Raina, Bardhaman

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Raina | type = CD Block/ city | latd = 23.07 | longd = 87.88
state_name = West Bengal
district = Bardhaman
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude = 26
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 162923| population_density =
area_magnitude=
area_total = 266.44
area_telephone =
postal_code =
vehicle_code_range =
sex_ratio =
unlocode =
website =bardhaman.gov.in/
footnotes = CD Block

Raina (also spelt Rayna and called Rainagar) is a town, police station and community development block in the Sadar subdivision of Bardhaman District, West Bengal, India.

Geography

Raina is located at coord|23.07|N|87.88|E| [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/28/Rainagar.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Raina] ] . It has an average elevation of m to ft|26|m|abbr=on.

Unlike the rest of Bardhaman district, which lies to the north of the Damodar River, the Khandaghosh-Jamalpur-Raina area lies on the alluvial plains between the Damodar on its southern/ eastern side and Dwarakeswar river. As a result it has been a flood prone area. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, "Bardhaman Jelar Itihas O Lok Sanskriti" (History and Folk lore of Bardhaman District.), Bn icon, Vol I, pp15-18, Radical Impression. ISBN 81-85459-36-3 ] It is from this area that Mundeswari river originates. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p33 ] The small Ratnela khal also originates in the region and later flows in to the Ghia river in Hooghly district. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p36 ]

There is a ferry ghat at Ekalki on the Dwarakeswar river. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p716 ]

History

Administrative set up

Subsequent to Lord Cornwallis’ Permanent Settlement, parganas of the earlier period were converted into ‘thanas’ or police stations. As early as 1860, there is mention of Jahanabad (subsequently renamed Arambag), Kotulpur, Goghat and Raina police stations in Jahanabad subdivision. In Peterson’s "District Gazeteer" of 1910 there is mention of Raina and other police stations in Bardhaman subdivision. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p369 ] In 1968-69, Raina and other blocks were created. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p388 ] BAPPADITYA PALITSON OF SALIL BARAN PALIT

Movements

In 1933, freedom fighter Dasarathi Tah was involved in Swadeshi dacoities in Meral, Mirzapur and Bogra in the area. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p445 ] Damodar floods wrought havoc in the area and Dasarathi Tah initiated the ‘Nakrah hana embankment movement’ and even published a weekly newspaper named Damodar to focus on the problems faced by the people. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p478 ] In 1948, Raina witnessed the ‘Tebhaga movement’, where share croppers demanded a higher share of the crops they grew. The movement was led by Benoy Choudhuri and Bipadtaran Roy. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p485 ]

Demographics

Raina I community development block spread over 266.44 km² had a total population of 162, 923 in 2001. Out of this 83,611 were males and 79, 312 were females. Hindus formed 85.29% of the population and Muslims 14.59%. [ [http://bardhaman.gov.in/blocks/raina_i.htm Official website of District administration] ]

Raina II community development block spread over 222.4 km² had a total population of 137, 337 in 2001. Out of this 70, 819 were males and 66, 518 were females. Hindus formed 85.29% of the population and Muslims 14.59%. [ [http://bardhaman.gov.in/blocks/raina_ii.htm Official website of District administration] ]

Transport

In September 2005, South Eastern Railway threw open passenger services on the 41 km long Bankura-Sonamukhi broad gauge section, being the first phase of the Bankura-Damodar River Railway project. BDR project entails extension from Sonamukhi to Raina (19.8 km) and then on to Masagram, providing direct connectivity to Howrah through Eastern Railway. [ [http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/09/21/stories/2005092102931900.htm Hindu Business Line 21 September 2005] ] Work is in progress (in 2007) in the Sonamukhi-Raina section. [ [http://exim.indiamart.com/budget-2006-07/rail-budget2006-07/speech-railway-budget-06-07-part-1.html Railway Budget 2006-07] ]

Education

The Raina area has not lagged behind in education. In 1838, a survey by Adams revealed that there were 190 Sanskrit tols in Bardhaman district. Out of this 13 were in Raina. The same report also mentioned Persian schools in the area. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p547 ] In 1947, at the time of independence there were only three colleges in Bardhaman district – at Bardhaman, Kalna and Asansol. Shyamsundar College at Raina was established in 1948. [ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, pp560-561 ]

Politics

Swapan Samanta of CPI (M) won the Raina assembly seat in 2006 defeating his nearest rival Nityananda Tah of AITC. In 2001 and 1996, Shyamaprosad Pal of CPI (M) defeated Arup Kumar Das of AITC and Arabinda Bhattacharyya of INC, in the respective years. In 1991, 1987 and 1982, Dhirendranath Chatterjee of CPI (M) defeated Sunil Das, Uday Sankar Sain and Sukumar Chattopadhyay, all of INC, in the respective years. In 1977, Ram Narayan Goswami of CPI (M) defeated Ajit Krishna Bhattacharya of INC. [ [http://eci.gov.in/electionanalysis/AE/S25/partycomp273.htm Election Commission] State assembly elections 1977 – 2006 ]

Sukumar Chattopadhyay of INC won the seat in 1972, [ [http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/SE_1972/StatReport_WB_72.pdf Assembly elections 1972] ] and in 1971, it was won by Gokulananda Roy of CPI (M). [ [http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1971/StatReport_WB_71.pdf Assembly elections 1971] ] Panchu Gopal Guha of CPI (M) won it in 1969, [ [http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/SE_1969/StatReport_WB_69.pdf Assembly elections 1969] ] and Dasarthi Tah of PSP won it in 1967. [ [http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1967/Statistical_report_WB1967.pdf Assembly elections 1967] ] Prabodh Kumar Guha of INC won the seat in 1962. [ [http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1962/StatRep_WB_1962.pdf Assembly elections 1962] ] It was a double member seat in 1957 and 1951. In 1957, Dasarathi Tah and Gobardhan Pakray, both representing PSP, won the seats. [ [http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1957/StatRep_WB_1957.pdf Assembly elections 1957] ] In the first state assembly elections after independence in 1951, Dasarathi Tah and Mritunjoy Pramanik, both representing KMPP, won the Raina seats. [ [http://eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_1951/STATISTICALREPORTS_51_WestBengal.pdf Assembly elections 1951] ]

Raina is part of Bardhaman (Lok Sabha constituency). [cite web
url = http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S25/WB_ACPC.pdf
title = General election to the Legislative Assembly, 2001 – List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies
accessdate = 2007-02-21
last =
first =
work = West Bengal
publisher = Election Commission of India]

External links

* [http://bardhaman.gov.in/blocks/blocks.htm District map showing blocks]
* [http://www.bardhaman.com/bigmap.htm Map of Bardhaman district]

References

ee also