Jalpaiguri

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name=Jalpaiguri


latd = 26.32|latNS=N|longd=88.46|longEW=E
state_name=West Bengal
district=Jalpaiguri district
leader_title=Chairman
leader_name= Mohan Bose
altitude= 89
population_as_of = 2001 | population_total = 100212 | population_density = 1426
area_magnitude = 9
area_total= 70.29
area_telephone= 03561
postal_code= 735 101
vehicle_code_range= WB-71 WB-72
footnotes = |

Jalpaiguri (Bengali:জলপাইগুড়ি) is a town in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of Jalpaiguri district, and the divisional headquarters of the North Bengal region.

History

Jalpaiguri was initially founded as a trading centre, as the origins of its name suggests.The name "Jalpaiguri" comes from the Bhutanese term "je-le-pe-go-ri", which means 'a place where warm clothes are bought and sold'. Some people attribute the name to the more common Bengali term "jalpai", which means Olives and thus the name meaning the town of Olives.

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 [http://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?chapterid=99&countryid=96&picid=2 Hardinge Bridge] and Parbatipur junction, now in Bangladesh).

The British had their own little spots in and around the town. The Jalpaiguri Club, the Race Course (now defunct), the beautiful bungalows along the banks of the Teesta and the Karala and the defunct airport at Panga, close to the town, bear testimony to this fact.

It is amazing how Jalpaiguri still retained most of its colonial character even fifty-plus years after independence. The core town possibly resembles more or less the same as it was during the end of the British rule.A walk along the Teesta beside the stately bungalows, built by the British, now housing the Government officials, would evoke the same feelings.A visit to the beautiful parks and gardens along the banks of the Karala gives peace to the strained city-dweller. This is colonial Bengal in all its glory.

Geography

Jalpaiguri is located at coord|26.52|N|88.73|E| [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/28/Jalpaiguri.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Jalpaiguri] ] . It has an average elevation of 75 metres (246 feet). Jalpaiguri lies in the middle of the vast fertile plains (Terai) 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 dividing 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 3 to 8 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.

A 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, etc., have set up shop there.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census [GR|India] , 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 1905, it is headed by a Chairman who is elected by the residents of the town.The responsibility of the welfare of the town and maintenance of public properties lies in its hands.

Politics

Jalpaiguri is part of Jalpaiguri (Lok Sabha constituency). [cite web
url = http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S25/WB_Dist_PC_AC.pdf
title = Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies
accessdate = 2008-10-02
work = West Bengal
publisher = Election Commission of India ]

Places of interest

* Jalpaiguri Rajbari, at Rajbaripara. "Rajbari" means Palace. The palace gate at Rajbari is a large unreinforced concrete arch structure..
* 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 Teesta.
* 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.
* 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.
* Jalpesh Temple. An old Shiva temple about 15 km from the town.
* Jaldapara Wildlife sanctuary, about 50 km west of the town
* Gorumara National Park, a wildlife national park located north towards the northern part of Jalpaiguri district.

Education

chools

Other than the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education, there are private schools administered by either the CNI or Catholic or other non Christian schools --- these 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
* Jalpaiguri Zilla School.It was established in 1876 by the British government and it has been one of the best educational institutes in the district and also in the state.Saptarsi Nag,a former student of this prestigious school raised the status of the institute by securing the 1st position in the West Bengal Civil Services Examination in 2006.Ahishek Bose,Sayan Paul,Tathagata Dey and many other former students of the school also achieved great success in their respective fields.
* Fanindra Deb Institution(FDI)
* Jalpaiguri Govt. Girls' School
* Central Girls School
* Holy Child School
* Sunity Bala Academy (formerly known as Sadar Girls' School)
* Sonaullah High Secondary School
* Sonali Girls School
* Kadamtala Girls High School
* Jalpaiguri High School
* Arabindanagar Uchamadhyamik Vidyalaya
* Saint Anthony's School
* St.Paul's School

Rural Area
* Mohitnagar Taraprasad Uchcha Vidyalaya (Boye'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

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 Technology [http://www.wbut.net WBUT] . Ananda Chandra College is the leading science and arts college in the district of Jalpaiguri.

Colleges

* [http://www.jgec.org Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College]
* [http://www.jpi.in Jalpaiguri Polytechnic Institute]
* Junior Polytechnic Institute
* Jalpaiguri Law College
* [http://www.accollege.org Ananda Chandra College]
* [http://nbu.ac.in/jal2.html Ananda Chandra College of Commerce]
* Prasanna Deb College
* B.T. College
* Institute of Pharmacy

Sports

tadiums

Jalpaiguri has two main stadium. The Town Club Stadium and newly built Jalpaiguri Sports Complex.

ports clubs

Jalpaiguri Town Club is a century old club in this town. Other old sports clubs in Jalpaiguri are: JYMA, FUC and JYCC.

Milan Sangha, East Bengal Fans Club, RSA(Raikatpara Sporting Association) and Sanghasree Club are some other notable clubs of the town.

Transport

The main mode of public transport is the rickshaw. 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 Siliguri are available from here.
* Super Bus Stand near the Railway Station - Super (or non stop) bus services to Siliguri are available from here.
* Santipara Private Bus Terminus - Buses to the Dooars region, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Mathabhanga, etc. are available from here.

The town is very well connected to Siliguri (45 km away), Kolkata and all neighbouring towns and districts.

Train services

Jalpaiguri lies in the Northeast Frontier Railway 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 (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. The Jalpaiguri railway station (lying on the old Sealdah-Siliguri route via Bangladesh) is primarily used for a couple of trains to Kolkata (Sealdah).

Trivia

* Jalpaiguri is the largest district of North Bengal.
* Jalpaiguri experiences highest rainfall in West Bengal.
* The statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on the banks of the Karala, is said to be the oldest in the country.
* Forensic lab in Police Lines in Racecourse para is the first forensic lab in India.
* The 'Power House' in Nayabasti was inaugurated by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Notable residents

* Samaresh Majumdar, famous Bengali author of novels like "Uttoradhikar", "Kalpurush", "Kalbela", etc.
* Debesh Roy, the author of "Teesta Parer Brittanto"
* P.K.Banerjee, renowned football player and coach who represented India at the international level.
* Dr Tushar Kanti Chaudhuri, a noted educationist
* Dr. Charu Chandra Sanyal, renowned doctor and researcher of the Toto tribe.
* Dr. Ashim Mallick, educationist.
* Abhradeep Mazumder, famous cricketer.
* Uday Shankar Sarker . Assam More .
* Saptarsi Nag,a promising civil servant and 1st rank holder in the West Bengal civil Service Examination in 2006

References

it really required to showcase the lot of people really involvement in Jalpaiguri development. Any present resident o jalpaiguri should come forward and update it.

External links

* [http://jalpaiguri.nic.in/index.htm Jalpaiguri Website]
* [http://www.wb.nic.in/dist/jalpai.html West Bengal Jalpaiguri District]
* [http://www.north-bengal.com/places/jalpaiguri/ Jalpaiguri Tourism]
* [http://www.sjda.org/ Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority]
* [http://www.east-himalaya.com/dooars/jalpaiguri.htm Tourist Destinations]

ee also

* Jalpaiguri (Lok Sabha constituency)

Towns and cities of Jalpaiguri district