Uttar Dinajpur a historical aspect: Dinajpur Uttar & Dakhsin

Uttar Dinajpur a historical aspect: Dinajpur Uttar & Dakhsin: "Uttar Dinajpur district is one of the newly formed districts of West Bengal. The district has been formed with two sub-divisions of the then..."

Dinajpur Uttar & Dakhsin

Uttar Dinajpur district is one of the newly formed districts of West Bengal. The district has been formed with two sub-divisions of the then West Dinajpur, which was bifurcated from Dinajpur during partition of Bengal. As such, while discussion about history of the district, history of West Dinajpur and undivided Dinajpur should also be considered.

In old days northern part of Bengal including some portion of Bihar which is situated on then other of the river Ganga was known as Uttarbanga. No symbol of old “stone age” is found in this region of Bengal. It is supposed that land of this area became suitable for live-stock firming and agriculture duding Neolithic age. This region was called Barendra Bhumi. Proofs of initial flow of human inhabitant during 300 B.C. have been discovered at this region. The district is famous for its antiquities.

Before the Arya Civilization the strong Pundra Community of Bengal established their supremacy in northern part of Bengal, including the territory of Dinajpur and was known as Pundravardhana. The Pundravardhana Bhukti was divided in some Bisayas, one of which Kotibarsa Bisaya was formed with middle and western part of undivided Dinajpur surrounded by Punarvaba and Atreyee river with its centre at Bangarh* presently at Gangarampur sub-division of Dakshin Dinajpur. Gradually Arya culture spread among the Pondras. After the fall of Pundravardhana, this part of Bengal came under Mourya Empire followed by Gupta Empire. At the end of Gupta rule this part op Bengal became target aggression. Moocher dynasty, Chlakyaraj Kiritbarma ( 567 – 598), Malabyaraj Mahasen, Kashmirraj Lalitaditya (724 – 760), Bhaskarbarman, Harsabardhan and such foreign dynasty and rulers ruled this area during the period*.

Dinajpur came into possession of most powerful Pal Kings in the ninth centry followed by Sen dynansty. In 1204-05 Kakshan Semn was defeated by Ikhtiaruddin-Mohanned Bin Baktiar Khilji and Sultani rulling started*. Several sovereign Muslim rulers reigned Dinajpur territory from 12f87 to 1538.

In the beginning of fifteenth century, Raja Ganesh, a Hindu and Hakim of Dynwaj, who subsequently became a convert to Islam, founded Dinajpur Raj (1404) defeating King Mohammedan. He was also named as King Danuj of Raja Danumardan Deb. #. His territory was marked as Dinajpur. In other view, the name Dinajpur was introduced within A.D, 1722 to A.D 1760. Sovereign Sultani reign ended with the battle of Rajmahal (1576) and Afghan came into power of this part of Bengal. The Great Moghal period was ended in 1757.

It is told in the beginning of 11th Century A D, one named Kashi got privilege of property for six parganas of Dinajpur. Thus Zamindari system was developed in this Part of Bengal. In the later part of 17th century, Raja Prananath became the Zaminder of Dinajpur during the reign of Emperor Akbar. He led his Zamindari like a feudatory king. Sovereign Nawabs reigned Bengal including Dinajpur under the Moghals from A D 1717. They reigned even after the battle of Palashi, till the British came in power. Hemtabad, a police station, was established by the British, but the place was also important during the Muslim period.

In 1765 Dinajpur Zamindari estate came under the control of East India Company in AD 1781. Provincial Council system was abolished and concept of district was initiated. The districts were brought under the control of Collectors. Dinajpur was divided into 121 parganas* and had an area of 1119 sq. miles. The area of the district was extended to 3519 sq. miles in 1784. During the permanent settlement the area of the district was extended to 5274 sq. miles. A large portion of Malda, Bogra, Rangpur and Purnia districts was included with Dinajpur.

For adminsistrative purpose the British divided the district in three sub-divisions with head quarters at Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Balurghat. The district had 30 police stations. The famine of AD 1770 caused death of large no. of people of the district. Subsequently Sannyasi and Fakir revolt flourished in this part of Bengal against oppressing Zamindars and East India Company by the leadership of Devi Chowdhurani, Bhabani Pathak, Burhana Fakir and others. Famine of 1874 also severely hampered this district. The earthquake of 1897 made great loss and damage of Dinajpur district. Again in 1901, local malarial fever caused death of 35.27 per thousand. #

Raiganj was a village in ancient Dinajpur district. The British gave it status of a police station which was one of the 12 police stations of Dinajpur sadar sub-division. One Munsif used to hold periodical sittings at Raiganj to dispose of criminal cases and disputes about land. It was an important trade centre, exporting a large quantity of jute.

In 1947, greater Dinajpur district was divided on the basis of Hindu and Muslim community. Four police stations of Balurghat sub-division and six police stations of Dinajpur sadar sub-division formed West Dinajpur and were included with West Bengal of India. The police stations were Balurghat, Tapan, Gangarampur and Kumarganj of Balurghat sub-division and Raiganj, Kaliaganj, Hemtabad, Itahar, Banshihar and Kushamandi of Dinajpur sub-division with a population of 583484 (1941 – Census).

When the erstwhile district of Dinajpur was bifurcated between West Bengal and the then East Pakistan by the Radcliffe Award, the newly created district of West Dinajpur which came to West Bengal had not direct connection with the three North Bengal district of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Bihar as a large tract of the then East Pakistan and Bihar intervened between them and there was no link between these three North Bengal districts with the rest of the State. A link was provided in 1956 by the Bihar and West Bengal (Transfer of Territories) Act, 1956 whereby a strip of land was transferred to West Bengal from the Purnia district of Bihar. Originally the entire transferred lad was attached to Darjeeling district by the State government in 1956 but within a gap of one day the territory consisting of 906 villages in three police stations were again transferred to West Dinajpur district. Subsequently in 1959 those part of the transferred territories which lay north of the river Mahananda was retransferred to Darjeeling district so that the Mahananda River formed the northern boundary of west Dinajpur and now Uttar Dinajpur district. In the same year a new sub-division namely Islampur was also created with the police stations Chopra, Islampur, Goalpokhar and Karandighi. Goalpokhar police station was subsequently bifurcated in 1964 into Goalpokhar and Chakulia police station.

Uttar Dinajpur district was created on 01/4/1992 after bifurcation of the erstwhile district of West Dinajpur into Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur. The district was formed with an area of 3140 sq km. with two sub-divisions of the then West Dinajpur namely, Raiganj & Islampur with its Head quarters at Karnojora of Raiganj Sadar sub-division. Nine blocks of said two sub-divisions had a population of 1897045 (1991 Census). Among all the districts of west Bengal, Uttar Dinajpur has very peculiar geographical features. Most of the district passes along a long narrow stretch of land from Darjeeling in the north, Bangladesh in the East, Dakshin Dinajpur in the South East and Bihar on the west. At many places the breadth of district from east of west is less than 15 kms. National Highway No. 31 & 34 passes almost along the entire length of the district.

Geographical Area:	3140 Sq.KM
Sub-division:	2
Development Block:	9
Police Station:	9
Municipality:	4
Population:	3000849 (2011)
Male:	1550219
Female:	1450630
Literacy Rate:	60.13% (excluded 0-6 population
Male:	66.65 %
Female:	53.15%

* Dinajpur: Itihas O Aytihjhya – Editor Sarif Uddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Itihas Samity,1996
# Gazetteer of Bengal and North East India – B C Allen, E A Gait, C G H Allen and H F Howard – Mittal Publication New Delhi, 1979


DISTRICT UTTAR DINAJPUR


Climate & Physiography:


The district has a tropical humid climate characterized by hot summer with high amount of humidity, abundant rainfall and a very cold winter. The summer time is April to June with the temperature touching its highest of about 36 degree centigrade by the middle of May. The monsoon appears on the second week of June and continues up to the end of September with the average rainfall of 560 mm during the month of July with average annual rainfall of 2286 mm. The winter set is about the middle of November and continues up to the middle of March with the temperature dipping to its lowest of around 6 degree centigrade by the last week of December. The district has a plain topography with soil of sandy-to-sandy loam variety. The soil PH ranges between 4.5 to 6.4. The main rivers are Mahandnda, Nagar, Kulik, Sui Dauk, Srimati etc flowing generally in the South-South Easterly direction.

Agriculture:

Land of Uttar Dinajpur is very fertile and full of tanks , ponds, canals and marshy land. As such Agriculture dominating the economic activity of this district. Others being Boro Paddy, Jute Maize , Mustered Oil Seeds , Potato, Pulse ,Wheat is the main cash crops cultivated. Now Tea plantation is becoming very popular with a number of Tea Gardens located mainly at Islampur Sub-division.


Industry:

The economy of Uttar Dinajpur district is basically dependent on agriculture. One large-scale industry, namely, The West Dinajpur Spinning Mill Ltd. is present at Raiganj. Moreover, there are a number of small-scale industries in the district with 338 nos. of Agro-based industries, 142 No. of Engineering & Allied industries,140 nos of Textile and allied industries, 129 nos of Forest based industries and 91 nos. of leather based industries .The handicraft sector is very rich with terra-cotta crafts at Kunor, Hatpara of Kaliaganj and at Subhasganj of Raiganj, Jute made carpets at Itahar & Kaliaganj ,Woolen carpets at Malgaon at Kaliaganj, Cane & Bamboo crafts at Naoga ,Hemtabad and Dhokra & Jute made carpets at Itahar and Kaliaganj are some important craft making areas. About 8000 rural people are engaged in sericulture. Important cocoon producing areas are Rasakhowa at Karandighi, Ratan, Jarang at Kaliaganj and Bhatol & Panishala at Raiganj with the Reeling Centre at Karandighi. Uttar Dinajpur has bright possibilities for setting up of Fruit Processing Units, particleboard and Powders from Jute stick, Fuel briquette from agricultural waste. ,Wet Blue Tannery, Iodised salts, cycle spare parts etc.

Transport & Other Civic Facilities:

Road transport is the chief mode of transport in the district. National Highway No 31 & 34 run through the district having a total length of 150 KM besides having State Highway of 36 KMs and border Roads 227 KM, maintained by CPWD. Metalled road maintained by PWD are of 204.35 KM length and those maintained by PW(Roads) are of 274.30 KM length. Only 96 KM of meter gauge and broad guage Railway line in Raiganj and Islampur Subdivision with 17 Railway Stations in the District.

Sources of Power Generation:

In the district, the only power-generating project located at Haptiagachh (Hydel Project) under Islampur sub-division. It is a joint project of Irrigation and Waterways Deptt. Government of West Bengal and WBSEB. The project is built up on Teesta Canal Project. The target of power production on the project is 22.5 MW.


Education & Literacy:

The Literacy rate in the district as per 1991Census was nearly 34.58%. Now it has reaches to 48.63%(excluded 0-6 population-as per 2001 Census). Male: 59.27%, Female 37.16%.

Uttar Dinajpur district is Archeologically very rich. Discovery of number of inscriptions of the Pals and later Pals period, in the district, bears the evidence of rule of the Pals in this area. Huge number of statues of Hindu Gods and goddesses are also discovered from different parts of the district. Beside these, old dilapidated destroyed temples; mosques are scattered here and there in the district and are also attractive to the travelers. The Kulik Bird Sanctuary, which is located on the bank of river Kulik, is an important Tourist Spot of the district. Every year around 60000 migrated birds come here and stay from June to January.