Murshidabad was the last capital city of independent Bengal before the British rule. Located on the banks of Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganga, the destination has always been famous for its silk. Plassey, where the historic battle was fought in 1757 between Nawab Siraj-ud-Doula and Lord Clive of the East India Company, is only 40 km south of Murshidabad. The Hazarduaari Palace, built in 1837, has been transformed into a museum. Also known as the palace with a thousand doors, there are various historical artifacts on display including armoury, paintings, portraits of the Nawabs, works of ivory (Murshidabad school), swords used by Siraj-ud-Daulah and his grandfather, Nawab Ali Vardi Khan. The Moti Jhil (Pearl Lake), Nizamat Imambara, Katra Masjid, Kiriteshwari Temple and the Khushbagh Cemetery, are other important places of interest to visitors.