Malda district
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Malda | |
---|---|
Clockwise from top-left: Tomb of Fateh Khan, Malda Town Railway Station, Ramkeli, Baisnabnagar | |
Area | |
• Total | 3,733 km2 (1,441 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 3,988,845 |
• Density | 1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi) |
• Urban | 541,660 |
Demographics | |
• Literacy | 62.71 per cent |
• Sex ratio | 939 |
Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
Major highways | NH 12
A.B.A. Ghani Khan Choudhury |
Website | malda |
Malda district, also spelt Maldah or Maldaha (Bengali: [malda], [maldɔɦ], often [maldɔɦo]), is a district in West Bengal, India. It lies 347 km (215 miles) north of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Mango, jute and silk are the most notable products of this district. The special variety of mango, Fazli, produced in this region is popularly known by the name of the district and is exported across the world and is internationally acclaimed. The folk culture of gombhira is a feature of the district, being a unique way of representation of joy and sorrow in daily life of the common people, as well as the unique medium of presentation on national and international matters. According to the National Investigation Agency Malda is believed to be a hub of a fake currency racket.[1][2][3] It is reported that 90 per cent of the fake currency that enters India originates in Malda.[4][5]
The headquarters of Malda district is in
History
Pre-Gour Era
Pāṇini mentioned a city named Gourpura, which by strong reason may be identified as the city of Gouda, ruins of which are situated in this district. Examples are legion of the relics of a predecessor kingdom being used in the monuments of the successor kingdoms.
It had been within the limits of ancient Gour and Pandua (Pundrabardhana). These two cities had been the capital of Bengal in ancient and medieval ages and are equidistant, north and south, from English Bazar town (once known as Engelzavad established by the British rulers).
The boundary of Gour was changed in different ages since the fifth century BC, and its name can be found in
The inscriptions discovered in the district of undivided
After the Guptas at the beginning of seventh century AD
Gour Era
The
The name Mal Daha was coined (from Mal meaning riches and Daha meaning lake).
Relics of Islamic architecture structures are present in Malda district, such as Firuz minar, Adina Mosque (the largest mosque of South Asia at the time), and Qutwali Gate. During the Mughal rule, the capital was removed to Dhaka due to a course change of the river Ganges. Muslim rule ended in 1757. Koch army invasion increased during the downfall of Gour.[6][8]
Post-Gour Era
After the war of Palassy, the British rule started in 1757. The English traders settled in the southern bank of the river Mahananda. Some indigo plant chambers, trade centre, and offices were established. William Carey worked here. But the glory days were gone.[opinion]
This district was formed out of some portions of outlying areas of Purnia, Dinajpur and Rajshahi districts in 1813. At the time of Dr. B. Hamilton (1808–09), the present thanas of Gazole, Malda, Bamongola, and part of Habibpur were included in the district of Dinajpur and the thanas of Harischandrapur, Kharba, Ratua, Manikchak, and Kaliachak were included in the district of Purnia. In 1813, in consequence of the prevalence of serious crimes in the Kaliachak and Sahebganj thanas and also on the rivers, a Joint Magistrate and Deputy Collector were appointed at English Bazar, with jurisdiction over a number of police stations centering that place and taken from the two districts. Thus the district of Malda was born. The year 1832 saw the establishment of a separate treasury and the year 1859 the posting of a full-fledged magistrate and collector.
Up to 1876, this district formed part of
Geography
The latitude range is 24°40’20" N to 25°32’08" N, and the longitude range is 87°45’50" E to 88°28’10" E. The district covers an area of 3,733.66 square kilometres (1,441.6 sq mi). The total population (as of 2001 Census) was recorded as 3,290,160.
Malda is called the gateway of North Bengal. It was once the capital of Gour-Banga with its 3,733 square kilometres (1,441 sq mi) lay of the land classified into Tal, Diara, and Barind.
To the south is
Malda City
Malda, the district headquarters which lends its name to the district, during its early days grew up only near the side of the river Mahananda, and now the place is known as Phulbari. Some of the oldest houses can be found here. The city started to grow from 1925 to 1930. Now nearly a half-million people live in this city, and it is one of the biggest cities of West Bengal. It was a part of the historic city of Gour. Malda is recognised as the Old Malda municipality and the English Bazar municipality. Its notable railway station is named as Malda Town.
Mahadipur international border crossing
The Mahadipur international border crossing is on the Malda-Rajshahi route at Mahadipur town in Malda district.
Local newspapers
The first monthly periodicals published from Malda was Kusum, edited by Radhesh Chandra Seth, a noted personality of the then Malda. Though the exact date of its first publications is not known, it has been assumed by the informed sources that Kusum was first published in the 1890s. In 1896, Radhesh Chandra published two weekly newspapers Gourdoot and Gourbarta.[9] In 1897 Maldaha Samachar edited by Kaliprasanna Chakrabarty began to be published. Maulavi Abdul Ganikhan published 'Malda Akhbar' in 1914. In the same year, another periodical Gambhira' edited by Krishna Charan Sarkar was published. Damru, Adina and Minar—three weekly newspapers were published in 1941. The editors were Nanda Gopal Chowdhury, Akbar Munshi and Abdur Rahaman respectively.
The most important among them was Gourdoot which was first published on 1896 by Radhesh Chandra Seth. But within a short period, the publication of the newspaper came to an end as the editor faced a serious financial loss. The 'Gourdoot' again began to be published from 1912 under the editorship of Lalbihari Majumdar. Majumdar was a great scholar and his literary sense was appreciated by Benoy Kumar Sarkar and Radhesh Chandra Seth. In this endeavour, the editor was greatly supported by them and financed by Sarat Chandra Roy Chowdhury, Maharaja of Chancal. The Gourdoot was used to be published on Thursday of each week. The paper contained 6 pages and the price is one anna in 1944. The political outlook of the newspaper is pro-congress. Moreover, Lalbihari Majumdar, its editor took a pioneering role in organising the congress movement in Malda. He has for a long time been the vice-president of the district Congress. The periodical had an implied antipathy towards Gandhian ideology.
In modern times there are also some local newspapers published in Malda, the most prominent among them are Maldaha Samachar, Rupantorer Pothe, Gour Malda Sambad Aamader Malda, etc. 'Rupantorere Pothe' is published in every Sunday in each week. Maldaha Samachar and Gour Maldaha Sambad are published every Wednesday and Friday respectively.
Popular movements in Malda
The most important among the popular movement is the one led by Jitu Santhal in 1932. Historians like Tanika Sarkar observes Jitu's movement was rooted in the rich tradition of tribal struggle in Malda. The early form of Santhal resistance was migration, which Professor Ashim Sarkar thinks amounted to a kind of passive resistance. Active struggle between the Santhals and their landlords began about 1910.
As the barind (barindra) area began to be transformed into a developed agricultural zone, the zamindars of barind began to enhance the rent and curb the rights so far enjoyed by the Santhal from 1910 onwards. M.O Carter mentions cases were commonly found in which the lands cultivated by the adhiars, which were previously their occupancy holdings but had been sold up in rent or mortgage sales. This caused friction among zamindars and Santhals. The friction took an alarming proportion as early as 1910 when a zamindar of Bulbulchandi tried to enhance the rent. The Santhal tenants rose into protest. The gravity of the situation compelled Mr. Vas, the District Magistrate, to interfere and fix the rent. It was in this backdrop of oppression, exploitation and injustice. Jitu Santhal of Kochakandahar village of Habibpur began to mobilise the Santhals for a widespread movement. In 1926 Jitu became the leader of the Santhals by
Economy
In 2006 the
Divisions
Administrative subdivisions
The district comprises two subdivisions:
Other than municipality areas, each subdivision contains community development blocs, which in turn, are divided into rural areas and census towns.
Chanchal subdivision
- Chanchal I (community development block) consists of rural areas (8 gram panchayats) and town Chanchal,(second largest town in Malda).
- Chanchal II (community development block)consists of rural areas only (7 gram panchayats).
- Ratua I (community development block)consists of rural areas only (10 gram panchayats).
- Ratua II (community development block)consists of rural areas only (8 gram panchayats).
- Harishchandrapur I (community development block)consists of rural areas only (7 gram panchayats).
- Harishchandrapur II (community development block)consists of rural areas only (9 gram panchayats).
Malda Sadar subdivision
- English Bazar: municipality
- Old Malda: municipality
- English Bazar (community development block) consists of rural areas only (11 gram panchayats).
- Gazole (community development block) consists of rural areas only (15 gram panchayats).
- Habibpur (community development block) consists of rural areas (11 gram panchayats) and three census towns: Kachu Pukur, Kendua and Aiho.
- Kaliachak I (community development block)consists of rural areas only (14 gram panchayats).
- Kaliachak II (community development block)consists of rural areas only (9 gram panchayats).
- Kaliachak III (community development block)consists of rural areas only (14 gram panchayats).
- Manikchak (community development block)consists of rural areas only (11 gram panchayats).
- Old Malda (community development block) consists of rural areas only (6 gram panchayats).
- Bamangola (community development block) consists of rural areas only (6 gram panchayats).
Assembly Constituencies
S No. | Name | Lok Sabha Constituency | MLA | Party | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
43 | Habibpur (ST) | Maldaha Uttar | Joyel Murmu | Bharatiya Janata Party | |
44 | Gazole (SC) | Chinmoy Deb Barman | Bharatiya Janata Party | ||
45 | Chanchal | Nihar Ranjan Ghosh | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
46 | Harishchandrapur | Tajmul Hossain | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
47 | Malatipur | Abdur Rahim Boxi | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
48 | Ratua | Samar Mukherjee | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
49 | Manikchak | Maldaha Dakshin | Sabitri Mitra | All India Trinamool Congress
| |
50 | Maldaha (SC) | Maldaha Uttar | Gopal Chandra Saha | Bharatiya Janata Party | |
51 | English Bazar | Maldaha Dakshin | Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury | Bharatiya Janata Party | |
52 | Mothabari | Sabina Yeasmin | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
53 | Sujapur | Md. Abdul Ghani | All India Trinamool Congress
| ||
54 | Baisnabnagar | Chandana Sarkar | All India Trinamool Congress
|
Villages
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1901 | 603,649 | — |
1911 | 698,547 | +1.47% |
1921 | 686,174 | −0.18% |
1931 | 720,440 | +0.49% |
1941 | 844,315 | +1.60% |
1951 | 937,580 | +1.05% |
1961 | 1,221,923 | +2.68% |
1971 | 1,612,657 | +2.81% |
1981 | 2,031,871 | +2.34% |
1991 | 2,637,032 | +2.64% |
2001 | 3,290,468 | +2.24% |
2011 | 3,988,845 | +1.94% |
source:[17] |
- Community
Malda has a largely diverse range of population groups. People from adjoining regions like Bihar and Murshidabad district came here since centuries. People of various classes and tribes like Polia, Shershabadia, Khotta, Panjhra, Chain Mondal, Rajbanshi, and Santhal inhabit the district.[21]
Religion
Religion | Population (1941)[23]: 75 | Percentage (1941) | Population (2011)[22] | Percentage (2011) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Islam | 414,031 | 49.04% | 2,045,151 | 51.27% |
Hinduism | 378,341 | 44.81% | 1,914,352 | 47.99% |
Tribal religion | 51,462 | 6.10% | 7,929 | 0.20% |
Others [a] | 481 | 0.06% | 21,413 | 0.54% |
Total Population | 844,315 | 100% | 3,988,845 | 100% |
Muslims are the majority in the district, and are most dominant in the northwest and south along the Padma River. Hindus are in majority to the east of the Padma along the Bangladesh border, as well as in urban areas.[22]
CD Block | Muslim | Hindu | Other |
---|---|---|---|
Harishchandrapur I | 59.41% | 40.31% | 0.28% |
Harishchandrapur II | 73.65% | 26.18% | 0.17% |
Chanchal I | 71.22% | 28.61% | 0.17% |
Chanchal II | 71.25% | 27.82% | 0.93% |
Ratua I | 66.88% | 32.97% | 0.15% |
Ratua II | 78.71% | 21.18% | 0.11% |
Gazole | 23.60% | 74.51% | 1.89% |
Bamangola | 8.87% | 89.96% | 1.17% |
Habibpur | 1.28% | 94.96% | 3.76% |
Old Malda | 28.60% | 70.00% | 1.40% |
English Bazar | 51.49% | 48.34% | 0.17% |
Manikchak | 43.88% | 55.96% | 0.16% |
Kaliachak I | 89.29% | 10.56% | 0.15% |
Kaliachak II | 65.98% | 33.88% | 0.14% |
Kaliachak III | 50.72% | 49.01% | 0.27% |
Area not under any Sub-district | 11.66% | 86.80% | 1.54% |
Language
The language spoken by the populace of Malda district is predominantly Bengali.[24] Khotta, Santali, Maithili and Hindi languages are also spoken by some minority population throughout the district.[25]
Culture
Malda has special cultural sorts like Gombhira, Alkap, Kavigan etc.
Festivals
Almost all of the major religious festivals are celebrated, like
- Durga puja
- Kali Puja
- Diwali
- Dussehra
- Eid al-Fitr
- Eid al-Adha
- Muharram
- Milad un-Nabi
- Shab-e-Barat
- Shab-e-Kadar
- Guru Nanak Jayanti
- Christmas
- Ratha-Yatra
- Maha Shivratri
Fairs
Some of the most reputed cultural fairs of the district are
- Gour
- Aiho and Bulbulchandi ' Kali Puja Fair
- Debipur Haribasar 32 Prahar Mela.
- Gobarjanna Kalipujo MelM
- Charak Fair
- Chobbish (24) Prahor at Shingabad and Rishipur
- Dariapur Urush at Dariapur, Kaliachak
- Gazole Utsab
- Kahala Urush at Mothabari
- Kahala Durga Puja Fair .
- Kartik puja Fair
- Moyna Bishohari Mela.
- Eid Fair, Pirana Pir Dargah
- Sattari
- Maha Shivratri Fair or Bhole Bamat Amrity
- Christmas Carnival, Englishbazar, Malda
- 32 praxhar harinam sankirtan at Debipur (Ratua 1,Malda)
Tourist attractions
- Adina Relics
- Adina Mosque
- Gol ghar
- Eklakhi mosque
- Adina deer park
- Relics of Gour
- Firoz minar
- Chika Masjid
- Qutwali Gate
- 12-gated mosque
- Qudm-e-Rasul, dargah shrine believed to contain the footprint of the Prophet
- Gobarjanna Kali Mandir
- Aquatic Bengal
- Jami Masjid
- Nimai Sarai Tower
- Pandua Sharif
- Pirana Pir Dargah.
- Lost monastery of Jagjivanpur
- Temple of Ramakrishna Mission
- Temple of Jahura Kali (Local avatar of Goddess Chandi)
- Chanchal Rajbari
- Sattari Jame Mosque
- Debipur Haribasar Radhagobinda Temple (Debipur,Ratua 1,Malda)
- Amrity Shiv Mandir
Education
Notable educational institutions of the district include:
Schools
- A. C. Institution
- Barlow Girls' High School
- Lalit Mohan Shyam Mohini High School
- Malda Railway High School
- Malda Town High School
- Malda Zilla School
- Moyna High School
- Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Vidyamandir
- Usha Martin School, Malda
Engineering Colleges
- Ghani Khan Choudhury Institute of Engineering & Technology
- IMPS College of Engineering and Technology, established - 2003
General degree Colleges
- Chanchal College
- Gazole Mahavidyalaya
- Gour Mahavidyalaya
- Harishchandrapur College
- Kaliachak College
- Malda College
- Malda Women's College
- Manikchak College
- Pakuahat Degree College
- Samsi College
- South Malda College
Medical schools
Polytechnic Colleges
University
Notable people
- Momtazuddin Ahmed
- Subhamita Banerjee
- Abdur Rahim Boxi
- Sandip Chakrabarti
- Shibram Chakraborty
- A. B. A. Ghani Khan Choudhury
- Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury
- Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury
- Raja Ganesha
- Jiva Goswami
- Tajmul Hossain
- Tafazzal Hossain, politician
- Sabitri Mitra
- Mausam Noor
- Rubi Noor
- Uma Roy
- Krishna Jiban Sanyal
- Benoy Kumar Sarkar, Indian social scientist, professor, nationalist
- Santi Gopal Sen
- Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah
- Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah
- Sikandar Shah
- Bidhushekhar Shastri
- Tapan Sikdar
- Sabina Yeasmin
See also
Notes
- ^ Including Jainism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated
References
- Times of India. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "Malda, India's fake currency capital, is feeling the demonetisation pinch". 14 November 2016.
- ^ "Why does all fake currency come from West Bengal?". 25 June 2015.
- ^ "Malda Violence Was 'BSF Vs People', Claims Mamata Banerjee".
- ^ "Fake currency seized from Malda".
- ^ a b c HISTORY AND SCOPE OF THE DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK (PDF). p. 7. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
- ^ "Malda: A spectacle of desolation in West Bengal". The Sunday Guardian Live. 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Malda: A spectacle of desolation in West Bengal". The Sunday Guardian Live. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ISBN 978-81-87616-34-4.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link - ISBN 978-81-87616-34-4.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link - ^ a b Ministry of Panchayati Raj (8 September 2009). "A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme" (PDF). National Institute of Rural Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- ^ "District Portal of Malda".
- ^ a b "Directory of District, Sub division, Panchayat Samiti/ Block and Gram Panchayats in West Bengal, March 2008". West Bengal. National Informatics Centre, India. 19 March 2008. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ "Census of India 2001, Final Population Totals, West Bengal, Rural Frame". West Bengal. Directorate of census operations. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ "District Profile". Official website of the Malda district. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ "Population, Decadal Growth Rate, Density and General Sex Ratio by Residence and Sex, West Bengal/ District/ Sub District, 1991 and 2001". West Bengal. Directorate of census operations. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
- ^ a b c d e f "District Census 2011 - Malda" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. 2011.
- ^ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
Liberia 3,786,764 July 2011 est.
- ^ "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
Oregon 3,831,074
- ^ Mitra, A. (1954). West Bengal District Handbook: Malda. Calcutta: The Government of India Press. pp. 13–24.
- ^ a b c "Table C-01 Population by Religion: West Bengal". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
- ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI BENGAL PROVINCE" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: West Bengal". www.censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
- ^ Mitra, A. (1954). West Bengal District Handbook: Malda. Calcutta: The Government of India Press. p. 17.