ভয়ঙ্কর ইতিহাসের সাক্ষী এই মিনারে ঝুলিয়ে রাখা হতো অপরাধীদের কাটা মাথা || নিমাসরাই

Nimasarai Minar: A medieval watchtower chronicles the history of the adventurous and dangerous trade routes of Gour and Pandua Nimasarai Minar is a Mughal-era ruin, believed to be a remnant from the 'sarais' that dotted trade routes between Gour and Pandua Nimasarai Minar is a Mughal-era ruin, believed to be a remnant from the 'sarais' that dotted trade routes between Gour and Pandua. In Malda district are two well-known historical sites dating back to medieval Bengal — Gour and Pandua. As flourishing cities, the two were connected by trade routes. Strewn across both towns are ruins of the older cities that indicate flourishing medieval settlements, among which is a tower from one of the numerous old inns that used to line these routes. Trade routes in those days were not safe – they often passed through forested regions teeming with both dangerous wildlife and dacoits. Along the routes were inns and sarais that provided food and shelter to travelling merchants. Some of these sarais had watch towers, which were visible from a long distance away and guided travellers. At night, torches were lit on the outside of these towers as a beacon for guests. The inns that once lined the roadway connecting the two citadels have long vanished, but one of the towers still stands in the Nimasarai area north of Malda town and is called the Nimasarai Minar. The Nimasarai Minar It is said that the tower, reportedly built by Akbar, used to have elephant tusks mounted on its outer walls It is said that the tower, reportedly built by Akbar, used to have elephant tusks mounted on its outer walls. The word nima translates into midway and sarai comes from the Mughal-era word for inn. So, it is fair to assume that the tower, which stands south of the Kali river, near the confluence of the Mahananda and Kali rivers, was part of an inn midway along the road connecting Gour and Pandua. It is said that the tower, reportedly built by Akbar, used to have elephant tusks mounted on its outer walls. There are two other such documented towers with elephant tusks on the surface — one in Agra’s Fatehpur Sikri and the other in Sheikhupura, Pakistan, both called Hiran Minar. There are many theories about the use of these tusks. Some historians believe they were ornamental, others say they were used to hang the heads of executed criminals as a warning and deterrent. #tepantortheexplorer #nimasarai #malda #akbar #mughal #mughalempirehistory #history #historyofindia #historyofmalda