Moorshedabad became the seat of the Bengal Government A.D. 1704. It was
transferred to this place from Dacca, by the Nawāb Jaffier Khan, who was
appointed Soubadar of Bengal by Aurungzebe. The City of Moorshedabad
continued to be the seat of the British Government until A.D. 1771, when
it was transferred to Calcutta. During the reign of Aliverdi Khan, a
palace was erected at Moorshedabad, which was ornamented with pillars of
black marble, brought from the ruins of Gour; this building is still in
existence. The new palace of the Nawāb erected by the government, is a
magnificent edifice, and reflects the highest honour on the architect,
General Macleod, C.B.: it was commenced in the time of Humaioon Jah, the
late _nizām_, who died in 1838, and was succeeded by his son, the
present Nawāb. This splendid building, which is in the European style,
and of dazzling whiteness, is a beautiful object from the river, of
which it commands a fine prospect, rendered peculiarly interesting by
the variety and elegance of the native vessels, so numerous at this
station.
The _Mor-pankhī_, as the Nawāb’s state-barge is called, is used during
certain festivals at Moorshedabad: boats of this description are
numerous, and of different forms, some towering very high, displaying
all the colours of the peacock, and all are brilliantly painted and
highly gilt. A band of native musicians follow the state-barge in
another tastefully-decorated boat, and the scene on the river during the
festival is highly picturesque.
Here also are seen the snake-boats: they shoot past you with great
swiftness when rowed by twenty men, from their amazing length and
extreme narrowness.
Through the influence of Mr. Hamilton, surgeon to the Embassy sent by
the local government to the Emperor Furrookhseer, in the year 1713, the
use of the Mint at Moorshedabad was placed at the disposal of the
Government of India.
The great object of dread to the Nawāb Sooraj-oo-Dowlah, in 1757, was
the fire of the English vessels of war, of the effects of whose
broadsides he had received exaggerated accounts; and, in the excess of
his timidity, he conceived it possible that they might proceed up the
great branch of the Ganges, and then come down the Kossimbazar river to
Moorshedabad; to guard against which, he caused large piles to be sunk
across that stream, opposite to Sooty, about twenty miles above the
city. A toll is now levied at Jungipūr for keeping open the entrance of
the Bhagirathī, as this branch of the Ganges is called.