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Gumti Darwaza

Gumti Darwaza
গুমটি দরওয়াজা
Façade of the gate
Gumti Darwaza is located in West Bengal
Gumti Darwaza
Location within West Bengal
General information
TypeGate
LocationKadam Rasul Rd, Gauda, Malda, West Bengal
CountryIndia
Coordinates24°52′05″N 88°07′56″E / 24.867952°N 88.132092°E / 24.867952; 88.132092
Completed1512; 513 years ago (1512)
Governing bodyArchaeology of India
Technical details
MaterialBrick
Size12.80 sq.m.

The Gumti Darwaza[a] or Gumti Gate (Bengali: গুমটি দরওয়াজা) is a historical monument located in the city of Gour, Malda, West Bengal, India, serving as the eastern gateway to the citadel of Gaur-Lakhnauti, the capital of the Bengal Sultanate.[1] Assumed to be built in 1512 by Alauddin Hussain Shah,[2][1] it is a fine example of Sultanate architecture, distinct from Mughal structures like the nearby Lukochuri Darwaza.[3] The gate is now a protected monument under Archaeology Survey of India.[4]

History

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Its construction is dated to the late 15th or early 16th century, with uncertainty about its exact builder. Some scholars attribute it to Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah, linking it to the citadel's construction. Others describe the erection of the gate in 1512 AD during Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah’s reign, based on an inscription found in the Shah Nimatullah tomb complex in Chapainawabganj, though this inscription lacks a patron’s name and does not clearly connect to the monument’s facade. Aligned with the Chika Building, the Gumti Darwaza likely served as an entrance to an administrative unit within the Gaur-Lakhnauti citadel.[1]

Architecture

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The structure is a brick-built single room, measuring 7.60 sq.m internally with 2.65 m (8.7 ft) thick walls and an outer dimension of 12.80 sq.m. It has a square plan with four doorways, one on each side, and the east and west entrances are flanked by fluted turrets. Decorated multicoloured tiles resembles Lattan Mosque.[1] The building is topped by a single dome supported by squinches, a feature tracing back to the Eklakhi Mausoleum at Pandua. The corners feature typical Sultanate-style corner towers. The Gumti Gate might have been an imitation of the Alai Darwaza in Delhi.[3]

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  • The gateway in 2019
    The gateway in 2019
  • Front view of the gate
    Front view of the gate
  • Cornered view
    Cornered view
  • The gateway featuring semicircular dome
    The gateway featuring semicircular dome
  • Pillar of unknown structure
    Pillar of unknown structure

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Also spelled Gumpti Darwaza[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Michell 1984, p. 74.
  2. ^ "Gumti Darwaza | Malda District | India". Retrieved 2025-06-27.
  3. ^ a b Husain, ABM (2012). "Gumti Gate". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  4. ^ "List of Centrally Protected Monuments". National Monument Authority. Retrieved 2025-05-28.

Bibliography

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