Birbhum District
Encyclopedia
Birbhum district is an administrative unit in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. It is the northernmost district of Burdwan division
—one of the three administrative divisions
of West Bengal. The district headquarters is located at Suri. The state of Jharkhand
lies at the western border of this district, whereas the border on other directions is covered by the districts of Bardhaman
and Murshidabad
of West Bengal.
The name Birbhum comes probably from the term Land (Bhumi) of the Brave (Bir). Another theory says that the district bears the name of Bir kings, who ruled in the area. But, Bir in Santali language
means forests, and therefore, Birbhum could also mean a land of forests.
Often called "The land of red soil", Birbhum is noted for its topography and its cultural heritage which is unique and is somewhat different from that of the other districts in West Bengal. The western part of Birbhum is a bushy region, a part of the Chhota Nagpur Plateau. This region gradually merges with the fertile alluvial farmlands in the east. This district saw many cultural and religious movements in history. The Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan, established by Rabindranath Tagore
, is one of the places Birbhum is internationally renowned for. Many festivals are celebrated in this culturally rich district, including the notable Poush Mela
.
Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75% of the population being dependent on agriculture. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling, lac harvesting, stone mining and metalware and pottery manufacture. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station
is the only heavy industry in the district.
) and 24° 35' 0" north latitude and 87° 5' 25" and 88° 1' 40" east longitudes, and about 4545 square kilometres (1,754.8 sq mi) in area, this district is triangular in shape. River Ajay forms the southern base whereas the apex of the triangle points to the north. The river forms the boundary between the districts of Birbhum and Bardhaman. The state of Jharkhand
is located at the northern and the western border of Birbhum and Murshidabad is located at the east. Geographically, this area lies at the north eastern end of the Chota Nagpur plateau, as it slopes down and merges with the alluvial plains of the Ganges.
The western portion of the district is historically known as Vajjabhumi
or Bajrabhumi. It is an undulating upland that is generally barren. The comparatively more fertile eastern portion, constituting the northeastern Rarh region, merges with the Gangetic plain. Vajjabhumi is also included in the Rarh region, and rest of Rarh is called Sumha to differentiate it from Vajjabhumi.
The climate on the western side is dry and extreme, but is relatively milder on the eastern side. During summer, the temperature can shoot well above 40 °C (104 °F) and in winters it can drop to around 10 °C (50 °F). It has been observed that rainfall is higher in the western areas as compared to the eastern areas. The annual average rainfall in Rajnagar is 1405 millimetres (55.3 in) and in Nanoor it is 1212 millimetres (47.7 in), mostly in the monsoon months (June to October).
The area now known as Birbhum was inhabited from pre-historic times. Some of the archaeological sites related to Pandu Rajar Dhibi of chalcolithic remains are located in Birbhum. Stone age implements have been found at several places in the district.
According to the old Jain
book Acaranga Sutra
, the last (24th) great Tirthankara Mahavira
had wandered through this land, referred to as the "pathless country of Ladha
in Vajjabhumi and Subbhabhumi
(probably Suhma
)" in the 5th century, B.C. According to some historians, the spread of Jaininism and Buddhism in the Rarh region was part of the process of Aryanisation of the area. Based on Divyabdan, a Buddhist
text, Dr. Atul Sur has inferred that Gautam Buddha probably traversed this area to go to Pundravardhana
and Samatata
.
The Rarh region
, once a part of the Maurya empire
was later included in the empires of the imperial Guptas
, Shashanka
and Harshavardhana. After dismemberment of Harshavardhana’s empire, the region was ruled by the Palas
till 12th century AD, when overlordship of the area passed into the hands of the Senas
. During the rule of the Pala dynasty Buddhism, particularly the Vajrayana cult, flourished here. In 7th century A.D., the Chinese traveller Xuanzang
described some of the monasteries he visited.
and Rajnagar
Kingdoms ruled most of Birbhum and parts of Burdwan, Maldah and Jharkhand
from Dubrajpur
(meaning two kingdoms - Hetampur & Rajnagar). Minhaj-i-Siraj
, the author of the Tabaqat-i-Nasiri, mentions Lakhnur as the thanah (headquarters) of the Rarh wing of the Muslim rule and an important frontier post. The location of Lakhnur, though not yet identified, falls in Birbhum.
Mythology has it that the forests of Vajjabhumi (west Birbhum) were hot-spots of Hindu and tantric activities. Some authors have called Birbhum by the name Kamkoti which relates to its tantric heritage. Tantrics, including the Vajrayana
, the Shaktas, and the Buddhists established many temples for tantra
sadhana rituals and Shakti
worship. Birbhum has many Shakti Peethas
such as Tarapith, Bakreshwar, Kankalitala, Fullara near Labhpur, Sainthia and Nalhati. One of the famous Shakti worshippers of Tarapith was Bamdev, popularly known as Bama Khyapa.
, the administrative unit by the name Birbhum was formed in 1787. Prior to that, it was administratively a part of Murshidabad district. In 1787, when the official "District Beerbhoom" was established, the district was much bigger than it is now. Till 1793, it included "Bishenpore" or Bishnupur
, which is now part of the Bankura district. Till the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny
, the Santhal Parganas
was also part of Birbhum; the district thus sprawled up to Deoghar
in the west. The immediate reason then for separating the western tribal majority areas was the Santhal rebellion
of 1855–56, which was quelled. Sidhu and Kanu are remembered in Birbhum as martyrs of this uprising.
Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75% of the people dependent on agriculture. While 159.3 km² (61.5 sq mi) of land is occupied by forests, 3329.05 km² (1,285.4 sq mi) of land is used for agricultural purposes. 91.02% of the population live in villages. Major crops produced in the district include rice, legumes, wheat, corn (maize), potatoes and sugar cane. The district has thirteen cold storages. Land with irrigation facilities in 2001-02 totalled 2763.9 km² (1,067.1 sq mi). There are five barrages, providing irrigation support. Canada Dam on the Mayurakshi river at Massanjore lies close to the border of Birbhum and the Dumka district
in Jharkhand. Further down the Mayurakshi is the Tilpara Barrage at Suri.
Birbhum is a major centre of cottage industries. Perhaps the most notable cottage industry here is a non-profit rural organization named Amar Kutir
. Other main industries in Birbhum are agriculture-based industries, textiles, forestry, arts and crafts. Sriniketan is noted for its dairy industry and as a forestry centre. Some of the notable forms of cottage industries of Birbhum include textile—especially cotton and locally harvested tussar silk, jute works, batik, kantha stitch, macramé (weaving by knotting threads), leather, pottery and terracotta, solapith, woodcarving, bamboo and cane craft, metal works and various tribal crafts. There are 8,883 small and medium scale industries. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling, lac harvesting, and metalware and pottery manufacture. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station
(210 MW x 3 + 210 MW x 2 under construction) is the only heavy industry in the district.
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
named Birbhum one of the country's 250 most backward districts
(out of a total of 640
). It is one of the eleven districts in West Bengal currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
, Bolpur
and Rampurhat
. Suri is the district headquarters. There are 17 police stations, 19 development blocks, 6 municipalities and 167 gram panchayat
s in this district. Other than municipality area, each subdivision contains community development blocs which in turn are divided into rural areas and census towns. In total there are 7 urban units: 6 municipalities and 1 census town
. The latest amongst the urban units to have a municipality was Nalhati in 2000.
Prior to delimitation the district was divided into 12 assembly constituencies (AC):Nanoor
(AC #283), Bolpur
(AC #284), Labhpur
(AC #285), Dubrajpur
(AC #286), Rajnagar (AC #287), Suri
(AC #288), Mahammad Bazar
(AC #289), Mayureswar
(AC #290), Rampurhat
(AC #291), Hansan
(AC #292), Nalhati
(AC #293) and Murarai
(AC #294). The constituencies of Nanoor, Rajnagar, Mayureswar and Hansan were reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.Vidhan Sabha
was elected in 2006 assembly elections
, which took place prior to the rearrangement of parliamentary and assembly constituencies as per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal. Delimitation was made effective for all elections in the state of West Bengal that was held on or after 19 February 2008. Indian general election, 2009
was based on the newly formed parliamentary constituencies and the newly formed assembly constituencies have representatives in the 2011 elections of West Bengal.
As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the district is divided into 11 assembly constituencies: Dubrajpur
(AC #284), Suri
(AC #285), Bolpur
(AC #286), Nanoor
(AC #287), Labpur
(AC #288), Sainthia
(AC #289), Mayureswar
(AC #290), Rampurhat
(AC #291), Hansan
(AC #292), Nalhati
(AC #293) and Murarai
(AC #294). Dubrajpur, Nanoor and Sainthia constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.
Dubrajpur, Suri, Sainthia, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati and Murarai assembly segments form the Birbhum (Lok Sabha constituency)
. Bolpur, Nanoor, Labhpur, and Sainthia constituencies are part of Bolpur (Lok Sabha constituency)
, which will also contain three other assembly segments from Bardhaman district.
runs through the district. All the towns and villages are connected by roads. The total length of roads in the district are: surfaced–2413 km (1,499.4 mi) and unsurfaced–4674 km (2,904.3 mi). Against this the total length of rail track in the district is 201.32 km (125.1 mi), including 26.55 km (16.5 mi) of the Ahmadpur-Katwa
narrow gauge track, laid in 1917. The Howrah
-Sahibganj loop of the Eastern Railway
, laid in 1862, passes through this district. There is a junction at Nalhati for the connection to Azimganj in Murshidabad district. The Andal
-Sainthia line connects it to the main Howrah-Delhi main line at Andal.
Hindus form around 65% of the population according to 2001 census. Muslims are about 33% of the population. There is a sprinkling of other religious groups in the population. According to the 2001 census, 29.5% of the population belong to the scheduled castes and 6.7% to the scheduled tribes. Other than the those speaking the local dialect of Bengali
, there are tribal Santhals and ten other tribal communities in Birbhum with some presence, amongst whom Koda, Mahali
and Oraon
s are more common.
According to the 2011 census
has a population
of 3,502,387 , roughly equal to the nation of Lithuania
or the US state of Connecticut
. This gives it a ranking of 84th in India (out of a total of 640
). The district has a population density of 771 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.15 %. Birbhum has a sex ratio
of 956 females
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
of 70.9 %.
The baul
s of Birbhum, their philosophy and their songs form a notable representation of the folk culture of the district. Birbhum has also been home to kabiyals, kirtaniyas and other folk culture groups.
The numerous fairs in Birbhum
start with Poush Mela at Santiniketan and follows through the Bengali month of Poush
till Makar Sankranti. Particularly lively is the fair at Jaydev Kenduli
. Various festivities are organized across the seasons. People of Birbhum patronise folk entertainment programmes such as jatra, kavigan
and alkap
.
Many poets were born in this district, as for example, Chandidas (Rami)
. In addition to being a confluence of Vaishnava
, Shakta
and Saiva
cultures, Birbhum villages also observe prehistoric customs like worship of gramdevta (gram means village and devta means deity) in many forms at different places.
Amongst the major attractions of Birbhum are Bakreshwar
, Tarapith
and Patharchapuri
. Birbhum has many old temples, such as the ones at Jaydev Kenduli, Surul and Nanoor, with delicate decorative tiles made of terra cotta
(burnt clay).
Many famous people lived and worked in Birbhum, specially at Santiniketan. Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen
is one of them. Rabindranath Tagore made this district his home and established his great centre of learning, Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan. Jaydev Kenduli
, which until recently was believed to be the birthplace of the 12th century Sanskrit poet Jayadeva
, is on the bank of the river Ajay. Nanoor is the birthplace of the 14th century poet Chandidas Rami
. Nityananda Swami
(Nitai of the famous Nitai-Gaur pair) the co–founder of Vaishnav religion with Shri Chityanyadev
was born at Ekachakra. Tarashankar Bandopadhyay
(1898–1971), one of the leading Bengali literary figures in recent times and who wrote extensively about life in Birbhum, belongs to Labhpur.
, Utricularia, Drosera, Philcoxia
, Scrophulariaceae
and similar aquatic or palustrine
genera. In the drier western region of the district, the characteristic shrubs and herbs include species of Wendlandia
, Convolvulaceae
, Stipa
, Tragus
, Spermacoce
, Ziziphus
, Capparis
and other similar plants that grows on laterite soil. Mango
, palm
, and bamboo
are among commonly visible trees in Birbhum. Other common species of plants visible here are jackfruit
, arjun
, sal, guava
, kend and mahua
.
Other than feral
dogs and domestic cattle, the most frequently encountered non-human mammal is the hanuman, a long tailed grey langur prevalent in the Gangetic plain. Some wild boars and wolves may still be spotted in the small forests of Chinpai, Bandarsol and Charicha. Leopards and bears are not to be seen any more in the wild. Sometimes during the season when mahua trees bloom, wild Asiatic elephants
from Jharkhand come in trampling crops and threatening life and property. Birds of Birbhum include a mix of hilly and plain-land dwelling species like partridge
, pigeon, green pigeon, water fowls, doyel, Indian robin
, drongo
, hawk
, cuckoo
, koel
, sunbird
, Indian roller
, parrot
, babbler
, and some migratory birds.
Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary
near Santiniketan was declared a sanctuary in 1977. Various economically important trees are planted here and Blackbuck
s, Spotted deer, jackals, foxes and a variety of water birds reside within its 2 square kilometre.
The growth of literacy in the last decade of the twentieth century was particularly remarkable with special emphasis on the eradication of illiteracy. While it is feared that Birbhum may not be able to fulfill the national objective of sending all children in the age group 6–14 years to school by 2010, efforts are on in that direction.
The district has 127 libraries supported by the Government, 1 private library and 1 district library.
(literal meaning "ball and stick"). However, in recent times cricket
has replaced some of the popularity of this game. Another sport that can be played both outdoors and indoor, and is still popular among children here is marble
, which involves projecting a striker bead with fingers to hit an ensemble of black or green glass bead. In addition to cricket
the other most popular outdoor sport of this district are football and kabadi.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. It is the northernmost district of Burdwan division
Burdwan Division
Burdwan Division is a division in the Indian state of West Bengal. It consists of 7 districts:* Bankura district* Bardhaman district* Birbhum district* East Midnapore * Hooghly district* Purulia district...
—one of the three administrative divisions
Divisions of West Bengal
The Indian state of Paschimbanga is divided into three administrative Divisions, namely:* Jalpaiguri division* Burdwan division* Presidency division...
of West Bengal. The district headquarters is located at Suri. The state of Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
lies at the western border of this district, whereas the border on other directions is covered by the districts of Bardhaman
Bardhaman District
'Bardhaman district is a district in West Bengal. The headquarter of the district is Bardhaman, though it houses other important industrial towns like Durgapur and Asansol...
and Murshidabad
Murshidabad district
Murshidabad district is a district of West Bengal in eastern India. Situated on the left bank of the river Ganges, the district is very fertile. Covering an area of 5,341 km² and having a population 5.863m it is a densely populated district and the ninth most populous in India...
of West Bengal.
The name Birbhum comes probably from the term Land (Bhumi) of the Brave (Bir). Another theory says that the district bears the name of Bir kings, who ruled in the area. But, Bir in Santali language
Santali language
Santhali is a language in the Santhali subfamily of Austro-Asiatic, related to Ho and Mundari. It is spoken by about six million people in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan . Most of its speakers live in India, in the states of Jharkhand, Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Tripura, and West Bengal. It has...
means forests, and therefore, Birbhum could also mean a land of forests.
Often called "The land of red soil", Birbhum is noted for its topography and its cultural heritage which is unique and is somewhat different from that of the other districts in West Bengal. The western part of Birbhum is a bushy region, a part of the Chhota Nagpur Plateau. This region gradually merges with the fertile alluvial farmlands in the east. This district saw many cultural and religious movements in history. The Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan, established by Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
, is one of the places Birbhum is internationally renowned for. Many festivals are celebrated in this culturally rich district, including the notable Poush Mela
Poush Mela
Poush Mela is an annual fair and festival that takes place in Santiniketan, in Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal, marking the harvest season. Commencing on the 7th day of the month of Poush, the fair officially lasts for three days, although vendors may stay up until the month-end...
.
Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75% of the population being dependent on agriculture. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling, lac harvesting, stone mining and metalware and pottery manufacture. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station
Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station
Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited is a power station with an installed capacity of 630 MW and it is undergoing expansion of capacity to the extent of 420 MW.-Location:...
is the only heavy industry in the district.
Geography
Situated between 23° 32' 30" (right above the tropic of cancerTropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
) and 24° 35' 0" north latitude and 87° 5' 25" and 88° 1' 40" east longitudes, and about 4545 square kilometres (1,754.8 sq mi) in area, this district is triangular in shape. River Ajay forms the southern base whereas the apex of the triangle points to the north. The river forms the boundary between the districts of Birbhum and Bardhaman. The state of Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
is located at the northern and the western border of Birbhum and Murshidabad is located at the east. Geographically, this area lies at the north eastern end of the Chota Nagpur plateau, as it slopes down and merges with the alluvial plains of the Ganges.
The western portion of the district is historically known as Vajjabhumi
Vajjabhumi
Vajjabhumi was a part of Rarh in ancient times. It is located in what is now Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The more rugged western part of the district was known as Vajjabhumi, the country of the thunderbolt....
or Bajrabhumi. It is an undulating upland that is generally barren. The comparatively more fertile eastern portion, constituting the northeastern Rarh region, merges with the Gangetic plain. Vajjabhumi is also included in the Rarh region, and rest of Rarh is called Sumha to differentiate it from Vajjabhumi.
Climate
Rivers
Several rivers flow across Birbhum. Some of these are Ajay, Mayurakshi (Mor), Kopai, Bakreshwar, Brahmani, Dwarka, Hinglo, Chapala, Bansloi, Pagla etc. A project on the Mayurakshi that includes the Tilpara Barrage (near Suri), provides irrigation for about 2428 square kilometres (937.5 sq mi). Almost all the rivers originate higher up on the Chota Nagpur plateau and flow across Birbhum in a west–east direction. These rivers are furious during the monsoons but shrink during the dry summer months. The cyclical rotation of drought and floods of the rivers destroy lives and property, and adds to the difficulties of life in the district.Prehistory
According to the old Jain
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
book Acaranga Sutra
Acaranga Sutra
The Acaranga Sutra is the first of the eleven Angas, part of the agamas which were compiled based on the teachings of Lord Mahavira.The Acaranga Sutra discusses the conduct of a Jain monk...
, the last (24th) great Tirthankara Mahavira
Mahavira
Mahāvīra is the name most commonly used to refer to the Indian sage Vardhamāna who established what are today considered to be the central tenets of Jainism. According to Jain tradition, he was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. In Tamil, he is referred to as Arukaṉ or Arukadevan...
had wandered through this land, referred to as the "pathless country of Ladha
Rarh region
Rarh region of West Bengal is the region that lies between the Western plateau and high lands and the Ganges Delta...
in Vajjabhumi and Subbhabhumi
Subbhabhumi
Subbhabhumi was a part of Rarh in ancient times. It is located in what is now Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The more fertile eastern part of the district, consisting of alluvial plains, was known as Subbhabhumi....
(probably Suhma
Suhma Kingdom
Suhma was an eastern kingdom located in regions now occupied by West Bengal, India and Bangladesh. This kingdom was mentioned in the epic Mahabharata along with its neighbouring kingdom Prasuhma, which was in the present day Bangladesh...
)" in the 5th century, B.C. According to some historians, the spread of Jaininism and Buddhism in the Rarh region was part of the process of Aryanisation of the area. Based on Divyabdan, a Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
text, Dr. Atul Sur has inferred that Gautam Buddha probably traversed this area to go to Pundravardhana
Pundravardhana
This article is about the historical territory. For the Mahabharata kingdom see Pundra KingdomPundravardhana , was a territory located in North Bengal in ancient times, home of the Pundra, a group of people speaking languages not of the Indo-European family.-Etymology:There are several theories...
and Samatata
Samatata
The Kingdom of Samatata was a kingdom in ancient Bengal, located at the mouth of the Brahmaputra river in the south east of Bengal. It was a vassal to the Gupta Empire....
.
The Rarh region
Rarh region
Rarh region of West Bengal is the region that lies between the Western plateau and high lands and the Ganges Delta...
, once a part of the Maurya empire
Maurya Empire
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC...
was later included in the empires of the imperial Guptas
Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...
, Shashanka
Shashanka
Shashanka is often attributed with creating the first separate political entity in a unified Bengal called Gauda and as such is a major figure in Bengali history. He reigned in 7th century AD, and some historians place his rule approximately between 590 AD and 625 AD. He is the contemporary of...
and Harshavardhana. After dismemberment of Harshavardhana’s empire, the region was ruled by the Palas
Pala Empire
The Pāla Empire was one of the major middle kingdoms of India existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala , which means protector. The Palas were often described...
till 12th century AD, when overlordship of the area passed into the hands of the Senas
Sena dynasty
The Sena Empire was a Hindu dynasty that ruled from Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. At its peak the empire covered much of the north-eastern region in the Indian Subcontinent. They were called Brahma-Kshatriyas, as evidenced through their surname, which is derived from the Sanskrit,...
. During the rule of the Pala dynasty Buddhism, particularly the Vajrayana cult, flourished here. In 7th century A.D., the Chinese traveller Xuanzang
Xuanzang
Xuanzang was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period...
described some of the monasteries he visited.
Medieval age
The 13th century witnessed the advent of Muslim rule in the region. However, control over the western parts of the district appears to have been nominal, and the area was ruled by the local Hindu chiefs, known as the Bir Rajas. The three towns of Hetampur, Birsinghpur and Rajnagar contain their relics. HetampurHetampur
Hetampur is a town in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated near Dubrajpur . It is famous for the Rajbari, which has historical value.-Geography:Hetampur is located at .-History:...
and Rajnagar
Rajnagar, Birbhum
Rajnagar is a town in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was formerly the capital of Royal Kingdoms in the area. With the fading away of the kingdoms, the town lost much of its importance....
Kingdoms ruled most of Birbhum and parts of Burdwan, Maldah and Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
from Dubrajpur
Dubrajpur
Dubrajpur is a town and a municipality in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Dubrajpur is located at . It has an average elevation of 77 metres .-Demographics:...
(meaning two kingdoms - Hetampur & Rajnagar). Minhaj-i-Siraj
Minhaj-i-Siraj
Minhaj-i-Siraj was a 13th century Indo-Persian Muslim historian. Born as the son of a Ghorid Qazi, he came to India in 1227 and was made Qazi at the court of Nasiruddin Qabacha at Uchch. After the fall of Multan to Shamsuddin Iltutmish in 1228, he moved to Delhi...
, the author of the Tabaqat-i-Nasiri, mentions Lakhnur as the thanah (headquarters) of the Rarh wing of the Muslim rule and an important frontier post. The location of Lakhnur, though not yet identified, falls in Birbhum.
Mythology has it that the forests of Vajjabhumi (west Birbhum) were hot-spots of Hindu and tantric activities. Some authors have called Birbhum by the name Kamkoti which relates to its tantric heritage. Tantrics, including the Vajrayana
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
, the Shaktas, and the Buddhists established many temples for tantra
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
sadhana rituals and Shakti
Shakti
Shakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes...
worship. Birbhum has many Shakti Peethas
Shakti Peethas
The Shakti Pithas are places of worship consecrated to the goddess Shakti or Parvati or Sati or Durga, the female principal of Hinduism and the main deity of the Shakta sect...
such as Tarapith, Bakreshwar, Kankalitala, Fullara near Labhpur, Sainthia and Nalhati. One of the famous Shakti worshippers of Tarapith was Bamdev, popularly known as Bama Khyapa.
Modern era
During the time of British East India CompanyBritish East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, the administrative unit by the name Birbhum was formed in 1787. Prior to that, it was administratively a part of Murshidabad district. In 1787, when the official "District Beerbhoom" was established, the district was much bigger than it is now. Till 1793, it included "Bishenpore" or Bishnupur
Bishnupur, West Bengal
Bishnupur is a town and a municipality in Bankura District in the state of West Bengal, India. It is famous for its terracotta temples and the balucheri sarees.- History :...
, which is now part of the Bankura district. Till the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
, the Santhal Parganas
Santhal Parganas
Santhal Pargana division constitutes one of the five administrative units known as the divisions of Jharkhand state in eastern India.-Origin of name:...
was also part of Birbhum; the district thus sprawled up to Deoghar
Deoghar
Deoghar is the headquarters city of Deoghar District in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand, India. It is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre, having in Baidyanath Temple one of the twelve Shiva Jyothirlingams in India and also one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India.-Origin of...
in the west. The immediate reason then for separating the western tribal majority areas was the Santhal rebellion
Santhal rebellion
The Santhal rebellion , commonly known as Santal Hul was a native rebellion in present day Jharkhand, in eastern India against both the British colonial authority and corrupt upper caste zamindari system by the Santal people...
of 1855–56, which was quelled. Sidhu and Kanu are remembered in Birbhum as martyrs of this uprising.
Economy
Dumka District
Dumka district is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand state in eastern India, and Dumka is the administrative headquarters of this district. This district covers an area of 3716.02 km². This district has a population of 1,106,521 ....
in Jharkhand. Further down the Mayurakshi is the Tilpara Barrage at Suri.
Birbhum is a major centre of cottage industries. Perhaps the most notable cottage industry here is a non-profit rural organization named Amar Kutir
Amar Kutir
Amar Kutir , once a place of refuge for independence movement activists has been turned into a cooperative society for the promotion of arts and crafts...
. Other main industries in Birbhum are agriculture-based industries, textiles, forestry, arts and crafts. Sriniketan is noted for its dairy industry and as a forestry centre. Some of the notable forms of cottage industries of Birbhum include textile—especially cotton and locally harvested tussar silk, jute works, batik, kantha stitch, macramé (weaving by knotting threads), leather, pottery and terracotta, solapith, woodcarving, bamboo and cane craft, metal works and various tribal crafts. There are 8,883 small and medium scale industries. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling, lac harvesting, and metalware and pottery manufacture. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station
Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station
Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited is a power station with an installed capacity of 630 MW and it is undergoing expansion of capacity to the extent of 420 MW.-Location:...
(210 MW x 3 + 210 MW x 2 under construction) is the only heavy industry in the district.
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is a branch of the Government of India looking after the ongoing process of decentralization and local governance in the States....
named Birbhum one of the country's 250 most backward districts
Poverty in India
Poverty is widespread in India, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world's poor. According to a 2005 World Bank estimate, 41.6% of the total Indian population falls below the international poverty line of 1.25 a day...
(out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). It is one of the eleven districts in West Bengal currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
Political and Administrative divisions
The district comprises three subdivisions: Suri SadarSuri Sadar subdivision
Suri Sadar subdivision is a subdivision of the Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of three municipalities and seven community development blocs: Suri — I, Suri — II, Saithiya, Dubrajpur, Khayrashol, Rajnagar and Mahammad Bazar. The seven blocks contain one...
, Bolpur
Bolpur subdivision
Bolpur subdivision is a subdivision of the Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of Bolpur municipality and four community development blocs: Bolpur–Sriniketan, Ilambazar, Labhpur and Nanoor. The four blocks contain 40 gram panchayats...
and Rampurhat
Rampurhat subdivision
Rampurhat subdivision is a subdivision of the Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of Rampurhat municipality, Nalhati municipality and eight community development blocks: Mayureswar–I, Mayureswar–II, Rampurhat–I, Rampurhat–II, Murarai–I,...
. Suri is the district headquarters. There are 17 police stations, 19 development blocks, 6 municipalities and 167 gram panchayat
Gram panchayat
Gram panchayats are local self-governments at the village or small town level in India. As of 2002 there were about 265,000 gram panchayats in India. The gram panchayat is the foundation of the Panchayat System. A gram panchayat can be set up in villages with minimum population of 300...
s in this district. Other than municipality area, each subdivision contains community development blocs which in turn are divided into rural areas and census towns. In total there are 7 urban units: 6 municipalities and 1 census town
Census town
In India, a census town is one which has:# A minimum population of 5,000# At least 75% of male working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits# A density of population of at least 400 persons per km2.In Ireland, a census town is;...
. The latest amongst the urban units to have a municipality was Nalhati in 2000.
Prior to delimitation the district was divided into 12 assembly constituencies (AC):Nanoor
Nanoor (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Nanoor is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The seat is reserved for scheduled castes.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #283), Bolpur
Bolpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Bolpur is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #284), Labhpur
Labpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Labpur is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #285), Dubrajpur
Dubrajpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Dubrajpur is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The seat is reserved for scheduled castes. It was an open seat earlier.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #286), Rajnagar (AC #287), Suri
Suri (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Suri is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The Rajnagar ceases to exist from 2011.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #288), Mahammad Bazar
Mahammad Bazar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Mahammad Bazar was an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.As per order of the Delimitation Commission issued in 2006 Mahammad Bazar ceases to exist from 2011...
(AC #289), Mayureswar
Mayureswar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Mayureswar is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is an open seat now but was earlier reserved for scheduled castes.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #290), Rampurhat
Rampurhat (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Rampurhat is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #291), Hansan
Hansan (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Hansan is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is an open seat now but was earlier reserved for scheduled castes. Hansan is a gram panchayat under Rampurhat intermediate panchayat....
(AC #292), Nalhati
Nalhati (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Nalhati is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #293) and Murarai
Murarai (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Murarai is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #294). The constituencies of Nanoor, Rajnagar, Mayureswar and Hansan were reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.Vidhan Sabha
West Bengal Legislative Assembly
The West Bengal Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is housed in the B.B.D. Bagh area of Kolkata —the capital of the state. Members of the Legislative assembly are directly elected by the people...
was elected in 2006 assembly elections
West Bengal state assembly election, 2006
The West Bengal state assembly election of 2006, part of a series of state assembly elections in 2006, was scheduled to occur in five phases. The election took place in the following manner — for 45 assembly constituency s occurred on April 17, 2006; 66 ACs on April 22, 77 ACs on April 27, 57 ACs...
, which took place prior to the rearrangement of parliamentary and assembly constituencies as per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal. Delimitation was made effective for all elections in the state of West Bengal that was held on or after 19 February 2008. Indian general election, 2009
Indian general election, 2009
India held general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in five phases between 16 April 2009 and 13 May 2009. With an electorate of 714 million , it was the largest democratic election in the world to date.By constitutional requirement, elections to the Lok Sabha must be...
was based on the newly formed parliamentary constituencies and the newly formed assembly constituencies have representatives in the 2011 elections of West Bengal.
As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the district is divided into 11 assembly constituencies: Dubrajpur
Dubrajpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Dubrajpur is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The seat is reserved for scheduled castes. It was an open seat earlier.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #284), Suri
Suri (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Suri is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The Rajnagar ceases to exist from 2011.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #285), Bolpur
Bolpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Bolpur is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #286), Nanoor
Nanoor (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Nanoor is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The seat is reserved for scheduled castes.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #287), Labpur
Labpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Labpur is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #288), Sainthia
Sainthia (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Sainthia is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The seat is reserved for scheduled castes. Mahammad Bazar ceases to be an assembly constituency from 2011. Sainthia is a newly constituted constituency.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation...
(AC #289), Mayureswar
Mayureswar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Mayureswar is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is an open seat now but was earlier reserved for scheduled castes.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #290), Rampurhat
Rampurhat (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Rampurhat is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #291), Hansan
Hansan (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Hansan is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is an open seat now but was earlier reserved for scheduled castes. Hansan is a gram panchayat under Rampurhat intermediate panchayat....
(AC #292), Nalhati
Nalhati (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Nalhati is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #293) and Murarai
Murarai (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Murarai is an assembly constituency in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
(AC #294). Dubrajpur, Nanoor and Sainthia constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.
Dubrajpur, Suri, Sainthia, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati and Murarai assembly segments form the Birbhum (Lok Sabha constituency)
Birbhum (Lok Sabha constituency)
Birbhum is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on the western part of Birbhum district in West Bengal...
. Bolpur, Nanoor, Labhpur, and Sainthia constituencies are part of Bolpur (Lok Sabha constituency)
Bolpur (Lok Sabha constituency)
Bolpur is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Bolpur in West Bengal. The seat was a free seat till 2004, but was declared reserved for scheduled castes from 2009 general elections....
, which will also contain three other assembly segments from Bardhaman district.
Transport
The Panagarh–Morgram HighwayPanagarh–Morgram Highway
Panagarh–Morgram Highway runs from the junction with NH 2 at Panagarh Darjeeling Mor to NH 34 at Morgram. It passes through Kanksa, Ilambazar, Hetampur, Dubrajpur, Suri, Rampurhat, Nalhati and Lohapur. It is mostly a two lane highway with a total length of...
runs through the district. All the towns and villages are connected by roads. The total length of roads in the district are: surfaced–2413 km (1,499.4 mi) and unsurfaced–4674 km (2,904.3 mi). Against this the total length of rail track in the district is 201.32 km (125.1 mi), including 26.55 km (16.5 mi) of the Ahmadpur-Katwa
Katwa
Katwa is the head quarters of Katwa subdivision in the district of Bardhaman, West Bengal. The area has a rural charm and natural beauty, but many trading and other business activities has made it clumsy and congested. It is mostly a middle class residential area.-History:The small town has a five...
narrow gauge track, laid in 1917. The Howrah
Howrah station
Howrah Station is one of the four intercity train stations serving Howrah and Kolkata, India; the others are Sealdah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata railway station in Kolkata. Howrah is situated on the West bank of the Hooghly River, linked to Kolkata by the magnificent Howrah Bridge which...
-Sahibganj loop of the Eastern Railway
Eastern Railway (India)
The Eastern Railway is one of the 17 zones of the Indian Railways. Its headquarters is at Fairley Place, Kolkata, and comprises four divisions: Howrah, Malda, Sealdah, and Asansol. These are the financial departments and each has an assistant divisional financial manager , divisional railway...
, laid in 1862, passes through this district. There is a junction at Nalhati for the connection to Azimganj in Murshidabad district. The Andal
Andal, Bardhaman
Andal is a census town and police station in Durgapur subdivision of Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Andal is located at . It has an average elevation of 76 metres ....
-Sainthia line connects it to the main Howrah-Delhi main line at Andal.
Demographics
In 1901, Birbhum had a population of 902,280, which by 1981 rose to 2,095,829. According to the 2001 census data, the total population has further risen to 3,015,422. The following table summarises the population distribution:| Rural/Urban | Persons | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 3,015,422 | 1,546,633 | 1,468,789 |
| Rural | 2,757,002 | 1,414,097 | 1,342,905 |
| Urban | 258,420 | 132,536 | 125,884 |
Hindus form around 65% of the population according to 2001 census. Muslims are about 33% of the population. There is a sprinkling of other religious groups in the population. According to the 2001 census, 29.5% of the population belong to the scheduled castes and 6.7% to the scheduled tribes. Other than the those speaking the local dialect of Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, there are tribal Santhals and ten other tribal communities in Birbhum with some presence, amongst whom Koda, Mahali
Mahali
Mahle is the name of a religion of India, Nepal and Bangladesh. It is a indigenous scheduled of the state of West Bengal and Orissa. They mostly reside in areas adjoining to Santhal Parganas in Orissa and West Bengal. Mahle people forms a different tribe which is clubbed together with the Munda tribe...
and Oraon
Oraon
The Oraon उरांव or Kurukh कुड़ुख tribe , also spelled Uraon, Oran, or Oram, are tribal aborigines inhabiting various states across central and eastern India as well as Bangladesh...
s are more common.
According to the 2011 census
2011 census of India
The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, houselisting and population enumeration. Houselisting phase began on April 1, 2010 and involved collection of information about all buildings...
has a population
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
of 3,502,387 , roughly equal to the nation of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
or the US state of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. This gives it a ranking of 84th in India (out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). The district has a population density of 771 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
Family planning in India
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. In the 1965-2009 period, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved , but the national fertility rate is still high enough to cause long-term population growth...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.15 %. Birbhum has a sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
of 956 females
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
Literacy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 70.9 %.
Culture
One of the oldest villages in the district is Kundola and its contribution in the field of culture is unparalleled.It reached its highest stage in yatra,theatre.The Zamindars used to spend a lot of money for upholding the cultural fame of this village.Many concrete stages are the witness of this.This is supposed to be the only village in the district where a separate primary school for the girls was set up by the Zamindars.Baul
Baul .Though Bauls comprise only a small fraction of the Bengali population, their influence on the culture of Bengal is considerable. In 2005, the Baul tradition was included in the list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.-Etymology:The origin of the word...
s of Birbhum, their philosophy and their songs form a notable representation of the folk culture of the district. Birbhum has also been home to kabiyals, kirtaniyas and other folk culture groups.
The numerous fairs in Birbhum
Fairs in Birbhum
Fairs in Birbhum refers to the many fairs that take place in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.- Backdrop :Birbhum is a large but primarily rural district dotted with small towns...
start with Poush Mela at Santiniketan and follows through the Bengali month of Poush
Poush
Poush is the 9th month of both the Bangla calendar and the Nepali Calendar. It overlaps December and January of the Gregorian calendar. It is the first month of the winter season....
till Makar Sankranti. Particularly lively is the fair at Jaydev Kenduli
Jaydev Kenduli
Jaydev Kenduli is a village and gram panchayat in Ilambazar community development block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal...
. Various festivities are organized across the seasons. People of Birbhum patronise folk entertainment programmes such as jatra, kavigan
Kavigan
Kavigan is a form of Bengali folk performance wherein folk poets sing and perform.-Form:Kavigan is normally sung by two groups. Each group is led by a kaviyal or sarkar. The accompanying singers called dohars often repeat what the leader said...
and alkap
Alkap
Alkap is a form of Bengali folk performance popular in the districts of Murshidabad, Malda and Birbhum in West Bengal and Rajshahi in Bangladesh. It has also spread to the adjoining areas of Jharkhand and Bihar such as Dumka and Purnia. -Form:...
.
Many poets were born in this district, as for example, Chandidas (Rami)
Chandidas
Chandidas refers to medieval poet of Bengal. Over 1250 poems related to the love of Radha and Krishna in Bengali with the bhanita of Chandidas are found with three different sobriquets along with his name, , Dvija and Dina as well as without any sobriquet also...
. In addition to being a confluence of Vaishnava
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
, Shakta
Shaktism
Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that focuses worship upon Shakti or Devi – the Hindu Divine Mother – as the absolute, ultimate Godhead...
and Saiva
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
cultures, Birbhum villages also observe prehistoric customs like worship of gramdevta (gram means village and devta means deity) in many forms at different places.
Amongst the major attractions of Birbhum are Bakreshwar
Bakreshwar
Bakreshwar is a town in the Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited is located some distance away from the town.-Etymology:...
, Tarapith
Tarapith
Tarapith is a small temple town near Rampurhat in Birbhum district of the Indian state of West Bengal, known for its Tantric temple and its adjoining cremation grounds where Tantric rites are performed...
and Patharchapuri
Patharchapuri
Patharchapuri is a village under Suri police station in Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal...
. Birbhum has many old temples, such as the ones at Jaydev Kenduli, Surul and Nanoor, with delicate decorative tiles made of terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
(burnt clay).
Personalities
Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen, CH is an Indian economist who was awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his contributions to welfare economics and social choice theory, and for his interest in the problems of society's poorest members...
is one of them. Rabindranath Tagore made this district his home and established his great centre of learning, Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan. Jaydev Kenduli
Jaydev Kenduli
Jaydev Kenduli is a village and gram panchayat in Ilambazar community development block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal...
, which until recently was believed to be the birthplace of the 12th century Sanskrit poet Jayadeva
Jayadeva
Jayadeva was a Sanskrit poet circa 1200 AD. He is most known for his composition, the epic poem Gita Govinda, which depicts the divine love of Krishna-an avatar of Vishnu and his consort, Radha, and it is mentioned that Radha is greater than Hari, and is considered an important text in the...
, is on the bank of the river Ajay. Nanoor is the birthplace of the 14th century poet Chandidas Rami
Chandidas
Chandidas refers to medieval poet of Bengal. Over 1250 poems related to the love of Radha and Krishna in Bengali with the bhanita of Chandidas are found with three different sobriquets along with his name, , Dvija and Dina as well as without any sobriquet also...
. Nityananda Swami
Nityananda
Image:Panca-tattva Altar.jpg|thumb|This is interactive image-map. Click! on lotus feet. Sri Krishna Chaitanya , Sri Nityananda Prabhu , Sri Advaita Acharya , Sri Gadadhara Pandit , Sri Srivas Pandit...
(Nitai of the famous Nitai-Gaur pair) the co–founder of Vaishnav religion with Shri Chityanyadev
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a Vaishnava saint and social reformer in eastern India in the 16th century, believed by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism to be the full incarnation of Lord Krishna...
was born at Ekachakra. Tarashankar Bandopadhyay
Tarashankar Bandopadhyay
Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay was one of the leading Bengali novelists. He wrote 65 novels, 53 story-books, 12 plays, 4 essay-books, 4 autobiographies and 2 travel stories...
(1898–1971), one of the leading Bengali literary figures in recent times and who wrote extensively about life in Birbhum, belongs to Labhpur.
Flora and fauna
The eastern area of Birbhum is a part of the rice plains of West Bengal, and the vegetation here includes usual characteristics of rice fields in Bengal, such as species of AponogetonAponogeton
Aponogeton is a genus of 45 - 50 species of flowering plants, the only genus of the family Aponogetonaceae. The Aponogetonaceae is considered to be allied to the Potamogetonaceae - Najadaceae complex of families....
, Utricularia, Drosera, Philcoxia
Philcoxia
Philcoxia is a genus of three rare plant species in the Plantaginaceae that are endemic to Brazil and resemble terrestrial species of the genus Utricularia. The genus, formally described in 2000, consists of the species P. bahiensis, P. goiasensis, and P. minensis, each named for the Brazilian...
, Scrophulariaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Scrophulariaceae, the figwort family, are a family of flowering plants. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with flowers with bilateral or rarely radial symmetry. Members of the Scrophulariaceae have a cosmopolitan distribution, with the majority found in temperate areas, including...
and similar aquatic or palustrine
Palustrine
Palustrine comes from the Latin word palus or marsh. Wetlands within this category include inland marshes and swamps as well as bogs, fens, tundra and floodplains...
genera. In the drier western region of the district, the characteristic shrubs and herbs include species of Wendlandia
Wendlandia
Wendlandia is a genus of plant in family Rubiaceae. It contains the following species :* Wendlandia andamanica, Cowan* Wendlandia angustifolia, Wight* Wendlandia arabica, DC....
, Convolvulaceae
Convolvulaceae
Convolvulaceae, known commonly as the bindweed or morning glory family, are a group of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species of mostly herbaceous vines, but also trees, shrubs and herbs.- Description :...
, Stipa
Stipa
This article is about a type of grass.For Speech Transmission Index for Public Address Systems, see Speech transmission index.For the Italian aircraft designer, see Luigi Stipa...
, Tragus
Tragus (genus)
Tragus, commonly called burr grass or carrot-seed grass, is a genus in the grass family, Poaceae. Plants are monoecious, stoloniferous, and either annual or perennial depending on the species. The genus is primarily native to Africa, but has been introduced in subtropical and tropical areas around...
, Spermacoce
Spermacoce
Spermacoce is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It comprises about 275 species found throughout the tropics and subtropics...
, Ziziphus
Ziziphus
Ziziphus is a genus of about 40 species of spiny shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, distributed in the warm-temperate and subtropical regions throughout the world. The leaves are alternate, entire, with three prominent basal veins, and long; some species are deciduous,...
, Capparis
Capparis
Capparis is a flowering plant genus in the family Capparaceae which is included in the Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system. These plants are shrubs or lianas and are collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes...
and other similar plants that grows on laterite soil. Mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
, palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
, and bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
are among commonly visible trees in Birbhum. Other common species of plants visible here are jackfruit
Jackfruit
The jackfruit is a species of tree in the Artocarpus genus of the mulberry family . It is native to parts of Southern and Southeast Asia. It is the national fruit of Bangladesh, . The jackfruit tree is believed to be indigenous to the southwestern rain forests of India...
, arjun
Terminalia arjuna
Terminalia arjuna is a tree of the genus Terminalia.-Description:...
, sal, guava
Guava
Guavas are plants in the myrtle family genus Psidium , which contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America...
, kend and mahua
Madhuca longifolia
Madhuca longifolia, commonly known as mahwa or mahua, is an Indian tropical tree found largely in the central and north Indian plains and forests. It is a fast-growing tree that grows to approximately 20 meters in height, possesses evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage, and belongs to the family...
.
Other than feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
dogs and domestic cattle, the most frequently encountered non-human mammal is the hanuman, a long tailed grey langur prevalent in the Gangetic plain. Some wild boars and wolves may still be spotted in the small forests of Chinpai, Bandarsol and Charicha. Leopards and bears are not to be seen any more in the wild. Sometimes during the season when mahua trees bloom, wild Asiatic elephants
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
from Jharkhand come in trampling crops and threatening life and property. Birds of Birbhum include a mix of hilly and plain-land dwelling species like partridge
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
, pigeon, green pigeon, water fowls, doyel, Indian robin
Indian Robin
The Indian Robin The Indian Robin The Indian Robin (Saxicoloides fulicatusRasmussen & Anderton emend the species epithet from fulicata to fulicatus since Saxicola is masculine and the -oides ending is always masculine according to ICZN Code 30.1.4.4....
, drongo
Drongo
The drongos are a family of small passerine birds of the Old World tropics, the Dicruridae. This family was sometimes much enlarged to include a number of largely Australasian groups, such as the Australasian fantails, monarchs and paradise flycatchers...
, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
, cuckoo
Cuckoo
The cuckoos are a family, Cuculidae, of near passerine birds. The order Cuculiformes, in addition to the cuckoos, also includes the turacos . Some zoologists and taxonomists have also included the unique Hoatzin in the Cuculiformes, but its taxonomy remains in dispute...
, koel
Koel
The true koels, Eudynamys, are a genus of cuckoos from Asia, Australia and the Pacific. They are large sexually dimorphic cuckoos which eat fruits and insects and have loud distinctive calls. They are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other species.In New Zealand the Long-tailed...
, sunbird
Sunbird
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are a family, Nectariniidae, of very small passerine birds. There are 132 species in 15 genera. The family is distributed throughout Africa, southern Asia and just reaches northern Australia. Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders,...
, Indian roller
Indian Roller
The Indian Roller , also called the Blue Jay in former times is a member of the roller family of birds. They are found in southern Asia from Iraq to Thailand and are best known for the aerobatic displays of the male during the breeding season...
, parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
, babbler
Old World babbler
The Old World babblers or timaliids are a large family of mostly Old World passerine birds. They are rather diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent...
, and some migratory birds.
Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary
Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary
Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1977. This wooded area is located near Santiniketan in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:...
near Santiniketan was declared a sanctuary in 1977. Various economically important trees are planted here and Blackbuck
Blackbuck
Blackbuck is a species of antelope native to the Indian subcontinent. Their range decreased sharply during the 20th century. Since 2003, the IUCN lists the species as near threatened....
s, Spotted deer, jackals, foxes and a variety of water birds reside within its 2 square kilometre.
Literacy and education
According to the 2001 census Birbhum district had a literacy rate of 62.16%, 71.57% among males and 52.21% among females. In 1951 census, the literacy rate was 17.74%. It increased to 48.56% in 1991.The growth of literacy in the last decade of the twentieth century was particularly remarkable with special emphasis on the eradication of illiteracy. While it is feared that Birbhum may not be able to fulfill the national objective of sending all children in the age group 6–14 years to school by 2010, efforts are on in that direction.
The district has 127 libraries supported by the Government, 1 private library and 1 district library.
Sports
One of the most popular outdoor sports in the villages of Birbhum used to be danguliGilli-danda
Gilli-Danda is an amateur sport played in the rural areas and small towns all over the Indian subcontinent, as well as Cambodia....
(literal meaning "ball and stick"). However, in recent times cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
has replaced some of the popularity of this game. Another sport that can be played both outdoors and indoor, and is still popular among children here is marble
Marble (toy)
A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from glass, clay, steel, or agate. These balls vary in size. Most commonly, they are about ½ inch in diameter, but they may range from less than ¼ inch to over 3 inches , while some art glass marbles fordisplay purposes are over 12 inches ...
, which involves projecting a striker bead with fingers to hit an ensemble of black or green glass bead. In addition to cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
the other most popular outdoor sport of this district are football and kabadi.
External links
- http://www.dli.ernet.in/cgi-bin/metainfo.cgi?&title1=Bengal%20District%20Gazetteers%20Birbhum&author1=O%27malley%20%20L.S.%20S.&subject1=Geography,Travels%20And%20Description&year=1910%20&language1=english&pages=158&barcode=6010010076002&author2=&identifier1=Librarian,%20Rashtrapati%20Bhavan&publisher1=The%20Bengal%20Secretariat%20Book%20Depot%20Calcutta&contributor1=&vendor1=NONE&scanningcentre1=rashtrapati%20bhavan%20library&scannerno1=&digitalrepublisher1=Rashtrapati%20Bhavan&digitalpublicationdate1=2004-01-16&numberedpages1=&unnumberedpages1=&rights1=OUT_OF_COPYRIGHT©rightowner1=O%27malley%20%20L.S.%20S.©rightexpirydate1=&format1=Book%20&url=/data_copy/upload/0076/007Bengal District Gazetteers Birbhum], O'Malley L.S.S., 1910 from Digital Library of India