Eklakhi Mausoleum

Adina Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India, built in the year 1369 by Sultan Sikander Shah. It also typifies the most developed mosque architecture of the period, the orthodox design being based on the great 8th-century mosque of Damascus

Beautiful Historical place.

Beautiful historical place to visit on a short notice. The garden is well-maintained and is very beautiful. We couldn't get inside the mausoleum but even from the outside, it was amazing to watch

The Eklakhi Mausoleum, located in the historic city of Murshidabad in West Bengal, India, is a remarkable architectural marvel that stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the region. This imposing structure, also known as the Eklakhi Tomb, is a mausoleum dedicated to Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, the founder of the Nawab dynasty in Bengal.

Upon visiting the Eklakhi Mausoleum, visitors are immediately struck by the grandeur and elegance of the building. The mausoleum's intricate architectural details, including its ornate carvings, delicate arches, and imposing domes, reflect the Mughal and Persian influences that characterize the region's historical architecture.

The Eklakhi Mausoleum is set amidst a serene and well-maintained garden, creating a tranquil and contemplative atmosphere that invites visitors to explore and reflect on the rich history of the site. The mausoleum's imposing facade and majestic domes make for a striking sight against the backdrop of the clear blue sky, offering a picturesque setting that is perfect for photography and quiet contemplation.

One of the highlights of the Eklakhi Mausoleum is its historical significance, as it serves as the final resting place of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, a prominent figure in Bengal's history. The mausoleum's architecture and design reflect the grandeur and power of the Nawab dynasty, providing valuable insights into the region's rich cultural heritage.

Visitors to the Eklakhi Mausoleum can explore the interior of the structure, admiring its intricate carvings, elegant arches, and serene prayer hall. The mausoleum's peaceful ambiance and historical significance make it a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and anyone interested in delving into the fascinating past of Murshidabad.

In conclusion, the Eklakhi Mausoleum is a captivating destination that offers a unique blend of history, architecture, and cultural heritage. Its impressive structure, serene surroundings, and historical significance make it a compelling site to visit for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the rich history of Murshidabad. A trip to the Eklakhi Mausoleum promises an enriching experience that will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the region's architectural and historical legacy.

Eklakhi Mausoleum (lit. 'Mausoleum of One Lakh') is a mausoleum located at Pandua in Malda district, West Bengal, India. It was built around 1425. It houses three tombs, possibly belonging to Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah, his wife, and son Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah, but the identification is disputed. The structure represents a village hut with a sloping roof and serves as a prototype for the various other buildings constructed during the Bengal Sultanate.

Eklakhi Mausoleum at Hazrat pandua, traditionaly known as the mausoleum of jalaluddin muhammad shah, son of raja ganesha, is the earliest of the extant architectural monuments of its type in Bengal. The inspiration must have been derived from the tomb of Sultan iltutmish (c 1236 AD), which is located behind the Quwwatul Islam Mosque in Delhi, through the tomb of Ibrahim Bayyu in Bihar Sharif (1353 AD). It must be remembered tomb structure was not popular in early Islam and gained popularity only with the coming of the turks. The earliest known such square structure is the tomb of Ismail, the Samanid at Bukhara, the original model being perhaps the chahartaq, the four doored Sassanian fire-temple of Iran. Tradition goes that a lakh tankas was spent in its construction and hence the name Eklakhi. The date remains unknown, but generally is taken as the death year of Jalauddin (1433 AD).

The building, situated to the southwest of the grand adina mosque, is made of brick, and stands at a little distance to the northeast of the qutb shahi mosque, built in honour of the saint nur qutb alam. Its dimensions are 24 m' 22.7m. The inner diameter of the crowning hemispherical dome is 14.80 m. The dome rests on squinches on the four corners. The exterior of the building is strengthened by four octagonal towers at the corners, and is opened by four doorways, one each in the middle of each side. Pointed arches with lintels crowning the doorjambs span the doorways, a feature derived from the original Hindu temples through Tughlaqi architecture. The jambs and the lintels are marked by carved deities - that of the lintel of the southern entrance being the figure of Visnu, and of the jambs those of dvarpals (Darpala), a proof of their appropriation from Hindu temple buildings. Inside the building, there are the remains of three sarcophaguses. The western one seems to be the tomb of the Sultan, the middle one that of his wife, and the eastern one that of his son Sultan ahmad shah. A peculiar feature of the inner spacious room is its four alcoves built at the corners, often taken as cells for readers of the Quran.

The ornamentation of the building consists of braced string-mouldings of the corner towers, a divider moulding of the whole external appearance, and the cornice mouldings in three tiers beside the terracotta plaques in panels underneath - now broken - imitated from the designs of the adina mosque. The interior of the dome was once ornamented with plaster but is now dilapidated. The dome, like all other domes of the Sultanate Bengal, is without a final, but appears to be covered with a round rim in the form of a hormica, a Buddhist feature. The hemispherical dome is in fact very much in the shape of the domes of the great stupas, for example, those of Sanchi (1st century BC) and Manikyala in Punjab (2nd century AD).

The chief contribution of this structure to Bengal architecture is through its Bengalisation. This entailed making the cornice carve downward from the middle to the sides in imitation of the sloping roof of Bengali huts. Once established this practice continued throughout the period of Sultanate architecture in Bengal, not only in single domed structures, but also in multi-domed large mosques. It also set the example of single domed structures in Bengal, not only in Sultanate building art, but also in Mughal architecture. Its great contributions to the development of the Bengal style could be seen fully in the later half of the 15th and early 16th centuries. [ABM Husain]

Must visit historical place in Malda with beautiful architecture and bliss of solitude

Best historical tomb. You must have to visit...

Nice place for tourists, and its show Indian history.

History was distorted... You will find symbols of Hinduism in this place

Nice view

Jalaluddin Mohammad Shah was born in a Hindu royal family and the name was Yadu or Jadu. Father Ganesha who was the founder of the Ganesha dynasty and ruled medieval Bengal in two phases, from 1414 to 1415 AD and from 1417 to 1419 AD. Jadu had embraced Islam on the advice of the religious leader Nur Qutb Alam, and as Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah ruled the medieval Bengal Sultanate from Pandua and Gour. Jalaluddin Mohammad Shah had strengthened his relations with Mamluk dynasty of Egypt, Ming dynasty of China and Temur dynasty of Herat Afghanistan. Burma, Tripura and Assam were also within his boundaries. Buddhist and Hindus were safe during his reign. He was a Sunni Muslim was following Hanafi order and propagator of Islam and honored many poetic compositions in Sanskrit language and Brahmins. The coins issued by him also had the figure of a lion. The Sultanate made great progress in every field during his reign.

Eklakhi Mausoleum is a splendid tomb of Jalaluddin Mohammed Shah situated in Adina.

This historic building reflects the regional architecture of Bengal, a style of architecture and construction that was popularized during the period of the Bengal Sultanate and survived even later. Jalaluddin Mohammed Shah was the first Muslim king of Bengal origin who was  born in a wealthy Hindu family.

The structure of this tomb has many prominent features such as it is a square building and there is a large dome on the roof which looks like a hut. Dome is having a large diameter and built on the roof of about 25 feet high square brick structure. To make this building impressive and attractive, the ornamental work by carving on the front vertical surfaces is spectacular and displays excellent workmanship. All the four corners are having octagonal pillars. Roof is eaves type which is protecting the walls from rain water. Top of the walls are crowned with decorated concave cornice supporting the edges of the roof forming the eaves and below which series of arches. Four doors are provided in all the four directions to access the main grave chamber, their frames are built by black stone seems to be the segmental parts of ancient ruins, crowned with pointed arches with bricks to form the jallies. Exterior walls are richly decorated and portraying the window shapes, vertical adjustments, horizontal cornice etc. Main grave chamber is having three graves one of Jalaluddin Mohammed Shah, second is of his son Shamsuddin Ahmed Shah and the third is of Jalaluddin's wife. It's an octagonal chamber and having quite thick walls in the form of arches and cornice are forming the base of the dome.

This monument was built in 1425 AD and after 6 centuries it has not lost its magnificence. It's a major attraction among the history buffs, arts and architecture lovers and tourists interested in the Bengal history.

It's like a good place ☺

The Adina Masjid was commissioned in 1373. Its construction reused materials from pre-Islamic Hindu and Buddhist structures, according to locals.

Experts say the design of the mosque incorporated Bengali, Arab, Persian and Byzantine architecture.

The area also has a mixed culture and Hindus and Muslims coexist peacefully, say residents. The fact that the mosque has used non-Islamic elements is known to the people of this area.

This brick built Mausoleum is the most beautiful building in this place. It forms a square roofed by a dome with a small turret at each corner. The inside plan of the structure is octagonal. The walls are exquisitely ornamented in the outer part by carved tiles and decorative motifs on bricks. Tradition runs that this construction cost 1 lakh rupees so the name. Amongst the three graves inside, one is regarded as tomb of Sultan Jalaluddin, son of Raja Kans, the other two of his wife and son Ahmad Shah. There is divergence of opinion among scholars about the identification and orientation of the graves. This structure was probably built in the early c.15th century AD (as per ASI).

It cost 1lakh rupees so it's called Eklakhi Musouleum.

Small but beautiful place

Famous place of 14th Century

Nice place, both for it's historical significance and natural environment...
Contains the tomb of sultan jalaluddin , his wife and son....

Bolatuli stand

One of the most breathtaking sites of Pandua, this tomb is truly one of a kind. It has an inscription of Lord Ganesh and a converted son of a Hindu Emperor is believed to have been buried here.