Created by Kamal Guha
Last edited May 5, 2026
Demographics: See also added
Education: Sub heads
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==Education==
==Education==
The following institutions are located in Bardhaman:
The following institutions are located in Bardhaman:
'''Premier Institutions'''
*[[University of Burdwan]] was established in 1960. <ref>{{cite web| url = https://collegedunia.com/university/26017-university-of-burdwan-bu-bardhaman/admission | title= Burdwan University | work=  |publisher= College Dunia | access-date = 10 July 2023}}</ref>
*[[University of Burdwan]] was established in 1960. <ref>{{cite web| url = https://collegedunia.com/university/26017-university-of-burdwan-bu-bardhaman/admission | title= Burdwan University | work=  |publisher= College Dunia | access-date = 10 July 2023}}</ref>
*[[Burdwan Medical College and Hospital]] was established in 1969. <ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.burmed.org/ | title= Burdwan Medical College and Hospital | work=  |publisher= Burdwan Medical College | access-date = 10 July 2023}}</ref>
*[[Burdwan Medical College and Hospital]] was established in 1969. <ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.burmed.org/ | title= Burdwan Medical College and Hospital | work=  |publisher= Burdwan Medical College | access-date = 10 July 2023}}</ref>

Revision as of 14:42, 21 July 2023

Bardhaman
City
Bijoy Toran or Curzon Gate
Location in West Bengal, India
Coordinates: 23°14′51″N 87°53′30″E / 23.2474°N 87.8916°E / 23.2474; 87.8916
Country India
StateDistrict
DistrictPurba Bardhaman
Area
 • Total26.30 km2 (10.15 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total314,265
 • Density12,000/km2 (31,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Literacy88.31
Lok Sabha constituencyBardhaman-Durgapur
Vidhan Sabha constituenciesBardhaman Dakshin, Bardhaman Uttar
Websitepurbabardhaman.co.in

Bardhaman is a city in the Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Purba Bardhaman district.

Etymology

The origin of this name is ascribed to Vardhamāna or Mahāvīra, the 24th Tīrthāṅkara of Jainism, who spent some time in Astikagram, according to the Jain scripture Kalpasutra This place was renamed as Vardhamana in his honour. [1][2]

History

Early years

During the rule of the Gupta Empire this area was divided into several smaller divisions such as Kankagrambhukti, Bardhamanbhukti and Dandabhukti. The area was bound by three rivers – Ajay, Dwarakeswar and Hooghly. To the east there were forests.[3]

During the reign of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, this place was called Badh-e-Diwan.[2]

Bardhaman Raj

Sangam Rai, a Khatri Kapoor from Kotli, was the founder of the Bardhaman Raj. He, on his way back from a pilgrimage to Puri, being much impressed with the advantages of Baikunthapur, a village in present-day Purba Bardhaman district, settled there permanently and devoted himself to commerce and money lending.[4][2]During the battle between Jagirdar Sher Afghan of Bardhaman and the Mughals, he helped the Mughals. As a reward, in 1610, the Emperor of Delhi conferred upon him the titles of Char Hazari Kotwal and Munsifdar.[5]

Banku Behari Rai was also a kotwal. The title of Rai-Raiyan was conferred upon him.[6]

Abu Rai was appointed Choudhuri and kotwal of Rekhabi Bazar in 1657 under the Faujdar of Chakla Bardhaman. He is considered to be the patriarch of the Bardhaman Raj family as it was during his time the zamindari started flourishing and the zamindari was firmly established.[6][7]

Chitra Sen Rai added the parganas of Mandalghat, Arsha and Chandrakona to his paternal estate. He was first in the family to be invested with the title of Raja by the Delhi Emperor.[8][9]

Tilak Chand Rai was honoured by the emperor Ahmad Shah with a farman confirming his right to the raj and was after a few years, invested with the title of Maharaj Adhiraj Bahadur and Panj Hazari (commander of five thousand troops) by emperor Shah Alam.[8][10] Three years after the battle of Plassey, on 27 September 1760, the zamindari of Bardhaman, together with the districts of Midnapore and Chittagong, was ceded to the East India Company by Nawab Mir Muhammad Kashim Khan, the governor of Bengal. At that time Bardhaman contained an area of 5,174 square miles and was considered the most productive district in Sube Bangla.[11]

Mahtab Chand Rai was appointed an additional member of the Viceregal Legislative Council in 1864, being the first native person of Bengal who was so honoured.[12]

Bijay Chand Mahtab was permitted the government in 1897 to maintain an armed force of 600 people and 41 cannons. In 1908, as per a proclamation of Lord Minto, elevated to the title of "Maharajadhiraja", which was bestowed on a hereditary basis.[13]

Uday Chand Mahatab headed and was a member of several committees like, member of the Damodar Canal Enquiry Committee 1938,[14]He presided over the West Bengal group of Legislators, in 1946, which voted 58:21 in favor of partition of Bengal.[15]He served as President of the non-Muslim block of the Bengal Partition meeting in 1947 and was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Bengal from years 1937 to 1952.[16]

In the West Bengal Legisllative Assembly election in 1951, the first after independence, Uday Chand Mahatab of Indian National Congress lost to Benoy Choudhury of Communist Party of India.[17]

The election defeat was followed by legislation for abolition of the zamindari system in West Bengal.[18]

Geography

Bardhaman Municipality covers an area of 26.30 sq km. It has 35 wards. It was established in 1865.[2]

Demographics

As per the 2011 census, Bardhaman municipality had a total population of 314,265, of which 159,936 were males and 154,329 were females. The proportion of SC was 11.08% and that of ST was 1.10%.[19]

Literacy rate was 88.31%.[19]

See also – List of cities in West Bengal by population

Transport

Bardhaman is on Grand Trunk Road / National Highway 19 (old numbering NH 2).[2][20][21]

Barddhaman Junction railway station, established in 1865, has 8 platforms, 181 trains halt at this station, 18 trains originate/ terminate at this station.[22]

Tourism

Some places of tourist interest in and around Bardhaman are; [23][24][25]

  • Kankaleswar Kalibari in Kanchan Nagar.
  • Bardhamaneswar Shiva Temple.
  • 108 Shiva Temples, 4km from Bardhaman railway station.
  • Meghnad Saha Planetarium.
  • Tomb of Sher Afghan
  • Christ Church

Education

The following institutions are located in Bardhaman:

Premier Institutions

Healthcare

The major government medical facilities in the city are:[30]

Bardhaman picture gallery

References

  1. "History". Bardhaman.com. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "About Bardhaman Town". Name, History. Bardhaman Municipality. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  3. Ghosh, Binoy, Paschim Banger Sanskriti, (in Bengali), part I, 1976 edition, pp. 82-86, Prakash Bhaban
  4. Peterson, J.C.K. (1910). Bengal District Gazetteers : Burdwan. Calcutta: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. p. 26.
  5. Sarkar, Nirad Baran (1999). Bardhaman Raj Itibritto (in Bengali). Bardhaman: Sujata Sarkar. p. 1.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Sarkar, Nirad Baran (1999). Bardhaman Raj Itibritto (in Bengali). Bardhaman: Sujata Sarkar. p. 2.
  7. Peterson, J.C.K. (1910). Bengal District Gazetteers : Burdwan. Calcutta: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. p. 27.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Peterson, J.C.K. (1910). Bengal District Gazetteers : Burdwan. Calcutta: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. p. 31.
  9. Sarkar, Nirad Baran (1999). Bardhaman Raj Itibritto (in Bengali). Bardhaman: Sujata Sarkar. p. 48.
  10. Sarkar, Nirad Baran (1999). Bardhaman Raj Itibritto (in Bengali). Bardhaman: Sujata Sarkar. p. 77.
  11. Peterson, J.C.K. (1910). Bengal District Gazetteers : Burdwan. Calcutta: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. p. 32.
  12. Peterson, J.C.K. (1910). Bengal District Gazetteers : Burdwan. Calcutta: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. p. 39.
  13. Imperial Gazetteer of India by Sir William Wilson Hunter, 1908 – Page 101
  14. The lower Damodar River, India - Page 81 - Google Books
  15. Bengal Partition Stories: An Unclosed Chapter - Page 25
  16. Constitutional Schemes and Political Development in India: Towards ... - Page 654
  17. "Statistcal Report on General Elections 1951 to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal" (PDF). Detailed Results P 218. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  18. "West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act 1953". West Bengal Act 1 of 1954. Bare Acts Live. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  19. 19.0 19.1 "Bardhaman Town Population 2011". Population Census. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  20. "Paschim Bardhaman". Tourism/ How to Reach. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  21. "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.
  22. "Bardhaman Junction". IndiaRailInfo. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  23. "Bardhaman Religious Spots". BardhamanOnline.com. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  24. "Places to visit in Bardhaman district". Tripadvisor. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  25. "Tomb of Sher Afghan". holidify. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  26. "Burdwan University". College Dunia. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  27. "Burdwan Medical College and Hospital". Burdwan Medical College. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  28. "University Institute of Technology, The University of Bardhaman". Shisha. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  29. "College of Agriculture (Extended campus of BCKV), Burdwan". Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  30. "Directory of Medical Institutions: West Bengal (as on 31 March 2018" (PDF). Purba Bardhaman, page 185. Directorate of Health Services, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 July 2023.