Bankura
Encyclopedia
Bankura is a city and a municipality
in Bankura District
in the state of West Bengal
, India
. It is the headquarters of the Bankura District
.
, Bankura was described as Suhmobhumi. The word Larh or Rarh
(in nagari: rāḍh) was introduced after 6th century A.D. It comes from the old Austric word ráŕhá or ráŕho which means “land of red soil”; it is worth noting that in ancient times "China called Ráŕh by the name of “Láti”". In Santali
, lar means thread, rarh means tune and larh means snake. Perhaps the Jain and Greek
scholars used this original Austric word Larh to indicate this dry forest region which was very difficult to access that time. The popularity of Manasa
Puja, the worship of Snake-Goddess Manasa, proves this opinion might have some relevance. According to Nilkantha
, a famous commentator of the Mahabharata
, both the words Suhmo[bhumi] (sanskrit: suhma-bhūmi) and Rarh, are synonymous.
Scholars differs in their opinion about the etymology of the name Bankura. In the words of the Kol-Mundas
, orah or rah means habitation. Many places of Rarh
are named with the an added rah at the end of the name. One of the most influential God of the district Dharmathakur
is called Bankura Roy. The name of the district may come from his name. Linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterjee thinks that the name came from the word Banka (zig-zag), and its word-corruption Banku, which means extremely beautiful, and he who must be worshiped. In 1979, the word “Bancoorah” was found in the map of Renal. In 1863, Gastrel referred this region as Bancoonda.
India census
, Bankura town had a population of 1,28,811. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Bankura has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 81% of the males and 67% of females being literate. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
were built by Gujarati Railway Contractors of the town Jeewan Gangji Savaria and Lalji Raja Vadher in 1900 working for Bengal Nagpur Railway.
The other places to watch are Susunia hills and Beharinath hill. Jairambati and Bishnupur temples can also be visited from Bankura. Durgapur barrage, Koropahar are also near Bankura which offer excellent tourists sites. To the south of Bankura there are places like Mukutmanipur, Sutan, Jhilimili, ECO Park at Taldangra, Panchmura. Susunia hill is a famous trekking spot which the trekkers from all over India visit.
Susunia, is also known as an archaeological site with the ancient capital of Raja Chandravarman, who fought against Samudragupta and was eventually defeated. Chandravarman's vijoy-stambha is in delhi.
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 Bankura District
Bankura District
Bankura district is one of the seven districts of Burdwan Division in the Indian state of West Bengal. The district has been described as the “connecting link between the plains of Bengal on the east and Chota Nagpur plateau on the west.” The areas to the east and north-east are low lying alluvial...
in the state 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...
, 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...
. It is the headquarters of the Bankura District
Bankura District
Bankura district is one of the seven districts of Burdwan Division in the Indian state of West Bengal. The district has been described as the “connecting link between the plains of Bengal on the east and Chota Nagpur plateau on the west.” The areas to the east and north-east are low lying alluvial...
.
Etymology
In the MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, Bankura was described as Suhmobhumi. The word Larh or Rarh
Rarh region
Rarh region of West Bengal is the region that lies between the Western plateau and high lands and the Ganges Delta...
(in nagari: rāḍh) was introduced after 6th century A.D. It comes from the old Austric word ráŕhá or ráŕho which means “land of red soil”; it is worth noting that in ancient times "China called Ráŕh by the name of “Láti”". In Santali
Santali
Santali can refer to:* Santali language, spoken by Santals in Eastern India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan* Santali latin alphabet, invented in the 1890s by the Norwegian missionary Paul Olaf Bodding, and still used by most Santals, especially the members of the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church...
, lar means thread, rarh means tune and larh means snake. Perhaps the Jain and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
scholars used this original Austric word Larh to indicate this dry forest region which was very difficult to access that time. The popularity of Manasa
Manasa
Manasa is a Hindu folk goddess of snakes, worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of northeastern India, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite and also for fertility and prosperity. Manasa is the sister of Vasuki, king of Nāgas and wife of sage Jagatkāru...
Puja, the worship of Snake-Goddess Manasa, proves this opinion might have some relevance. According to Nilkantha
Nilkantha
Neelakant is a major peak of the Garhwal division of the Himalayas, in the Uttarakhand region of the Indian state of Uttaranchal...
, a famous commentator of the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, both the words Suhmo[bhumi] (sanskrit: suhma-bhūmi) and Rarh, are synonymous.
Scholars differs in their opinion about the etymology of the name Bankura. In the words of the Kol-Mundas
Munda people
The Munda are tribal people of the Chota Nagpur Plateau region.They are found across Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Assam states of India, and into parts of Bangladesh...
, orah or rah means habitation. Many places of Rarh
Rarh region
Rarh region of West Bengal is the region that lies between the Western plateau and high lands and the Ganges Delta...
are named with the an added rah at the end of the name. One of the most influential God of the district Dharmathakur
Dharmathakur
Dharmathakur is a Hindu god worshipped by villagers in the traditional Rarh region in the present day Indian state of West Bengal as one of their special village gods...
is called Bankura Roy. The name of the district may come from his name. Linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterjee thinks that the name came from the word Banka (zig-zag), and its word-corruption Banku, which means extremely beautiful, and he who must be worshiped. In 1979, the word “Bancoorah” was found in the map of Renal. In 1863, Gastrel referred this region as Bancoonda.
Geography
Bankura is located at 23.25°N 87.07°E. It has an average elevation of 78 metres (255 feet).Demographics
In the 2011 census, Bankura municipality had a population of 138,036, out of which 70,734 were males and 67,302 were females. The 0-6 years population was 10,760. Effective literacy rate for the 7+ population was 87.27 per cent.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...
, Bankura town had a population of 1,28,811. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Bankura has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 81% of the males and 67% of females being literate. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Bankura Railway Junction
Bankura Railway Junction/ Station is managed by the South Eastern Railways and is situated on the Adra-Midnapore rail route. It is located in Bankura town. Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani Express, Rupashi Bangla Express, Aranyak Express, Puri-New Delhi Superfast Express, Ernakulam-Patna Express, Howrah-LTT Samarsata Express and Purulia-Howrah Express pass through this station. Computerized reservation facility is available. Going north-west, Adra Junction Railway Station is the nearest main station and moving south, Midnapore Railway Station is the major station next to Bankura. The Bankura Railway Station & bridge over Dhaleshwari RiverDwarakeswar River
Dwarakeswar River is a major river in the western part of West Bengal.-Course:It originates from Tilboni hill in Purulia district and enters Bankura district near Chhatna. It cuts across the district flowing past the district head quarters and enters the south-eastern tip of Bardhaman District...
were built by Gujarati Railway Contractors of the town Jeewan Gangji Savaria and Lalji Raja Vadher in 1900 working for Bengal Nagpur Railway.
Cultural contribution
Bankura has a rich cultural contribution to the school of Bengal. From Terracotta to modern art and from classic north Indian musical genre Bishnupur Gharana to rock bangali band Jiggasa and its own engineering college rock bands Edge of The Spirit and 7th String.Tourism in Bankura
Bankura has gained much popularity among the tourists hailing from different places in India. The place has a rich cultural and traditional heritage. It is famous for its paintings, music and other forms of arts. It has gained lot of popularity among the tourists from all over India due to the beautiful locations and some historical destinations. The place has contributed great deal towards modern Bengal art and architecture. You can see the beautiful terracotta art and architecture in Bankura.The other places to watch are Susunia hills and Beharinath hill. Jairambati and Bishnupur temples can also be visited from Bankura. Durgapur barrage, Koropahar are also near Bankura which offer excellent tourists sites. To the south of Bankura there are places like Mukutmanipur, Sutan, Jhilimili, ECO Park at Taldangra, Panchmura. Susunia hill is a famous trekking spot which the trekkers from all over India visit.
See also
- Culture of Bankura districtCulture of Bankura districtCulture of Bankura district refers to the culture of the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Background:As the Bankura district and adjoining areas, forming a part of ancient Rarh, were inhabited from pre-historic times by Austroloid and Dravidian tribes who were...
- Bankura Unnayani Institute of EngineeringBankura Unnayani Institute of EngineeringThe Bankura Unnayani Institute of Engineering is located in Bankura, West Bengal, India. Jyoti Basu,the then Chief Minister, Government of West Bengal inaugurated the institute on 19 September 1998.BUIE is affiliated to West Bengal University of Technology . The college is approved by All India...
- Bankura IT
Susunia, is also known as an archaeological site with the ancient capital of Raja Chandravarman, who fought against Samudragupta and was eventually defeated. Chandravarman's vijoy-stambha is in delhi.
External links
- Bankura Community Website
- Bankura Official Website
- Bankura Christian College
- SOFIA - A Social-welfare organization of Bankura
- National Informatics Centre website
- Bankura Unnayani Institute of Engineering website
- Upcoming website with pictorial database on plants growing in Bankura district