Ajay River
Encyclopedia
The Ajay River is a major river in Jharkhand
and West Bengal
. The word “Ajay” means “not conquered”.
in Bihar
. It then flows through Jharkhand and enters West Bengal at Simjuri, near Chittaranjan
. It first forms the border between Bardhaman District
and Jharkhand and then between Bardhaman District and Birbhum District
, and finally it enters Katwa
subdivision of Bardhaman district at Nareng village in Ketugram police station. It then joins the Bhagirathi River at Katwa Town. Total length of the Ajay is 288 km, out of which 152 km is in West Bengal.
The catchment area of Ajay River is 6,000 km2.
The important tributaries of the Ajay are Pathro and Jayanti in Jharkhand, and Tumuni and Kunur in Bardhaman district of West Bengal.
The upper reaches of the Ajay pass through hilly regions with laterite
soil. It is only from Ausgram in Bardhaman district that the Ajay flows through alluvial plains. The Ajay valley was densely forested with sal, piyasal and palas trees till recent times when mining and other activities led to the clearing of forests.
. Another historian Wilfred opines that Amystis is modern day Ajay. In recent times there has been exploration of the remains of an ancient civilisation similar to that of the Indus Valley Civilisation at Pandu Rajar Dhibi
in the lower Ajay valley.
There has been at least 14 recorded floods in the 20th century in the Ajay river. The lower reaches of the river have embankments to prevent flooding.
Jaydev Kenduli
, claimed to be the birth place of the 13th century Sanskrit poet Jayadeva
of Gita Govinda
fame, and Churulia
, birth place of Kazi Nazrul Islam
are located on the banks of the Ajay.
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...
and 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 word “Ajay” means “not conquered”.
Geography
The Ajay River originates on a small hill about 300 metres high, south west of MungerMunger
Munger town is the headquarters of Munger district, in the Indian state of Bihar. Historically, Munger is known for its manufacturing of iron articles such as firearms and swords. One of the major institutions in Munger is Bihar School of Yoga. It is one of the foremost learning center in the...
in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. It then flows through Jharkhand and enters West Bengal at Simjuri, near Chittaranjan
Chittaranjan
Chittaranjan is a census town in Asansol subdivision of Burdwan District in the state of West Bengal, India. This is famous for Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, a Indian Government railway factory.-Geography:...
. It first forms the border between Bardhaman District
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 Jharkhand and then between Bardhaman District and Birbhum District
Birbhum District
Birbhum district is an administrative unit in the Indian 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...
, and finally it enters 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...
subdivision of Bardhaman district at Nareng village in Ketugram police station. It then joins the Bhagirathi River at Katwa Town. Total length of the Ajay is 288 km, out of which 152 km is in West Bengal.
The catchment area of Ajay River is 6,000 km2.
The important tributaries of the Ajay are Pathro and Jayanti in Jharkhand, and Tumuni and Kunur in Bardhaman district of West Bengal.
The upper reaches of the Ajay pass through hilly regions with laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
soil. It is only from Ausgram in Bardhaman district that the Ajay flows through alluvial plains. The Ajay valley was densely forested with sal, piyasal and palas trees till recent times when mining and other activities led to the clearing of forests.
History
In the history of ancient India edited by Mc Krindle, there was a river called Amystis that flows past a town called Katadupa, in the days of MegasthenesMegasthenes
Megasthenes was a Greek ethnographer in the Hellenistic period, author of the work Indica.He was born in Asia Minor and became an ambassador of Seleucus I of Syria possibly to Chandragupta Maurya in Pataliputra, India. However the exact date of his embassy is uncertain...
. Another historian Wilfred opines that Amystis is modern day Ajay. In recent times there has been exploration of the remains of an ancient civilisation similar to that of the Indus Valley Civilisation at Pandu Rajar Dhibi
Pandu Rajar Dhibi
Pandu Rajar Dhibi is an archaeological site in Ausgram block in the sadar subdivision of Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was the first Chalcolithic site discovered in West Bengal...
in the lower Ajay valley.
There has been at least 14 recorded floods in the 20th century in the Ajay river. The lower reaches of the river have embankments to prevent flooding.
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...
, claimed to be the birth place of the 13th 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...
of Gita Govinda
Gita Govinda
The Gita Govinda is a work composed by the 12th-century poet, Jayadeva, who was born in Kenduli Sasan near Puri in Orissa. It describes the relationship between Krishna and the gopis of Vrindavana, and in particular one gopi named Radha...
fame, and Churulia
Churulia
Churulia is a village under Jamuria block station of Asansol subdivion in Bardhaman district of the state of West Bengal, India.-History:It is the birthplace of Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, and the resting place of his wife Pramila Devi. Many of the manuscripts, medallions and other belongings...
, birth place of Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam , sobriquet Bidrohi Kobi, was a Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression. His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi...
are located on the banks of the Ajay.