Baranagar

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Baranagar | type = city | latd = 22.64 | longd = 88.37
locator_position = right | state_name = West Bengal
district = North 24 Parganas
leader_title =Municipality Chairman
leader_name =Anuradha Roy [ [http://north24parganas.nic.in/municipality.html Official District Administration site] ]
altitude = 12
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 250,615| population_density =
area_magnitude= sq. km
area_total =
area_telephone =
postal_code =
vehicle_code_range =
sex_ratio =
unlocode =
website =
footnotes =

Baranagar (Bengali বরানগর) or Barahanagar {meaning the big (Bara or Burra) and Town (Nagar) or land(nagar) of the pig(baraha)} is a town in the northern outskirts of Kolkata. It is a municipality in North 24 Parganas district in the state of West Bengal, India. A railway station of the same name is on the Dankuni line off Sealdah north section. It has the famous Gun Shell Factory of the Indian Government under the Ministry of Defence, and one of the Jute mills on the bank of Hooghly river. It is a major industrial center, with manufactures in agricultural and industrial machinery, chemicals, castor oil, and matches; there are numerous cotton-processing industries.

History

The Dutch mynheers had a house and a garden here in olden days. Streynsham Master who visited them in 1676 speaks of the Hogg factory where they killed about 3,000 hoggs in a year and salted them for export. Later it became the seat of the extensive jute mills manufacturing gunny bags. [ Cotton, H.E.A., "Calcutta Old and New", 1909/1980, pp 806-807, General Printers and Publishers Pvt. Ltd. ] A very important road parallel to river Hooghly connects Baranagar bazar with Dakshineswar. In between few more temple like Kaancher Mandir(temple made up of glass), Joy Mitra Kali Bari, Pathbari are situated.

Geography

Baranagar is located at coord|22.64|N|88.37|E|. [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/28/Baranagar.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Baranagar] ] It has an average elevation of 12 metres (39 feet).It is situated east of the Hooghly River.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, [GR|India] Baranagar had a population of 250,615. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Baranagar has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 55% of the males and 45% of females literate. 8% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Education

On Baranagar soil, stands the headquarters of the Indian Statistical Institute. Among the major Educational institutes of Baranagar, one can name Bramhananda Keshabchandra College, Bonhoogly College Of Commerce (currently known as Prasanta Chandra Mahalanabis Mahavidyalaya named after world recognised statistician Prof. P.C.Mahalanabis- the founder of Indian Statistical Institute), Baranagar Vidyamandir for Boys (H.S), Baranagar Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Primary And High School, Baranagar Narendra Nath Vidyamandir (started by Captain Narendra Nath Dutta), Rajkumari Memorial Girls' School, Maa Sarada Vidyamandir For Girls', Netaji High School, Rameswar H.S. School, etc.

Culture

It also has a Kali Temple at Dakshineswar area namely Rashmoni Mandir named after its founder Rani Rashmoni. The temple is a heritage building. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was the priest and Swami Vivekananda had visited this place in his youth. Baranagar Math near Kuthi ghat is the place where Swami Vivekananda and few other disciples of Sri Ramakrishna Dev started their spiritual journey that culminated in forming the monastic order later located at Belur Math. Udyan Baati also called Cossipore Math is another significant destination of the followers of Sri Ramakrishna, where he became the Kalpataru on 1 January, 1886.

Politics

Baranagar is part of Dum Dum (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 ]

References

ee also