Khirpai also known as Kshirpai, is a town and a municipality

Municipality

A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...

 in West Midnapore in the India

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...

. The town is situated near the banks of river Shilabati and Kethai. The municipality is one of the oldest municipality in India. Location of the municipality is between Ghatal and Chandrokona Town. Khirpai is also famous for its ‘Babarsha’, a special type of sweetmeat, which is not available elsewhere.

History

In the 18th and 19th century, Khirpai was a big and famous trading place. Cotton and handicrafts of this area were exported in the foreign lands. In British periods Khirpai became famous for indigo plantation.Also in the British Era, It is the famous business centre. That time 'Neel' was the main product.On the south-east side of Khirpai town, there is a lake, ruins can be found in the south east corner of this lake. Once, it was the trade-house of the European merchants. French, Hollander, Portuguese and British stepped here for trade, as before 1660 and by that time they thronged here for purchasing cotton and silk, which are of exclusive status. In 1763, French built a workshop in this place.

In the 18 th century, Khirpai become famous for cotton-cloth weaving and manufacture of brush and bell metal. The waiving industry was further developed in the second half of the century by the location of an important factory of East India Company in Khirpai.But in the 19 th century the Industry declined owing to the withdrawal of company from commercial undertakings and particularly due to the importation of the English piece goods. Since Khirpai lost her proud as a business centre, the population density of Khirpai also decreases gradually at that time.

Geography

Khirpai is located at 22.7°N 87.62°E. It has an average elevation of 7 metres (26 feet).

Demographics

India census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

, Khirpai had a population of 44,545. Males constitute 57% of the population and females 43%. Khirpai has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 62%. In Khirpai, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. Near Khirpai there is a river named Kethia.

Economy

Main economy of this area is agriculture. Besides town area the people of the villagers basically earn their livlihood by producing crops, like Paddy, Potato, Wheat, Jute and vegetables of different kindes. A few of the percentage of the people are government employees, School Teachers and employed in other small private sectors.The financial status of most of the people is in middle class and lower middle class category.

Transportation

Khirpai is well connected by roads/highways with other nearby cities like Midnapore, Kharagpur, Kolkata, Howrah,Ghatal, Burdwan, Panskura, Kanthi, Tamluk, Hooghly. For local transportation bus, taxi, minibus, cycle-rikshaws are available. Panskura and chandrokona road railway stations are two nearest railway station.

Education

There are no of schools and primary schools in Khirpai. There is one coeducational high school and one girls school. The name of the schools are - 1. Khirpai H.S. Multipurpose High School 2. Khirpai S.K.Barman Memorial Girls High School. Ghatal Rabindra Satabarshiki Mahavidyalaya and Chandrokona Vidyasagar Mahavidyalaya are two nearest college of khirpai. There is also a vocational training institute named Dr Ambedkar Training Institute.

Health

There is a hospital in the Khirpai town. People of Khirpai and its nearest areas mainly depends on the hospital. Also There is many private chambers of doctors in the Khirpai. Health of common people is generally well.

Culture

Among many festivals of in Khirpai, 'Santoshi Mela' is the most popular. Many people from Khirpai and its nearest villages take part in the Santoshi Mela. There is also some riligious places in Khirpai named Pancharatna Mandir, Parbatinath Temple, Radha Damodar Jew Temple.Radhamadhab Temple of Malpara is on Ghatal-Khirpai Road .This age old temple is ‘Pancharatna’(ratna means pinnacle) but the terracotta works still exist with glory. These works depict Krishnalila, Dasavatar and battle of Ram Ravana, even hunting scenes and floral ornamentations. It was built in 1817. Radha Damodar Jew Temple is famous for his terracota works. ‘Dalan Mandir’ in Paharipara is also notable. This temple is dedicated to Singhabahini, incarnation of Devi Durga. This was built on 1746 and probably the oldest temple of Khirpai region.The massive structure of ‘Sitalanda Tin Temple’ is situated in Hattala (Khirpai). It is facing southwards and of ‘atchala’ style. Some terracotta specimens still can be found. It is built by Pani family on 1839. The regular bengali festivals like Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja and Kali Puja are well attended. Other common pujas in the worship of Sitala, Jagaddhatri, Holi,Janmastami, Bheema Puja also takes place.