East India Eastern India | |
|---|---|
       From top, left to right:Bhubaneswar,Siliguri,Bodh Gaya,Tillangchong,Darjeeling,Patratu Valley,Kolkata | |
 States and union territories in East India | |
| Coordinates:23°15′N86°00′E / 23.25°N 86.00°E /23.25; 86.00 | |
| Country | India |
| States and territories | |
| Largest city | Kolkata |
| Most populous cities(2011) | |
| Area | |
• Total | 418,323 km2 (161,515 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 226,925,195 |
| • Density | 542.464/km2 (1,404.98/sq mi) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Official languages | |
East India is aregion consisting of theIndian states ofBihar,[1]Jharkhand,[2]Odisha[3]andWest Bengal[4] and also theunion territory of theAndaman and Nicobar Islands.[5]
The states of Bihar andWest Bengal lie on theIndo-Gangetic plain.Jharkhand is situated on theChota Nagpur Plateau. Odisha lies on theEastern Ghats and theDeccan Plateau. West Bengal's capitalKolkata is the largest city of this region. TheKolkata Metropolitan Area is the country's third largest metropolitan region. The region is bounded byBhutan,Nepal and the state ofSikkim in the north, the states ofUttar Pradesh andChhattisgarh on the west, the state ofAndhra Pradesh in the south and the country ofBangladesh in the east. It is also bounded by theBay of Bengal in the south-east. It is connected to theSeven Sister States ofNortheast India by the narrowSiliguri Corridor in the north east of West Bengal. East India has thefourth-largest gross domestic product of all Indian regions.
The region was ruled by several empires, includingGangaridai,Nandas,Mauryans,Guptas,Palas,Bhauma-Kara dynasty,Senas,Eastern Gangas,Gajapatis,Delhi Sultanate,Bengal Sultanate,Mughal Empire and theBritish Empire.
During the Neolithic period, agriculture started in South Asia. Neolithic settlements have been found inChirand. In the Kabra-Kala mound at the confluence of theSone andNorth Koel rivers inPalamu district, various antiquities and art objects from theNeolithic to medieval periods have been found; thepot-sherds ofredware,black and red ware, black ware,black slipped ware, andNBP ware are from theChalcolithic to late medieval periods.[6] There are ancient cave paintings in Isko,Hazaribagh district, from the Meso-chalcolithic period (9,000–5,000 BCE).[7] From Kuchai, nearBaripada, variousNeolithic tools likehoes,chisels,pounders,mace heads,grinding stones and also pieces of pottery.[8] Prehistoric paintings andinscriptions have also been found in Garjan Dongar inSundergarh district, and Ushakothi inSambalpur district[9] and Vimkramkhol inJharsuguda district.[10][11] There has been an uncertainty about the inscriptions at Ushakothi and Vimkramkhol regarding whether they are in a proto-Brahmi script.[12] Yogimath nearKhariar has cave paintings from the Neolithic.[12][13] There is Chalcolithic sites inPandu Rajar Dhibi in the lower Ajay valley in West Bengal.Dihar is anarchaeological site of Neolithic andEarly village farming culture located in theBankura district ofWest Bengal. Construction of the settlement in Dihar is believed to have started around 2700 BC.[14] Evidence of 42,000 years old human habitation has been found at the foothills of theAjodhya Hills in West Bengal.[15]Iron slag,microliths, andpotsherds from 1400 BCE, according to carbon dating, were discovered inSinghbhum district.[16] During the late Vedic period, severaljanapadas emerged in India. In the 6th century BCE, themahajanapadas emerged in several parts of the Indian subcontinent.
The region was the historical centre of theNanda,Maurya,Shunga,Gupta andPala empires that ruled much of the Indian sub-continent at their prime. In medieval India, it was incorporated into theMughal,Maratha and then theBritish empire. After independence in 1947, the states joined the Indian Union and took their current form after theStates Reorganisation Act of 1956. Today, they continue to face problems of overpopulation, environmental degradation and pervasive corruption despite significant economic and social progress.
After theKalinga War the Maurya kingAshoka sent emissaries to spread Buddhism across Asia. The university of Nalanda was inBihar. Chinese travellers visited Buddhist and Hindu temples and libraries in the universities of Magadha Empire. The Emperor of Kalinga Mahameghavahana AiraKharavela was one of the most powerful monarchs of ancient India. TheJain thirkhankarMahaveer was born here and foundedJainism.
Islamic invasions in the 13th century resulted in the collapse ofHindu kings and most Buddhists, especially inEast Bengal, converted to Islam. East India including Bihar and West Bengal was part of the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. Odisha remained the only powerful Hindu dynastic stronghold under the rule of Soma/Keshari Dynasty, Bhanja Dynasty, Eastern Ganga Dynasty, Suryavanshi Dynasty and Bhoi(Khordha) dynasty till the end of the 16th century. The mightyNalanda University existed atNalanda which was destroyed byBakhtiar Khilji during the 12th century[17] and also defeatedSena Dynasty.Sher Shah Suri, who became king of India after defeatingHumayun, founded the city ofPatna on the ruins of ancientPataliputra.
Islam arrived during the 7th century CE and became dominant gradually since the early 13th century with the advent of Muslim rulers as well asSunni missionaries such asShah Jalal in the region. Later, Muslim rulers, starting from theDelhi Sultanate initiated the preaching of Islam by building mosques. From the 14th century onward, it was ruled by theBengal Sultanate, founded by kingShamsuddin Ilyas Shah, beginning a period of the country's economic prosperity and military dominance over the regional empires, which was referred by the Europeans to as the richest country to trade with.[18] Afterwards, the entire East India came under theMughal Empire, becoming as the most advanced parts in the world.Bengal Subah generated almost half of the empire'sGDP and 12% of theworld's GDP,[19][20][21] larger than the entirety of westernEurope.[citation needed]
With the arrival of the Europeans in the 17th century, outposts were established in Odisha Coast and Bengal. The European traders established their trade centres in the ports ofBalasore,Pipili,Palur in the Odisha Coast during the rule of the last independent Hindu king Gajapati Prataprudra Dev. The Portuguese were in Chittagong, Dutch in Chinsura, French in Pondicherry and the English foundedCalcutta. TheMaratha Invasion of Bengal badly affected the economy of Bengal and it is estimated that 400,000 people were butchered by the Hindu Maratha bargis and many women and children gang raped,[22] and the genocide has been considered to be among the deadliest massacres in Indian history.[23] In 1756, theBritish East India Company defeated the local Indian Muslim rulers inPlassey and established British Rule in the subcontinent. Its capital Calcutta grew into one of the world's greatest ports. Tea from Calcutta was off-loaded by American separatists in theAmerican War of Independence in the 1770s. In the 19th century, Calcutta's traders and merchants traded with the rest of the British Empire, continental Europe, the United States and China. Indentured Indian labourers from Bihar, sailed to new homes inFiji,Mauritius,Guyana,Surinam andSouth Africa.
India's independence movement had strong roots in East India. The feudal land system, established through the Permanent Settlement of Bengal, was unpopular among the peasant cultivators and the numerous agricultural labourers found all over Bihar and Bengal (Khetmazdoors). The Indian Rebellion of 1857 started inBengal. Eventually the British prevailed, and Calcutta remained capital of Britain's Asian dominions until 1911. DuringGandhi's independence movement, the Bihari village of Champaran was an important supporter of non-violent resistance. Great poets of the stature ofRabindranath Tagore championed the movement for self-rule.
The Partition also had its roots in undivided Eastern India. TheMuslim League was founded inDhaka in 1906. In the 1937 provincial elections, it came to power in Bengal in alliance with theKrishak Praja Party. in 1944, it gained an absolute majority in the Bengal Assembly, and Hussein Suhrawardy became theChief Minister. After widespread communal violence during theDirect Action Day protests inCalcutta, leading to further communal violence acrossBritish India, the creation of Pakistan became inevitable. In 1947, further communal violence displaced millions as independence andpartition of British India occurred. Some Bihari and Bengali Muslims fled to the newly createdEast Pakistan. MostEast Bengal Hindus fled to India.
The 1950s saw industrial progress in East India. These were cut short with the conflict in neighbouring East Pakistan and by theCommunist movement at home. In 1971, in the course of Bangladesh'sindependence struggle, millions of refugees poured into East India. Bihar and Odisha struggled with economic issues during theBritish rule and in the beginning ofpost independent India due to risingnaxalism and frequent natural calamities such as flood and cyclone.
But in recent years, the state of Odisha has shown impressive growth record and developed steadily. The economic boom since 2005 started to spread new malls, highways, airports and IT office complexes, but not evenly across the region. Jharkhand became a separate state on 15 November 2000 from Bihar. In the modern times, these states have seen rapid transformation and home to several mineral and metal based industries,[24]coal based thermal powers units,oil refineries,ports, textile industries and well establishedpublic and private educational institutes. West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand rank 6th, 16th, 14th and 18th in theList of Indian states by GDP. Odisha has shown consistent growth in the state GDP and received the recognition of thefastest-growing economy among the states in India.
Nalanda,Puspagiri andVikramshila universities were the famed institutions of higher learning in ancient India located in Eastern India. One of the first great universities in recorded history was the ancientNalanda University located in Bihar and another institute of higher learning was the ancientPuspagiri University recently discovered in Odisha. Education in the eastern part of India has seen rapid transformation. Several new educational institutes have been established to cater the needs of students. East India is now the home to some of the great Indian universities and Institutions of National Importance. Some prominent institutions of higher learning located in the states of Eastern India are listed below.
There were many ancient cities established in Eastern India. Prominent among them werePataliputra,Bangarh,Tamralipta,Champapuri,Chandraketugarh,Dantapura,Gauda,Katak,Sisupalgarh,Tosali,Gaya,Jaugada,Pandua,Rajapura,Asurgarh andVaishali.
West Bengal's capitalKolkata (formerly, known asCalcutta), the capital ofBritish India until 1911, is the biggest metropolis and economically dominant city of the region and third largest in India and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. It is also the main centre of commerce or the commercial capital of Eastern and North-Eastern India. Kolkata is very fast transforming itself to become city equipped with every facilities for IT and ITES and also financial outsourcing hub and its satellitesSalt Lake andRajarhat-New Town are taken the burdens of India's IT and financial boom. There are manySatellite town also situated in Kolkata, some of them areSalt Lake,Rajarhat-New Town,Kolkata West International City,Kalyani,Calcutta Riverside. It is also known asCity Of Joy. However, the mid-sized cities ofAsansol,Durgapur,Siliguri inWest Bengal are rapidly growing urban areas.West Bengal is the highest contributor of GDP among all other eastern state for India and it is also one of the fastest-growing states in India.
West Bengal is the hub of industry and economic activities in Eastern India and it is also the home to the tallest skylines located in this region and are also one of the tallest buildings in the country. It is also the home of history of rising India.
TheKolkata metropolitan area is spread over 1,886.67 km2 (728.45 sq mi)[25]: 7 and comprises 3 municipal corporations (including Kolkata Municipal Corporation), 39 local municipalities and 24 panchayat samitis, as of 2011[update].[25]: 7 The urban agglomeration encompassed 72 cities and 527 towns and villages, as of 2006[update].[26] Suburban areas in the Kolkata metropolitan area incorporate parts of the following districts:North 24 Parganas,South 24 Parganas,Howrah,Hooghly andNadia.[27]: 15 Kolkata, which is under the jurisdiction of theKolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), has an area of 185 km2 (71 sq mi).[26] The east–west dimension of the city is comparatively narrow, stretching from the Hooghly River in the west to roughly theEastern Metropolitan Bypass in the east—a span of 9–10 km (5.6–6.2 mi).[28] The north–south distance is greater, and its axis is used to section the city into North, Central and South Kolkata.
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North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. Characterised by 19th-century architecture and narrow alleyways, it includes areas such asJorasanko,Maniktala,Ultadanga,Shyambazar,Shobhabazar,Bagbazar,Cossipore,Sinthee etc. The north suburban areas likeDum Dum,Baranagar,Belgharia,Sodepur,Khardaha,New Barrackpore,Madhyamgram,Barrackpore,Barasat etc. are also within the city of Kolkata (as a metropolitan structure).[29]: 65–66
Central Kolkata hosts the central business district. It containsB.B.D. Bagh, formerly known as Dalhousie Square and theEsplanade on its east;Strand Road is on its west.[30] TheWest Bengal Secretariat,General Post Office,Reserve Bank of India,Calcutta High Court,Lalbazar Police Headquarters and several other government and private offices are located there. Another business hub is the area south ofPark Street, which comprises thoroughfares such asChowringhee Road,Camac Street, Wood Street, Loudon Street,Shakespeare Sarani,AJC Bose Road etc.[31] TheMaidan is a large open field in the heart of the city that has been called the "lungs of Kolkata"[32] and accommodates sporting events and public meetings.[33] TheVictoria Memorial andKolkata Race Course are located at the southern end of the Maidan. Among the other parks areCentral Park in Bidhannagar andMillennium Park on Strand Road, along the Hooghly River.
South Kolkata includes many posh neighbourhoods such asBhawanipore,Alipore,Ballygunge,Kasba,Dhakuria,Santoshpur,Garia,Tollygunge,Behala etc. The south suburban areas likeMaheshtala,Budge Budge,Rajpur Sonarpur,Baruipur etc. are also within the city of Kolkata (as a metropolitan structure).
Asansol is the district headquarters of Paschim Bardhaman District in West Bengal. It is the second largest city in West Bengal after Kolkata and the 39th largest urban agglomeration in India. According to a 2010 report prepared by the International Institute for Environment and Development, a UK-based policy research non-governmental think tank, Asansol is ranked 11th among Indian cities. and 42nd in the world in its list of 100 fastest-growing cities. As per the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission, Asansol has been listed as a Y-category city for calculation of HRA (House Rent Allowance) for public servants. It is one of the three non-Z category cities in West Bengal apart from Kolkata, which belong to the X category making it a tier-II city.Durgapur is by far the most industrialised city in Eastern India and thesecond planned city in India. It started with the first prime minister of independent India,Jawaharlal Nehru. His dream of transforming the backward agricultural country into an industrially advanced nation was picked up in West Bengal by then Chief MinisterBidhan Chandra Roy. At the earlier stages for the selection of a proper site for a new industrial township. Modernist American architectJoseph Allen Stein, invited to head the newly formed Department of Architecture and Planning at the Bengal Engineering College in Calcutta, plunged into a major project as soon as he reached India in 1952 – the designing of Durgapur city with Benjamin Polk, another American architect already living in Calcutta. Thereafter it was the task of local leaders such as Ananda Gopal Mukherjee and bureaucrats such as K.K. Sen to get Durgapur going.
Bihar hasPatna,Bhagalpur,Darbhanga,Muzaffarpur,Gaya,Katihar andPurnia as important urban areas.
Patna is the capital of theBihar, its most populous city and the second most populous city in Eastern India. It is the administrative, industrial and educational centre of the state. Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. Ancient Patna, known as Pataliputra, was the capital of theMagadha Empire under the Haryanka, Nanda, Mauryan, Shunga, Gupta and Pala.
Pataliputra was a seat of learning and fine arts.
The modern city of Patna is situated on the southern bank of the Ganges. The city also straddles the rivers Sone, Gandak and Punpun. The city is approximately 35 km long and 16 km to 18 km wide. It is the second largest city of Eastern India.
In June 2009, the World Bank ranked Patna second in India (afterDelhi) for ease of starting a business. As of 2004–2005, Patna had the highest per capita gross district domestic product in Bihar, at₹ 63,063.[34] Using fi gures for assumed average annual growth, Patna is the 21st fastest-growing city in the world and 5th fastest-growing city in India by the City Mayors' Foundation. Patna registered an average annual growth of 3.72% during 2006–2010. The city is also home to many tutorials and coaching institutes who prepare students for various entrance exams. IIT NIT NIFT AIIMS and other leading educational institutions are running successfully in Patna. City is also developing excellent road infrastructure to boom its economy.Ganga expressway and elevated corridors are under some of the ongoing projects in the city. A world class museum is also on its way to completion. The old museum of the city will be replaced by one of the biggest mall in east India.Patna Metro rail corporations is also going to start soon by 2021. It would be the second metro railway in Eastern India after Kolkata and the third in North India after Delhi and Lucknow.
IT parks are also developing in and around the city.
Patna recorded a per capita of Rs 63,063. The per capita level for 2007 was higher thanBangalore orHyderabad, which are both leading centres for global software development.
The Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain pilgrim centres of Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda, Gaya, Bodhgaya, and Pawapuri are nearby and Patna is also a sacred city for Sikhs as the last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was born here.
Bhubaneswar is the capital of theOdisha. Other Important Cities areCuttack,Brahmapur,Rourkela,Paradeep,Jajpur,Bhadrak,Balasore,Sambalpur andPuri. The Capital city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty (around the 2nd century BCE) who hadSisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital. Historically, Bhubaneswar has been known by different names such as Toshali, Kalinga Nagari, Nagar Kalinga,Ekamra Kanan, Ekamra Kshetra and Mandira Malini Nagari (city of temples) or the temple city of India. The largest city of Odisha, Bhubaneswar today is a center of economic and religious importance in the region.With theeconomic liberalisation policy adopted by theGovernment of India in the '90s, Bhubaneswar received large investments in the fields oftelecommunications,IT and higher education, particularly in science and engineering. The city is home to around 60 engineering colleges (as of 2009)[35] and the number is growing every year. The city is also home to many tutorials and coaching institutes who prepare students for various entrance exams.
Retail andReal Estate have also emerged as big players. Recent times have seen large scale retail chains such as Reliance, Vishal MegaMart, Big Bazaar, Pantaloon, Pal Heights, Indulge, New Leaf, Habib's, had opened outlets in Bhubaneswar. Large corporations likeDLF Universal and Reliance Industries have entered the real estate market in the city. DLF Limited is developing an Infopark spread over an area of 54 acres (220,000 m2) in the city. Expanding its business portfolio, theKolkata-based Saraf Group, promoters of Forum Mart shopping malls is constructing another Shopping mall named Forum Lifestyle mall a 550,000 sq ft (51,000 m2) lifestyle mall in Bhubaneswar with 1,200 car parks. The rich minerals resources of Odisha have been the backbone of the economy dominated by Government. Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and private organisations like Jindal, Vedanta and TATAS. Despite this rapid growth, an ample number of the populace live in slums. Migration from rural areas, especially from the northern districts ofAndhra Pradesh, has led to the growth of slums which are a major challenge to the city's growth.
The Government has fostered growth in this sphere by the development of IT Parks such as Infocity 1 and the new Infocity 2. The Info City was conceived as a five star park, under the Export Promotion Industrial Parks (EPIP) Scheme to create high quality infrastructure facilities for setting up Information Technology related industries.Infosys andSatyam Computer Services Ltd. have been present in Bhubaneswar since 1996–97. Its current head count stands at around 5000. The first part of theTCS centre is ready and has a capacity to accommodate nearly 1,200 professionals but the software major has only 250 employees at present. The Finland telecommunication company, Nethawk, has its India R&D center at Bhubaneswar. The Canadian giant, Gennum Corporation has its India development centre at Bhubaneswar. The auditors Price water house Coopers Pvt. Ltd. also has a center in Bhubaneswar. The private STP is located at Infocity in Chandaka, Bhubaneswar with a view to provide incubation and infrastructure facilities to new and young entrepreneurs in the MSME sector, The intelligent building of the JSS STP is spread in a sprawling 3-acre (12,000 m2) campus and houses state-of-art technology to fulfil the growing demands of highly competent IT professionals.
The Eastern India, particularly Odisha and Jharkhand, have rich mineral resources which resulted ineconomic boom in these two states. Several mineral based industries have been established in many cities of Odisha and Jharkhand namelyKalinganagar,Angul,Paradeep,Talcher,Rourkela,Damanjodi,Joda,Barbil,Choudwar,JharsugudaJamshedpur,Bokaro,Dhanbad andRanchi.
Bengali is the dominant language of West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.[37]Hindi,Bhojpuri,Maithili,Magahi andUrdu are the dominant languages of Bihar.[37][38]Hindi,Santali,Khortha andNagpuri are the dominant language of Jharkhand; however, some tribals speak their own tribal languages. Jharkhand has accorded second language status toAngika,Bengali,Bhojpuri,Ho,Kharia,Kurukh,Khortha,Kurmali,Magahi,Maithili,Mundari,Nagpuri,Odia,Santali andUrdu.[39][40][41] Odia is the dominant language ofOdisha.[37] Odia gotclassical language status in 2014 while Bengali got classical language status in 2024.[42][43]
TheIndo-Aryan languages spoken in this region descend from theMagadhi Prakrit, which was spoken in the ancient kingdom of Magadha. Odia emerged as a distinct language from OdraPrakrit whileMaithili emerged around the 9th century CE.
Many of the minority tribal languages of East India belong to theMunda branch of theAustroasiatic language family andDravidian language family. Major representatives of Munda languages include theMundari,Santali, andHo. Dravidian languages includeKurukh,Kui andPengo.
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About 80% of the population of East India isHindu with significantMuslim and smallChristian,Buddhist and tribal minorities. The Muslims constitute a very large minority in West Bengal with 27% of the population and 17% in Bihar. Hindus form 94% of total population of Odisha. Christians are the largest minority in Odisha with 3% of the state population
Durga,Krishna,Jagannath andShiva are particularly popularHindu deities in this region.Durga andKali are patron deities of Bengal and Mithila whereasJagannath orVishnu is patrongod amongOdia people.Rama andHanuman are most revered in Bihar.Shiva is popular in all areas of eastern states.
Among tribals of the regionHinduism is the dominant religion. Some tribals also follow their indigenous religions (Sarana).There are several places of pilgrimage forHinduism.Puri in Odisha is one of the four holy City/Dham of Hindu religion and particularly known forRath Yatra festival.Bhubaneswar is considered to be the "City of Temples".Konark houses an oldsun temple.
Bihar Sharif is an important pilgrimage centre forsome Muslims nearby and from other places.
In Bihar Village Harinagar Bajrang Bali temple is famous for Hindu people.[citation needed]
Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a historicalKali temple inWest Bengal.Kalighat Kali Temple inKolkata is the most important of allShakti Peethas in India.Belur Math inKolkata is the headquarters of the Ramkrishna Mission founded bySwami Vivekananda.
In Bihar,Gaya is known for temple for salvation of ancestors. Other places are Sultanganj inBhagalpur andVaidyanath Jyotirlinga inDeoghar, Jharkhand.Bodh Gaya is the city sacred toBuddhism. There are also other cities sacred toJains inBihar and Jharkhand.
The region lies in the humid-subtropical zone, and experiences hot summers from March to June, the monsoon from July to October and mild winters from November to February. The interior states have a drier climate and slightly more extreme climate, especially during the winters and summers, but the whole region receives heavy, sustained rainfall during the monsoon months. Snowfall occurs in the extreme northern regions of West Bengal andDaringbadi in Odisha
Bengali food has inherited a large number of influences, both foreign and pan-Indian, arising from a historical and strong trade links with many parts of the world. Bengal fell under the sway of various Turkic rulers from the early thirteenth century onwards, and was then governed by the British for two centuries (1757–1947).
Odisha
Odia cuisine refers to the cooking of the eastern Indian state ofOdisha. Foods from this area are rich and varied, while relying heavily on local ingredients. The flavours are usually subtle and delicately spiced, quite unlike the fiery curries typically associated with Indian cuisine. Fish and other seafood such as crab and shrimp are popular.[citation needed] Chicken and mutton are also consumed, but somewhat occasionally. Only 6% of the population of Odisha isvegetarian, and this is reflected in its cuisine. The oil base used is mostlymustard oil, but in festivalsghee is used.Panch phutana, a mix of cumin, mustard, fennel, fenugreek and kalonji (nigella) is widely used for tempering vegetables and dals, whilegaram masala (curry powder) andhaladi (turmeric) are commonly used for non-vegetarian curries.Pakhala, a dish made of rice, water, and yogurt, that is fermented overnight, is very popular in summer, particularly in the rural areas. Oriyas are very fond of sweets and no Oriya repast is considered complete without some dessert at the end. Festivals and fasts witness a cuisine without onion and garlic, whereas other days witness an aroma of garlic and onion paste in curries. One can find restaurants serving food without onion and garlic in major places likePuri and other coastal area, which is run by Brahmin owners.
Odisha has a culinary tradition spanning centuries if not millennia. The kitchen of theJagannath temple in Puri is reputed to be the largest in the world, with a thousand cooks, working around 752 wood-burning clay hearths calledchuli, to feed over 10,000 people every day.
Bihar
Bihari cuisine is eaten mainly inBihar, as well as regions where Bihari people have settled namely,Jharkhand, easternUttar Pradesh,Bangladesh,Nepal,Mauritius,South Africa,Fiji, some cities ofPakistan,Guyana,Trinidad and Tobago,Suriname,Jamaica and the Caribbean. Bihari cuisine includesBhojpuri cuisine,Maithil cuisine and Magahi cuisine.
Odissi (Odissi) is a classical dance in Eastern India. It originates from the state ofOdisha, in Eastern India. It is the oldest surviving dance form of India on the basis of archaeological evidences.[46][47] Odissi has a long, unbroken tradition of 2,000 years and finds mention in theNatyashastra ofBharatamuni, possibly written circa 200 BCE.Mahari Dance is one of the important dance forms of Odisha and originated in the temples of Odisha. History of Odisha provides evidence of the 'Devadasi' cult in Odisha. Devadasis were dancing girls who were dedicated to the temples of Odisha. The Devadasis in Odisha were known as 'Maharis' and the dance performed by them came to be known as Mahari Dance.Gotipua dance is another form of dance in Odisha. In Oriya colloquial language Gotipua means single boy. The dance performance done by a single boy is known as Gotipua dance.
There are many folk dances in east India, with the best-known beingJhijhiya,Jhumair,Domkach,Ghumura Dance, Sambalpuri andChhau dance.
Jhijhiya is a cultural dance from theMithila region.[48]Jhijhiya is mostly performed at time ofDusshera, in dedication to DurgaBhairavi, the goddess of victory.[49] While performing jhijhiya, women put lanterns made of clay on their head and they balance it while they dance.[50]
Jhumair is a folk dance inChota Nagpur Plateau region of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal. It is performed during harvest season and festivals accompanied by musical instrument such asMadal,Dhol,Bansuri,Nagara,Dhak andShehnai.
Domkach is folk dance in the state of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. It performed during marriage in the house of Bride and groom.
Chhau is a form of tribal martial dance popular in the Indian states of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. There are three regional variations of the dance. Seraikella Chau was developed inSeraikella, the administrative head of theSeraikela Kharsawan district ofJharkhand; Purulia Chau inPurulia district of West Bengal; and Mayurbhanj Chau inMayurbhanj district of Odisha.
Ghumura DanceArchaeological evidence shows[51] cave paintings from the pre-historic period discovered by Gudahandi ofKalahandi and Yogi Matha ofNuapada district that represent the Ghumura and Damru, among other instruments. These paintings date to as early as 8000 BCE and from such painting the antiquity of musical instrument Ghumura and Damru can be imagined. The origin of Ghumura goes back to ancient times. There is a waterfall in the river valley of Indravati which was initially recognised by Chindak Naagas of Chakrakot.[52] Many believe that Ghumura dance originated from this river valley and gradually spread into the areas between Indravati and Mahanadi, indicating this dance form belongs to the 10th century CE.
Bengali dance forms draw from folk traditions, especially those of the tribal groups, as well as from the broader Indian dance tradition. Dance forms of Bihar are another expression of rich traditions and ethnic identity. There are several folk dance forms that can keep one enthralled, such asdhobi nach, jhumarnach, manjhi, gondnach, jitiyanach, more morni, dom-domin, bhuiababa, rah baba, kathghorwa nach, jat jatin, launda nach, bamar nach, jharni, jhijhia, natua nach, bidapad nach, sohrai nach andgond nach.
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Rabindra Sangeet, also known as Tagore Songs, are songs written and composed byRabindranath Tagore. They have distinctive characteristics in themusic of Bengal, popular in India andBangladesh.[53] "Sangeet" means music, "Rabindra Sangeet" means Songs of Rabindra.
Rabindra Sangeet usedIndian classical music and traditionalfolk music as sources.[citation needed][54] Tagore wrote some 2,230 songs.[citation needed]
Rabindranath Tagore was a towering figure in Indian music. Writing inBengali, he created a library of over 2,000 songs now known by Bengalis asrabindra sangeet whose form is primarily influenced by Hindustani classical, sub-classicals, Karnatic, western, bauls, bhatiyali and different folk songs of India. Many singers inWest Bengal andBangladesh base their entire careers on the singing of Tagore musical masterpieces. The national anthem of India and national anthem of Bangladesh are Rabindra Sangeets.
West Bengal's capitalKolkata is also thecultural capital of India.[55]
Panchali is a form of narrative folk songs of the Indian state ofWest Bengal. The wordPanchali probably originates frompanchal orpanchalika, meaningpuppet. According to another school of that,Panchali originates from the wordpanch, which means five inBengali language, referring to the five elements of this genre: song, music, extempore versifying, poetic contests, and dance.
Odissi music is a classical music in India originated from the eastern state of Odisha. Indian Classical music has five significant branches: Avanti, Panchali, Udramagadhi, Hindustani and carnatic. Of these, Udramagadhi exists in the form of Odissi music.[56] Generally, Odissi is one of the classical dances of India performed with Odissi music. Odissi music got shaped during the time of famous Oriya poet,Jayadeva, who composed lyrics meant to be sung. By the 11th century CEfolk music of Odisha existing in the form of Triswari, Chatuhswari, and Panchaswari was modified into the classical style. However, Odissi songs were written even before the Odia language developed. Odissi music has a rich legacy dating back to the 2nd century BCE, when kingKharvela, the ruler of Odisha (Kalinga) patronised this music and dance.[57]
Like Hindustani and Carnatic systems, Odissi music is a separate system of Indian classical music and is having all the essential as well as potential ingredients of Indian Classical form. But it has not come to limelight due to apathy from the time of British rule in Odisha, want of its proper study, revival, propagation, etc. Despite the fact, the traditional music form could be saved and maintained in its pristine form. Thanks to the musicians particularly of Jaga Akhadas of Puri district, who could develop and maintain the music. The music movement of Odisha, however, took a different turn after independence.
Like other aspects of her culture, music of the sacred land (Odisha) is charming, colourful, variegated encompassing various types. The existing musical tradition of Odisha, the cumulative experience of the last two thousand five hundred years if not more, can broadly be grouped under five categories such as: (1) Tribal Music, (2) Folk Music, (3) Light Music, (4) Light-Classical Music, (5) Classical Music, which need a short elucidations for better understanding the subject in all India context.
The tribal music as the title signifies is confined to the tribals living mainly in the hilly and jungle regions and sparsely in the coastal belt of Odisha. Odisha has the third largest concentration of tribes constituting about one fourth of the total population. They are distributed over 62 tribal communities.
Odisha is the treasure house of Folk Songs which are sung on different festivals and specific occasions in their own enjoyment. Folk music in general is the expression of the ethos and mores of the folk communities. Of the bewildering variety of folk music of Odisha, mention may be made of Geeta, Balipuja Geeta, Kela Keluni Geeta, Dalkhai Geeta, Kendra Geeta, Jaiphula Geeta, Ghumura Geeta, Ghoda Nacha and Danda Nacha Geeta, Gopal Ugala and Osa-Parva-Geeta etc.
Bhajan, Janan, Oriya songs based on ragas, Rangila Chaupadi etc. are grouped under Light classical music, which forms an important segment of Oriya music. Sri Geetagovinda, Anirjukta Pravadha, Divya Manusi Prabandha, Chautisa, Chhanda, Chaupadi (now known as Odissi), Champu, Malasri, Sariman, nVyanjani, Chaturang, Tribhang, Kuduka Geeta, Laxana and Swaramalika are the various sub-forms, which individually or collectively constitute the traditional Odissi music. These sub-forms of the traditional Odissi music, can be categorised under the classical music of Odisha.
TheEast Zone cricket team is afirst-classcricket team that represents Eastern India in theDuleep Trophy andDeodhar Trophy. It is a composite team of five first-class Indian teams from Eastern India competing in theRanji Trophy, containing notably theBengal,Jharkhand andOdisha from East India among the bunch.
The most popular sports in Jharkhand is Hockey and Archery. The capital City of Ranchi is also called the sports capital of India due to its highly developed sports infrastructure. Many famous players such asMahendra Singh Dhoni (Former Indian Cricket Team Captain),Ishan Kishan (Indian Cricketer) etc. are from Jharkhand.Ranchi andJamshedpur have cricket stadium of International levels and many international matches have held there since the formation of state.JSCA International Cricket Stadium is an international cricket stadium in Ranchi with a seating capacity of 50,000. There is a Hockey and Football Stadium of International level in Morabadi locality ofRanchi. An integrated sports complex in Khelgaon, Ranchi of International standards. It has swimming pool, badminton stadium etc.Ranchi Rays is a hockey team based in Ranchi and plays inHockey India League.Jamshedpur FC is a football team based inJamshedpur and plays forIndian Super League.
The most popular sports in Kolkata arefootball andcricket. The city is a centre of football activity in India and is home to top national clubs such asMohun Bagan A.C.,East Bengal FC,United SC and theMohammedan Sporting Club.[58][59]Calcutta Football League, which was started in 1898, is the oldest football league in Asia.[60] Mohun Bagan AC, one of the oldest football clubs in Asia, is the only organisation to be dubbed a "National Club of India".[61][62] As in the rest of India, cricket is popular in Kolkata and is played on grounds and in streets throughout the city.[63][64] Kolkata has anIndian Premier League franchise known as theKolkata Knight Riders; theCricket Association of Bengal, which regulates cricket in West Bengal, is also based in the city. Tournaments, especially those involving cricket, football,badminton, andcarrom, are regularly organised on an inter-locality or inter-club basis.[65] TheMaidan, a vast field that serves as the city's largest park, hosts several minor football and cricket clubs and coaching institutes.[66]Eden Gardens, which has a capacity of 90,000 as of 2011,[67] hosted the final match of the1987 Cricket World Cup. It is home to theBengal cricket team and the Kolkata Knight Riders. The multi-useSalt Lake Stadium, also known as Yuva Bharati Krirangan, is the world's second-largest football facility byseating capacity as of 2010.[68] TheCalcutta Cricket and Football Club is the second-oldest cricket club in the world.[69][70] Kolkata has three 18-hole golf courses. The oldest is at theRoyal Calcutta Golf Club, and was the first golf club to be built outside the United Kingdom.[71][72] The other two are located at theTollygunge Club and atFort William. TheRoyal Calcutta Turf Club hosts horse racing and polo matches.[73] TheCalcutta Polo Club is considered the oldest extant polo club in the world.[74][75][76] TheCalcutta South Club is a venue for national and international tennis tournaments; it held the first grass-court national championship in 1946.[77][78] In the period 2005–2007,Sunfeast Open, a tier-III tournament on theWomen's Tennis Association circuit, was held in theNetaji Indoor Stadium; it has since been discontinued.[79][80]
TheCalcutta Rowing Club hostsrowing heats and training events. Kolkata, considered the leading centre ofrugby union in India, gives its name to the oldest international tournament in rugby union, theCalcutta Cup.[81][82][83] The Automobile Association of Eastern India, established in 1904,[84][85] and the Bengal Motor Sports Club are involved in promoting motor sports and car rallies in Kolkata and West Bengal.[86][87] TheBeighton Cup, an event organised by the Bengal Hockey Association and first played in 1895, is India's oldestfield hockey tournament; it is usually held on theMohun Bagan Ground of the Maidan.[88][89] Athletes from Kolkata includeSourav Ganguly andPankaj Roy, who are formercaptains of theIndian national cricket team;Olympic tennis bronze medallistLeander Paes, golferArjun Atwal, and former footballersSailen Manna,Chuni Goswami,P. K. Banerjee andSubrata Bhattacharya.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is the governing body forcricket inWest Bengal. Its headquarters is in theEden Gardens stadium. It organises different types of cricket tournaments in West Bengal.
Cricket Association of Bengal is affiliated to the Board of control for cricket in India is the parent body or governing the game of Cricket in Bengal, and involved in conducting the game of cricket in Bengal. The Cricket Association of Bengal promotes and develops Cricket by conducting various League Tournaments, tournaments for the age group Under-13, Under-16, and Under-19 and Under-21 categories. CAB also conducts National and International Tournaments.
The most popularsports in Odisha arecricket andhockey.
TheOdisha Cricket Association (OCA) is the governing body of thecricket activities in theOdisha state of India and theOdisha cricket team. It is affiliated to theBoard of Control for Cricket in India. TheBarabati Stadium inCuttack hosts international cricket matches. The Odisha Cricket Association promotes and develops cricket by conducting various League Tournaments, Tournaments for the age group Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19, Under-22 and Under-25 categories besides organising and conducting National Tournaments. The OCA started a local Twenty-20 tournament,Odisha Premier League (OPL) in the lines ofIndian Premier League (IPL) in 2011. OCA manages the Barabati Stadium and has got infrastructures and facilities like Odisha cricket academy, newly built Sachin Tendulkar indoor cricket hall and many grounds like DRIEMS cricket stadium, Ravenshaw university ground, SCB medical ground, Nimpur ground, Basundhara (Bidanasi) ground, Sunshine Ground etc.[90]
The popularity offield hockey in Odisha is also very high. Manynational players in hockey are from Odisha.[citation needed]Lazarus Barla,Prabodh Tirkey,Dilip Tirkey,Ignace Tirkey,Jyoti Sunita Kullu,Subhadra Pradhan,Birendra Lakra andAnupa Barla are the few names who brought the fame to Indian hockey in International level.Premier Hockey League (PHL) was the league competition for field hockey clubs in the top divisions of the Indian hockey system. There were seven teams in the PHL and in East India the only team was theOrissa Steelers who won Premier Hockey League 2007. Odisha has a franchise inHockey India League (HIL)[91] namedKalinga Lancers owned byOdisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation andMCL.[92] Odisha got its firstIndian Super League (ISL) clubOdisha FC, based inBhubaneswar, which was formed in 2019 after being shifted fromDelhi. Its home ground is the 15,000 seaterKalinga Stadium.[93] Bhubaneswar is referred to as the "Sports Capital of India".[94]2023 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup and2018 Men's Hockey World Cup were held atKalinga Stadium andBirsa Munda International Hockey Stadium respectively.[citation needed]
Kolkata Port,Paradip Port,Dhamra Port andHaldia are 4 major ports in East India.Subarnarekha Port,Kulpi Port,Gopalpur Port are minor ports in East India.
Bengal [...] was rich in the production and export of grain, salt, fruit, liquors and wines, precious metals and ornaments besides the output of its handlooms in silk and cotton. Europe referred to Bengal as the richest country to trade with.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)With the Camac Street-Park Street-Shakespeare Sarani commercial hub located smack in the middle of the affected zone..
To Kolkata, it is the 'lungs of the city,' a recharge zone for the soul.
Eastern India travel guide from Wikivoyage
Media related toEast India at Wikimedia CommonsPlaces adjacent to East India | |
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