Birbhum district

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Birbhum District
District of West Bengal
Upasana Griha at Santiniketan
Upasana Griha at Santiniketan
Birbhum District is located in West Bengal
Birbhum District
Birbhum District
Coordinates: 23°55′N 87°32′E / 23.92°N 87.53°E / 23.92; 87.53Coordinates: 23°55′N 87°32′E / 23.92°N 87.53°E / 23.92; 87.53
Country India
StateWest Bengal
DivisionBurdwan
HeadquartersSuri
Area
 • Total4,545 km2 (1,755 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total3,502,404
 • Density770/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
Demographics
 • Literacy70.68%
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Websitebirbhum.co.in

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

History[edit]

The district of Birbhum was formed during the administration of the East India Company in 1765. In 1787, it was linked to Vishnupur and transferred to the Burdwan Collectorate. In 1793, it became the Birbhum collectorate. In 1809, it was made a part of the Murshidabad Collectorate. In 1820, Birbhum was reconstituted as a separate district. After the Santhal rebellion, the western part of the district was constituted as the Santhal Parganas district. In 1872 the district had eight thanas: Suri, Rajnagar, Dubrajpur, Kasba (now Bolpur), Sakulipur, Labpur, Barwan and Mayureswar. In 1879 Barwan was transferred to Murshidabad, while the thanas of Rampurhat and Nalhati ( including the present thana of Murarai) were transferred from that district to Birbhum.[1]

Geography[edit]

Map of Birbhum district showing CD blocks and municipal areas. Click on the map to view larger map.

The headquarters of the district are at Suri.

The district has a total area of 4,545 sq km.[2]

There are three subdivisions in the district: Rampurhat, Suri Sadar and Bolpur.[3][4]

Community development blocks in Birbhum district are: Suri I, Suri II, Sainthia, Mohammad Bazar, Khoyrasol, Dubrajpur, Bolpur Sriniketan, Ilambazar, Nanoor, Labpur, Rampurhat I, Rampurhat II, Nalhati I, Nalhati II, Mayureswar I, Mayureswar II, Murarai I and Murarai II.[4]

Demographics[edit]

As per the 2011 census, Birbhum district had a total population of 3,502,404, of which 1,790,920 were male and 1,711,484 were female 449,448 were in urban area and 3,052,956 were in rural area. Literate people were 2,158,447 in number.[2]

Birbhum district has a literacy rate of 70.68% in 2011.[5]

The principal languages spoken, in 2011, in Birbhum district are Bengali 92.38%, Santali 6.01% and Hindi 1.28%.[5]

The principal religions followed in Birbhum district, in 2011, were Hinduism 62.29% and Islam 37.06%.[5]

Economy[edit]

Agriculture[edit]

Agriculture in the district is monsoon dependent. 54.58% of the total area is irrigated. The main sources of irrigation are the Mayurakshi canal project and ground water. Paddy accounts for 94% of the total cultivated area. Other major crops are oilseeds, wheat & pulses and vegetables.[6]

Industry[edit]

Industries in Birbhum district based on agriculture and forests include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oil seed milling, lac harvesting, textile, art and craft. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station is the only heavy industry in the district.[7]

Poverty[edit]

In Birbhum district, 52.4% of the population is below the poverty line. It is one of the 100 districts in India with the highest poverty rates.[8]

Transport[edit]

Panagarh-Moregram Expressway cuts across the district.[9]

Andal–Sainthia branch line was built in 1913.[10] The 4’ gauge Nalhati-Azimganj line was opened in 1863. It was subsequently converted to 5’6’’ gauge.[11] The Sahibganj loop passes through this district,[12]

Culture[edit]

Birbhum is known not only for its red soil and the shallow serpentine rivers ridden with sand islands, but also for the notable poets. Many poets belonging to the age of Vaishnava Padabali and Shakta Padabali of Bengali poetry were born here, as for example, Jaydeb, the celebrated author of Geetagovinda, and Chandidas (Rami).[13]

The bauls of Birbhum, their philosophy and their songs form a notable representation of the folk culture of the district. Poet Rabindranath Tagore was inspired by their philosophy. Birbhum has also been home to famous kabiyals, kirtaniyas and other folk culture groups.[14][15]

Tarapith, a sakti peetha and a popular pilgrimage site for Hindus, is believed to be spot where Sati’s third eye fell when Shiva performed the tandava dance with Sati's charred body. Tara, a different form of Sati, is worshipped at Tarapith.[16]

Personalities[edit]

Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, author of 65 Bengali novels, not only belongs to Labpur in Birbhum district but many of his novels are based on the life and surroundings in Birbhum. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956 and was honoured with the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature in 1971.[17]

Nandalal Bose was one the most celebrated painters in his time. He depicted Indian subjects. He was principal of Kala Bhavan at Shantiniketan from 1922 to 1951. He was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 1956.[18]

Education[edit]

According to L.S.S. O’Malley, there were seven High English School at different places in the district in 1909-10. Subsequently, large numbers of schools were established across the district. These schools contributed to the development of education in the district. Colleges started coming up later. Krishna Chandra College at Hetampur was founded by Maharani Padma Sundari Devi of Hetampur Rajbati in 1896. Suri Vidyasagar College was founded in 1942. Santiniketan Ashram was founded by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore in 1863 and Viswa Bharati was registered in 1922. “The establishment of Visva-Bharati infused the ideas of west into the minds of the students to understand Education and Philosophy in much deeper perspective which have influenced the promotion of Western and Scientific Education among the people of the District.“[19]

The following institution is located in Birbhum district:

  • Visva-Bharati was founded by Rabindranath Tagore at Santiniketan in 1921. It was declared a central university and an “institution of national importance” in 1951.[20]

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

Healthcare[edit]

The major medical facilities in the district are:[21]

  • Birbhum District Hospital at Suri with 542 beds.
  • Bolpur Subdivisional Hospital at Sian with 224 beds.
  • Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital at Rampurhat.
  • Birbhum Jail Hospital at Suri with 10 beds.
  • Birbhum Police Hospital at Suri with 2 beds
  • Pearson Memorial Hospital at Shantiniketan with 50 beds.

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

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "Birbhum". History. Birbhum district adminstration. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Birbhum District Population". India Growing. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Census of India 2011 - West Bengal - Series 20 - Part XII A - District Census Handbook, Birbhum". Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Birbhum". Subdivisions & Blocks. Birbhum district administration. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "West Bengal District Handbook: Birbhum District". India Stat Publications. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "Birbhum". Agriculture. Birbhum district authority. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "Brief Industrial Profile of Birbhum District, West Bengal" (PDF). Ministry of MSME, Government of India. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "Table 1". Vani Barooah. Research Gate. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  9. ↑ "Birbhum". Tourrism-How to Reach. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  10. ↑ Saxena, R. P. "Indian Railway History Time line". Irse.bravehost.com. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Indian Railways History: Early Days". Chronology of Railways 1832-1869. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Sahibganj loop". Infogalactic. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  13. ↑ Das, Prabhat Kumar, Birbhumer Kirtan O Jatragan, Paschim Banga, Birbhum Special issue (in Bengali), February 2006, pp. 311–319
  14. ↑ Kundu, Chnadan, Birbhumer Baul: Swatantrer Sandhane, Paschim Banga, Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 215–224
  15. ↑ Mukhopadhyay, Aditya, Birbhumer Mela, Paschim Banga, Birbhum Special issue (in Bengali), February 2006, pp. 203–214
  16. ↑ "Tarapith". holidify. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  17. ↑ "1971: When Novelist Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay lost Literature Nobel Prize to Pablo Neruda". Debasis Konar & Someswar Boral. The Times of India, 10 October 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  18. ↑ "Nandlal Bose". Cultural India. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  19. ↑ "Development of Western Education in Birbhum District during Colonial Period" (PDF). Md. Kamrul Hasan. Research Guru. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Visva-Bharati". VB. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "Directory of Medical Institutions: West Bengal (as on 31 March 2018" (PDF). Birbhum, page 14. Directorate of Health Services, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
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