Dakhil Darwaza
Dakhil Darwaza, also known as Salami Darwaza, is a grand 15th-16th century gateway located in Gaur, Malda district, West Bengal, India. It served as the main northern entrance to the citadel of Lakhnauti, the capital of the Bengal Sultanate. Constructed primarily with red bricks and terracotta, often attributed to the Hussain Shahi dynasty, it exemplifies the Bengal style of architecture, blending Islamic and regional elements. The gateway, also called Salami Darwaza due to cannons fired from it as a salute, remains a significant historical monument protected by the Archeological Survey of India.
History
Scholarly opinions on the Dakhil Darwaza’s date and patron differ. It is assumed that the gate was built by Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah in 1425 AD. Some attribute its construction to the early 15th century under the restored Ilyas Shahi dynasty. Others link it to a 1519 inscription crediting Nusrat Shah of the Husain Shahi dynasty, suggesting it was built as a ceremonial gateway connecting the Gaur citadel to the Baro Sona Mosque, about one kilometer northeast.
Architecture
The gate is primarily constructed of brick, with stone facing on the piers between the doorways up to the arch springs. The structure measures in length and in width, featuring a central passage wide. Flanking the corridor are two guardrooms on each side, each measuring. According to measurements by Alexander Cunningham, the gateway reaches a height of approximately, with the main entrance arch rising to. Other measurements indicates the exterior high. A smaller archway behind the wider arch leads to the vaulted passage. The architecture of Dakhil Darwaza resembles Baro Sona Mosque, Choto Sona Mosque and Adina Mosque.