The district of Murshidabad in
West Bengal, spread over an area of 5,324 sq km, is located at the center of the lower
Ganges valley. The headquarters is
Berhampore. The district population is 5.8 million.
Major rivers are the Ganges, Bhagirathi, Jalangi, and Bhairav. The historic town of Murshidabad, named after Bengal's Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, was a former capital city of Bengal. Remains of that past glory are still seen here. Some of the historical monuments include Nizamat Kila, Muradbagh Palace, and Khushbagh Cemetery.
The main source of income for the people is agriculture. Major crops include rice, wheat, jute, legumes, oilseeds, and barley. The land is ideal for mango cultivation. Murshidabad silk is a famous product.
Among the major tourist attractions are Kunjaghata Palace,
Karnasubarna,
Kiriteshwari Temple, and Jiaganj. Main railway stations are Berhampore Court, Khagraghat, and Farakka. Murshidabad is well connected with Kolkata. The nearest airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at Dumdum, Kolkata.
