Bankura district

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Bankura district
District of West Bengal
Jor Bangla temple at Bishnupur
Jor Bangla temple at Bishnupur
Bankura district is located in West Bengal
Bankura district
Bankura district
Location in West Bengal
Coordinates: 23°15′N 87°04′E / 23.25°N 87.07°E / 23.25; 87.07Coordinates: 23°15′N 87°04′E / 23.25°N 87.07°E / 23.25; 87.07
Country India
StateWest Bengal
DivisionMedinipur division
HeadquartersBankura
Area
 • Total6,882 km2 (2,657 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total3,596,292
 • Density520/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Demographics
 • Literacy70.26%
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Average annual precipitation1385 mm
Websitehttp://bankura.gov.in/

Bankura district is one of the districts of the Indian state of West Bengal.

History[edit]

Archaeological excavations at Dihar, near Bishnupur, indicate the earliest human settlement in this area on the southern bank of the Dwarakeswar River around 1,000 BC.[1]

Romesh Chunder Dutt wrote, “The ancient Rajas of Bishnupur trace back their history to a time when Hindus were still reigning in Delhi, and the name of the Musalmans was not yet heard in India. Indeed, they could already count five centuries of rule over the western frontier tracts of Bengal before Bakhtiyar Khilji wrested the province from the Hindus. The Musalman conquest of Bengal, however, made no difference to the Bishnupur princes… these jungle kings were little known to the Musalman rulers of the fertile portions of Bengal, and were never interfered with. For long centuries, therefore, the kings of Bishnupur were supreme within their extensive territories. At a later period of Musalman rule, and when the Mughal power extended and consolidated itself on all sides, a Mughal army sometimes made its appearance near Bishnupur with claims of tribute, and tribute was probably sometimes paid. Nevertheless, the Subahdars of Murshidabad, never had that firm hold over the Rajas of Bishnupur which they had over the closer and more recent Rajaships of Burdwan and Birbhum. As the Burdwan Raj grew in power, the Bishnupur family fell into decay; Maharaja Kirti Chand of Burdwan attacked and added to his zamindari large slices of his neighbour’s territories. The Marathas completed the ruin of the Bishnupur house, which is an impoverished zamindari in the present day.” [1][2]

in 1806, the Maharaja of Burdwan bought the Bishnupur Raj.[1]

Bankura district was carved out of the older Bardhaman district in 1837.[3]

Geography[edit]

Map of Bankura district showing blocks and municipalities. The blue line at the top is Damodar river.

Bankura district covers an area of 6,882 sq km.[4]

According to Sujit Das, Bankura district “is located on the eastern slope of Chota Nagpur Plateau.” [5] Bankura district has two distinct topographical regions. The western part is an undulating country with rocky hills, covered with forests. It gradually slopes down to the flat plains in the east and north-east.[6]

While the Damodar forms the border with Paschim Bardhaman and Purba Bardhaman districts, some of the other rivers in this district are: Dwarakeswar, Kangsabati, Shilabati, Gandheswari and Sali.[7]

Bankura district is bounded by Paschim Bardhaman and Purba Bardhaman districts on the north, Hooghly district on the east, Paschim Medinipur district on the south and Purulia district on the west.[8]

Subdivisions in Bankura district are: Bankura Sadar subdivision, Khatra subdivision and Bishnupur subdivision.[7]

Community development blocks in Bankura district are: Bankura I, Bankura II, Chhatna, Saltora, Mejia, Gangajalghati, Barjora, Onda, Indpur, Khatra, Hirbandh, Ranibandh, Taldangra, Simlapal, Raipur, Sarenga, Bishnupur, Sonamukhi, Patrasayer, Indas, Joypur and Kotulpur.[7]

Demographics[edit]

Bankura district has a population of 3,596,292.[4] 91.67% of the population live in rural areas and 8.33% live in urban areas. The literacy rate (excluding the population below 6 years) is 70.26%.[8]

Economy[edit]

Agriculture[edit]

Bankura district is an agricultural district. 65.27% of the population is engaged in agriculture of which 21.12% are cultivators 44.15% are agricultural labourers. The district receives an annual rainfall of 1385 mm.[9] The district is monsoon dependent and receives an overwhelming portion of it from June to September. In spite of there being cases of flooding during the monsoons, the district is known as being drought prone, particularly in the northwest part of the district.[8]

Agricultural inputs such as fertliser, organic manures and pesticides are used and farmers now use agricultural inputs like tractors, power tillers, threshers and pump sets.[7]

The main crops are paddy, potatoes, wheat, vegetables, mustard, til etc.[7]

Industry[edit]

Mejia Thermal Power Station is a 1,340 mega-watt (MW), owned by Damodar Valley Corporation and located at Durlabhpur.[10]

Poverty[edit]

In Bankura district, 58.8% of the population is below the poverty line. It is one of the 100 districts in India with the highest poverty rates.[11]

Transport[edit]

National Highway 14, running from Morgram to Kharagpur, passes through this district.[12]

Education[edit]

In 2010, Bankura district had 3551 primary schools, 348 junior high schools, 189 secondary/ madhyamik schools, 248 higher secondary schools, 3 high madrasas, 15 degree colleges, 2 engineering colleges and 1 medical college. The Santali language using Ol Chiki script is the medium of education in 46 primary schools. High schools have been approved to open a Santali language medium section. Children have already been admitted in some such schools.[13]

The following institutions are located in Bankura district:

  • Bankura University was established in 2013.[14]
  • Bankura Sammilani Medical College at Bankura was started as a medical school in 1922 and was upgraded to a medical college in 1954. The Government of West Bengal took over the institution in 1961. The 131 bedded Bankura district hospital was merged with it in 1964.[15]

Note: More Information about private engineering colleges and degree colleges are available in the subdivision pages.

Culture[edit]

Main article: Culture of Bankura district

Bankura district is a land of temples. Almost all temples in Bishnupur town are Vaishnavite, but many of those scattered in the areas of the district spread outside the town are Shaivite, with traces of Jainism and Buddhism. While some of the older temples were built of laterite the area has numerous brick built temples, some with exquisite terracotta carvings.[16]

There are different types of temples in Bishnupur. The Malleswar temple has a single square on a curved roof. Madan Mohan temple and Radha Shyam Temple has a single tower on a curved roof. The Shyam Rai and Madan Gopal temples have five towers on curved roof and are known as “pancha ratna” temples. The Shyam Rai temple has two Bengal hut joined together with a small tower on top. It is known as “jor bangla” temple, .[17]

Bankura horse, the famous handicraft of Bankura district, produced at Panchmura is the logo of All India Handicrafts.[18]

See also – List of temples in Bishnupur

Healthcare[edit]

The major medical facilities in the district are:[19]

  • Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital at Bankura has 1,217 beds.
  • Khatra Subdivisional Hospital at Khatra has 114 beds.
  • Bishnupur District Hospital at Bishnupur has 300 beds.
  • Bishnupur Superspeciality Hospital at Bihnupur has 100 beds.
  • Gouripur Leprosy Hospital at Gouripur has 532 beds.
  • Barjora Superspeciality Hospital at Barjora has 100 beds.
  • Onda SuperspecialityHospital at Onda has 100 beds.
  • Chhatna Superspeciality Hospital at Chhatna has 100 beds.
  • Bankura Police Hospital at Bankura has 20 beds.
  • District Correctional Home Hospital at Bankura has 8 beds.
  • South Eastern Railway Hospital at Bankura has 8 beds.
  • Mejia Thermal Power Station Hospital at Durlabhpur has 20 beds.

Note: The subdivision and community development block pages provide information about medical facilities within their jurisdiction.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Bankura". Our District - History. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Bankura - Our District - District Gazetteers (old) - History" (PDF). Chapter II History: Rise and Fall of the Bishnupur Raj. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  3. ↑ "Paschim Bardhaman". History. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Bankura". Home – District at a Glance. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "Delineation of groundwater potential zone in hard rock terrain in Gangajalghati block, Bankura district, India using remote sensing and GIS techniques". Sujit Das. Springer Link. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "Classification and analysis of land for landscape ecology: a Case Study of Bankura District, West Bengal, India". Amborish Das. International Multidisciplinary Research Journal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Bankura". Departments-Agriculture. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "District Disaster Management Plan: Bankura 2016" (PDF). District Profile. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  9. ↑ "Identification of agricultural productivity regions and its major determinants: a case study from Bankura district, West Bengal". Arindam Sutradhar. Research Gate. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  10. ↑ "Mejia Power Station". Global Energy Monitor Wiki. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Table 1". Vani Barooah. Research Gate. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Rationalisation of Numbering Systems of National Highways" (PDF). New Delhi: Department of Road Transport and Highways. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "Bankura". Departments - Education. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Bankura University". Bankura University. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Bankura Sammilani Medical College". BSMC. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  16. ↑ Ghosh, Binoy, Paschim Banger Sanskriti (Culture of West Bengal), (in Bengali), pp. 337-346, part I, 1976 edition, Prakash Bhaban
  17. ↑ O’Malley, L.S.S., ICS, Bankura, Bengal District Gazetteers, pp. 183-191, 1995 reprint, first published 1908, Government of West Bengal
  18. ↑ "Bankura's Horses". bengalinet. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  19. ↑ "Directory of Medical Institutions: West Bengal (as on 31 March 2018" (PDF). Bankura, page 5. Directorate of Health Services, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
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