Malda, also spelt Maldah or English Bazar (the official name of the municipal area), is a city in the northern part of the Indian state of West Bengal. It serves as the headquarters of the Malda district and is one of the principal urban centres between the Bengal plains and the sub-Himalayan north of the state. The city lies on the eastern bank of the Mahananda River and is historically associated with the medieval capitals of Gauda and Pandua, both situated nearby.
| Name | Malda (English Bazar) |
|---|---|
| State | West Bengal |
| District | Malda |
| Region | North Bengal / Gauda region |
| River | Mahananda |
| Civic body | English Bazar Municipality |
| Languages | Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, English |
| Known for | Fazli, Langra and Himsagar mangoes; silk; historic sites of Gauda and Pandua |
Malda lies in the alluvial plains of northern West Bengal, in a region traditionally divided into three tracts: the Tal (low-lying land north of the Mahananda), the Diara (fertile river-borne lands along the Ganga) and the Barind (older, slightly elevated laterite soils to the east). The Mahananda River separates the older settlement of Old Malda from the present urban core of English Bazar. The Ganga (Padma) flows to the west of the district, forming part of the international boundary with Bangladesh.
The area around Malda has a long recorded history. The medieval city of Gauda (also called Lakhnauti), located a short distance south of present-day Malda, served as a capital under the Pala and Sena dynasties and later under the Bengal Sultanate. Pandua (Hazrat Pandua), to the north, was an alternative capital during parts of the sultanate period and contains the Adina Mosque, one of the largest mosques built in the Indian subcontinent during the medieval era.
Old Malda developed as a river port at the confluence of the Mahananda and the Kalindri, handling goods such as cotton, silk and rice. With the decline of Gauda, commercial activity shifted across the river, where European trading companies established factories. The settlement of English Bazar (Ingraj Bazar) grew around the factory established by the British East India Company, alongside earlier Dutch and French trading posts in the vicinity. After the consolidation of Company rule following the Battle of Plassey (1757), Malda became part of the Bengal Presidency. The modern district was reorganised after Indian independence in 1947, when the Radcliffe Line placed parts of the older Malda subdivision in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
Urban Malda is administered by the English Bazar Municipality, while the older settlement on the opposite bank is governed by the Old Malda Municipality. The city is the administrative headquarters of Malda district and houses the offices of the District Magistrate, the district court, and the Malda district police.
Malda's economy is anchored in agriculture, horticulture, trade and small-scale industry. The district is one of the most important mango-producing regions of India, with the Fazli, Langra, Himsagar and Gopalbhog varieties widely cultivated; Malda's Fazli mango has received a Geographical Indication tag. Silk rearing and weaving, particularly of mulberry silk, is a long-standing cottage industry. Other notable activities include rice and jute cultivation, cold storage, and trade in agricultural produce. The city functions as a regional commercial hub for the surrounding rural belt and for parts of neighbouring Murshidabad and Dakshin Dinajpur districts.
Malda is a significant junction on the Indian Railways network. Malda Town railway station is the headquarters of the Malda Division of the Eastern Railway zone and lies on the main line connecting Kolkata with New Jalpaiguri and the northeastern states. National Highway 12 (formerly NH 34) passes through the city, linking it with Kolkata to the south and the Siliguri corridor to the north. The nearest major airport is at Bagdogra, while a smaller airstrip exists at Malda.
Educational institutions in the city include Malda College, one of the older colleges in north Bengal, and Gour Mahavidyalaya, along with several other government and private colleges affiliated to the University of Gour Banga, which is headquartered on the outskirts of Malda. The district also has a government medical college and hospital.
The Malda region preserves a rich layer of medieval architecture. Notable monuments in the vicinity include the Adina Mosque, Eklakhi Mausoleum and Qutb Shahi Mosque at Pandua, and the Baroduari (Bara Sona) Mosque, Dakhil Darwaza, Firoz Minar and Lattan Mosque at Gauda. Many of these sites are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The Malda Museum, established in the mid-twentieth century, houses sculpture, inscriptions and coins recovered from Gauda and Pandua. The local culture reflects a blend of Bengali Hindu and Muslim traditions, with festivals such as Durga Puja, Eid, and the Gambhira folk performance tradition being widely observed.
Malda's importance lies in its combination of historical depth, agrarian wealth and strategic location. It is a gateway between southern Bengal and the Siliguri corridor, an archaeological landscape of medieval Bengal, and a major centre of horticultural production in eastern India.