Birbhum district (Bengali pronunciation:[biːrbʰuːm]) is anadministrative unit in theIndian state ofWest Bengal. It is the northernmost district ofBurdwan division—one of the fiveadministrative divisions of West Bengal. The district headquarters is inSuri. Other important cities areRampurhat,Bolpur andSainthia.[4][5]Jamtara,Dumka andPakur districts of the state ofJharkhand lie at the western border of this district; the border in other directions is covered by the districts ofBardhaman ofPurba Bardhaman,Paschim Bardhaman andMurshidabad of West Bengal.
Often called "the land of red soil",[6] Birbhum is noted for its topography and its cultural heritage which is somewhat different from the other districts in West Bengal. The western part of Birbhum is a bushy region, a part of theChota Nagpur Plateau. This region gradually merges with the fertile alluvial farmlands in the east.[7]
This district saw many cultural and religious movements in history.Tarapith is aHindu pilgrimage site located at 9km distance fromRampurhat city, which is one of the prominent places in Birbhum where every day a large number of pilgrims from across the country, neighboring states, and even abroad gather.This town is particularly known for theTarapith Temple and its adjoining Hinducrematory ground. TheVisva Bharati University atSantiniketan, established byRabindranath Tagore, is one of the places Birbhum is known for.[8] Many festivals are celebrated in the district, includingPoush Mela.[9]
Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75.09% of the population being dependent on agriculture.[10] Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling,lac harvesting, stone mining and metalware and pottery manufacture.[11]Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station is the onlyheavy industry in the district.[12]
The name Birbhum comes probably from the term 'land' ('bhumi') of the 'brave' ('bir') orBir king').[13][14] Another theory says that the district bears the name ofBagdi kingBir Malla, who ruled in the area from 1501 to 1554 CE.[13][14]Bir in theSantali language means forests; therefore, Birbhum could also mean a land of forests.[13][14]
Situated between 23° 32' 30" (right above thetropic of cancer) and 24° 35' 0" north latitude and 87° 5' 25" and 88° 1' 40" east longitudes, and about 4,545 square kilometres (1,755 sq mi) in area, this district is triangular. River Ajay forms the southern base and the apex of the triangle points north. The river forms the boundary between the districts of Birbhum and Bardhaman. The state ofJharkhand is at the northern and the western border of Birbhum and Murshidabad is at the east.[5][11][13]
Geographically, this area lies at the northeastern end of theChota Nagpur Plateau, as it slopes down and merges with the alluvial plains of theGanges. In the district there is only hilly area of natural rock formation situated nearDubrajpur town calledMama BhagnePahar (Hills). The western portion of the district is historically known asVajjabhumi orBajrabhumi.[7][15] It is an undulating upland that is generally barren. The comparatively more fertile eastern portion, constituting the northeastern Rarh region, merges with the Gangetic plain.Vajjabhumi is included in the Rarh region, and the rest of Rarh is calledSumha to differentiate it fromVajjabhumi.[7][15]
| Subdivision | Headquarters | Area (km2) (2001) | Population (2011) | Rural population (%) | Urban population (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rampurhat | Rampurhat | 1,574.23 | 1,508,506 | 96.62 | 3.38 |
| Suri Sadar | Suri | 1,782.72 | 1,121,871 | 96.57 | 3.43 |
| Bolpur | Bolpur | 1,186.66 | 872,027 | 96.56 | 3.44 |
| Birbhum district (Total) | – | 4,545.00 | 3,502,404 | 96.59 | 3.41 |
The climate on the western side is dry and extreme but is relatively milder on the eastern side. During summer, the temperature can shoot well above 40 °C (104 °F) and in winters it can drop to around 6 °C (43 °F).[11] Rainfall is higher in the western areas as compared to the eastern areas. The annual average rainfall in Rajnagar is 1,405 millimetres (55.3 in) and in Nanoor it is 1,212 millimetres (47.7 in), mostly in the monsoon months (June to October).[7][13]
Climate and rainfall chart of Birbhum District:[16]
| Month | Normal rainfall (in mm) |
|---|---|
| January | 9.7 |
| February | 23.2 |
| March | 23.3 |
| April | 40.7 |
| May | 88.7 |
| June | 234.2 |
| July | 324.5 |
| August | 295.7 |
| September | 258.2 |
| October | 105.4 |
| November | 17.5 |
| December | 9.4 |
| Yearly | 1430.5 |
A number of rivers flow across Birbhum. Some of the most notable includeAjay,Mayurakshi,Kopai,Bakreshwar,Brahmani,Dwarka,Hinglo, andBansloi.[5][11] Almost all the rivers originate higher up on the Chota Nagpur plateau and flow across Birbhum in a west–east direction. During themonsoon season, the rivers flow high and swift compared to the dry summer season, resulting in a cycle of floods and droughts.[7][10] The Mayurakshi provides irrigation for about 2,428 square kilometres (937 sq mi).[17]
The area now known as Birbhum was inhabited from pre-historic times. Some of the archaeological sites related toPandu Rajar Dhibi ofChalcolithic remains are located in Birbhum.[18] Stone age implements have been found at several places in the district.[19]
According to the oldJain bookAcaranga Sutra, the last (24th) greatTirthankaraMahavira had wandered through this land, referred to as the "pathless country ofLadha inVajjabhumi andSubbhabhumi (probablySuhma)" in the fifth century BCE.[5][15][20] According to some historians, the spread ofJainism andBuddhism in the Rarh region was part of the process of Aryanisation of the area.[21] Based onDivyabdan, aBuddhist text, Dr. Atul Sur has inferred thatGautam Buddha probably traversed this area to go toPundravardhana andSamatata.[22]
TheRarh region, once a part of theMaurya Empire was later included in the empires of theimperial Guptas,Shashanka andHarshavardhana. After dismemberment of Harshavardhana's empire, the region was ruled by thePalas, under whose rule Buddhism, particularly theVajrayana cult, flourished.[23] In the seventh century CE, the Chinese travellerXuanzang described some of the monasteries he visited in the region.[15][22] In the 12th century CE, theSena dynasty took control of the area.[5]
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The region was ruled by Muslims in the 13th century CE, although their control over the western parts of the district appears to have been minimal, with true power resting in the hands of the local Hindu chiefs, known as the Bir Rajas (Bagdi Malla dynasty).[5] The towns of Hetampur, Birsinghpur and Rajnagar contain their relics.[24]Hetampur andRajnagar kingdoms ruled most of Birbhum and parts of Burdwan, Maldah andJharkhand fromDubrajpur (meaning two kingdoms – Hetampur & Rajnagar).Minhaj-i-Siraj, the author of theTabaqat-i-Nasiri, mentions Lakhnur as thethanah (headquarters) of the Rarhwing of the Muslim rule and an important frontier post. The location of Lakhnur, though not yet identified, falls in Birbhum.[5][15]
The area which is now Birbhum district was badly impacted by theGreat Bengal famine of 1770. Many villages were wiped out entirely, and even in large towns, over three quarters of households perished.[25]
The administrative unit called Birbhum was first formed in 1787 under theBritish East India Company, as "District Beerbhoom". The area had previously been administered as a part of Murshidabad district. The original district was much larger than its modern incarnation.[5][15]
In the late 18th century, Birbhum and surrounding areas were affected by more famines followed by a peasants' insurrection. Although the insurrection primarily targetedzamindars and the government, trading and manufacturing centres were also looted. In June 1789, the manufacturing town ofIlambazar was sacked, although it recovered and became a magnet for manufacturing and trade.[26]
Until 1793, Birbhum included "Bishenpore" orBishnupur, which is now part of the Bankura district. Until the1857 Sepoy Mutiny, theSanthal Parganas was part of Birbhum; the district thus sprawled up toDeoghar in the west. The immediate reason then for separating the western tribal majority areas was theSanthal rebellion of 1855–56.[5][15] In 1872, Birbhum district comprises 1,344 square miles (3,480 km2) area with 695,921 inhabitants.[27]
Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75% of the people dependent on agriculture.[10] While 159.3 km2 (61.5 sq mi) of land is occupied by forests, 3,329.05 km2 (1,285.35 sq mi) of land is used for agricultural purposes.[11] 91.02% of the population live in villages.[10] Out of total 4,50,313 farmers(holding 3,20,610 hectares of land), 3,59,404 are marginal farmers(holding 1,41,813 hectares altogether), 63,374 are small farmers(holding 95,144 hectares altogether), 26,236 are semi-medium farmers(holding 76,998 hectares altogether), 1,290 are medium farmers(holding 6,215 hectare altogether), and 9 are large farmers (holding 440 hectares of land). The average size of land holding per farmer is 0.71 hectares. 6,07,172 people work as agricultural labourers in Birbhum.[16] Major crops produced in the district include rice, legumes, wheat, corn (maize), potatoes and sugar cane.[10] The district has thirteen cold storages.[11] Land with irrigation facilities in 2001-02 totalled 2,763.9 km2 (1,067.1 sq mi).[10] There are five barrages, providing irrigation support.Canada Dam on the Mayurakshi river at Massanjore lies close to the border of Birbhum and theDumka district in Jharkhand. Further down the Mayurakshi is the Tilpara Barrage at Suri.[10]
Birbhum is a major centre ofcottage industries. Perhaps the most notable cottage industry is a non-profit rural organisation namedAmar Kutir. Other main industries in Birbhum are agriculture-based industries, textiles, forestry, arts and crafts. Sriniketan is noted for its dairy industry and as a forestry centre. Some of the notable forms of cottage industries of Birbhum include textile—especially cotton and locally harvested tussar silk, jute works, batik, kantha stitch, macramé (weaving by knotting threads), leather, pottery and terracotta, solapith, woodcarving, bamboo and cane craft, metal works and tribal crafts.[11] There are 8,883 small and medium scale industries. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling, lac harvesting, and metalware and pottery manufacture.[11]Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station (210 MW x 3 + 210 MW x 2 under construction) is the only heavy industry in the district.[12]
Sainthia is known as business capital of Birbhum and an economically important city. Sainthia is the major centre for export and import of cottage industries. Sainthia is known as the business capital of Birbhum and an economically important city. Sainthia is a major center for the export and import of cottage industries. As the business epicenter of Birbhum, Sainthia was home to a prominent coconut oil manufacturer established by the Chandra family. 'Lion (সিংহ) Marka' (Lion Brand) coconut oil, which was manufactured and processed in a factory located in main Sainthia. This iconic brand not only gained statewide and national recognition but also became a symbol of the Sainthia's industrial prowess, significantly contributing to its economic growth. The factory's operations, which spanned from 1950s to nearly 45 years, were a cornerstone of Sainthia's prominence until they ceased in 1992. Today plenty of large, semi-large scale businesses run in this city, credit to its well connected logistics and rail network. Moreover, the economy stands tall credit to sales of agricultural based products.[28][29][30]
In 2006 theMinistry of Panchayati Raj named Birbhum one of the country's 250most backward districts (out of a total of640).[31] It is one of the eleven districts in West Bengal currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[31]
The district comprises three subdivisions:Suri Sadar,Bolpur andRampurhat.[4]Suri is the district headquarters. There are 26 police stations, 19 development blocks, 6 municipalities and 167gram panchayats in this district.[4][32] Other than municipality area, each subdivision contains community development blocs which in turn are divided into rural areas and census towns. There are seven urban units: six municipalities and onecensus town.[32][33] The latest amongst the urban units to have a municipality was Nalhati in 2000.[34]
Before delimitation the district was divided into 12assembly constituencies (AC):[35]Nanoor (AC #283),Bolpur (AC #284),Labhpur (AC #285),Dubrajpur (AC #286),Rajnagar (AC #287),Suri (AC #288),Mahammad Bazar (AC #289),Mayureswar (AC #290),Rampurhat (AC #291),Hansan (AC #292),Nalhati (AC #293) andMurarai (AC #294). The constituencies of Nanoor, Rajnagar, Mayureswar and Hansan were reserved forScheduled Castes (SC) candidates.[35]Vidhan Sabha was elected in2006 assembly elections, which took place before the rearrangement of parliamentary and assembly constituencies as per order of theDelimitation Commission in respect of thedelimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal. Delimitation was made effective for all elections in the state of West Bengal that was held on or after 19 February 2008.[36]2009 Indian general election was based on the newly formed parliamentary constituencies and the newly formed assembly constituencies have representatives in the 2011 elections of West Bengal.
As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of thedelimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the district is divided into 11 assembly constituencies:[37]
Dubrajpur, Suri, Mayureswar, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati and Murarai assembly segments form theBirbhum (Lok Sabha constituency).[37] Bolpur, Nanoor, Labhpur, and Sainthia constituencies are part ofBolpur (Lok Sabha constituency), which will contain three other assembly segments from Bardhaman district.[37]
ThePanagarh–Morgram Highway runs through the district. All the towns and villages are connected by roads. The total length of roads in the district are: surfaced–2,413 km (1,499 mi) and unsurfaced–4,674 km (2,904 mi). Against this the total length of rail track in the district is 201.32 km (125.09 mi), including 26.55 km (16.50 mi) of theAhmadpur-Katwa line, laid in 1917.[11] TheSahibganj Loop of theEastern Railway, laid in 1862, passes through this district.Rampurhat Junction is the most busiest railway station of this district. There is a junction at Nalhati for the connection toAzimganj in Murshidabad district. TheAndal-Sainthia Branch Line connects it to the main Howrah-Delhi main line at Andal.[11]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 902,280 | — |
| 1911 | 940,162 | +0.41% |
| 1921 | 851,725 | −0.98% |
| 1931 | 947,554 | +1.07% |
| 1941 | 1,048,317 | +1.02% |
| 1951 | 1,066,889 | +0.18% |
| 1961 | 1,446,158 | +3.09% |
| 1971 | 1,775,909 | +2.08% |
| 1981 | 2,095,829 | +1.67% |
| 1991 | 2,555,664 | +2.00% |
| 2001 | 3,015,422 | +1.67% |
| 2011 | 3,502,404 | +1.51% |
| Source:Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India[38] | ||
In 1901, Birbhum had a population of 902,280, which by 1981 rose to 2,095,829. According to the 2001 census data, the total population has further risen to 3,015,422. The following table summarises the population distribution:[39]
| Rural/Urban | Persons | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 3,015,422 | 1,546,633 | 1,468,789 |
| Rural | 2,757,002 | 1,414,097 | 1,342,905 |
| Urban | 258,420 | 132,536 | 125,884 |
According to the2011 census Birbhum district has apopulation of 3,502,404,[40] roughly equal to the nation ofLithuania[41] or the US state ofConnecticut.[42] This gives it a ranking of 84th in India (out of a total of640).[40] The district has a population density of 771 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,000/sq mi).[40] Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.15%.[40] Birbhum has asex ratio of 956females for every 1000 males,[40] and aliteracy rate of 70.9%. 12.83% of the population lives in urban areas.Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 29.50% and 6.92% of the population respectively.[40][43] Other than those speaking the local dialect ofBengali, there are tribalSanthals and ten othertribal communities in Birbhum with some presence, amongst whomKoda,Mahali andOraons are more common.[44]
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 62.28% | |||
| Islam | 37.06% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.66% | |||
| Religion | Population (1941)[46]: 75 | Percentage (1941) | Population[47](1951) | Percentage (1951) | Population (2011)[45] | Percentage (2011) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hinduism | 686,436 | 65.48% | 774,527 | 72.60% | 2,181,515 | 62.28% |
Islam | 287,310 | 27.41% | 286,518 | 26.86% | 1,298,054 | 37.06% |
| Tribal religion[a] | 71,073 | 6.78% | 4,661 | 0.44% | 6,051 | 0.17% |
| Others[b] | 3,498 | 0.33% | 17,727 | 0.51% | ||
| Total Population | 1,048,317 | 100 | 1,066,889 | 100% | 3,502,404 | 100% |
Notes:
| ||||||
According to2011 Indian census, Hindus formed around 62% of the total population and Muslims over 37%. Muslims are in majority inMurarai I (58.92%),Murarai II (75.00%) andNalhati II (70.10%) CD blocks in the northeast of the district, and have a significant presence inNalhati I (46.64%),Rampurhat II (48.20%), andIlambazar (47.40%) CD blocks. Others, including religious groups and non-religion population fall below 1% of the population.[45] In the2001 Indian census of the district, Hindus formed 64.49% of the population while 35.08% were Muslims.[48] There is a sprinkling of other religious groups in the population.
| CD block | Hindu % | Muslim % | Other % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murarai I | 40.58 | 58.92 | 0.5 |
| Murarai II | 24.91 | 75.00 | 0.09 |
| Nalhati I | 52.11 | 46.64 | 1.25 |
| Nalhati II | 29.79 | 70.10 | 0.11 |
| Rampurhat I | 67.38 | 30.61 | 2.01 |
| Rampurhat II | 51.64 | 48.20 | 0.16 |
| Mayureswar I | 69.84 | 29.33 | 0.83 |
| Mayureswar II | 74.06 | 25.65 | 0.29 |
| Mohammad Bazar | 67.15 | 31.29 | 1.56 |
| Rajnagar | 84.74 | 14.27 | 0.99 |
| Suri I | 73.02 | 26.59 | 0.39 |
| Suri II | 67.70 | 31.59 | 0.71 |
| Sainthia | 77.68 | 21.46 | 0.86 |
| Labpur | 69.24 | 30.54 | 0.22 |
| Nanoor | 64.71 | 34.97 | 0.32 |
| Bolpur Sriniketan | 73.92 | 25.45 | 0.63 |
| Illambazar | 51.67 | 47.40 | 0.93 |
| Dubrajpur | 66.52 | 33.22 | 0.26 |
| Khoyrasol | 75.51 | 24.3 | 0.19 |
| Area not under any Sub-district | 75.88 | 23.41 | 0.71 |
At the time of the 2011 census, 92.38% of the population spokeBengali and 6.01%Santali as their first language.[49]
Thebauls of Birbhum, their philosophy and their songs form a notable representation of the folk culture of the district. Birbhum has been home tokabiyals,kirtaniyas and other folk culture groups.[9][50]
The numerousfairs in Birbhum start withPoush Mela at Santiniketan and follows through the Bengali month ofPoush untilMakar Sankranti. Particularly lively is the fair atJaydev Kenduli.[9] Festivities are organised across the seasons.[51] People of Birbhum patronise folk entertainment programmes such asjatra,kavigan,raibenshe andalkap.[52]
Many poets were born in this district, as for example,Chandidas (Rami).[52] In addition to being a confluence ofVaishnava,Shakta andSaiva cultures, Birbhum villages observe ancient customs like worship of gramdevta (gram means village anddevta means deity) in many forms.[53][54]
Amongst the major attractions of Birbhum areBakreshwar,Tarapith Temple,Dwarbasini temple atChondrapur,Fullara atLabpur andPatharchapuri. Birbhum has many old temples, such as the ones at Jaydev Kenduli, Surul and Nanoor, with delicate decorative tiles made ofterra cotta (burnt clay).[55]
The eastern area of Birbhum is a part of the rice plains of West Bengal, and the vegetation includes usual characteristics of rice fields in Bengal, such as species ofAponogeton,Utricularia,Drosera,Philcoxia,Scrophulariaceae and similar aquatic orpalustrine genera.[13][56] In the drier western region of the district, the characteristic shrubs and herbs include species ofWendlandia,Convolvulaceae,Stipa,Tragus,Spermacoce,Ziziphus,Capparis and similar plants that grows on laterite soil.[56]Mango,palm, andbamboo are among common trees in Birbhum.[56] Other common species of plants includejackfruit,arjun,sal,guava, kend andmahua.[56]
Other thanferal dogs and domestic cattle, the most frequently encountered non-human mammal is thehanuman, a long tailedgrey langur prevalent in theGangetic plain. Some wildboars andwolves may still be spotted in the small forests of Chinpai, Bandarsol and Charicha.[56] Leopards and bears are not to be seen any more in the wild.[56] Sometimes during the season when mahua trees bloom, wildAsiatic elephants from Jharkhand come in trampling crops and threatening life and property.[56] Birds of Birbhum include a mix of hilly and plain-land dwelling species likepartridge,pigeon, green pigeon,water fowls,doyel,Indian robin,drongo,hawk,cuckoo,koel,sunbird,Indian roller,parrot,babbler, and somemigratory birds.[56]
Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary near Santiniketan was declared a sanctuary in 1977.[57] Economically important trees are planted here andblackbucks,spotted deer, jackals, foxes and a variety of water birds live in its 2 km2 (0.8 mi2).[57][58][59]
Educational facilities in Birbhum district:[11]
High School–256
Higher Secondary School–110
Junior High School–95
Junior High Madarsa–10
Senior Madarsa–4
Primary School–237
Sishu Sikhsha Kendra–495
Anganwadi Centre–2407
College–12
University–1
Engineering colleges–2
Polytechnic–1
Industrial Training Institute (ITI)–1
According to the 2011 census Birbhum district had aliteracy rate of 70.9%.[40] up from 62.16% in 2001. In 1951 census, the literacy rate was 17.74%. It increased to 48.56% in 1991.[60]
The growth of literacy in the last decade of the twentieth century was particularly remarkable with special emphasis on the eradication of illiteracy. While it is feared that Birbhum may not be able to fulfill the national objective of sending all children in the age group 6–14 years to school by 2010, efforts are on in that direction.[60]
The district has 127 libraries supported by the government, one private library and one district library.[11]
One of the most popular outdoor sports in the villages of Birbhum used to bedanguli (literal meaning "ball and stick").[51] However, in recent timescricket has replaced some of its popularity. A major cricket event named as:Dream Gold Cup is organised in Labpur every year in the month of January. Cricket teams from all over the state comes for participation. It is played in theStadium field inSasthinagar. A sport that can be played outdoors and indoors and is popular among children ismarbles, which involves projecting a striker bead with fingers to hit an ensemble of black or green glass beads.
In addition tocricket, the other most popular outdoor sports of this district arefootball andkabadi andvolleyball.[51]
Tejhati
Lithuania 3,535,547 July 2011 est.
Connecticut 3,574,097
Birbhum travel guide from WikivoyagePlaces adjacent to Birbhum district | |
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