Ilambazar
Encyclopedia
Ilambazar is a town with police station in Birbhum District
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. A traditional weaving and trading centre it serves as a gateway to Birbhum district.
Ilambazar is located on the northern bank of Ajay River
. It is on the four-lane Panagarh–Morgram Highway. The highway has been completed at a cost of $150-million. A road connects to Bolpur
/Santiniketan
Most of the forests in Birbhum district are on laterite soil but the Choupahari sal forests in the Ilambazar area (area 13.9 km²) are on alluvial soil.
The forests around Ilambazar was on the verge of extinction in the nineties of the previous century but it has got back much of its flora and fauna. The villagers, living in 32 villages located inside the forest, have realised that they can make a living by selling plates (thalis) made of sal leaves and mushrooms (locally called toshor ghuti) both abundantly available in the forest. The forest department formed 12 ‘Bonosamrakshan committees’ (forest preservation committees) comprising the villagers and made them understand how their survival was linked with that of the forest.
had a factory at Ilambazar. At that time the French East India Company
also made a foray in the Ilambazar area. It helped in the weavers securing higher prices.
Birbhum was one of the worst sufferers of the famine of 1770. Many hundreds of villages were entirely depopulated and in the towns not a fourth of the population survived. In the late 18th century, Birbhum and surrounding areas were affected by famines followed by a peasants’ insurrection. Although the insurrection was against zamindar
s and the government, trade marts were also plundered. In June 1789, Ilambazar, the chief manufacturing and trade centre in the area was sacked in open dylight. Ilambazar survived the sack of 1789 and re-emerged as a busy manufacturing and trade centre since the opening of the 19th century.At the time of Shewill’s survey operations it contained a population of 2,235 souls.
Cotton goods were not the only items of trade. In the mid 19th century, John Erskine of Ilambazar was one of the leading sugar manufacturers and exporters in the area. The Erskine family also had indigo factories. Ilambazar was once an area for indigo cultivation, traces of which can still be found.
During late 1940s Ilambazar terracotta temples were photo-documented by artist Mukul Dey
of Santiniketan
.
of 1855. However, Sherwill noted that ornamental items were manufactured at Ilambazar by only two men. The descendants of fine lacquer craftsmen are still there at Ilambazar.
The National Institute of Fashion Technology has trained almost 2000 artisans from various parts of Birbhum in handicraft and handloom as a part of its consolidated cluster development project undertaken in collaboration with the ministry of rural development and its counterpart in the state. Estimated at Rs 15 crore this project is underway in five selected parts of the country.The main project in the eastern zone was implemented in Bolpur, Nalhati, Ilambazar and Rajnagar.
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...
in the 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...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
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...
. A traditional weaving and trading centre it serves as a gateway to Birbhum district.
Geography
Ilambazar is located at 23.63°N 87.53°E. It has an average elevation of 54 m (177.2 ft).Ilambazar is located on the northern bank of Ajay River
Ajay River
The Ajay River is a major river in Jharkhand and West Bengal. The word “Ajay” means “not conquered”.-Geography:The Ajay River originates on a small hill about 300 metres high, south west of Munger in Bihar. It then flows through Jharkhand and enters West Bengal at Simjuri, near Chittaranjan...
. It is on the four-lane Panagarh–Morgram Highway. The highway has been completed at a cost of $150-million. A road connects to Bolpur
Bolpur
Bolpur-Santiniketan is a municipality in Birbhum District in the state of West Bengal, India. It is 145 km north of Kolkata and is best known for the proximity to Visva Bharati, the university set up by Rabindranath Tagore the Nobel laureate poet...
/Santiniketan
Santiniketan
Santiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India, approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata . It was made famous by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision became what is now a university town that attracts thousands of visitors each year...
Most of the forests in Birbhum district are on laterite soil but the Choupahari sal forests in the Ilambazar area (area 13.9 km²) are on alluvial soil.
The forests around Ilambazar was on the verge of extinction in the nineties of the previous century but it has got back much of its flora and fauna. The villagers, living in 32 villages located inside the forest, have realised that they can make a living by selling plates (thalis) made of sal leaves and mushrooms (locally called toshor ghuti) both abundantly available in the forest. The forest department formed 12 ‘Bonosamrakshan committees’ (forest preservation committees) comprising the villagers and made them understand how their survival was linked with that of the forest.
History
Ilambazar developed as a trade mart because of its location at the junction of thoroughfares and the river front. It also had the advantage of being near to weaving centres. The English assumed the direct administration of the district in 1786 and the British East India CompanyBritish East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
had a factory at Ilambazar. At that time the French East India Company
French East India Company
The French East India Company was a commercial enterprise, founded in 1664 to compete with the British and Dutch East India companies in colonial India....
also made a foray in the Ilambazar area. It helped in the weavers securing higher prices.
Birbhum was one of the worst sufferers of the famine of 1770. Many hundreds of villages were entirely depopulated and in the towns not a fourth of the population survived. In the late 18th century, Birbhum and surrounding areas were affected by famines followed by a peasants’ insurrection. Although the insurrection was against zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
s and the government, trade marts were also plundered. In June 1789, Ilambazar, the chief manufacturing and trade centre in the area was sacked in open dylight. Ilambazar survived the sack of 1789 and re-emerged as a busy manufacturing and trade centre since the opening of the 19th century.At the time of Shewill’s survey operations it contained a population of 2,235 souls.
Cotton goods were not the only items of trade. In the mid 19th century, John Erskine of Ilambazar was one of the leading sugar manufacturers and exporters in the area. The Erskine family also had indigo factories. Ilambazar was once an area for indigo cultivation, traces of which can still be found.
Temples
The Gouranga temple at Ilambazar, and the Shiva temple at Ghurisha are amongst the state protected temples in the area. Rameswara Shiva temple is one of the three temples at Ilambazar with exquisite terracotta work.During late 1940s Ilambazar terracotta temples were photo-documented by artist Mukul Dey
Mukul Dey
Mukul Chandra Dey was a student of Rabindranath Tagore's Santiniketan. He is considered as a pioneer of drypoint-etching in India....
of Santiniketan
Santiniketan
Santiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India, approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata . It was made famous by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision became what is now a university town that attracts thousands of visitors each year...
.
Craft
John Erskine and John Cheap took an important part in the development of the shellac industry. Erskine constructed a large shellac and lac dye factory at Ilambazar and as Cheap retired from the field, virtually monopolized it. The lac was collected from the forests and lac dye and shellac manufactured in the factory at Ilambazar. Lac artisans, locally called nuris, worked out a variety of lacquered items namely, cups, inkpots, bracelets and toys ‘of excellent design and craftsmanship’. Some of the ornamental items were sent to the Great Paris ExhibitionExposition Universelle (1855)
The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was an International Exhibition held on the Champs-Elysées in Paris from May 15 to November 15, 1855. Its full official title was the Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.The exposition was a major...
of 1855. However, Sherwill noted that ornamental items were manufactured at Ilambazar by only two men. The descendants of fine lacquer craftsmen are still there at Ilambazar.
The National Institute of Fashion Technology has trained almost 2000 artisans from various parts of Birbhum in handicraft and handloom as a part of its consolidated cluster development project undertaken in collaboration with the ministry of rural development and its counterpart in the state. Estimated at Rs 15 crore this project is underway in five selected parts of the country.The main project in the eastern zone was implemented in Bolpur, Nalhati, Ilambazar and Rajnagar.