Investing precious time towards molding a career and channelizing energy in the right direction are some of the essential ingredients required for accomplishing a prosperous tomorrow; this very idea is embedded in the limbic system of today’s youth and they hardly get time for themselves. We, especially the ones pursuing graduation irrespective of the branch remain so engrossed with our studies that peace of mind feels a luxury at some moment. Internships, assignments, college fest, attendance, social media are some of few influential elements that have acted as bricks and formed a wall around us and prevented us from exploring other aspects of life.

Fed up with the incessant routine, my adventure enthusiast friends and I decided to go on a trip to Murshidabad. Initially, some including me, were very reluctant because of the upcoming semester exams but at the end, the wanderlust triumphed over our hesitation and the trip got confirmed. But we knew that moments of joy are going to be ephemeral as we had only opted for a 1 day and 1-night stay to the last capital of independent Bengal and the land of Nawabs, Murshidabad.   

We boarded the train at around 10 pm on Saturday night and after 7 hours journey, we set foot on the soil of the district at around 5 in the morning. We decided to stay at a hotel which was not very far from Hazarduari Museum.

From the view which we witnessed from the window of our hotel room made us realize how pages of our Indian history lacked the vigour to describe the unparalleled beauty of this historically significant place. Far away from the chaos of the overcrowded metropolitan city, calmness dripped into our veins and we could feel connected to the roots of Bengal. The elegance of the land of the Nawabs of Bengal is at its peak during winters and we could feel the serenity in the air. We rested for few hours and as advised by some of the locals the first place we visited was the Katgola Palace after the much-anticipated tanga gari ride. We kolkattans have always loved tanga gari ride near Victoria in Kolkata but in a rural area, the tanga gari felt no less than Ferrari (ok, I am exaggerating but it was one joyous experience).

This very well maintained heritage property is full of memorabilia and artifacts of the lost times.  The garden nearby was so well maintained and the fountain there had such intricate designs that it will compel you to acknowledge the fact that immensely skillful artists existed in that era. And finally, we entered Katgola palace. Taking pictures inside was strictly prohibited so we got engrossed in knowing the historical facts.

After our stint at Katgola palace, we reached our next and final destination of the day that’s Hazarduaari. One of the remarkable museum and a world heritage site that can give you the detailed insight about the glorious days of the nawab’s reign is this youthfully exuberant infrastructure. Hazarduari means a palace with 1000 doors, out of which only 100 are real and the rest 900 are false. You can barely take your eyes off of this Indo European architecture and the beautiful parrots sitting on the rooftop that contribute to elevating the scenic beauty. Walking up to the huge flight of stairs is one daunting task though. The artifacts we saw spoke volumes about the glorious past of Bengal. I remember seeing a palki or an ivory palanquin which was utilized as a mode of transport by Aurangzeb's daughter. Then there was a conference hall which had a beautiful throne in the very middle and all the confidential meetings regarding state affairs would be held here.

The first floor too had some amazing paintings on display almost at every corner that beautifully portrayed the magnificent artistic skills of painters and contemporary social life of the nawabs of the pre-independence period.

As the trip was just supposed to last only for a day, after sunset we, with a heavy heart, bid adieu to Hazarduari and headed towards our hotel. While relishing the delicious Murshidabad food we had a stimulating conversation on how much we loved the place and how much we are going to miss it. We will cherish these memories forever.

This trip made me realize that traveling is a food for the soul. Real exposure can contribute to great intellectual growth and broaden your horizon in ways you can’t even perceive. Don't let yourself confine within those narrow walls or boundaries, don't be a broken-winged bird. Remember those extra zeros in bank accounts or escalating career graph won’t satisfy your soul, these memories will.