?Barrackpore West Bengal • India
Barrackpore
Coordinates: 22°46′43″N 88°28′32″E / 22.7787, 88.4756
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 11 m (36 ft)
District(s)	North 24 Parganas
Population	3,595,970 (2001)
Municipality Chairman	Salil Banerjee [1]
Codes • Pincode • Telephone	• 743101 • +91 33
Website: www.barrackpore.gov.in

Coordinates: 22°46′43″N 88°28′32″E / 22.7787, 88.4756 West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links India_West_Bengal_locator_map. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... Location of Mirzapur and the 82. ... The geography of India is extremely diverse, with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts, plains, rainforests, hills and plateaus. ... Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... The divisions of a district. ... North 24 Parganas is a district of West Bengal, India. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of the Volunteer The United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations Events January January 1 - A black monolith measuring approximately nine feet tall appears in Seattles Magnuson Park, placed by an anonymous... A Postal Index Number or PIN or Pincode is the post office numbering or post code system used by the Indian Postal Service (similar to the ZIP Code in the United States). ... For the past decade or so, telecommunication activities have gained momentum in India. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Barrackpore (In Bengali: ব্যারাকপুর) sub-division, under District of North 24 Parganas in the state of West Bengal, is an old and famous administrative territory of India, populated by people from almost all provinces of India. The town was a military and administrative center under British rule, and was the scene of several acts of rebellion against Britain during the 19th century. Bengali or Bangla (বাংলা, IPA: ) is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from Prakrit, Pāli and Sanskrit. ... North 24 Parganas is a district of West Bengal, India. ... West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ...

Origin of name

The name Barrackpore originates from the word the English word barracks. Barrackpore acquired the name as the site of the first major military base of the British East India Company. Prior to that time, Barrackpore was known as Chanak, and is mentioned by that name in the Manasa Mangal. A barracks housing conscripts of Norrbottens regemente in Boden, Sweden. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was the first joint-stock company (the Dutch East India Company was the first to issue public stock). ...

Arguably, it is also believed that during the regime of Mughal Emperor Aurangjeb, this place has been a major collection centre of "khajna" - Taxes and then it was named as Barbakpur. With time the name changed to Barrackpore.

History

The earliest references to the Barrackpore region are found in the writings of the Greek navigators, geographers, chronicles and historians of the 1st century BC to the 3rd century A.D. These authors generally referred to the country of a people variously called the Gangaridae, Gangaridai, Gandaritai etc.

By the 15th and 16th century, Chanak and the other towns in the region became populous river towns.^[2] The Statistical Account of Bengal by W.W. Hunter in 1857 mentions the towns and villages of this subdivision on the banks of the Hooghly river as chief trading and marketing centres: "On The Hugli- Calcutta , the chief seat of commerce in India. ..Baranagar, Dakhineswar, Agarpara, Panihati, Sukchar. Khardah, Barrackpur, Nawabganj, Ichapore, Samnagar, Naihati and Halisahar contain large bazaars for sale of miscellaneous goods."

Under the Mughal Empire, Bengal was divided into Circars, or administrative subunits, each of which was ruled over by a Mahal. The name "Barbuckpur" is associated with a Mahal in the ‘[[Ain-e-Akbari]’, another name for Barrackpore. From the 1600s, the area was ruled over by a line of Zamindars from the Nona Chandanpukur, Barrackpore family. The earliest of these zamindars was Kalidas Sarkar, who was followed by his son and grandson, Bishwambhar Sarkar and Nilmoni Sarkar, respectively. The last ruling zamindar was Amulyaratan Sarkar, who died in the 1960s, several decades after the 'zamindari pratha' was abolished by the British. The old 'Sarkar Bari', a large brick red brick house with ramparts which was the home of the zamindars, is still standing in Barrackpore.^[3] It has been suggested that Mughal Era be merged into this article or section. ... Circar is an Indian term applied to the component parts of a subah or province, each of which is administered by a deputy governor. ...

The first British barrack or cantonment in India was built here in 1772, providing the town with its name. After the British crown assumed direct control of India, the sprawling Government House and the Government Estate were built in Barrackpore to provide the viceroy with a suburban residence 15 miles outside of Calcutta.

Two rebellions against British authority took place in Barrackpore in the 19th century; the first of these came in 1824, under Sepoy Binda Tiwary. In 1857, Barrackpore was the scene of an incident that some credit with starting the Indian rebellion of 1857; an Indian soldier, Mangal Pandey, attacked his British commander, and was subsequently court-martialled. His regiment was disbanded, an action which offended a number of sepoys and is considered to have contributed to the anger that fueled the rebellion Combatants Indian patriots, Rebellious East India Company Sepoys, 7 Indian princely states, deposed rulers of Oudh and Jhansi, Nana Sahib and allies, Indian civilians in some areas. ... Mangal Pandey (c. ...

Geography

Barrackpore is located in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta region in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal state. The city is about 25 km from Kolkata (previously Calcutta), and 115 km from the border with Bangladesh. The Ganges Delta is a river delta in the South Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal, India. ... North 24 Parganas is a district of West Bengal, India. ... This article is on Calcutta/Kolkata, the city. ...

The city is on the eastern bank of the river Ganges. Early morning on the Ganges The River Ganges (Ganga in Indian languages) (Devanagiri गंगा) is a major river in northern India. ...

Climate

The climate of Barrackpore is tropical, like the rest of the Gangetic West Bengal. Monsoon season runs from early June to mid September. The weather remains dry during the winter (mid November to mid February) and humid during the summer. During the months of April and May, thunderstorms, sometimes accompanied by hail, frequently occur at dusk. Winter prevails for a short period with chilling dry wind coming from the north east.

Average rainfall ranges from 150-200 cm per year and it generally fluctuates from year to year. Heavy rainfall caused floods in this subdivision in 1978 rendering many people homeless for several months.

Economy

The subdivision is served by road, rail and air transport. Moreover, it enjoys the benefit of the Hooghly river, which flows through the western part of this subdivision. The presence of the river paved the way for the establishment of a large number of industries on its banks early in India's industrial development, including jute, engineering, paper, and cotton mills. Barrackpore has also traditionally had a strong small scale cottage industry and handicraft sector. The Hoogli River (alternatively spelled Hooghly) is a distributary of the Ganges River in India. ... The word Jute is also used in reference to the Germanic people, the Jutes. ... A blank sheet of paper Paper is a commodity of thin material produced by the amalgamation of fibers, typically vegetable fibers composed of cellulose, which are subsequently held together by hydrogen bonding. ... Cotton ready for harvest. ...

Agriculture is the main base of the subdivision's economy, with a variety of crops being produced. Floriculture, pisciculture and horticulture have also flourished to a large extent. Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute has been established at Barrackpore to promote production of fishes mainly in ponds and rivers. A well developed irrigation system has been constructed in the subdivision to promote agriculture. Low interest loans have also been used to encourage the expansion of farming and the development of agricultural infrastructure. The Latin words hortus (garden plant) and cultura (culture) together form horticulture, classically defined as the culture or growing of garden plants. ... A demonstration aquaculture facility Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture, while other methods may fall under mariculture. ... Concern has been expressed that this article or section is missing information about: horticulture as used in anthropology, a label for agriculture as used in small-scale societies. ...

The primary industry in Barrackpore is jute processing, centered in a number of jute mills on the side of the river. Ishapore Rifle Factory is one of the most important arms factories of India, supplying the requirements of the security forces. Mulazore Thermal Power Plant at Shyamnagar was one of the oldest power plants in India, but was shut down in 2004. Dry cells produced by Exide, and cables produced by Nicco are other noteworthy industrial products. The Ishapore Rifle Factory (also known as Ishapore Arsenal) is an Arms manufacturing plant located at Ishapore, in the Indian sub-divison of Barrackpore, outside Calcutta. ... Shyamnagar is the southest area of Satkhira District. ...

The subdivision also has a strong human resource connected with many colleges and technical institutions, universities. Barrackpore is one of the most developed regions in West Bengal. The literacy rate in the sub-division is above the average standard of the state and district. Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. ...

Demographics

As of 2001 India census^GRIndia, Barrackpur had a population of 144,331. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Barrackpur has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 55% of the males and 45% of females literate. 8% of the population is under 6 years of age. 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of the Volunteer The United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations Events January January 1 - A black monolith measuring approximately nine feet tall appears in Seattles Magnuson Park, placed by an anonymous... 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ...

Barrackpore sub-division is divided into 16 Municipalities and 2 Blocks. These are administered by a Cantonment board and municipal chairmen. Rural areas are administered by 'Gram Panchayats' (Village Committees), which are elected every five years. The sub-division contains eleven Assembly Constituencies and two parliamentary constituencies. A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ... A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ...

Each municipality has a government headed by its municipal chairman. The chairman is elected by the municipal councillors, who are in turn elected by the constituents of the districts within the municipalities that they represent. The Gram Panchayats in the rural areas follow a similar structure. Both rural and municipal governments are responsible for providing services to the inhabitants by supplying drinking water, maintaining of the roads and streetlights, overseeing prevention of tropical diseases like malaria and cholera, and supplying food and clothing in case of emergency. Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease that is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. ... Cholera (frequently called Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera) is a severe diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. ...

The municipalities on the bank of the river are also under the GAP (Ganga Action Plan) to control water pollution and release of pollutants to the river for protecting its plant and animal habitats. Ganga Action Plan or GAP was a program launched by Government of India in April 1985 in order to reduce the pollution load on the river Ganga. ...

The dominant political parties in the subdivision are the CPIM and other leftist parties such as the Forward Block. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), is a political party in India. ...

The only Military Cantonment and Police Training Academy in West Bengal are both located in Barrackpore.

Roads and transport

The Barrackpore sub-division is well connected both by road and railways. With the two National Highways, NH-34 and NH-35, and several major State Highways passing through the area, most towns are well connected with Kolkata, its airport and port, and other important urban and commercial centres of the state. The only International Airport in West Bengal, Netaji Subhas International Airport at Dum Dum, is located in the sub-division. Transport up and down the Hooghly river is available by ferry. West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ...

The Barrackpore Trunk Road (B. T. Road), one of the oldest metal roads in India, connects Barrackpore to Kolkata. The Ghoshpara Road connects the city of Barrackpore with Kanchrapara, a town on the boundary of the subivision, and goes on to link Barrackpore with the adjacent district of Nadia. ,   (IPA: [] Bengali: কলকাতা) (formerly, in English contexts,  ) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. ... Kanchrapara is a city and a municipality in North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. ...

Barrackpore has been serviced by rail since 1862. Located as they are in a suburban region of Kolkata, most municipalities of Barrackpore are connected by local train with Kolkata. The railway line in Sealdah Section extends through this sub-division to Ranaghat, Bongaon, Dankuni, Howrah, Burdwan, Bandel. The Circular and Metro Railways of Kolkata also offer an accessible means of transit to and from the sub-division. Ranaghat is a town in the district of Nadia, West Bengal, India. ... Bangaon is one of the five sub-divisions of the District Of North 24 Parganas in the state of West Bengal, India. ... Dankuni is a fast-growing industrial township approximately 30 kilometers from Kolkata, India. ... Howrah (also spelled Haora) is an industrial city in West Bengal, India. ... Bardhaman is a district town in West Bengal. ... Bandel is a city in West Bengal, India. ...

Plans are currently in place to lay double Railway line to Hasnabad to improve connectivity. In January 2002 the rail connection to Bangladesh was reopened for goods movement to Benapole. Railroad or railway tracks are used on railways, which, together with railroad switches (points), guide trains without the need for steering. ...

Accessibility by road is currently being improved by the development of the Barrackpore-Dum Dum Expressway, a project to widen the Jessore Road and widen and strengthen the B. T. Road, and the widening of NH-34 under the North-South Corridor Project.In terms of rail transport, meanwhile, the Metro Rail has proposed to extend its operations to the Airport from Dum Dum.

Heritage and culture

Barrackpore was home to a number of significant members of the Indian independence movement, many of whom have memorials in the subdivision. He has a memorial in the subdivision. Another significant leader of the movement who lived in Barrackpore is Rastraguru Surendra Nath Bandyopadhaya, who was called the father of Indian Nationalist Movement. The house of Surendranath at Barrackpore has now been converted to Rastraguru Surendranath Institute and Netaji Open University. Gandhi also spent time in the area, and the famous Gandhi Ghat is located on the west bank of the Hooghly. A Gandhi museum nearby has rare collection of books, articles used by Gandhi. The Louvre Museum in Paris, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. ...

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya, the author of India's national song Vande Mataram, was born at Naihati, in Barrackpore subdivision. Vande Mataram is credited to him. Another noted literary figure of the post independence era, Samaresh Basu, also hailed from Naihati. His noted work 'Ganga' vividly depicts the life of the fishermen of the Hooghly (Ganges) rivers. Vande Mataram (Hindi: वन्दे मातरम् Vande Mātaram, Bengali: বন্দে মাতরম Bônde Matorom) is the national song of India, distinct from the national anthem of India Jana Gana Mana. The song was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in a mixture of Bengali and Sanskrit. ... Vande Mataram (Hindi: वन्दे मातरम् Vande Mātaram, Bengali: বন্দে মাতরম Bônde Matorom) is the national song of India, distinct from the national anthem of India Jana Gana Mana. The song was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in a mixture of Bengali and Sanskrit. ...

Earlier in the area's history, noted Bengali author Bharat Chandra Ray Gunakar lived at Mulajore . He is famous for his 'Annadamangal Kavya' written in the medieval period.

The subdivision is inhabited by people from a broad range of cultures, with people of various religions, customs, castes and states living together. Mandirs, Masjids, Gurdwara, ashrams and churches coexist there. Caste systems are traditional, hereditary systems of social restriction and social stratification, enforced by law or common practice, based on endogamy, occupation, economic status, race, ethnicity, etc. ... The Gopuram of temples, in south India, are adorned with colourful icons depicting a particular story surrounding the temples deity. ... A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... An Ashram (Pronounced aashram) in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages (See Rishi) lived in peace and tranquility amidst nature. ... It has been suggested that Ecclesia (Church) be merged into this article or section. ...

The Durga puja a festival held annually in the autumn, is the major festival in the area. There is a monthlong fair in the month of Bengali month of Pousha at the temple of goddess Kali at Shyamnagar on the bank of Ganges. Durga Puja (Bengali: দুর্গাপুজা Durgā Pūjā) is the biggest festival of Bengali Hindus. ... Shyamnagar is the southest area of Satkhira District. ...

A famousKali Sadhak (Saint devoted to Kali), Ramprasad Sen, who authored many religious songs, was born at Halisahar in this subdivision. The towns of Panihati and Khardaha are also famous for having been visited by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu some 500 years ago. Annual festivals and melas are held at these places and draw large numbers of devotees. Later on these places were further enriched with presence of Sri Ram Krishna Paramahansa, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, and Mahatma Gandhi. 59. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (Bangla: রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস Ramkrishno Pôromôhongsho), born Gadadhar Chattopadhyay (Bangla: গদাধর চট্টোপাধ্যায় Gôdadhor Chôţţopaddhae) [1], (February 18, 1836–August 16, 1886) was a Hindu religious teacher and an influential figure in the Bengal Renaissance of the Nineteenth century. ... (Bengali: , IPA: ) (7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941), also known by the sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali poet, Brahmo Samaj philosopher, visual artist, playwright, novelist, and composer whose works reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ...

For entertainments, there is one good theatre hall "Sukanta Sadan" (named after the revolutionary poet Sukanata Bhattacharya) in the main town Barrackpore. There are many cinema halls in Barrackpore and ita adjacent loaclities. There is a very beautiful park "Sahid Mangal Pandey Uddan" facing the Ganges at Barrackpore.

(Khardaha), and various social and cultural organizations.

Education

Barrackpore is home to numerous schools, colleges and madrashas. The world famous schools of Ramakrishna Mission, Rahara and Ramakrishna Mission Baranagar, Barrackpore Govt. High School are situated here. A number of high schools in the district have a history of performing well in national standardized testing. Among the colleges located in Barrackpore are Barrackpore Surendranath College, BKC College Bonhooghly, Bhairab ganguly College, and Panihati College. The district also has 2 engineering colleges, several polytechnic institutes and an international boarding school, Adamas international School.

There are numerous educational institutions in Barrackpore imparting higher education, notable being National Institute of Management & Technology (NIMT). NIMT is affiliated to Sikkim Manipal University and offers graduate and Master degree programs. This state of the art institute located next to Barrackpore Municipality offers 3 years and 2 years degree programs in IT, Computers, Management, Journalism & Fashion. Students are offered campus placements at the end of the degree program.

The most popular schools in Barrackpore town are Barrackpore Govt. High School,Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission Vidyabhawan, Army School, DAV School, 2 Kendriya Vidyalayas (Army and Airforce), Barrackpore Girls High School, St. Augustine's School, Modern School, Kalyani Central Model School, Assembly of Christ School. In fact, one can find so many schools in Barrackpore like no where in West Bengal. Ramkrishna Vivekananda Mission Vidyabhawan is situated on the bank of Ganges. The first building of the school was at 7, Riverside road but now the school has expanded and operates from 4 buildings in the locality. The school is known for imparting a quality education as well as good values and culture to its students. Many alumni of the school are today working in many prestigious organisations of India and abroad.

Two Colleges are in operation in Barrackpore, namely Rastraguru Surendranath College and Mahadevananda Mahavidyalaya, P.N.DAS Collage, Palta,Santinagar

Extarnal links

• Barrackpore sub-division website
• Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas website
• BBC News: India 'neglects' its historic heritage

References

1. ^ Official District Administration site
2. ^ De, Barun. W.B. District Gazetteer, 24 Parganas ed. 1994.
3. ^ Barrackpore sub division Government of India Gazette

See also

Cities and towns in North 24 Parganas district

• Bangaon subdivision • Bangaon | Petrapole | Sonatikiri | • Barasat Sadar subdivision • Ashoknagar Kalyangarh | Bara Bamonia | Barasat | Gobardanga | Guma | Habra | Hridaypur | Madhyamgram | Maslandapur | Nebadhai Duttapukur | Nokpul | Raigachhi | Rajarhat | • Barrackpore subdivision • Baranagar | Barrackpore | Barrackpur Cantonment | Bhatpara | Chandpur | Dakshineswar | Dum Dum | Durganagar | Garshyamnagar | Garulia | Halisahar | Ichapore | Ichhapur Defence Estate | Jafarpur | Jagatdal | Jetia | Kamarhati | Kanchrapara | Kaugachhi | Khardaha | Muragachha | Naihati | New Barrackpur | North Barrackpur | North Dumdum | Panihati | Patulia | Ruiya | Sodepur | South Dumdum | Talbandha | Titagarh | • Basirhat subdivision • Baduria | Basirhat | Dhanyakuria | Taki | • Bidhannagar subdivision • Bidhan Nagar |