House of Jagat Seth, Murshidabad

The House of Jagat Seth in the Mahimapur area of Murshidabad was home to the Jagat Seths, a Jain merchant and banking family whose influence over Mughal finances in the 17th and 18th centuries has been likened to that of the Rothschilds in Europe. The firm traced its origins to Hiranand Shah, who moved from Nagaur to Patna in 1652. Manikchand helped finance Farrukhsiyar's rise to the Mughal throne in 1713 and received the title Jagat Seth, 'banker of the world'. The family held a monopoly on minting coins in Bengal and helped fund the conspiracy against Siraj ud-Daulah, but declined after Mir Qasim had Mehtab Chand killed in 1763.

The house, which has a secret tunnel and an underground chamber, opened as a privately run museum in 1980. It displays the family's belongings, including old coins, muslin and other fine clothing, and Banarasi saris embroidered with gold and silver thread. The house, temple and ruins at Mahimapur are state protected monuments.