West Bengal

               WEST BENGAL

Founded in - January 26, 1950

Capital- Kolkata (7th largest city, 3rd largest metropolitan area in India)

Districts- 23

Largest City - Kolkata

Highest Point- Sandakphu or Sandakfu in Singalila Range.

Governor - Jagdeep Dhankar (at present May,2021)

• First Governor- Shri Chakravarty Rajagopalachari

• First Female Governor- Smt. Padmaja Naidu

Chief Minister- Mamata Banerjee (at present May,2021)

• First Chief Minister- Prafulla Chandra Ghosh

• First Female Chief Minister- Mamata Banerjee

High Court- Calcutta High Court.

• Present Chief Justice, (August 2020) - Justice T B Radhakrishnan

Present Speaker- Biman Banerjee

• First Speaker of West Bengal Legislative assembly- Iswar Das Jalan

Present Deputy Speaker- Sukumar Hansda

• First Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly- Asutosh Mallick

First West Bengal State Assembly Election: 1952

Population wise Rank: 4th.

• West Bengal is the world's 17th most populous country subdivision.

Total Population: 9.13 Crore (2011 Census)

• Population Density:- 1029/per square km

• Sex Ratio:- 950, (Child Sex Ratio 956)

• Total Literacy Rate:- 76.26% (2011 Census)

Recognised as a state of : 

Land of Black Diamond:- Asansol(West Bengal)

City of Peace:- Bardhaman (West Bengal)

Queen of the Hills:- Darjeeling (West Bengal)

Ruhr of India:- Durgapur (West Bengal)

City of Joy :- Kolkata (West Bengal)

Mango City of Bengal:- Malda(West Bengal)

Languages:

• Official- Bengali, English

• Additional- Hindi,Santhali,Urdu, Rajbanshi

State Animal - Fishing Cat

State Bird- White -breasted Kingfisher

State Tree- Chatim

State Flower - Night flowering Jasmine/Shiuli (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis)

Geography:

Boundaries:

Boundary Connected With States: Odisha,Assam, Jharkhand,Bihar, Sikkim.

Boundary Connected with Neighbour Country: 

Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan.

Coastal Boundary: 

Bay of Bengal.

 

Natural Vegetation: Tropical dry moist deciduous.

Major Rivers:

Ganga,Bhagirathi-Hooghly,Teesta,Torsa,Jaldhaka,Mahananda,Damodar,Ajay,Kangsabati,

• Damodar - Sorrow of Bengal.

• Bhagirathi-Hooghly:- Heart and Soul of Bengal.

Important Waterfalls in West Bengal:

• Changey Waterfalls

• Ghagra Waterfalls

• Chunnu Waterfalls

• Paglajhora Waterfalls

• Turga Waterfalls

• Rainbow Waterfalls

Dams and Rivers:

• Kangsabati Dam - Kangsabati

• Panchet Dam - Damodar

• Durgapur Barrage - Damodar

• Farakka Barrage - Ganges

Mountains:

• Singalila Ridge (Highest Peak- Sandakfu)

• Darjeeling-Kurseong Range(Highest Peak-Tiger Hill)

• Sinchula Range(Highest peak- Sinchuli)

• Chola Range(Highest peak- Deolo Hill)

Hills:

• Ajodhya Hills

• Panchet Hills 

• Biharinath 

• Susunia

Geographical Indications:

Baluchari Sari,Bankura horse,Chhau mask,Darjeeling tea,Dhaniakhali Sari,Dhokra,Fazil(mango),Gobindobho,Himsagar(mango),Jaynagar Moa,Kantha,Madurkathi,Manasa Challi,Mihidana,Nakshi kantha,Pattachitra,Rasgulla, Santiniketan Leather Goods,Sitabhog,Tulaipanji, Laxman Bhog (mango),Santipore Sari

Culture:

Dress: 

The traditional dress of men is Dhoti,and the top or kurta that is paired with dhoti is called Punjabi.

Traditional dress for women is Sari, but now a days western dress is the priority for womens.

Jewellery: Jhumko,Nath,Choker,Chur,Pati haar.

Festival:

• Durga Puja- Most important festival 

• Other festivals are Kali puja, Vasant Panchami,Dol Purnima,Poush Sankranti,Chhat Puja,Rash mela,

• Losar Festival of Kalimpong.

• Teesta Tea &Tourism Festival

• Gangasagar Mela

• Joydev Kenduli Mela

• Nobanno (Harvest Festival)

Dances:- 

Chhau Dance,Tusu ,Bhaduriya Saila ,Jhumar,Sahariya,Jhumar,Raibense,Alkp Dance,Kushan Folk Dance ,Gambhira, Santhali Dance,Matua Dance,Lathi Dance.

Music: 

Vishnupur Gharana,Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti,Baul,Bhatiali,Dhamail,Kavigan,Kirtan,Khoai Mela,Rock Music of West Bengal, Shree Krishna kirtan.

Majlishi classic: Thumri and Toppa.

Arts:

• Mask or Mukhosh of West Bengal,as it known has a mysterious history. Mostly it used for the mask Dance.

• Chhau Mask,Gambhira mask

• Terracotta art, this type of arts mainly found in Bankura district.

• Manasa chali is the unique terracotta sculpture of Panchmura.

• Patachitra painting is a true cultural heritage of West Bengal. Chalchitra  is a part of Patachitra. The artist of Chalchitra called it as Pata Lekha.

Handicrafts: 

Clay art, Kantha stitch,Dhokra,Woden art,Bamboo Craft,

Various Important Awardee

Nobel Prize- 

Six Nobel Prize Winners have been associated with Kolkata

• Sir Ronald Ross - Medicine (1902)

• Rabindranath Tagore- Literature (1913). First Asian to win the Nobel Prize.

• C V Raman- Physics (1930)

• Mother Teresa- Peace(1979)

• Amartya Sen- Economic (1998)

• Abhijit Banerjee- Economic(2019)

Bharat Ratna Awardee-

• Bidhan Chandra Roy

• Satyajit Ray

• Amartya Sen

• Ravi Shankar

• Pranab Mukherjee

Important Historical Place:

• Mayapur(Nadia)

• Bishnupur (Bankura)

Pilgrimage of West Bengal:

• Gangasagar: An island situated at the mouth of the river Hooghly.

• Belur Math: Located on the banks of the River Hooghly, Belur Math is a temple which is notable for exhibiting Hindu, Christian and Islamic motifs as a symbol of unity amongst all religions.

• Dakshineswar Kali Temple: Believed to be the site where various parts of the Hindu Goddess' body, Sati fell.

• Tarapith:Tarapith is known for its tantric temple and its adjoining cremation ground where tantric rituals are performed.

• Bandel church: The ancient place of Bandel bears relic to the rich historical heritage and cultural legacies of the bygone era.

• Nakhoda Masjid: Regarded as one of the biggest mosques in the country.

• Furfura Sharif: Home to one of the oldest mosques, built in 1375.

• Nizamat Imambara: The Nizamat Imambara is a Shia Muslim congregation hall built in Murshidabad and is the largest Imambara in India. Originally built more than 250 years ago during the reign of SirajUd-Daulah.

• St Pauls Cathedral: It is  the first Episcopal Church in Asia.

• Mayapur: Mayapur is one of the largest pilgrimage destinations for followers of Vaishnavism. Considered to be the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Mayapur is also known on the world stage as the World Headquarters of ISCKON (International society for Krishna Consciousness) was set up here.

World Heritage Site:

• Sundarbans National Park, 

• Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

Ramsar Sites:

• East Kolkata Wetlands.

Biodiversity Hotspot:

• Chupi Wetland

Bird Sanctuaries:

• Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary

• Thasrana Bird Sanctuary

• Rasikbil Bird Sanctuary

• Kulik Bird Sanctuary

• Pakhi Bitan Bird Sanctuary

National Parks:

• Gorumara National Park

• Buxa National Park

• Neora Valley National Park

• Singalila National Park

• Jaldapara National Park

• Sundarbans National Park

Wildlife Sanctuaries:

• Ballabpur Wildlife Sanctuary

• Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary

• Bibhuti Bhusan Wildlife Sanctuary

• Buxa Wildlife Sanctuary

• Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary

• Chintamani Kar Wildlife Sanctuary

• Bird Sanctuary

• Haliday Island Wildlife Sanctuary

• Jorepokhri Salamander Wildlife Sanctuary

• Lothian Wildlife Sanctuary

• Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary

• Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary

• Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary

• Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary

• Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary

• West Sundarban Wildlife Sanctuary

• Murti Wildlife Sanctuary

• Pakhi Bitan Bird Wildlife Sanctuary

Tiger Reserve:

• Sundarbans

• Buxa

Elephant Reserve:

• Mayurjharna

• Eastern Dooars

• Metala Forest Elephant Corridor

• Mayapur Elephant Care Centre

Marine Protected Area:

• Sundarbans

• West Sundarban

• Haliday Island

• Sajnakhali

• Lothian Island

Industrial Cities:

• Asansol: Iron Steel, Cement, Coal Industries.

• Chittaranjan: Railway Locomotive Industry.

• Durgapur: Iron and Steel Industries. (Durgapur is known as the Ruhr of India).

• Haldia: Petrochemical Industry

• Raniganj: Coal Mining Industry

List Of Hydro , Thermal and Nuclear Power Plants:

Thermal- 

• Durgapur Thermal Power Station

• Bakreswar Thermal Power Station

• Farakka Super Thermal Power Station

• Kolaghat Thermal Power Station

• Mejia Thermal Power Station

• Bandel Thermal Power Station

• Santaldih Thermal Power Station

Nuclear Power Plant:- Haripur

Airports:

International- 

• Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport

• Bagdogra Airport

Domestic- 

• Balurghat airport

• Barrackpore Air Force Station

• Behala Airport

• Coch Behar Airport

• Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport

• Hasimara Air Force Station

• Kalaikunda Air Force Station

• Malda Airport

• Panagarh Airport

Tribes:

• Santhal

• Oram

• Munda

• Bhutia

• Lodha

• Tamang

• Mahali

• Bhumij

• Kora

Stadiums:

• Eden Garden

• Salt Lake Stadium

• Kalyani Stadium

• Mela Ground

• Mohunbagan Ground

• Rabindra Saraobar Stadium

• East Bengal Ground

• Mohammedan Sporting Ground

• Jadavpur Stadium

• Kanchenjunga Stadium

• Nehru Stadium

• Howrah Indoor Stadium

• Gorkha Stadium

• Sailen Manna Stadium

Research Institute:

• Central Research Institute for Jute and Leather

• S.N.Bose National Center for Basic Science

• Indian Association for the Cultivation Science

• Bose Institute

• Institute of Development Studies Kolkata

• Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute

• CSIR - Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute

• Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics

• Indian Statistical Institute

Miscellaneous:

• Calcutta was used to India's Capital city before 1911

• Kolkata is known as "Cultural Capital of India" also known as "City of Palaces"

• The Howrah bridge is the largest cantilever bridge in India

• The Calcutta Football League was founded in 1898 is the oldest football tournament in the country.

• Eden Gardens cricket stadium has been called as "Cricket's answer to the Colosseum"

• The National library of India is situated in Kolkata is the largest Public library in the Country.

• Science City Is The Largest Science Centre In The Indian Subcontinent.

• Kolkata Is The Only City In India To Have A Tram Network.

• Kolkata Metro Is The First Underground Metro Railway System In India.

• Kurseong is known as "Place of Orchids"

• Ghum railway station of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the highest railway station in the India and 14th in the world. Gliding at an altitude of 7,407 ft.