Murshidabad-Jiaganj community development block, Administrative block in Lalbag subdivision, West Bengal, India.
Murshidabad-Jiaganj is a community development block in the Lalbag subdivision of West Bengal, India. It sits along the Bhagirathi River, which divides the area into two distinct zones with different settlement patterns on each bank.
In 1704, Nawab Murshid Quli Khan moved the regional capital here from Dhaka and gave the area his own name, turning Murshidabad into one of the most powerful centers of trade in 18th-century India. The defeat of the last independent Nawab at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked the start of growing British control over the region.
Markets and workshops across the area sell silk fabrics made using old hand-weaving methods. Walking through the villages, you can see mulberry trees, looms, and families passing the craft from one generation to the next.
The area sits on both sides of the Bhagirathi River, so it helps to plan which side you want to visit first, as crossing between them can take time. Local health posts and primary care centers are spread across the block and can be used if needed.
Although Murshidabad and Jiaganj are grouped together in the block's name, they are two separate towns sitting on opposite banks of the Bhagirathi. Jiaganj on the west side has a quieter, more rural feel, while Murshidabad on the east draws more visitors to its old buildings and monuments.
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