Pandua
Encyclopedia
Pandua or Hazrat Pandua or Firuzabad is a historical city, presently lying in the ruined condition in Malda district
of the India
n state of West Bengal
. Pandua is now almost synonymously known as Adina, a small town located about 18 km North of Malda Town.
The city was probably founded by Sams-ud-Din Firuz Shah. In 1339, Ala-ud-Din Ali Shah transferred his capital from the nearby (and now ruined) town of Lakhnauti or Gaur
(32 km from Pandua) to Pandua. Later, Haji Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah, the first independent Sultan of Bengal
, made the city the capital of his (unified) Bengal Sultanate. However, Pandua's glory was short-lived. In 1453, the capital was transferred back to Gaur by Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah, perhaps necessitated by a change in the course of the river on which Pandua stood.
, which was described by James Fergusson
as the finest example of Pathan architecture in existence, though some believe it to be a conversion of a temple. This great mosque (similar in plan to the great mosque at Damascus) was built by Sikandar Shah
in 1369. Other important monuments of this city are the Eklakhi mausoleum (the mausoleum of Jala-ud-Din Muhammad Shah) and the Qutb Shahi Mosque (built in the memory of sufi saint Nur Qutb-ul-Alam). The Eklakhi mausoleum is a single-domed square type of structure, whose fabric is of brick, occasionally interspersed with horn-blende slabs collected from older Hindu monuments. Pandua is now (like Gaur) almost entirely given over to the wilderness.
Malda district
Malda district is a district of West Bengal, India. It lies 347 km north of Kolkata, the state capital. Mango and silk are notable products of this district. The special variety of mango produced in this region, popularly known by the name of the district, is exported across the world and...
of the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Pandua is now almost synonymously known as Adina, a small town located about 18 km North of Malda Town.
The city was probably founded by Sams-ud-Din Firuz Shah. In 1339, Ala-ud-Din Ali Shah transferred his capital from the nearby (and now ruined) town of Lakhnauti or Gaur
Gaur, West Bengal
Gour, or Gaur , as it is spelt mostly in modern times, or Lakhnauti is a ruined city, in the Malda district of West Bengal, India, on the west bank of the Ganges river, 40 kilometers downstream from Rajmahal.-History:...
(32 km from Pandua) to Pandua. Later, Haji Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah, the first independent Sultan of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, made the city the capital of his (unified) Bengal Sultanate. However, Pandua's glory was short-lived. In 1453, the capital was transferred back to Gaur by Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah, perhaps necessitated by a change in the course of the river on which Pandua stood.
The monuments of Pandua
The monuments of Pandua were built in the Bengal provincial style of the Indo-Islamic architecture. Pandua's most celebrated monument is the Jami Mosque or the Adina MosqueAdina Mosque
Adina Mosque is a mosque located in Malda district of West Bengal, India. It was constructed in the 14th century. In medieval times, the mosque was considered to be the largest undivided Bengal, as well as the entire Indian subcontinent.-Establishment:...
, which was described by James Fergusson
James Fergusson
James Fergusson may refer to:*Sir James Fergusson, 2nd Baronet , Scottish politician and judge*Sir James Fergusson, 4th Baronet *Sir James Fergusson , Governor of Gibraltar from 1855 to 1859...
as the finest example of Pathan architecture in existence, though some believe it to be a conversion of a temple. This great mosque (similar in plan to the great mosque at Damascus) was built by Sikandar Shah
Sikandar Shah
Sikandar Shah was the second Sultan of the Ilyas dynasty of Bengal. He succeeded his father Ilyas Shah. He built the celebrated Adina Mosque in Pandua in 1368.-Second campaign of Firuz Shah Tughluq:...
in 1369. Other important monuments of this city are the Eklakhi mausoleum (the mausoleum of Jala-ud-Din Muhammad Shah) and the Qutb Shahi Mosque (built in the memory of sufi saint Nur Qutb-ul-Alam). The Eklakhi mausoleum is a single-domed square type of structure, whose fabric is of brick, occasionally interspersed with horn-blende slabs collected from older Hindu monuments. Pandua is now (like Gaur) almost entirely given over to the wilderness.
External links
- Pandua in archnet.org
- Adina Mosque in archnet.org