Bagmundi

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Bagmundi | type = city | latd =23.2000| longd =86.0500
state_name = West Bengal
district = Purulia
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude = 266
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 112388 | population_density =
area_magnitude= sq. km
area_total =
area_telephone =
postal_code =
vehicle_code_range =
sex_ratio =
unlocode =
website = purulia.gov.in/egov/egov_initiative.html
footnotes = CD Bloc

Bagmundi (also spelt Baghmundi) ( _bn. বাঘমুন্ডি) is a town and community development bloc in Purulia district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Bagmundi is well known for the Chhau dance masks.

History

In 1833, Manbhum district was carved out of Jungle Mahals district, with head quarters at Manbazar. In 1838, the headquarters was transferred to Purulia. In 1956, Manbhum district was partitioned between Bihar and West Bengal under the States Reorganization Act and the Bihar and West Bengal (Transfer of Territories) Act 1956. [cite web
url = http://purulia.gov.in/district_profile/dist_profile.html | title = Historical background | accessdate = 2008-03-21 | last = | first = | work = | publisher = Purulia District ]

Mythology

According to Hindu mythology, Rama and Sita had come to Ayodhya Hill, about convert|10|km|mi|0|lk=on from Bagmundi and stayed during their exile. Sita was thirsty and Ram pierced an arrow through the earth's soil crust and through that water gushed out. Sita quenched her thirst. The place is known as Sita-kunda. During the full moon day in Baisakh every year tribals of nearby areas come and join in the game of hunting wild animals. [cite web
url = http://www.seemyindia.com/west-bengal/west-bengal-ayodhya-hill.htm
title = Ayodhya Hill | accessdate = 2008-03-21 | last = | first = | work = | publisher = SeeMyIndia ]

Geography

Bagmundi is located at coord|23.2000|N|86.0500|E|. It is at an altitude of convert|266|m|abbr=on. [cite web
url = http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/28/Baghmundi.html| title =Baghmundi | accessdate = 2008-03-21 | last = | first = | work = | publisher = Falling Rain Genomics]

The area forms the lowest step of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. The general scenario is undulating land with scattered hills. The area around Bagmundi or Ajodhya Hill is an extended plateau. [Houlton, Sir John, Bihar, the Heart of India, 1949, p. 170, Orient Longmans Ltd.]

Demographics

In the 2001 census, Bagmundi community development bloc had a total population of 112,388 of which 57,650 were males and 54,738 were females. Decadal growth for the period 1991-2001 was 13.64% for Bagmundi, against 13.96% in Purulia district. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84%. [cite web | url = http://www.wbcensus.gov.in/DataTables/02/Table4_14.htm | title = Provisional population totals, West Bengal, Table 4, Purulia District | accessdate = 2008-03-21 | last = | first = | work = Census of India 2001 | publisher = Census Commission of India]
Scheduled tribes at 28,272 formed around a quarter of the popluation. Scheduled castes numbered 13,101. [cite web
url = http://www.wbcensus.gov.in/HouseListingF/SCST/All_distSCST(TRU1)14.htm
title = TRU for all Districts (SC & ST and Total) | accessdate = 2008-03-02 | last = | first = | work = Census 2001 | publisher = Census Commission of India ]

Administration

Bagmundi is an intermediate panchayat in Purulia district, with Ajodhya, Bagmundi, Beergram, Burda-Kalimati, Matha, Serengdih, Sindri and Tunturi-Suisa village panchayats under it.. [cite web | url = http://offerings.nic.in/directory/adminreps/viewpansum.asp?selstate=19&pno=64&ptype=V&parenttype=S | title = Village Panchayats of West Bengal | accessdate = 2008-03-21 | last = | first = | work = Purulia | publisher = National Panchayat Directory, Panchayat Informatics Division, NIC ]

Economics

Purulia Pumped Storage Project with an installed capacity of 900 MW (4 X 225 MW) is being set up in Ajodhya hills under Bagmundi police station with the loan assistance of Japan Bank for International Cooperation. [cite web
url = http://ppsp-wbsedcl.com/detailactivity.htm
title = Purulia Pumped Storage Project | accessdate = 2008-03-02 | last = | first = | work = | publisher = West Bengal State Electricity Board]

Culture

Chhau dance mask

Chhau dance is popular in the area. All the characters in the dance are required to wear masks and as such cannot express the moods with facial expressions. Such moods are expressed with body and head (with the mask) movements. While mask movements show anger, shoulder and chest movements portray joy, melancholy, courage etc. The masks used in Chhau dance are made in Charida village in the Bagmundi area by sutradharas (artisans), who have been engaged in such work for generations. The artisans, who are familiar with the details of the Indian epics, that form the base of Chhau dance themes, produce masks that bear testimony to their artistic skills. [cite web
url = http://www.indialine.com/travel/westbengal/chhau.html | title = West Bengal Chhau| accessdate = 2008-03-02 | last = | first = | work = | publisher = India Line Expeditions]

Radha Govinda temple

There is a Radha Govinda temple within Bagmundi Rajbari, dating back to 1733. It is an "atchala" (right domed) temple with floral and geometrical terracotta designs but no figures. The "rasmancha" (stage) of a comparatively new temple has terracotta figures - enthroned Rama and Sita with entourage, Krishna in "rasmandala" with the "gopis", episodes like the holding up of Giri Gobardhan, or the killing of Bakasur, and many secular figures and animals-all crudely modelled.

ports

Pinki Paramanik, a 22-year-old athlete from the remote village of Tilakdih in Bagmundi block, won a gold medal at the 15th Asian Games women's relay in Doha in 2006. She brought her first international medal at the 18th Commonwealth Games women's relay race, by winning silver in Melbourne. She made a golden hat trick at the 10th SAF Games, securing gold in 400, 800 and women's relay. She is now all set to fly to the Beijing Olympics, 2008. [cite web
url = http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?date=2008-03-21&usrsess=1&clid=23&id=223115
title = Pinki braces for Beijing Olympics| accessdate = 2008-03-24 | last =Pal | first = Nani Gopal | work = | publisher = The Statesman, 21 March 2008]

References

ee also