Barddhaman district General information
Bardhaman district is a district in West Bengal. The main town is Bardhaman.
Origin Of Name
The history of Burdwan is known from about 5000 BC and belonging to the Mesolithic or Late Stone Age. The name Burdwan is an anglicized form of the Sanskrit word Vardhamana. The first epigraphic reference to the name occurs in a 6th. century AD copper -plate found in the village of Mallasarul in Galsi Police Station.
There are two views about the origin of the name Barddhamana. One, it might have been named after the 24th. Jaina Tirthankar or barddhamanasvami. According to the Kalpasutra of the Jains, Mahavira spent sometime in Astikgrama which was formerly known as Barddhamana.
According to the other view, Barddhamana means prosperous growth centre. In the progress of Aryanisation from the upper Ganges valley, the frontier colony was called Barddhamana as a landmark of growth and prosperity.
Location and Boundary
Bardhhaman district extends from 22o56' to 23o53' North latitude and from 86o48' to 88o25' East longitudes. Lying within Burdwan Division, the district is bounded on the north by Dumka (of Jharkhand), Birbhum and Murshidabad, on the east by Nadia, on the south by Hooghly, Bankura and Purulia and on the west by Dhanbad (of Jharkhand) districts.
The river Barakar forms the State boundary to the west; the Ajay separetes Birbhum and Dumka to the north with exception of a portion of Katwa subdivision; the Damodar forms a southern boundary with Purulia and Bankura, while Bhagirathi forms the main eastern boundary with a few exceptions. The maximum length from east to west is 208 Km while the maximum breadth from north to south is 112 KM. In shape the district resembles a hammer.
Area and Population
District has total population of 6895514 of an area of 7024 Sq.K.M.
Topography
Barddhaman district with its varied tectonic elements and riverine features, is a transitional zone between the Jharkhand plateau which constitutes a portion of peninsular shield in the west and Ganga-Brahamaputra alluvial plain in the north and east. In general the Jharkhand plateau consists of the metasedimentary rocks of precambrian age, Gondwana sedimentary rocks, Rajmahal basalts and upper tertiary sediments. Laterite has developed on these older rocks as well as on early Quaternary sediments. Towards south, the alluvial plain merges with Damodar-kasain-Subarnarekha deltaic plains.
The western half of the district resembles a promontory jutting out from the hill ranges of Chotonagpur plateau and consists of barren, rocky and rolling country with a laterite soil rising into rocky hillocks, the highest being 227 m. These diversify the otherwise monotonous landscape and lend a special charm to the skyline arround Asansol subdivision.
Ajoy-barakar divide is a convex plateau, the avarage altitude being 150 m. The gradient is westerly to the west and to the east it is northerly towards Ajay and southerly towards Damodar below the latitude. The Ajoy- Damodar inter-stream tract is made up of several stows consisting of vales and low convex spurs which run in almost all directions except north-east and thus lends a very complicated character to local relief.
Rivers
The river system in Barddhaman includes the Bhagirathi-Hooghly in the east, the Ajoy and its tributaries in the north and the Dwarakeswar, the Damodar and its branches in the south-west. Besides, there are innumerable Khals and old river beds all over the area.
The notable rivers and khals are Damodar, Bhagirathi, Barakar, Ajay, Dwarakeswar, Nonia, Singaram, Tamla, Kukua, Kunur, Tumuni, Khari, Banka, Chanda-kanki nala, Behula, Gangur, Brahmani, Khandesvari, Karulia nala, Dwaraka or Babla, Koiya nala, Kandarkahal, Kanadamodar, Kananadi, Ghea, Kakinadi etc.
Soil
Different types of soil are encountered in different topographical biological and hydrological as well as geological condition within the Barddhaman district. In the west coarse gritty soil blended with rock fragments is formed from the weathering of pegmatites, quartz veins and conglomeratic sandstones, where as sandy soil characteristic of granitic rocks and sandstones. This soil is of reddish colour, medium to coarse in texture, acidic in reaction, low in nitrogen, calcium, phosphate and other plant nutrients. Water holding capacity of this soil increases with depth as well as with the increase of clay portions.
Towards the east alluvial soil attains an enormous thickness in the low level plains to the east. This alluvial soil is formed of alluvium brought down by the Ajay, Damodar, Bhagirathi and numerous other rivers. These soils are sandy, well drained and slightly acidic in nature.
Minerals
Barddhaman is one of the premier districts in India in terms of value of mineral. The Raniganj coalfield was the birth place of the Indian coal industry. Besides coal ,important minerals found in the district are ,iron ores, calcium carbonate, abrasives, silica bricks and moulding sands, glass sands, building materials, Manganese, Bauxite, laterite etc.
Water Resources
There are many tanks, wells, canals, swamps and bils are found all over the district. Within the Damodar Valley region,there are around 17000 tanks. The Durgapur barrage and Mithon dam have formed two large reservoirs at the south-western and western periphery of the district.
Forest
The forest areas of the district are chiefly situated in the lateritic and red soil high lands in the Aushgram PS of Sadar Subdivision and in the Asansol subdivision. In Ausgram P.S. the forest areas are interspersed with paddy fields. The Durgapur forests are continued in the Birbhum district beyond the Ajay while the forest area in the Asansol subdivision forms a part of the forest area of Dumka District of Jharkhand.
Flora
The flora of the district is characterized by the arborescent species such as Simul (Salmalia malabarica Schott. & Endl.), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Amlaki (Phyllanthus embica), Lannea coromandelica Merr., Narikel (cocos nucifera), Khejur (Phoenix dactylifera L.), Tal (Borassus flabellifer L.), Bat (Ficus bengalensis L.), Asvattha (Ficus religiosa L.), Palas (Butea frondosa) , Krishnachuda (Caesalpinia Pulcherrima), Am (Mangifera indica L.) and shrubby species such as ashsheoda (Glycosmis pentaphylla Corr.), Pianj, Rasun, Rajanigandha (Polyanthes tuberosa Willd.), Ghentu or Bhat (Clerodendron infortunatum Gaertn.), Kurabaka (Barleria Cristata), Gulancha (Tinospora cordifolia), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Solanum torvum SW., S. Verbascifolium L., Trema orientalis Bl., Shiora (Streblus asper Lour.) and Dumur (Ficus hispida L.).
Fauna
The carnivora of the district comprise leopard, wolf, hyaena, jackal and other smaller species, but hyaenas and leopards are not common. Tigers were formerly common in the district, especially in the jungles of the Asansol subdivision adjoining the Jharkhand, but have now entirely disappeared. Wolves are scarce, and are mostly met with in the jungles north of Kanksa. Wild pigs are numerous throughout the district and monkeys also abound including the variety known as Hanuman. In the hilly areas an occasional python is met with. Poisonous snakes are very common and include several kinds of cobra, the karait and the deadly Russell's viper. Other most frequently seen varieties are the Dhamna and various species of harmless grass snakes.
Climate
The district experiences a climate which is transitional between CWg3 and AW1 types, where 'C' stands for 'warm temperate rainy climates with mild winter', 'W' for 'dry winter not compensated for by total rain in the rest of the year', 'g3' for 'eastern Ganges type of temperature trend' and 'AW1' for 'tropical savanna climates'. Avarage temperature in hot season is 30oC while at the cold season is 20oC. And avarage rainfall is 150 millimetre.
The cold season starts from about the middle of November and continues till the end of February. March to May is dry summer intervened by tropical cyclones and storms. June to September is wet summer while October and November is autumn.
Agriculture
Barddhaman is the only district in the state of West Bengal that is fortunate both in industry and agriculture. On an average about 58 percent of the total population belongs to the agricultural population while the non agricultural sector accounts for the remaining 42 percent.
The eastern, northern, southern and central areas of the district are extensively cultivated but the soil of the western portion being of extreme lateritic type is unfit for cultivation except in the narrow valleys and depressions having rich soil and good moisture. The cultivation in the district has improved since 1953 with the implementation of the irrigation projects undertaken by the Damodar Valley Corporation. Up to 1953 the cultivation was entirely dependent on the monsoon, and irrigation facilities were rather inadequate and more or less primitive. The position has since been changed and an all-round agricultural development has become possible. Though agriculture is largely regulated by rainfall as in the other districts of the state, the developing irrigation system has been very helpful in minimizing the effects of the vagaries of nature.
Rice is the most important crop of the district and in the alluvial plains to the east little else is grown. The rice grown with its numerous varieties can broadly grouped under the three primary classes distinguished from one another by distinct characteristics and there are : The Aus or autumn, the Aman or winter and the Boro or the summer rice. Paddy covers maximum of the gross cropped area. Among commercial crops Jute, Mesta and Sugarcane, potato, oil seeds are cultivated in marginal area
Religious and Culture
Pirbakaram Sikka : Tomb of Sher Afgan, subject of Akbar the Great & Kutubuddin, Subedar of Bengal. (Burdwan Municipality)
Khwaja Anowar Berk : Tomb of Khwaja Anwar, the famous Mughal Warrior. (Burdwan Municipality)
Kamalakanta Kalibari : The temple Goddess Kali, associated with the famous devotee poet Kamalakanta. (Burdwan Municipality)
Shah Alam's Darga : A building of Archeological interest built in the early 18th century by Murshidkuli Khan, the then Subedar of Bengal. (Katwa Municipality)
Babladihi : The Idol of Lord Siva in the temple is of definite archeological interest, and believed to be of the Pal Age.(Mangalkote Block)
Sidheshwari Temple : Temple of presiding Goddess Siddheswari Ambika, surrounded by Siva Temple. Famous for Terracotta works.(Kalna Municipality)
Baikunthanath Shiva Temple : Built by Brajakishori , mother of Kirtichand , notable for its Teracottaworks. (Kana Municipality)
Shyamarupa Temple : This terracotta temple houses 10 armed idol of Shyamarupa made of Marbel stone, and was built more than 1000 years ago. (Kanksa Block)
Temple Of Ichai Ghosh : This huge temple of burnt bricks towers to 200 feet in height and is distinct by its architecture and engravings. (Kanksa Bolck)
Rarkeshwar Temple : This Siva temple has an unique architectural feature and was reportedly built to protect the village from the attack of Bhaskar Pandit who was an worshipper of Siva. (Kanksa Block)
Radheshyam Temple : The Burnt- brick temple built in the Bankura-Bishnupur style attracts tourist by its unique structure & terracotta works. (Asansol MC)
Bishnu Temple : This 35 feet high stone temple , the only of its kind in the area, believed to built during the Pal Age, houses an idol of Lord Narayana.(Asansol MC)
Tourist Place
Krishnasagar Ecological Park : A beautiful lake & park adjacent to Burdwan University with an aquarium, boating facilities and other attreations.
Ranisagar : A big and beautiful lake excavated by queen Brajakishori in the heart of the Town. (Burdwan Municipality)
Curzon Gate : A historical Monument constructed by Maharaja Bijoychand of Burdwan to welcome Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of Bengal at the entrance of Burdwan Town Now Known as Bijoy Toran. (Burdwan Municipality)
Meghnad Saha Planetorium : A Planetarium of International Slandard , one of the best in Asia near the University Complex, Golapbag.
Burdwan Science Center : A Science Museum of Excellence standard near the Burdwan University Complex , Golapbag. (Burdwan Municipality)
Uddharanpur : The village resembles a fort and it is believed that the famous Naihati Fort was situated here. Noted for its 500 year old fair.(Ketugram -II Block)
Kogram : At the confluence of rivers Ajoy and Kunur, Ujani, believed to be the Capital of Vikramaditya is today’s Kogram. The Dhanapati Saudagar of Chandimangal fame also used to stay here. A temple of Goddess Chandi can also be seen here. Believed to be one of the Satipiths (Mangalkote Block)
Kalna Raj Bari : A palace of the Mahara of Burdwan still attracts a large number of visitors by its grandeur. The Lalji Mandir , Pratapeswar Deul and Krishnachandraji Temples inside the complex attract tourists. (Kalna Municipality)
Chupichar : A cluster of reverine isles and oxbow spread across 20 Sq KMs on the meandering course of river Ganga. Nearly 73 species of migratory birds arrive in winter and stay upto month march.
Deer Park : The Durgapur Deer Park can be a real attraction to wild life lovers. (Durgapur MC)
Nachan Bird Sanctuary : Tha Nachan Bird Sanctuary is also a treat to wild life lovers. (Durgapur MC)
Maithan Dam : The Maithon Dam and its adjacent reservoir and picturesque surroundings make it an ideal resort. (Salanpur Block)
Churulia : The birth place of Nazrul Islam maintained by Nazrul Academy. There is an Youth Hostel here. The village is famous for stone carving. (Jamuria)
Rajbati : The palace of the Maharaja of Burdwan ,presently used by the University. (Burdwan Municipality)
Kanchannagar : Believed to be the Head Quarters of Sasanka, the king of Gour, formerly known as Karna-Suvarna, here lies the Kankaleswari The deity resembles a human Skeliton. (Burdwan Municipality)
Deulia : The beautifully constructed temple resembles the Orissa pattern of “ Rekh” temples and is believed to be constructed in the 10th century. (Memari - I Block)
Singi : The native village of Kasiram Das the noted Bengali translator of the Mahabharata. (Katwa-II Block)
Sher Afgan Garh : The remains of the fort of Sher Afgan and a huge lake can be seen here. (Andal Block)
Sarbamangala Temple : Temple of the deity Sarbamangala presiding Goddess of the Burdwan Raj. Believed to have been found from the Sandbed of river Damodar. (Burdwan Municipality)
Time Masjid : Constructed by Ajim-us-San, Grand Son of Aurangzeb, who was appointed as Subedar of Bengal, in the last part of the 17th Century. (Burdwan Municipality)