Photo: SanjayBeen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Muktagacha Rajbari
About Muktagacha Rajbari
Muktagacha is a small town about half an hour west of Mymensingh city. It grew up around the Acharya Chowdhury family, Brahmin zamindars who settled here after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The town’s name is said to honour Muktaram Karmakar, a local man who presented the newly arrived zamindars with a lamp stand, or gachha.
The Rajbari is a sprawling complex of palace buildings, temples and courtyards, now partly used by a college and partly in ruins. Look for the twin Shiva temple at the edge of the palace, where Durga Puja is still celebrated, and the carved details of the old halls. Some restoration has been done in recent years, but much of the complex remains weathered.
No visit is complete without monda, a soft sweet made from milk and sugar. Gopal Pal’s shop on Jagat Kishore Road has made it since the 1820s, according to the family, and is still run by his descendants.
The same zamindars built Shashi Lodge in Mymensingh city, and Evergreen Bangladesh Tours often combines the two on a private tour. See Mymensingh Division for more.
Things to do
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Explore the palace complex
Wander through the courtyards and halls of the old zamindar palace with your guide.
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Visit the Shiva temples
See the twin Shiva temple beside the palace, still used for worship and festivals.
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Taste Muktagacha monda
Try the famous milk sweet at Gopal Pal’s shop, the best-known name in town.
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Wander the old town
Walk the lanes and small shops of Muktagacha, a quiet market town with traces of its zamindari past.
Getting there
From Mymensingh: about half an hour west by car or auto-rickshaw.
From Dhaka: around three to four hours by road; many travellers visit on the way to or from Mymensingh city.
Where to stay
Stay in Mymensingh city, about half an hour away, which has the best choice of hotels in the division.
We suggest hotels that fit your budget when we send your tour price.
More to see in Mymensingh
Tours that visit Muktagacha Rajbari
None of our set tours stop here yet, but we can add it to a tailor-made trip.
Questions
Where is Muktagacha Rajbari?
In Muktagacha town, Mymensingh District, about half an hour west of Mymensingh city by road.
What is Muktagacha famous for?
Its zamindar palace complex and its monda, a milk sweet made by the Gopal Pal shop since the 1820s, according to the family.
Who were the Muktagacha zamindars?
The Acharya Chowdhury family, Brahmin landholders who settled at Muktagacha after 1757. They also built Shashi Lodge in Mymensingh city.
Is Muktagacha worth visiting?
Yes, as a half-day trip from Mymensingh for the faded palace, its temples and a taste of monda.