Birbhum district
Birbhum district | |
---|---|
Clockwise from top-left: Tarapeeth Temple in Hansan | |
Area | |
• Total | 4,545 km2 (1,755 sq mi) |
Population (2023) | |
• Total | 4,060,000 |
• Density | 890/km2 (2,300/sq mi) |
• Urban | 449,448 |
Demographics | |
• Literacy | 70.9% |
• Sex ratio | 956 |
Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
Website | www |
Birbhum district (IPA:
Often called "the land of red soil",[3] Birbhum is noted for its topography and its cultural heritage which is somewhat different from the other districts in West Bengal. The western part of Birbhum is a bushy region, a part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. This region gradually merges with the fertile alluvial farmlands in the east.[4]
This district saw many cultural and religious movements in history. The
Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75.09% of the population being dependent on agriculture.[7] 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.[8] Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station is the only heavy industry in the district.[9]
Etymology
The name Birbhum comes probably from the term 'land' ('bhumi') of the 'brave' ('bir') or
Geography
Situated between 23° 32' 30" (right above the
Geographically, this area lies at the northeastern end of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, as it slopes down and merges with the alluvial plains of the Ganges. In the district there is only hilly area of natural rock formation situated near Dubrajpur town called Mama Bhagne Pahar (Hills). The western portion of the district is historically known as Vajjabhumi or Bajrabhumi.[4][12] 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 included in the Rarh region, and the rest of Rarh is called Sumha to differentiate it from Vajjabhumi.[4][12]
Climate
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 6 °C (43 °F).[8] Rainfall is higher in the western areas as compared to the eastern areas. The annual average rainfall in Rajnagar is 1,405 millimetres (55.3 in) and in Nanoor it is 1,212 millimetres (47.7 in), mostly in the monsoon months (June to October).[4][10]
Climate and rainfall chart of Birbhum District:[13]
Month | Normal rainfall (in mm) |
---|---|
January | 9.7 |
February | 23.2 |
March | 23.3 |
April | 40.7 |
May | 88.7 |
June | 234.2 |
July | 324.5 |
August | 295.7 |
September | 258.2 |
October | 105.4 |
November | 17.5 |
December | 9.4 |
Yearly | 1430.5 |
Rivers
A number of rivers flow across Birbhum. Some of the most notable include Ajay, Mayurakshi, Kopai, Bakreshwar, Brahmani, Dwarka, Hinglo, and Bansloi.[2][8] Almost all the rivers originate higher up on the Chota Nagpur plateau and flow across Birbhum in a west–east direction. During the monsoon season, the rivers flow high and swift compared to the dry summer season, resulting in a cycle of floods and droughts.[4][7] The Mayurakshi provides irrigation for about 2,428 square kilometres (937 sq mi).[14]
History
Prehistory
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.[15] Stone age implements have been found at several places in the district.[16]
According to the old
The
Medieval age
The region was ruled by Muslims in the 13th century CE, although their control over the western parts of the district appears to have been minimal, with true power resting in the hands of the local Hindu chiefs, known as the Bir Rajas (Bagdi Malla dynasty).
Colonial era
The area which is now Birbhum district was badly impacted by the Great Bengal famine of 1770. Many villages were wiped out entirely, and even in large towns, over three quarters of households perished.[22]
The administrative unit called Birbhum was first formed in 1787 under the
In the late 18th century, Birbhum and surrounding areas were affected by more famines followed by a peasants' insurrection. Although the insurrection primarily targeted zamindars and the government, trading and manufacturing centres were also looted. In June 1789, the manufacturing town of Ilambazar was sacked, although it recovered and became a magnet for manufacturing and trade.[23]
Until 1793, Birbhum included "Bishenpore" or
Economy
Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75% of the people dependent on agriculture.[7] While 159.3 km2 (61.5 sq mi) of land is occupied by forests, 3,329.05 km2 (1,285.35 sq mi) of land is used for agricultural purposes.[8] 91.02% of the population live in villages.[7] Out of total 4,50,313 farmers(holding 3,20,610 hectares of land), 3,59,404 are marginal farmers(holding 1,41,813 hectares altogether), 63,374 are small farmers(holding 95,144 hectares altogether), 26,236 are semi-medium farmers(holding 76,998 hectares altogether), 1,290 are medium farmers(holding 6,215 hectare altogether), and 9 are large farmers (holding 440 hectares of land). The average size of land holding per farmer is 0.71 hectares. 6,07,172 people work as agricultural labourers in Birbhum.[13] Major crops produced in the district include rice, legumes, wheat, corn (maize), potatoes and sugar cane.[7] The district has thirteen cold storages.[8] Land with irrigation facilities in 2001-02 totalled 2,763.9 km2 (1,067.1 sq mi).[7] 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.[7]
Birbhum is a major centre of
Sainthia is known as business capital of Birbhum and an economically important city. Sainthia is the major centre for export and import of cottage industries. Huge numbers of businesses run in this city and its economy stands tall due to sales of agricultural based products.[24]
In 2006 the
Political and administrative divisions
The district comprises three subdivisions: Suri Sadar, Bolpur and Rampurhat.[1] Suri is the district headquarters. There are 26 police stations, 19 development blocks, 6 municipalities and 167 gram panchayats in this district.[1][26] Other than municipality area, each subdivision contains community development blocs which in turn are divided into rural areas and census towns. There are seven urban units: six municipalities and one census town.[26][27] The latest amongst the urban units to have a municipality was Nalhati in 2000.[28]
Before delimitation the district was divided into 12
As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the
No. | Name | Lok Sabha constituency | MLA | Party | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
284 | Dubrajpur (SC) | Birbhum | Anup Kumar Saha | Bharatiya Janata Party | |
285 | Suri | Bikash Roychoudhury | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
286 | Bolpur | Bolpur | Chandranath Singha
|
All India Trinamool Congress
| |
287 | Nanoor (SC) | Bidhan Chandra Majhi | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
288 | Labpur | Abhijit Sinha | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
289 | Sainthia (SC) | Birbhum | Nilabati Saha | All India Trinamool Congress
| |
290 | Mayureswar | Bolpur | Abhijit Roy | All India Trinamool Congress
| |
291 | Rampurhat | Birbhum | Asish Banerjee | All India Trinamool Congress
| |
292 | Hansan | Ashok Kumar Chattopadhyay | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
293 | Nalhati | Rajendra Prasad Singh | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
294 | Murarai | Mosarraf Hossain | All India Trinamool Congress
|
Dubrajpur, Suri,Mayureswar, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati and Murarai assembly segments form the
Transport
The
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1901 | 902,280 | — |
1911 | 940,162 | +0.41% |
1921 | 851,725 | −0.98% |
1931 | 947,554 | +1.07% |
1941 | 1,048,317 | +1.02% |
1951 | 1,066,889 | +0.18% |
1961 | 1,446,158 | +3.09% |
1971 | 1,775,909 | +2.08% |
1981 | 2,095,829 | +1.67% |
1991 | 2,555,664 | +2.00% |
2001 | 3,015,422 | +1.67% |
2011 | 3,502,404 | +1.51% |
source:[32] |
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:[33]
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 |
According to the
Religion
Religion | Population (1941)[40]: 75 | Percentage (1941) | Population (2011)[39] | Percentage (2011) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hinduism | 686,436 | 65.48% | 2,181,515 | 62.28% |
Islam | 287,310 | 27.41% | 1,298,054 | 37.06% |
Tribal religion[a] | 71,073 | 6.78% | 6,051 | 0.17% |
Others [b] | 3,498 | 0.33% | 17,727 | 0.51% |
Total Population | 1,048,317 | 100 | 3,502,404 | 100% |
According to
CD block | Hindu % | Muslim % | Other % |
---|---|---|---|
Murarai I | 40.58 | 58.92 | 0.5 |
Murarai II | 24.91 | 75.00 | 0.09 |
Nalhati I | 52.11 | 46.64 | 1.25 |
Nalhati II | 29.79 | 70.10 | 0.11 |
Rampurhat I | 67.38 | 30.61 | 2.01 |
Rampurhat II | 51.64 | 48.20 | 0.16 |
Mayureswar I | 69.84 | 29.33 | 0.83 |
Mayureswar II | 74.06 | 25.65 | 0.29 |
Mohammad Bazar | 67.15 | 31.29 | 1.56 |
Rajnagar | 84.74 | 14.27 | 0.99 |
Suri I | 73.02 | 26.59 | 0.39 |
Suri II | 67.70 | 31.59 | 0.71 |
Sainthia | 77.68 | 21.46 | 0.86 |
Labpur | 69.24 | 30.54 | 0.22 |
Nanoor | 64.71 | 34.97 | 0.32 |
Bolpur Sriniketan | 73.92 | 25.45 | 0.63 |
Illambazar | 51.67 | 47.40 | 0.93 |
Dubrajpur | 66.52 | 33.22 | 0.26 |
Khoyrasol | 75.51 | 24.3 | 0.19 |
Area not under any Sub-district | 75.88 | 23.41 | 0.71 |
Language
At the time of the 2011 census, 92.38% of the population spoke Bengali and 6.01% Santali as their first language.[42]
Culture
The bauls of Birbhum, their philosophy and their songs form a notable representation of the folk culture of the district. Birbhum has been home to kabiyals, kirtaniyas and other folk culture groups.[6][43]
The numerous
Many poets were born in this district, as for example, Chandidas (Rami).[45] In addition to being a confluence of Vaishnava, Shakta and Saiva cultures, Birbhum villages observe ancient customs like worship of gramdevta (gram means village and devta means deity) in many forms.[46][47]
Amongst the major attractions of Birbhum are
Flora and fauna
The eastern area of Birbhum is a part of the rice plains of West Bengal, and the vegetation includes usual characteristics of rice fields in Bengal, such as species of
Other than
Literacy and education
Educational facilities in Birbhum district:[8]
High School–256
Higher Secondary School–110
Junior High School–95
Junior High Madarsa–10
Senior Madarsa–4
Primary School–237
Sishu Sikhsha Kendra–495
Anganwadi Centre–2407
College–12
University–1
Engineering colleges–2
Polytechnic–1
Industrial Training Institute (ITI)–1
According to the 2011 census Birbhum district had a literacy rate of 70.9%.[34] up from 62.16% in 2001. In 1951 census, the literacy rate was 17.74%. It increased to 48.56% in 1991.[53]
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.[53]
The district has 127 libraries supported by the government, one private library and one district library.[8]
Sports
One of the most popular outdoor sports in the villages of Birbhum used to be
In addition to cricket, the other most popular outdoor sports of this district are football and kabadi and volleyball.[44]
Notable people
- Amartya Sen, economist and Nobel laureate[54]
- Pranab Mukherjee, 13th President of India
- Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, Bengali novelist[54] who was nominited for Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971.[55]
- Ekram Ali, Bengali poet and critic
- Sahana Bajpaie, Bengali singer-songwriter and one of the most prominent contemporary Rabindra Sangeet vocalists
- Sutapa Biswas, British Indian conceptual artist
- Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty, Indian American microbiologist, scientist, and researcher, most notable for his work in directed evolution
- Basudeb Das Baul, Bengali baul singer
- Hindi and Bengali cinemaduring the 1940s and 1950s
- Kharaj Mukherjee, Indian actor who works in Bengali as well as Hindi cinema
- Chandidas Rami, 14th-century poet born in Nanoor[56]
- Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, prominent lawyer and statesman in British India
- Nityananda Swami, co–founder of Vaishnavism, born at Ekachakra[57]
- Rabindranath Tagore, polymath and founder of Visva-Bharati University[58][59]
- Abdus Sattar, former President and Vice President of Bangladesh[60]
- Mohammad Kibria, Bangladeshi artist
- Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda, Bangladeshi organic chemist, educationist and writer.
- Ganga Narayan Singh, Indian tribal revolutionary
- Ratan Kahar, Indian Folk Singer.
Villages
References
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External links
- Official website
- Birbhum travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Bengal District Gazetteers Birbhum, O'Malley L.S.S., 1910, Barcode(6010010076002), Language English from Digital Library of India