Ganga – or the Holy Ganges is not just a river but a mother, a goddess, a tradition, a culture and much more. In Bengal the river is also witness to the rise and fall of empires and towns. Murshidabad will tell the story of the traitor Mir Jafar who helped the British win the Battle of Plassey, will also show the Hazarduari (Palace of Thousand Doors), Malda the base for visiting Gaur and Pandua. Gaur, capital to three dynasties of ancient Bengal - the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs - has seen three distinct eras of glory. A little further down visit Kalna, Nabadwip, Mayapur, the centres of religious awakening and handicrafts. The colonial influences are evident in the little towns of Chandernagore, Chinsurah, Serampore and Bandel. Kolkata became what it is because of the river. The river ends her journey in the Bay of Bengal.