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17-750: Hazarduari Palace , earlier known as the Bara Kothi , is located in the campus of Kila Nizamat in Murshidabad , in the Indian state of West Bengal . It is situated near the bank of river Ganges. It was built by Nawab Nazim Humayun Jah in the nineteenth century. He was the Nawab of Bengal , Bihar and Orissa (1824–1838). In 1985, the palace was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India for better preservation. According to

34-504: Is a Shia Muslim congregation hall ( imambara ) in Murshidabad , India . It was built in 1740 AD by Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah and rebuilt in 1847 by Nawab Mansur Ali Khan after it was destroyed by the fires of 1842 and 1846. It is frequently mentioned as the largest imambara in the world. The old Nizamat Imambara was built by Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah in the Nizamat Fort Area . He bought bricks and mortar, and laid

51-715: Is a cannon which lies in the Nizamat Fort Campus on the garden space between the Nizamat Imambara and the Hazarduari Palace and to the east of the old Madina Mosque in the city of Murshidabad in the Indian state of West Bengal . The cannon consists two pieces of different diameters. The cannon was made between the 12th and 14th century, probably by the Mohammeddan rulers of Gaur . It

68-610: Is stated that one Janardan Karmakar od Dhaka made the cannon. It originally lied on the sand banks of Ichaganj . However, it is unknown that how it came in Ichaganj . It was used to protect the city of Murshidabad from north-western attacks. After the 1846 fire of the Nizamat Imambara the Imambara was rebuilt, then after the completion of the new Imambara the cannon was shifted to its present site by Sadeq Ali Khan,

85-677: Is surrounded by this Naubat Khana. The western quadrangle of the Imambara has a two storied mosque which stands on the Mint Ghat. It has stately pillars and spacious marble floors. The mosque has several magnificent chandeliers, most of them gifted to the Nawabs by the East India Company and several other magnificent equipments. Bacchawali Tope Bacchawali Tope (literal translation: The cannon which induces child birth)

102-650: The Archaeological Survey of India as mentioned in the List of Monuments of National Importance in West Bengal , the Hazarduari Palace and Imambara are ASI Listed Monuments. Kila Nizamat or Nizamat Kila or Nizamat Imambara (Nizamat Fort) was the site of the old fort of Murshidabad. It was located on the present site of the Hazarduari Palace, on the banks of the Bhagirathi river . The name of

119-590: The Madina Mosque. It has a pulpit and to recite an elegy . The hall also has a verandah. The hall, the verandah and its flooring, are all built with marble. The hall also has a spacious room for the ladies. The vat between this hall and the mosque had silver headed fountains. They worked after the singing of the elegies were over. The entrance of the Naubat Khana is a huge gate built in Imamia style which

136-498: The architect of the sacred Nizamat Imambara under the suggestion of Sir Henry Torrens , the then agent of the Governor General at Murshidabad . It is heard that this cannon was fired only once and when it was done it produced a huge explosive sound, within a radius of about 10 miles. This sound made most of the pregnant women of the city to give birth to their child. This cannon is believed to get its name from there, so

153-530: The breadths vary. The central block that has the Madina is 300 feet long. It had been built slightly some feet away from the site of the old building in north. The Imambara stands just opposite to the Hazarduari Palace and is situated just on the banks of the Bhagirathi River. The gap between the shores of the river and the west wall of the Imambara may be a few feet. The old Madina Mosque was left as it

170-404: The cannon has been named, Bacchawali Tope . Bacchawali means the one who produces child birth while Tope means cannon. Thus, the total sums up to Bacchawali Tope , which means the cannon which produces child birth. The muzzle of the cannon is 1 foot and 7 inches. There are eleven rings fixed to the wrought iron barrel. Petals are drawn on this iron cannon which decorate the muzzle and one of

187-505: The false and real doors and by that time he would be caught by the Nawab's guards. The palace has now been transformed into a museum which houses collections from the Nawabs like priceless paintings, furniture, antiques and so on. The famous one is the mirror and the chandelier. In 1985, the palace was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India for better preservation. A miniature of

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204-470: The foundation of the building with his own hands. However, the old Imambara was primarily made up of wood. The plot where this Imambara had been built was dug to a depth of 6 feet. It was refilled with soil which was brought from Mecca so that the poor members of the Muslim community could have an experience of Hajj . The old Imambara caught fire for the first time in 1842 and was partly destroyed. But it

221-400: The palace that is Hazarduari, in which Hazar means "thousand" and Duari means "the one with doors"; thus, the total sums up to "the one with a thousand doors". The palace earlier known as Bara Kothi has been named so as the palace has in all 1000 doors, of which 100 are false. They were built so that if any thief or robber tried to steal something and escape, he would be confused between

238-597: The palace, made by Sagore Mistri in ivory, along with portraits of His Highness and his son, among other presents, were sent to King William IV . He honoured the Nawab with a full-size portrait of His Majesty and an autographed letter, and conferred upon him the badge and insignia of the Royal Guelphic and Hanoverian order, which are still preserved in the Palace. Kila Nizamat The Nizamat Imambara ( Bengali : নিজামত ইমামবাড়া ; also known as Nizamat Kila )

255-412: The supervision and direction of Sadeq Ali Khan just opposite the Hazarduari Palace at a cost of more than ₹ 6 lacs. The main entrance just parallel to the north face of the Hazarduari Palace faces south. The masons took only 11 months to finish the construction as in addition to their wages they also received food which allowed them to work day and night. The present Imambara is 680 feet long, however

272-527: Was and a new one was constructed in the newly constructed Imambara. The old Madina Mosque can still be seen standing between the new Imambara and the Hazarduari Palace near the Bacchawali Tope and the Clock Tower of Murshidabad . The present Imambara has been divided into three large quadrangles as follows: The Memberdalan, which means hall for members, is a hall rather a corridor just beside

289-469: Was completely destroyed by a fire on 23 December 1846. That day the Nawabs along with the Europeans threw a party to celebrate the weaning ceremony of five-year-old Hassan Ali Mirza . The Imambara caught fire at midnight due to the fireworks left off and was completely burnt down. Nothing survived except the old Madina Mosque . The new Imambara was built in 1847 by Nawab Nazim Mansur Ali Khan under

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