Barrackpore

Barrackpore
ব্যারাকপুর
Neighborhood in Kolkata [Subdivision]
Barrackpore

Location in West Bengal, India

Coordinates: 22°46′N 88°22′E / 22.76°N 88.37°E / 22.76; 88.37Coordinates: 22°46′N 88°22′E / 22.76°N 88.37°E / 22.76; 88.37
Country  India
State West Bengal
District kolkata
City Kolkata
Government
 • Municipality Chairman Uttam Das[1]
Area
 • Total 25 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation 15 m (49 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 154,475
 • Density 6,200/km2 (16,000/sq mi)
Languages
 • Official Bengali, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 700120
Telephone code 9133
Lok Sabha constituency Barrackpore
Vidhan Sabha constituency Barrackpore, Naihati, Jagatdal, Noapara, Khardaha
Website www.barrackpore.gov.in

Barrackpore, or Barrackpur, is the headquarters of the Barrackpore subdivision in the North 24 Parganas district, and is situated in North Kolkata. Barrackpore is a part of the area covered by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority[2] in the Indian state of West Bengal. Historically, the town was a military and administrative center under British rule, and was the scene of several acts of rebellion against Britain during the 19th century. The oldest cantonment in India and the Police Training Academy in West Bengal are both located in Barrackpore. Barrackpore is also the seat for the Sub-Divisional Court of Northern 24 Parganas District. The Barrackpore Police Commissionerate is responsible for law enforcement in the city.

Etymology

Kolkata-proposed metro route (Baranagar - Barrackpore)

The name Barrackpore may have originated from the English word barracks, as it was the site of the first cantonment of the British East India Company. Alternatively, the Ain-i-Akbari suggests that the name comes from "Barbakpur". Manasa Vijay, written by Bipradas Pipilai, refers to Barrackpore as "Chanak".

History

The earliest references to the Barrackpore region are found in the writings of the Greek navigators, geographers, chronicles and historians of the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD. These authors generally referred to the country of a people variously called the Gangaridae, Gangaridai, Gandaritai etc. By the 15th and 16th centuries, Chanak and the other towns in the region had become populous river towns.[3] The Statistical Account of Bengal by W.W.Hunter mentions the towns and villages of this subdivision on the banks of the Hooghly river as chief trading and marketing centres: "On The Hugli- Calcutta, the chief seat of commerce in India. Baranagar, Dakhineswar, Agarpara, Panihati, Sukchar- Khardah, Barrackpur, Nawabganj, Ichapore, Shyam Nagar, Naihati and Halisahar contain large bazaars for sale of miscellaneous goods."[4]

Under the Mughal Empire, Bengal was divided into Circars, or administrative subunits, each of which was ruled over by a Mahal. The name "Barbuckpur", another name for Barrackpore, is associated with a Mahal in the Ain-e-Akbari. From the 17th century, the area was ruled over by a line of Zamindars from the Nona Chandanpukur, Barrackpore.

The first British barrack or cantonment in India was built in the town in 1772. After the British crown assumed direct control of India, the sprawling Government House and the Government Estate were built in Barrackpore to provide the viceroy with a suburban residence 15 miles (24 km) outside of Calcutta.

Two rebellions against British authority took place in Barrackpore in the 19th century. The first of these was in 1824, led by Sepoy Binda Tiwary. In this rebellion, the mostly high-caste Hindu 47th Bengal Native Infantry refused to board boats to cross the polluted "dark waters" to Burma in the First Anglo-Burmese War. Consequently, British-manned artillery fired upon and "erased" them.[5] In 1857, Barrackpore was the scene of an incident that some credit with starting the Indian rebellion of 1857: an Indian soldier, Mangal Pandey, attacked his British commander, and was subsequently court-martialed. His regiment was disbanded, an action which offended a number of sepoys and is considered to have contributed to the anger that fueled the rebellion. In order to commemorate his sacrifice, a park named 'Sahid Mangal Pandey Udyan' was opened in the serenity of river Hoogly. The Army cantonment of Barrackpore also houses another significant historical landscape called the RCTC area, now populated by the defence quarters.[6]

Geography

Barrackpore is located at 22°46′N 88°22′E / 22.76°N 88.37°E / 22.76; 88.37,[7] in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta region in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal state. It has an average elevation of 15 metres (49 ft). The city is about 23 kilometres (14 mi) from Kolkata (previously Calcutta), and 115 kilometres (71 mi) from the Bangladeshi border. The city is situated on the eastern bank of the Ganges River.

Economy

The subdivision is served by road, rail and air transport. It benefits from the Hooghly River, which flows through the western part of this subdivision. The presence of the river aided the establishment of a large number of industries on its banks early in India's industrial development, including jute, engineering, paper, and cotton mills. Barrackpore has also traditionally had a strong small scale cottage industry and handicraft sector.

The Army/Airforce cantonment is the biggest landscape of the town of Barrackpore, while their agriculture is the main base of the subdivision's economy, producing a variety of crops. Floriculture, pisciculture and horticulture have also flourished in the town. Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute has been established at Barrackpore to promote production of fishes mainly in ponds and rivers. A well-developed irrigation system has been constructed in the subdivision to promote agriculture. Low interest loans have also been used to encourage the expansion of farming and the development of agricultural infrastructure.

The primary industry in Barrackpore is jute processing, centered in a number of jute mills on the side of the river. Ishapore Rifle Factory is one of the most important arms factories of India, supplying the requirements of the security forces. Mulazore Thermal Power Plant at Shyamnagar was one of the oldest power plants in India, but was shut down in 2004. Dry cells produced by Exide, and cables produced by Nicco are other industrial products.

Barrackpore is also famous for Palta Water Works, its oldest water treatment plant, in the banks of Hooghly River. The plant was constructed from 1864–1870, and is situated on 480 acres (1.9 km2) of land. It was the first intake point for generation and supply of water and lately due to high demand of water. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has commissioned the Indira Gandhi Water Treatment Plant near the same locality to augment the capacity of supply of water to Tallah.

Barrackpore is one of the most developed regions in West Bengal. The literacy rate in the sub-division is above the average standard of the state and district.

Demographics

As of the 2001 India Census,[8] Barrackpore had a population of 144,331. Men constitute 53% of the population and women 47%. Barrackpore has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. 8% of the population is under 6 years of age. The majority of the population is Bengali and Hindu. The subdivision is inhabited by people from a broad range of cultures, with people of various religions, customs, castes and states living together. Mandirs, Masjids, Gurdwara, ashrams and churches coexist there.

Transportation

Barrackpore Railway Station

The Barrackpore subdivision is well connected by road, ferry and railways. With the two National Highways, NH-34 and NH-35, and several major State Highways passing through the area, most towns are well connected with Kolkata, its airport and port, and other important urban and commercial centres of the state. The main international airport in West Bengal, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum, is located in the subdivision. Barrackpore Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force base located at Barrackpore in the state of West Bengal, India. Barrackpore is one of the oldest stations in the IAF, operating transport units. One of the Mi-17 squadrons is based here. Barrackpore is well connected with Shrirampur and Sheoraphuli in Hoogly District by ferry service from Dhobighat and Sheoraphuli ghat.

The Barrackpore Trunk Road (B.T. Road), one of the oldest metal roads in India, connects Barrackpore to Kolkata. The Ghoshpara Road connects the city of Barrackpore with Kanchrapara, a town on the boundary of the subdivision, and goes on to link Barrackpore with the adjacent district of Nadia. Several bus routes originate from Barrackpore such as 78 and 85. Route number 78, MM 5, 81, 78/C/1, K9 and other state owned bus routes (C29, S32) connect Barrackpore with Kolkata. Route number 85 connects Barrackpore with Kanchrapara directly and JM8 up to Naihati. Barrackpore serves as the gateway to Kolkata and its suburbs. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced the extension of metro-rail project to Barrackpore.

The Barrackpore Chiriamore is the crossing of the Barrackpore Trunk road and the Surendranath Banerjee Road.

Barrackpore has been serviced by rail since 1862. It takes about 35–40 minutes by suburban train to reach Barrackpore from Sealdah. As they are located in a suburban region of Kolkata, most municipalities of Barrackpore are connected by local train with Kolkata. The Sealdah-Ranaghat Line runs through this sub-division and connects to Bongaon, Dankuni, Howrah, Burdwan, and Bandel. It is part of the Kolkata Suburban Railway system. The Circular and Metro Railways of Kolkata also offer an accessible means of transit to and from the sub-division.

Plans are currently in place to lay double railway line to Hasnabad to improve connectivity. In January 2002 the rail connection to Bangladesh was reopened for goods movement to Benapole.

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

CSTC Bus lines

CTC Bus lines

Public Bus lines

K Series of lines

MM Series

JM Series of lines

Bus lines Without Numbers

STA Bus lines

Heritage and culture

Barrackpore was home to a number of significant members of the Indian independence movement, many of whom have memorials in the subdivision. Rastraguru Surendra Nath Bandyopadhyay, who was called the father of Indian Nationalist Movement, lived in Barrackpore. The house of Surendranath at Monirampur of Barrackpore has been converted into the Rastraguru Surendranath Institute and Netaji Open University. Bengali author Bharat Chandra Ray Gunakar, known for writing Annada Mangal in the medieval period, lived at Mulajore. Ramprasad Sen, who authored many religious songs, was born at Halisahar in this subdivision. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya, the author of India's national song "Vande Mataram", was born at Naihati, in Barrackpore subdivision. Gallantry Award winner Army Captain Shekhar Ghosh is also from Barrackpore.

The towns of Panihati and Khardaha are known for having been visited by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu some 500 years ago. Annual festivals and melas are held at these places and draw large numbers of devotees. Later visitors included Sri Ram Krishna Paramahansa, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, and Mahatma Gandhi. The Gandhi Ghat is located on the east bank of the Hooghly; a Gandhi museum nearby has a rare collection of books and articles used by Gandhi.

The Sukanta Sadan theatre hall (named after the revolutionary poet Sukanta Bhattacharya) is located in the main town. There are many cinema halls in Barrackpore and its adjacent localities. A new multiplex, Jayanti Cinema, has opened. The Sahid Mangal Pandey Uddan (Nishan Ghat) park faces the Ganges at Barrackpore.

Bengali festivals such as Durga Puja, and Kali puja are celebrated every year. There is a month-long fair each December–January (Bengali month of Pushya) at the temple of the goddess Kali at Shyamnagar on the bank of the Ganges.

Education

Kendriya Vidyalaya Barrackpore Army HQ

Barrackpore is home to numerous schools, colleges and Madrasahs. A number of high schools in the district have a history of performing well in All India Level. Among the colleges located in Barrackpore are Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College and Mahadevananda Mahavidyalaya. The district also has two engineering colleges, several polytechnic institutes and an international boarding school, Adamas International School. Moreover, Barrackpore is the home to many Primary and Play Schools, which includes small schools like First Step Play School (www.fspsbkp.webs.com), at Wireless Gate.

There are two colleges within the town of Barrackpore—namely Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College and Mahadevananda Mahavidyalaya—and several others such as P.N. DAS College, Palta within the Barrackpore Sub-Division. West Bengal State University is operational at Barasat near Barrackpore Sub Hq. As a consequence of the opening of the new university, Rashtraguru Surendranath College and many other colleges have come under its authority from former control under Calcutta University.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Official District Administration site Archived January 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ "Base Map of Kolkata Metropolitan area". Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  3. ↑ De, Barun. W.B. District Gazetteer, 24 Parganas ed. 1994.
  4. ↑ Hunter W.W. A Statistical Account of Bengal, London, Trübner & Co.1875-1879
  5. ↑ Wolpert, Stanley (2009). A New History of India (8th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford UP. p. 224. ISBN 978-0-19-533756-3.
  6. ↑ http://www.rctconline.com/booktext/book7.html Archived July 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ "Maps, Weather, Videos, and Airports for Barakpur, India". fallingrain.com.
  8. ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

External links

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Barrackpur.

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