Mousumi Gupta checks how elderly-friendly Murshidabad is as a travel destination.
Best time to visit
From October to March, as it is very hot in summer.
How to reach
By Train: There are direct trains from Howrah, Sealdah and Kolkata railway stations. One can get down either at Berhampore Court or Murshidabad railway stations. Berhampore is 14 km away from Murshidabad. Platform number 1 of Berhampore Court railway station is elderly-friendly as it has a ramp.
By Road: By car, it will take a little more than 4 hours from Kolkata.
Where to stay
We stayed in Berhampore at Hotel Samrat. Though there were other good hotels as well, we preferred this as it was elderly-friendly. Firstly, it had an elevator. Secondly, you did not need to step out for food as it has a good restaurant on the ground floor. Thirdly, it is easily accessible for people travelling by car as it is on NH12 and has a big carpark.
Places to visit
We had booked a car for sightseeing the historical places in and around Murshidabad. The other modes of transport will not be convenient for the elderly.
Except for Kathgola Palace, cars are allowed to drop off passengers right in front or very close to the all the spots.
Our first destination was the Jahan Kosha Cannon, which literally means the ‘Destroyer of the World’. This was made by Janardan Karmakar, a blacksmith, in 1637 AD during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It is made up of ashta dhatu. Though cars can go very close, yet you still need to walk about 500 metres to reach the place.
From there we went to the Katara Mosque, which was built by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan in 1723 A.D. Unfortunately, this place has no ramps and so you need to climb a few steps to visit the huge courtyard that can accommodate around 2000 people at the time of Namaz. There is a big well-maintained garden at the entrance. It is advisable to hire the services of a good guide, though you may need to negotiate quite a bit.
Our next destination was Kathgola Palace or Kathgola Bagan Bari, which is built on a huge property of 45 acres area with a beautiful garden. This palace is well known for its valuable paintings, mirrors and expensive furniture. To reach this palace, we needed to walk a little way through a mango orchard. In case walking poses any difficulty, it is advisable to take a wheel chair with you because it is not available there.
Our next stop was Jagat Seth’s house. Jagat Seth had joined Mir Jafar to conspire against Nawab Siraj ud daula, causing the nawab to lose the battle of Plassey. It is possible for the elderly to look around this place though one needs to climb up and down quite a few steps while walking through the house.
Our final destination for that day was Hazarduari Palace. We were pleasantly surprised to see the wheelchairs that were available beside the ticket counter free of cost. On request, the guide helped us to take it near the palace. There were 35 to 40 stairs in front of the building, which the elderly might find a bit difficult to climb. But the guide showed us the elevator, which the elderly can avail. They can be accompanied by one person. However, walking through the hallway to see the museum may not be that comfortable for them. Just opposite to the palace is the Imambara. It has got a few garden chairs for people to sit and enjoy the historical aura of the place. The guide told us that the Imambara is open to public only for three days during Muharram.
On the next day, we took a boat ride on River Bhagirathi to visit the Kiriteswari temple. It is one of the 51 pithasthanas where it is said that the kirit (the crown) of the Goddess had fallen. It takes around 35 to 40 minutes to reach it in a battery-operated car from Lalbag ghat and can be quite enjoyable for the elderly people. The pristine beauty of nature on the way is really unforgettable.
