly. The monuments are now lying in ruin and suffering from neglect. Necessary infrastructure

is lacking and almost no efforts have been made to promote and advertise tourism industry in the district. There

is also ample scope of developing ancillary industries like the souvenir industry, mango processing units, local

and tribal crafts etc. Though there is ample scope, the district suffers from problems like poor development of

accommodation, minimal effort to preserve the architectural heritage, no coherent plan of tourism development,

lack of infrastructure like proper guides, shops and facilities at the tourist spots as well as a less than sterling

reputation about safety and security. This paper seeks to describe the various tourist resources and identify the

problems. Information has been collected mainly from secondary sources like articles, newspaper reports,

Government surveys, websites and blogs as well as from personal visit by the author. It also puts forward a

comprehensive plan for the development of tourism in Malda.

Keywords: Malda, Tourism, Heritage, Mango, Kirtan

INTRODUCTION

The Eastern state of West Bengal in India is rich in both historical and geographical diversity. It has therefore

attracted tourists from India as well as abroad. However, most of the tourists visit the magnificent Himalayas in

the North or the unique marshy mangroves of Sunderbans in the south. Recently, the western plateau region of

Purulia is attracting tourists, especially during the early spring when the forests there turn red with Palash

flowers. On the other hand, the central part of the state has largely been ignored by the tourists.

The district of Malda is located almost exactly midway in the state. It lies 347 kms away from Kolkata. It

stretches from 24°40’20” N to 25°32’08” N and 87°45’50” E to 88°28’10” E, covering an area of 3733 sq kms.

Malda forms a part of the moribund delta region of the Ganga. It is a flat land where agriculture is the main

economic activity.

The region is rich in historical and heritage sites. There is also a variety of natural resources which can be

innovatively used to promote tourism. However, the real gap is in innovation and organization. Tourism as an

economic activity was never given much importance in this district. It has been overshadowed by the mountains

of the north, the deltas of the south, the temples of Birbhum and the unique vegetation of the western plateau.

As a result, it has lost a golden avenue of revenue generation.

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

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Fig. 1.: Malda District in West Bengal, India

While tourism will never be the main economic activity, it has the potential to provide considerable job

opportunities in the district.

Objectives

The objectives of this paper are as follows:

 Describe the various tourist resources of the state of Malda

 Identify the problems of developing tourism in the region.

 Suggest various means to overcome these problems so that tourism becomes a viable alternative.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

This study has been conducted using secondary sources including government documents and websites, journal

articles and travel information. The author has visited all the places and has drawn upon her personal experience.

Interviews have been conducted with local people, the pujaris of the temples and local shopkeepers to obtain a

clear idea.

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The historical tourist resources of Malda

Historically, Malda is one of the most important districts of West Bengal. Its ancient name is Gour. According to

several scholars, the name comes from the high quality ‘Gur’ or jaggery that was produced here. The famous

king Sashanka had established a powerful Hindu kingdom here at that time. His successors could not hold on to

it and Malda came under the rule of the Buddhist monarchs. It was the capital of both the Buddhist Pala and

Hindu Sena dynasties. The majesty of Bengal rose to new heights under the rule of these kings. This was followed

by the rule of the Sultans and Nawabs. Each dynasty had left their imprint on the culture and heritage of the

region (Ray, 1961). Though most of their constructions are now in ruins, they provide invaluable resources for

the development of heritage tourism. The Muslim rulers patronized art and construction. So, in addition to the

major architecture, several small and medium monuments were put up in the district (Ross, Saxena, Correia &

Deutz, 2017). Most of them have fallen into disrepair, but timely intervention can preserve these invaluable

resources.

All the monuments have now been taken over by the Archaeological Survey of India. Some of the most important

archaeological sites and monuments are as follows:

 The Adina Mosque is the largest in India. It was built in 1373. Though most of the huge structure lies in

ruins, it is still possible to distinguish elements of Arab, Persian and Byzantine influence.

 The Dakhil Darwaza or Salami Darwaza, build in 1425, stands as the point from where canons were

fired to honour someone. It still remains a beautiful example of terracotta architecture.

 The Qadam Rasul Mosque was built in 1530 and houses a stone tablet with the footprint of the prophet.

 The Baraduari Masjid was built in 1526. At one time, it had 44 domes with gilded tops. Much of the

structure lie in ruins.

 The Lukochuri Darwaza (1655) is another doorway.

 The Chamkan or Chika Mosque (1475) is archeologically significant because of its similarity with

Hindu temple, arched roof and octagonal pillars

 The Firoza Minar is Bengal’s answer to the Qutb Minar. This 25.6 meter high pillar is a victory pillar

and has intricate carvings.

 The Eklakhi Mausoleum is another beautiful monument here

 The Lotan Masjid (1476) was covered with colored enamel tiles. Most of them have been destroyed,

but the interior is better preserved. It remains one of the most beautiful monuments of Gour.

 The remains of the massive Baisgazi wall is truly marvellous to behold. This was probably a wall

constructed to protect the inner sanctum of the palace. Only a small portion remain now, but it is no less

majestic.

 Next to this huge wall lies Ballal Bati. This vast mound was excavated only in 2003. Opinions vary

widely about its nature and purpose. It is definitely much older than the Islamic structure. Some identify

it as the place of the Sena king Ballal Sena while others think it is the ruins of an ancient Buddhist

monastery. Mysterious circular pits with holes can be seen.

All these monuments are located very near to each other. They are a proud reflection of the heritage of Bengal.

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

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Fig 2: Eklakhi Mausoleum

Fig 3: Adina Mosque (Interior)

Fig 4: Baroduari or Baro Shona Masjid

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

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Fig.5: Ballal Bati

The religious tourist resources of Malda

When it comes to religious tourist spots, the neighbouring district of Birbhum largely overshadows Malda, but

it still has a few unique spots which attract a large number of people.

 Johura Kali temple is the best known Hindu temple of the district. It is devoted to Goddess Kali. At one

time it was a small structure where a stone was worshipped as the deity. However, as it has become more

and more popular, the temple has been renovated. The idol has been restored and the temple premises

have been expanded. A huge fair occurs here from middle of April to mid May. Recently, the area around

the temple has been cleaned in order to hold the fair. This temple is best known for curing diseases which

attracts devotees all year round.

 Ramkeli is probably the most famous religious spot of Malda. It is located in the small village of the

same name. it is said that Sri Chaitanya – the great Vaishnava saint of medieval Bengal, visited this spot

while travelling to Puri. One of his famous disciples was Sanatan Goswami, who build the original temple

and preserved the footprint of the great saint here. Since then, Ramkeli has gained special significance

for Vaishnav community. In recent years, the temple has been fully renovated. The most unique feature

is the huge fair held around this temple in the Bengali month of Jaistha. It is one of the largest

congregations of Vaishnavas in Bengal. The greatest attraction of the fair is the traditional Vaishnav

devotional songs or Kirtan which is held here non stop for several days. Kirtan is sung in a specific way

by a group of people – each using different specific instruments. It is one of the indigenous and gradually

disappearing cultural heritage of Bengal. During the Ramkeli fair, Kirtan artists from all over the state

come here to perform and exchange ideas. Hence, this fair plays a very important role in preserving an

intangible cultural heritage of Bengal.

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 In addition to the above spots, there are two other lesser known religious spots in Malda. These are two

Shiva temples, one located in Gobindapur near the Johura temple and the other at Malopara. The

terracotta art on these temples attract the true enthusiasts.

Fig. 6: The renovated temple at Ramkeli

The cultural tourist resources of Malda

Two most important cultural tourist resources of Malda are as follows:

 The Ramkeli Kirtan is an intangible cultural resource. Kirtan is a special type of devotional song of the

Vaishnavas performed by a group of at least four people. Instruments like Mridang, Khol, Sanai are used.

It is a chant type music. It either relates stories of Radha and Krishna or the great saint Sri Chaitanya.

The vocalist often chant the name of the deity repeatedly. Kirtan was extremely popular at one time, but

it is slowly disappearing. The month long fair at Ramkeli plays a vital role in preserving this heritage.

 The Malda Museum is small but well maintained with a surprisingly rich collection. Since the district

has been the capital of several dynasties, relicts and artifacts are often found here during normal digging.

Several pieces has been donated by local people who often had the relicts in their family for generations.

The displays are well kept, but unfortunately there are no guides to explain the significance of the pieces.

 There are two very important intangible cultural resources in Malda. These are the Gambhira mask and

the Nakshi Kantha. Gambhira masks are traditional tribal masks used to perform a satirical theatre called

Gambhira dance to drive out evil forces and please the gods. They were generally made of wood of neem

or fig trees and are hand painted, but nowadays clay and tin are also used. It is a skilful process. The Craft

Council of West Bengal sell the small masks as souvenirs. The Nakshi kantha are embroidered hand made

quilts produced by village women. It is an intricate art and is on the verge of disappearing.

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Fig.7: Some samples from the Malda Museum

The natural tourist resources of Malda

 Malda is known as the Mango capital of Bengal. At present, three varieties of mangoes of Malda has

obtained the GI tag from the government of India. These are the Fazli mango, Himsagar mango and

Lakshmanbhog mango (Das, 2023). The Fazli mangoes are probably the most common. These are large

sweet fruits which grow in large numbers. The best quality is the Himsagar which is almost fibreless and

very sweet. The Lakshmanbhog is a beautiful golden coloured mango. Siddiqui (2015) and others

conducted a detailed study of mango cultivation and mango based economy of Malda. He pointed out

that while there are about 1100 mango varieties, 250 varieties are cultivated commercially in Malda. The

area under mango orchards have expanded from 21.68 thousand hectares in 1990-91 to 27.40 thousand

hectares in 2010- 11 (Siddiqui, 2015, District Horticultural Office). These orchards can be a major tourist

resource if proper infrastructure is made available. Mango tourism has already gained recognition, with

the mango fair being the major attraction. Apart from that, mango itself is a major attraction. The Malda

Research Station of the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow organized an exhibition

of 250 rare varieties (ETV Bharat, 2015). While the primary aim was to encourage the stakeholders of

the mango economy, its attraction for the tourists is undeniable. The mango products like dried mango

pulp, mango jelly, jam, chutney and pickles are some of the most important souvenirs that tourists can

buy in Malda (Das, 2017).

 Silk products are another important tourist resource of the district. Malda is known for sericulture and

production of various qualities of silk like garad, matka and tussar. These are used to weave different

products and also sold to other districts (Das, 2017). This economy provides a scope for developing silk

tourism in the district.

The problems of tourism industry of Malda

Hoque (2024) had analysed the status of tourism industry in Malda. A clearer picture emerges from a survey

conducted by Datamation Consultants Pvt. Ltd. under the direction of the Ministry of Tourism, between April

2014 to March 2015. An analysis of this table reveal that Malda receives a very small share of both domestic

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025

and foreign tourists out of the total tourists visiting the state. The percentage of domestic overnight tourists as

well as day visitors range from 1% to 4% while that of foreign tourists range from 0.1% to 0.3%. The data clearly

reveal that tourism is not at all developed in the state.

Table 1: Number of tourists visiting Malda

Month

No.

of No. of same Percentage

day visitors domestic

of Percentage

same

of No.

day foreign

of Percentage

of

domestic

overnight

tourists

foreign tourists

visiting

Bengal

(domestic)

overnight

visitors in West tourists

West

tourists visiting Bengal

West Bengal

2014

April

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

86009

101230

80211

13792

14418

10727

26576

24588

19823

18465

18299

17816

3.4%

4%

3.4%

4.1%

3.8%

3.2%

3.3%

2.3%

1.8%

1.9%

266

339

303

248

229

262

292

225

246

0.2%

0.3%

0.2%

0.1%

3.8%

2.9%

3.3%

2.4%

1.4%

1.3%

2%

98867

134615

116662

83395

59333

126708

Nov

Dec

2015

Jan

102935

104392

76660

10533

15336

14517

1.4%

1.9%

1.6%

1.4%

1.8%

1.6%

284

262

266

0.2%

Feb

Mar

Source: Annual Final Report of Tourism Survey for the State of West Bengal (April 2014-March 2015), Ministry

of Tourism

The question arises, why, in spite of having a vast number of archeological sites and being the foremost mango

producing region of not only West Bengal, but also India, tourism has remained in such an abysmally poor state.

One of the important objectives of this paper is to identify the lacuna of the tourism industry in Malda. This

author has explored all the tourist spots of Malda. This, along with the current literature reveal that the main

factors leading to poor (or almost non existent) tourism development in the district are as follows:

 The location of the district of Malda is rather unfortunate as far as the development of tourism is

concerned. It is located too far away from the capital city of Kolkata for the tourists to undertake a

weekend visit or a day out. Kolkata receives the highest number of tourists in the state because it is the

gateway and well connected with the rest of the country. It is convenient to enjoy a weekend visit to the

Sunderbans in the south or to Santiniketan in the north. Malda, on the other hand, is at an inconvenient

distance. The second most popular tourist region of the state is North Bengal – especially the mountains

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of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Here again, Malda is too far to be included in a circuit of the

north. As a result, it has been consistently overlooked.

 Malda, or Gour has been the seat of three major eras of power. It has innumerable archeological sites

under the supervision of the Archeological Society of India (ASI). But the sites are neither well

maintained, nor well preserved. During the personal survey of the spots conducted by this author

(September, 2025) most of the sites were closed to the tourists. There were gardens surrounding the site

and iron fencing kept the visitors out. Local shopkeepers reported that the ASI does not allow anybody

to approach the monuments. On the other extreme are some other monuments like the Baisgazi wall and

Ballal Bati which have been left completely unprotected. In fact, when one looks at the majestic wall, it

can be easily detected that the durable bricks are being taken away from it. It is most unfortunate that

ASI has not deemed it necessary to put up even an information board. In a few places where worn down

boards are seen, the writing has been almost completely washed away. The complete indifference of the

ASI is inexplicable and the district is paying for it.

 The small Malda Museum has a beautiful collection, but it completely ignores the heritage of the district.

There should have been sections of display on Gambhira masks, samples of the nakshi kantha, dioramas

of kirtan and a completely separate division on the mangoes of the region. The names of the mangoes are

truly special and often they have interesting histories. However, that is not showcased in the museum. It

must also be said that either an actual or a virtual guide is a pressing necessity in the museum. The relicts

arouse questions and interests, but there is no way to satisfy them.

 Accommodation facilities are not well developed in the district. In the survey conducted by the Ministry

of Tourism between April 2014 and March 2015, it was revealed that the Occupancy rate in Malda varied

between 30 and 35, which is very low. Recently, the Tourism Department of the Government of West

Bengal has renovated and reinaugurated the tourist lodge named Amrapali. It is very conveniently

located, is clean and offers standard Bengali cuisine. However, it does not offer any ancillary tourist

services like booking a car or a trip of the tourist spots. This creates a gateway for touts who often

overcharge the tourists. There are almost no other safe, family friendly accommodation facility in Malda

Town.

 The question of safety and security is another stumbling block to the development of tourism in Malda.

This district borders Bangladesh on the East. It has gained a rather unsavoury reputation regarding

smuggling and other anti social activities. While the truth of the allegations are far from being proven, a

negative word of mouth publicity has definitely discouraged the growth of tourism.

 Finally, the apathy of the government and lack of awareness among the local people are two very

important factors. West Bengal is rich in tourist resources that are already famous, like the Darjeeling

mountains, the mangrove forest of the south and the historical and culturally rich city of Kolkata. The

potential of Malda has never been explored because it has been easier to promote tourism in those places

which are already famous. The local people have neither the skill, nor the knowledge to develop tourism.

They need to be made aware how much tourism can contribute to community enrichment and economic

development so that they take an active interest in it.

Suggestions to develop tourism in Malda

Considering the richness and the diversity of tourist resources in the district, it would indeed be a wasted

opportunity if this activity is not properly developed and explored. A tourism circuit can be developed in this

district keeping the following suggestions in mind:

 Since Malda falls almost half way between Kolkata in the South and Darjeeling in the north, it has good

connectivity by train and road. The only problem is that because of the chicken neck situation, a huge

number of lorries and trucks ply on the road here, creating traffic jams. It is necessary to construct more

by-passes and completely separate the routes of passenger and goods vehicles. This will improve the

accessibility of the district.

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 Accommodation facilities are seriously lacking in the district. It is necessary to increase the bed capacity.

The government tourist lodge has recently been renovated. In addition, several other family friendly

lodges need to come up. A public-private-partnership model can be a viable alternative for developing

accommodation infrastructure in the district.

 The Department of Tourism need to act in collaboration with the Archeological Society of India to

preserve the monuments, allow visitors and put up proper information boards. Local government bodies

should be involved in the program. Some monuments like the Firoza Minar is kept completely closed

due to security reasons while others like the Baisgazi wall or Ballal Bati is left at the mercy of nature and

local people. No efforts were seen to preserve the remnants of the colorful enamel work of some of the

monuments. There should be proper approach roads. Information about time of visit should be easily

available. The information boards should be put up at each monument. One important step can be the

beginning of a light and sound show which will definitely be very popular and will be a huge tourist

attraction.

 The Malda Museum has vast scope of development. Information plaques and boards should be set up.

Separate sections should be devoted to the heritage of the district like Kirtan, Gambhira, Nakshi Kantha,

mangoes, silk etc. In addition, the museum is one of the best places to set up a souvenir / gift shop. Das

(2017) mentions the various products which can be sold as souvenirs like photos, paintings, sketches and

models of the architectural monuments of the districts, handicraft products like Gambhira masks and

tribal musical instruments and mango products. Inspiration can be drawn from the huge gift shop doing

brisk business within the premises of the famous Mysore Palace where products like sandal based

cosmetics, incense, handicrafts and even dresses are sold. A tie-up can be organized with local

cooperatives or business organization. The Museum must also provide facilities like washrooms and a

small eatery.

 The various monuments of Gour are distributed over a large area. The government must set up some

facilities of toilet, drinking water, information booth and first aid in order to help the tourists.

 One of the greatest lacuna of the tourism industry of Malda is lack of trained guides and tourist cars. The

district is rich in heritage and history, but it requires the services of a guide to bring them alive for the

tourists. It is best if the government, in collaboration with the ASI can enter into agreements with local

tour organizations who will provide trained drivers and guides for the tourists. The rates for the guides

should be fixed by the government as has been done in the neighbouring district of Murshidabad.

 There is huge scope of developing mango tourism in Malda. Mango trees are big trees and they grow in

dense orchards. Small nature based lodges can be set up where the tourists can spend the night amidst

the mango orchards. The lodges can sell mango products and serve mango based dishes. They can arrange

visits to food processing units where tourists get to see how mango products like chutneys, pickles and

mango jelly are being prepared. Just like a trip to North Bengal invariably includes a visit to a tea factory,

a tour of Malda should include a visit to a mango processing plant.

 A single handicraft has led to the growth of whole villages in several parts of India. A similar handicraft

village may be developed in Malda where tourists can see how the Gambhira masks are being made, the

Nakshi kantha being sewn and the silk textile being woven. Souvenir shops in such a handicraft village

can do brisk business. It will not only serve as a tourist attraction, but also provide economic motivation

to preserve these indigenous arts.

 Since Ramkeli hosts one of the biggest fairs of Bengal, a small museum devoted to Vaishnava culture

and traditions and Kirtan can be set up here. The government is already constructing guest houses to

accommodate the huge number of devotees. The temple has been thoroughly renovated. Kirtan is rapidly

becoming one of the vanishing arts of Bengal. A museum can be set up here showcasing the kirtan

instruments and dioramas of kirtan gatherings. A gift shop can sell DVDs of Kirtan.

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 Finally, proper publicity and advertisement is indispensable if tourism is to develop in Malda district.

The fairs of Ramkeli and Johura Kali should receive much greater publicity. Attractive offers advertised

over mass media is also needed. The district has to get rid of its unsavoury reputation regarding safety.

With proper government patronage, Malda has the potential of emerging as a major tourist centre in West

Bengal, attracting a much greater share of the tourists.

CONCLUSION

The huge number of historical and cultural tourist resources of Malda has created an ideal condition for the

growth of tourism industry. Moreover, tourism is already well developed in its neighbouring district of

Murshidabad. It was the capital of the Nawabs of Bengal and played an important role in the establishment of

the British empire in India. If a complete tourist circuit is planned, including both Malda and Murshidabad, this

central part of Bengal can get a real economic boost. Aproactive government and a conscious public can explore

this economic opportunity to lead to the development of agri-tourism, cultural tourism, ecotourism etc and also

preserve the unique heritage of the district.

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