Located on the serene west bank of the Bhagirathi River, across from the bustling Lalbagh area of Murshidabad, lies Khushbagh—the "Garden of Happiness." This 7.65-acre walled enclosure serves as the final resting place for Nawab Alivardi Khan, his grandson Siraj-ud-Daulah, and their immediate kin, marking a poignant chapter in India’s transition from sovereign rule to colonial dominance.
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| Alivardi Khan tomb, Murshidabad, W.Bengal. astrolika.com |
Built by Alivardi Khan (1740–1756), the last great Nawab of a free Bengal, the cemetery was designed as a fortified garden. Historically, the outer walls featured octagonal bastions and loopholes for musketry, reflecting the turbulent era of the Afsar dynasty. At its heart stands a square, flat-roofed mausoleum surrounded by an arched verandah, housing the remains of Alivardi Khan and the tragic hero of the Battle of Plassey, Siraj-ud-Daulah.
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| Portrait of Allahverdi Khan en.wikipedia.org |
The complex also features a majestic mosque built by Alivardi Khan on a 2,675-square-foot plinth, modeled after the Jama Masjid of Delhi. This architectural choice highlights Alivardi’s cultural ambition and his role as a patron of Persian literature and the arts.
The Tragedy of the Afsar Family
The site is shrouded in a sense of melancholy. Of the 34 people buried here, 32 were reportedly murdered by Miran, the son of the traitor Mir Jafar, following the British victory in 1757. The devotion of Siraj-ud-Daulah’s wife, Lutf-un-nisa, adds a layer of deep emotion to the history; after returning from exile in Dhaka, she famously spent her final years tending to the 108 varieties of roses in the garden until her burial here in 1786.
Recent Restoration and Tourism
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| Tomb of Alivardi Khan, Murshidabad, tripadvisor.com |
Above image : Tomb of Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, is a popular cemetery located in the Khushbagh area on the west bank.........
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| Tomb of Alivardi Khan, Murshidabad, tripadvisor.com |
In recent years, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the West Bengal Tourism Department have undertaken restoration efforts to preserve the site's structural integrity. This includes repairing the lime-plastered walls of the mausoleum, maintaining the sprawling gardens, and improving the boat access from Lalbagh. Today, Khushbagh stands as a stark, dignified contrast to the Jafarganj Cemetery (the burial ground of Mir Jafar’s line), serving as a pilgrimage site for those wishing to honor the Nawabs who resisted the early tides of the British East India Company.
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