Jalpaiguri
Encyclopedia
Jalpaiguri is a city in the state of West Bengal
, India
. It is the headquarters of Jalpaiguri district
, and the divisional headquarters of the North Bengal
region.
For some time, the town was capital of the Raikats of Baikunthapur
. The town was part of the Duars area of the old Kamarupa and later the Bhutanese kingdoms, which was later annexed by the British in 1864. They divided the captured area into two parts and merged the eastern half into the Goalpara district
(now in Assam
) and converted the western half into a new district of Western Duars and then in 1869, it was reorganised and renamed to Jalpaiguri, with Jalpaiguri town becoming the district headquarters.
The town saw its main boom period during the late 19th and early 20th century, when the British found the region north-east of the town (called the Dooars region), near the foothills of the Bhutan hills very suitable for tea cultivation. Within a very small period the area was dotted with thousands of tea gardens, with Jalpaiguri town becoming the port-of-call for all going to those gardens. People flocked to the town to lay their hands on a part of the lucrative tea-trade. This resulted in the cosmopolitan nature of the town, with people from many parts of the country settling there.
Business boomed and the town established itself as the premier commercial and cultural hub of the northern Bengal region.
It also helped that the town was well connected with Kolkata (then Calcutta), as it lay on the main Railway link between Calcutta and Darjeeling (via the Hardinge Bridge and Parbatipur
junction, now in Bangladesh
).
) south of the Himalayas
, watered by innumerable rivers and rivulets rising from and flowing down the Himalayas. On a clear sunny day, Mount Kanchenjunga is visible from the town itself.
The town lies on the banks of the Teesta River
, possibly the second largest river in West Bengal after the Ganga. A mass flood in 1968 nearly flattened out the town and huge spurs had to be built and the river diverted to some kilometers outside the town to avoid the same carnage as it caused. Other than Teesta, there are three other rivers passing by the town: Karala, Dharala and Panga.
The tiny River Karala flows through the middle of the town bisecting the town into two halves, thus prompting the remark, 'the Thames of Jalpaiguri'.
Karala meets the Teesta some five kilometres south of the town.
Summers are tropical and quite hot with temperatures ranging in the mid-thirties.
Monsoons are very severe with the town experiencing high amount of rainfall, sometimes stalling all life and activities.
Winters are again quite severe and chilly, with the cold Himalayan winds blowing straight into the town. Temperatures are around 10 to 18 degrees Celsius during this period.
The second largest employer in the town is the Government. Jalpaiguri is home to a number of district-level and divisional-level offices, thus having a large government-employee workforce.
The recent setting up of the North Bengal bench of the Kolkata High Court has only added to the numbers.
Business in the town is mainly centered around retailing goods, with the main centres around Merchant Road, D.B.C.Road and Temple Street.
An industrial park just 10 km from the town en route to Siliguri has come up at Raninagar. A number of companies like Coca Cola, Hindustan Lever(now it is not there), Rainbow ornamental fish production group etc., have set up shop there.
India census
, Jalpaiguri had a population of 100,212. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Jalpaiguri has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 75%. In Jalpaiguri, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
The responsibility of the welfare of the town and maintenance of public properties lies in its hands.
, there are private schools administered by either the CNI
or Catholic
or other non Christian schoolsthese schools are affiliated mostly to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
. Jalpaiguri is home to some of the best known schools under the WBCHSE, like the Zilla School and the Govt. Girls' School. Karala Girls' School (now Suniti Bala Girls High School) is the oldest girls' school in the region. Jalpaiguri Zilla School is also 125+ years old school. Some of the prominent schools in the town are -
Urban Area
Rural Area
. Ananda Chandra College is the leading science and arts college in the district of Jalpaiguri.
) and South Bengal
. Now the literacy among the Rajbonshis is gradually increasing and for this the credit must go to dedicated philanthropists and educationists They made utmost efforts to establish schools in interior and remote villages resided by the Rajbonshis.
SPOOTNIC CLUB at Kamar Para led by Barendra Krishna Bhowmik played an important role in freedom struggle and sports during British raj
Milan Sangha, Mohan Bagan Fans Club,East Bengal Fans Club,Netaji Mordan Club o Pathagar(NMC),RSA (Raikatpara Sporting Association),Sakti Sangha, Agragami Sangha ,jagrata sangha and Sanghasree Club are some other notable clubs of the town.
. Amongst personal transport, people use bicycles and other two-wheelers. Use of four-wheelers is also catching up slowly.
Simanacharya Tours and Travels operates in all modes of transport.
The town is very well connected to Siliguri
(45 km away), Kolkata
and all neighbouring towns and districts.
zone of the Indian Railways
.
There are Railway links to the rest of the country directly and via Kolkata as well. The major railway junction of New Jalpaiguri
(Siliguri) (Code:NJP) is just 40 km from the town. The other stations servicing the town directly are Jalpaiguri Road (Code:JPE) and Jalpaiguri (Code:JPG). Nearly the whole country is connected via the stations of New Jalpaiguri and Jalpaiguri Road. Also all the trains headed towards North-Eastern India pass through Jalpaiguri Road; and many have stops here.
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 Jalpaiguri district
Jalpaiguri District
Jalpaiguri district is the largest district of North Bengal, covering an area 6,245 km2. It is situated between 26° 16' and 27° 0' North latitudes and 88° 4' and 89° 53' East longitudes...
, and the divisional headquarters of the North Bengal
North Bengal
North Bengal is a term used for the northern parts of Bangladesh and West Bengal. The Bangladesh part denotes the Rajshahi Division. Generally it is the area lying west of Jamuna River and north of Padma River, and includes the Barind Tract. The West Bengal part denotes Cooch Behar, Darjeeling,...
region.
History
Jalpaiguri was initially founded as a trading centre, as the origins of its name suggests. The name Jalpaiguri may come from the Bhutanese term je-le-pe-go-ri, which means 'a place where warm clothes are bought and sold'. Others attribute the name to the more common Bengali term jôlpai "olive" and thus the name meaning "town of olives".For some time, the town was capital of the Raikats of Baikunthapur
Baikunthapur Forest
Baikunthapur is a Terai forest region in the western part of the Dooars in West Bengal, India, south of the Himalayan foothills, between the Mahananda River to the west and Teesta River to the east. The main towns in the area are Siliguri and Jalpaiguri...
. The town was part of the Duars area of the old Kamarupa and later the Bhutanese kingdoms, which was later annexed by the British in 1864. They divided the captured area into two parts and merged the eastern half into the Goalpara district
Goalpara District
Goalpara district is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located in Goalpara town.-History:...
(now in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
) and converted the western half into a new district of Western Duars and then in 1869, it was reorganised and renamed to Jalpaiguri, with Jalpaiguri town becoming the district headquarters.
The town saw its main boom period during the late 19th and early 20th century, when the British found the region north-east of the town (called the Dooars region), near the foothills of the Bhutan hills very suitable for tea cultivation. Within a very small period the area was dotted with thousands of tea gardens, with Jalpaiguri town becoming the port-of-call for all going to those gardens. People flocked to the town to lay their hands on a part of the lucrative tea-trade. This resulted in the cosmopolitan nature of the town, with people from many parts of the country settling there.
Business boomed and the town established itself as the premier commercial and cultural hub of the northern Bengal region.
It also helped that the town was well connected with Kolkata (then Calcutta), as it lay on the main Railway link between Calcutta and Darjeeling (via the Hardinge Bridge and Parbatipur
Parbatipur Upazila
Parbatipur is an Upazila of Dinajpur District in the Division of Rangpur, Bangladesh.-Geography:Parbatipur is located at . It has 53146 units of house hold and total area 395.1 km².-Demographics:...
junction, now in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
).
Geography
Jalpaiguri is located at 26.52°N 88.73°E. It has an average elevation of 75 metres (246 feet). Jalpaiguri lies in the middle of the vast fertile plains (TeraiTerai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
) south of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, watered by innumerable rivers and rivulets rising from and flowing down the Himalayas. On a clear sunny day, Mount Kanchenjunga is visible from the town itself.
Teesta River
River Teesta or Tista is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The emerald-coloured river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining...
, possibly the second largest river in West Bengal after the Ganga. A mass flood in 1968 nearly flattened out the town and huge spurs had to be built and the river diverted to some kilometers outside the town to avoid the same carnage as it caused. Other than Teesta, there are three other rivers passing by the town: Karala, Dharala and Panga.
The tiny River Karala flows through the middle of the town bisecting the town into two halves, thus prompting the remark, 'the Thames of Jalpaiguri'.
Karala meets the Teesta some five kilometres south of the town.
Climate
The town experiences three seasons, namely Summer, Monsoons and Winter.Summers are tropical and quite hot with temperatures ranging in the mid-thirties.
Monsoons are very severe with the town experiencing high amount of rainfall, sometimes stalling all life and activities.
Winters are again quite severe and chilly, with the cold Himalayan winds blowing straight into the town. Temperatures are around 10 to 18 degrees Celsius during this period.
Economy
The economy of the town is centred around the tea industry. A Tea Auction Centre has recently come up in the town.The second largest employer in the town is the Government. Jalpaiguri is home to a number of district-level and divisional-level offices, thus having a large government-employee workforce.
The recent setting up of the North Bengal bench of the Kolkata High Court has only added to the numbers.
Business in the town is mainly centered around retailing goods, with the main centres around Merchant Road, D.B.C.Road and Temple Street.
An industrial park just 10 km from the town en route to Siliguri has come up at Raninagar. A number of companies like Coca Cola, Hindustan Lever(now it is not there), Rainbow ornamental fish production group etc., have set up shop there.
Demographics
In the 2011 census, Jalpaiguri Urban Agglomeration had a population of 169,013, out of which 85,226 were males and 83,787 were females. The 0-6 years population was 14,522. Effective literacy rate for the 7+ population was 86.03 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...
, Jalpaiguri had a population of 100,212. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Jalpaiguri has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 75%. In Jalpaiguri, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Civic administration
Administration is the responsibility of the Jalpaiguri Municipality, one of the oldest in West Bengal. Setup in 1885, it is headed by a Chairman who is elected by the residents of the town.It has 26 wards,from where the honourable concillors are elected.Presently the municipality is headed by Mr. Mohan Bose.At present the Indian National Congress is in power of this municipal body.The responsibility of the welfare of the town and maintenance of public properties lies in its hands.
Places of interest
- Jalpaiguri Rajbari, at Rajbaripara. "Rajbari" means Palace. The palace gate at Rajbari is a large unreinforced concrete arch structure..
- Sun rise, sun rise at Teesta spur is a real refreshment.
- Several lakes in Rajbari Palace ground.
- Jalpaiguri Nawab Bari (now the Jalpaiguri circuit bench of the Kolkata High Court).
- Jubilee Park, a park located on the spurs of the River Teesta.
- India's first Forensic Science laboratory in the Police Lines, Racecourse Para.
- King Shaheber Ghat
- Rabindra Bhawan (also called the Arya Natya Samaj).
- The River TeestaTeesta RiverRiver Teesta or Tista is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The emerald-coloured river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining...
. - Teesta Udyan, a children's park along the banks of the River Karala.
- Sarojendra Deb Raikat Kala Kendra, an Art Gallery opposite the Town Club Stadium.
- Town Club Stadium'.
- Jogomaya Kalibari, a famous temple dedicated to the Goddess Kali on Temple Street. It also houses a temple of Baba Loknath.
- Durga Puja, especially "The Ravana Badh" at Babupara
- Teesta Spurs (Spur no. 1 mainly)
- Kali Temple at Paharpur.
- Several Tea Gardens (Karala Valley Tea Garden, Raipur Tea garden, Jaipur Tea garden, Denguajhar T.G.) are very near to Jalpaiguri Town and are worth a visit.
- GOSALA mela near Denguajhar (Organised by Shri Baikunthnath Pinjrapol Gosala)
- Devi Choudhurani Mandir (A historical place)
- Jalpesh Temple. An old Shiva temple about 15 km from the town.
- Jatileshar Temple
- Jaldapara Wildlife sanctuary, about 80 km west of the town
- Gorumara National ParkGorumara National ParkGorumara National Park is a National Park in northern West Bengal, India. Located in the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. It is primarily known for its population of Indian Rhinoceros...
, a wildlife national park located north towards the northern part of Jalpaiguri district. - Subham Building the house with beautiful look,and which was honoured by the presence of Desh Bondhu Chittaranjan Das,Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy,and many other freedom fighters, and which still shows the business sector and techniques to the district.
Schools
Other than the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary EducationWest Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education
West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education is the West Bengal state government administered autonomous examining authority for the Standard 12 examination of West Bengal, India...
, there are private schools administered by either the CNI
Church of North India
The Church of North India , the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India, is a united church established on 29 November 1970 by bringing together the main Protestant churches working in northern India...
or Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
or other non Christian schoolsthese schools are affiliated mostly to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations is a private, non-governmental board of school education in India. It conducts two examinations in India: the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education and the Indian School Certificate...
. Jalpaiguri is home to some of the best known schools under the WBCHSE, like the Zilla School and the Govt. Girls' School. Karala Girls' School (now Suniti Bala Girls High School) is the oldest girls' school in the region. Jalpaiguri Zilla School is also 125+ years old school. Some of the prominent schools in the town are -
Urban Area
- Jalpaiguri Zilla School
- Jalpaiguri Higher Secondary School
- Holy Child School
- Jalpaiguri Govt. Girls' High School
- Ananda Model High School
- Fanindra Deb Institution(FDI)
- Ashalata Basu Vidyalaya (A.B.V.)]
- Shishuniketan School
- Central Girls School
- Sunity Bala Academy (formerly known as Sadar Girls' School)
- Sonaullah High Secondary School
- Sonali Girls School
- Kadamtala Girls High School
- Shishu Mangal School
- Kshetra Mohan High School (H.S), Baruapara, Kadobarihat
- Jalpaiguri High School]
- Arabindanagar Uchamadhyamik Vidyalaya
- Saint Anthony's Day School.
- St.Paul's School
- Radclif School
- Jalpaiguri Hindi High School
- Deshbandhunagar boys high school, Deshbandhunagar, W/No. 14. Jalpaiguri
- Deshbandhunagar Girls School, Deshbandhunagar, W/No. 14. Jalpaiguri
- sariam jashodhar high school
Rural Area
- DAV School (Near Fulbari)
- Mohitnagar Taraprasad Uchcha Vidyalaya (Boy's/Girl's), Mohitnagar
- Ursuline Girls School (Hindi)
- St. Viani School
- St. Ambrose Open School
- Raninagar Rabindra Nath Uchcha Vidyalaya, Raninagar.
- Mudipara Nagendra Nath High School, Belakoba.
- Mundabasti Primary School, Assam More.
- Banizer Hat High school,satkhamar
- Debnagar Satish Lahiri Higher Secondary School
- Kumudni Balika Vidyalaya, Debnagar.
- Dharmudeb High School, Vivekananda Palli
- Belakoba High School(H.S),Prasannanagar.
- Rajganj M.N High School
- Sukhani Bholapara High Madrasah
- Sariam Jasodhar High School
- Ambari Chintamohan High School
- Fatapukur Saradamoni High School
Universities and colleges
All colleges in the town are affiliated to the North Bengal University, Raja Rammohanpur, Siliguri except Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College which is affiliated to the West Bengal University of TechnologyWest Bengal University of Technology
The West Bengal University of Technology, commonly referred to as WBUT or UTech, is a public state university located in the suburban satellite township of Salt Lake City, Kolkata, West Bengal, India...
. Ananda Chandra College is the leading science and arts college in the district of Jalpaiguri.
Colleges
- Jalpaiguri Polytechnic Institute
- Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College
- Junior Polytechnic Institute
- Jalpaiguri Law College
- Ananda Chandra College
- Ananda Chandra College of Commerce
- Prasanna Deb women's College
- Ananda chandra teacher's training College
- Institute of Pharmacy
- Rajganj College
- Belakoba B.T. College
Education of the backward classes
Majority of the local residents are Rajbonshis who have been economically and educationally backward as compared to the outsiders who are mostly Bengalis from Eastern Bengal (now BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
) and South Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. Now the literacy among the Rajbonshis is gradually increasing and for this the credit must go to dedicated philanthropists and educationists They made utmost efforts to establish schools in interior and remote villages resided by the Rajbonshis.
Stadiums
Jalpaiguri has two main stadium. The Town Club Stadium and newly built Jalpaiguri Sports Complex.Sports clubs
Jalpaiguri Town Club is a century old club in this town. Other old sports clubs in Jalpaiguri are: JYMA, FUC and JYCC Olympia .SPOOTNIC CLUB at Kamar Para led by Barendra Krishna Bhowmik played an important role in freedom struggle and sports during British raj
Milan Sangha, Mohan Bagan Fans Club,East Bengal Fans Club,Netaji Mordan Club o Pathagar(NMC),RSA (Raikatpara Sporting Association),Sakti Sangha, Agragami Sangha ,jagrata sangha and Sanghasree Club are some other notable clubs of the town.
Transport
The main mode of public transport is the rickshawCycle rickshaw
The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport; it is also known by a variety of other names such as velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, becak, trisikad, or trishaw or, simply, rickshaw which also refers to auto rickshaws, and the, now uncommon, rickshaws pulled by a person on foot...
. Amongst personal transport, people use bicycles and other two-wheelers. Use of four-wheelers is also catching up slowly.
Bus services
There are several bus stands.- NBSTC depot. Govt. Buses are available from here.
- Kadamtala Bus Terminus. Private buses to SiliguriSiliguriSiliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
are available from here. - Super Bus Stand. near the Railway Station - Super (or non stop) bus services to Siliguri are available from here.
- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Private Bus Terminus Netaji Para - Buses to the Dooars region, Cooch BeharCooch BeharCooch Behar is the district headquarters and the largest city of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and located at . Cooch Behar is the only planned town in North Bengal region with remnants of royal heritage...
, AlipurduarAlipurduarAlipurduar is a sub-divisional municipal city of Jalpaiguri district, and is located at the eastern end of the district. Situated on the east bank of Kaljani River on the foothills of the Himalayas, the town is a gateway to Bhutan and North Eastern states of India...
, MathabhangaMathabhangaMathabhanga is a city and a municipality in Koch Bihar district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Mathabhanga is located at . It has an average elevation of .-Demographics:...
, MalbazarMalbazarMalbazar , also known as Mal, is a sub-divisional town, a municipality in Jalpaiguri district, located in North Bengal, India. It lies about 65 km from Jalpaiguri and 55 km from Siliguri.-History:...
etc. are available from here. - Haldibari Bus Stand near the Railway Station - Bus services to Haldibari are available from here
Simanacharya Tours and Travels operates in all modes of transport.
The town is very well connected to Siliguri
Siliguri
Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
(45 km away), Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
and all neighbouring towns and districts.
- City Buses has also started functioning regularly from 8 am to 8 pm, at minimal rates.
Train services
Jalpaiguri lies in the Northeast Frontier RailwayNortheast Frontier Railway
The Northeast Frontier Railway abbreviated as N F Railway is one of the 16 railway zones in India. Headquartered in Maligaon, Guwahati in the state of Assam it is responsible for rail operations in the entire Northeast and parts of West Bengal and Bihar...
zone of the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
.
There are Railway links to the rest of the country directly and via Kolkata as well. The major railway junction of New Jalpaiguri
New Jalpaiguri
New Jalpaiguri is a major railway station of the city of Siliguri in the Indian state of West Bengal. The station is popularly known by its acronym NJP...
(Siliguri) (Code:NJP) is just 40 km from the town. The other stations servicing the town directly are Jalpaiguri Road (Code:JPE) and Jalpaiguri (Code:JPG). Nearly the whole country is connected via the stations of New Jalpaiguri and Jalpaiguri Road. Also all the trains headed towards North-Eastern India pass through Jalpaiguri Road; and many have stops here.
Music
Jalpaiguri has a rich tradition of folk music. The effect of traditional Bengali song as well as Western music can be easily found here.Notable residents
- Gour Chandra Bhattacharya, renowned astrologer.
- Samaresh Mazumder, renowned bengali writer.