Motijheel, literally meaning the pearl lake, refers to an oxbow lake, which broke away from the meandering River Bhagirathi centuries ago. Today, it is located about three kilometres south-east of the Hazarduari Palace and has recently been landscaped and converted into an eco-friendly nature park — complete with a tourism property run by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC).
The history of Motijheel dates back beyond the days of the Battle of Plassey. It served as a pleasure garden of Nawazish Muhammad Khan, son-in-law of Alivardi Khan. It consisted of a towering gateway, a three-domed mosque and a royal place named Sang-i-dalan. The palace came up in 1740 and consisted of black basalt pillars brought from the ruins of Gaur. It was during this time pearls were cultivated in the lake, and hence the name.
Illuminated gateway of Motijheel Park
After the death of Nawazish Khan, her widow Ghaseti Begum took control of the area. When Siraj ud-Daulah ascended the throne in 1756, he drove away his maternal aunt, Ghaseti Begum, from Motijheel and acquired enormous wealth. This was not accepted by Ghaseti Begam and she planned revenge. Ghaseti Begum, along with Siraj ud-Daulah’s general Mir Jafar and the banker Jagat Seth, decided to favour Clive in the Battle of Plassey, which led to the death of Siraj and marked the beginning of British rule in India. The seeds of the conspiracy were sown during a secret meeting between Clive, Ghaseti Begum, Mir Jafar, Jagat Seth along with William Watts, the chief of Cossimbazar factory, located south of Motijheel. The meeting was held at Sang-i-dalan, Motijheel. Sadly, nothing remains of Motijheel history and Sang-i-dalan has long crumbled to dust. Only the mosque, located at the entry of Motijheel still stands to this day.
The three-dome mosque stands on the northern neck of the oxbow lake and according to the Prsian inscription it was constructed in 1749 – 50 by Nawazish Khan. It is a rectangular base with slender minarets marking the four corners. The front portion has five graves, including that of Nawazish Khan and his adopted son Ekramuddaula.
Cottages of WBTDC in Motijheel Park
Today, the park is enclosed between the two arms of the oxbow lake. Entry is through a newly constructed arched gateway on the western side. The gateway leads to a palm tree lined gateway leading to the end of the park located at the bend of the oxbow lake. Along the path are statues of Murshid Quli Khan, Alivardi Khan and Siraj ud-Daulah. At the end of the park, where the oxbow lake takes a turn, stands a statue of Warren Hastings.
A statue of Siraj ud-Daulah at Motijheel Park
A small portion of the wall of Sang-i-dalan still stands and next to it is a platform housing the five statues involved in the secret conspiracy meeting. Next to it is a set of statues complete with elephants, camels and horses showing Siraj’s massive army in the Battle of Plassey. These were actually part of a light and sound show that has been stopped because of technical issues. This is also true for several other activities in the park. The musical fountain has long stopped working and so is the boating. Tourists are no longer provided access to the watchtower.
The Motijheel Masjid
The park does have a child zone complete with slides and other activities, which are in full operation and the road train does take passengers for a joy ride across the park. Tandem cycles are available for environment friendly rides. The rose garden is well maintained and has its share of different coloured roses. The park is overall well maintained with landscaped gardens and lots of trees. There are a few tourist sheds complete with benches providing resting options for the visitors.
Sunrise on Motijheel Lake
The WBTDC property is located inside the Motijheel complex. It consists of an office, banquet and dining hall on the ground floor while the rooms are located on the first floors. There are options of cottages, which are located about 200 metres away and a battery-operated golf cart provides free movement for guests within the property.
A flock of Lesser Whistling Ducks take flight from the Motijheel Lake
The lake is also a breeding ground of many local and migratory birds. The Open Bill Storks are found in abundance at Motijheel and so are Lesser Whistling Ducks. The Red Wattled Lapwing is seen to roam along the manicured lawns of the park. So, next time when you are in Murshidabad, do stay at Motijheel complex to enjoy an interesting mix of nature and history. If you can’t manage a room, do visit the park for an evening stroll.
Travel Information:
- For non-resident visitors the park is open from 11am – 7pm
- Entry fee is ₹20
- The train ride costs ₹40 for a round trip
- Accommodation in WBTDC starts from ₹3,000 (bed and breakfast)
