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Birbhum district () is an
administrative unit Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
in the
Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-indepen ...
of
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
. It is the northernmost district of Burdwan division—one of the five
administrative divisions Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
of West Bengal. The district headquarters is in Suri. Other important cities are
Bolpur Bolpur is a city and a municipality in Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bolpur subdivision. Bolpur municipal area includes Santiniketan, Sriniketan and Prantik. The city is known as a Cultural a ...
,
Rampurhat Rampurhat is a city and a municipality in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Rampurhat subdivision. According to Census 2011 Rampurhat is the third most populous city in Birbhum district and 82 ...
and
Sainthia Sainthia (formerly Nandipur) is a city and a municipality in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The city is known as business city of Birbhum district. The city is under the jurisdiction of Sainthia po ...
. Jamtara,
Dumka Dumka ( Santali: ᱫᱩᱢᱠᱟᱹ), the headquarters of the Dumka district and Santhal Pargana region, is a city in the state of Jharkhand, India. It was made the headquarters of the Santhal Pargana region, which was carved out of the Bha ...
and
Pakur Pakur (previously known as ''Pakaur'') is a town with a nagar palika in the Pakur subdivision of the Pakur district, Jharkhand state, India. History Pakur was earlier a Sub-Division of Santhal Parganas district of Bihar. It was upgraded to the ...
districts of the state of
Jharkhand Jharkhand (; ; ) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north and Odisha to the south. It has an area of . It ...
lie at the western border of this district; the border in other directions is covered by the districts of
Bardhaman Bardhaman (, ) is a city and a municipality in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of Purba Bardhaman district, having become a district capital during the period of British rule. Burdwan, an alternative name for the city, ...
and
Murshidabad Murshidabad fa, مرشد آباد (, or ) is a historical city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River, a distributary of the Ganges. It forms part of the Murshidabad district. Durin ...
of West Bengal. Often called "the land of red soil",Rahim, Kazi MB, and Sarkar, Debasish, ''Agriculture, Technology, Products and Markets of Birbhum District'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 157–166, Information and Cultural Department, Government of West Bengal. Birbhum is noted for its topography and its cultural heritage which is somewhat different from the other districts in West Bengal. The western part of Birbhum is a bushy region, a part of the
Chota Nagpur Plateau The Chota Nagpur Plateau is a plateau in eastern India, which covers much of Jharkhand state as well as adjacent parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar. The Indo-Gangetic plain lies to the north and east of the plateau, and the bas ...
. This region gradually merges with the fertile alluvial farmlands in the east.Mukhopadhyay, Malay, ''Birbhum Jelar Bhougolik Parichiti'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special issue , February 2006, pp. 29–32. This district saw many cultural and religious movements in history. The
Visva Bharati University Visva-Bharati () is a public central university and an Institution of National Importance located in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it ''Visva-Bharati'', which means the communion of the w ...
at
Santiniketan Santiniketan is a neighbourhood of Bolpur town in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal, India, approximately 152 km north of Kolkata. It was established by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, and later expanded by his son ...
, established by
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
, is one of the places Birbhum is known for. Many festivals are celebrated in the district, including
Poush Mela Poush Mela ( bn, পৌষ মেলা) is an annual fair and festival that takes place in Santiniketan, in Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal, marking the harvest season. Commencing on the 7th day of the month of Poush, t ...
.Mukhopadhyay, Aditya, ''Birbhumer Mela'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special issue , February 2006, pp. 203–214. Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75% of the population being dependent on agriculture. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling,
lac Lac is the resinous secretion of a number of species of lac insects, of which the most commonly cultivated is ''Kerria lacca''. Cultivation begins when a farmer gets a stick that contains eggs ready to hatch and ties it to the tree to be infes ...
harvesting, stone mining and metalware and pottery manufacture.
Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited is a power station with an installed capacity of 1050 MW (5x210 MW) and it is proposed for capacity expansion of another 500 MW. Location Bakreshwar Thermal P ...
is the only
heavy industry Heavy industry is an industry that involves one or more characteristics such as large and heavy products; large and heavy equipment and facilities (such as heavy equipment, large machine tools, huge buildings and large-scale infrastructure); o ...
in the district.Pramanik, Swarajit, ''Birbumer Ahankar: Bakreshwar Tapbidyut Kendra'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special issue , February 2006, pp. 189–192.


Etymology

The name Birbhum comes probably from the term 'land' ('bhumi') of the 'brave' ('bir') or
Bir king The Bir King was a famous king of Birbhum before Muslim rule. Asaduzzaman Khan was an army chief who killed the Bir King and conquered Rajnagar where he established a Muslim sultanate. According to local history, in 1350 AD there were some quarrel ...
').O'Malley, L.S.S.,
Bengal District Gazetteers - Birbhum
, 1996 reprint, pp. 1-9, Govt. of West Bengal
Maiti, Prakash Chandra, ''Birbhum in the Backdrop of Pre-history'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 15–28 Another theory says that the district bears the name of
Bagdi The Bagdi or Wagdi are a people of India who are one of the Bhil tribes. They historically spoke the Wagdi language. However today the largest number of Bagdi speak Hindi with others speaking such languages as Malvi The Malvi or Malavi, a ...
king
Bir Malla Bir Malla, also known as Bira Malla was the forty-seventh king of the Mallabhum Mallabhum (The Country originally known as Mallabhoom or Mallabani bn, মল্লভূম or Bishnupur kingdom ) was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of ...
, who ruled in the area from 1501 to 1554 CE. ''Bir'' in the
Santali language Santali (, Ol Chiki: ), Bengali: , Odia: , Devanagari: , also known as Santal, is the most widely spoken language of the Munda subfamily of the Austroasiatic languages, related to Ho and Mundari, spoken mainly in the Indian states of Ass ...
means forests; therefore, Birbhum could also mean a land of forests.


Geography

Situated between 23° 32' 30" (right above the
tropic of cancer The Tropic of Cancer, which is also referred to as the Northern Tropic, is the most northerly circle of latitude on Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead. This occurs on the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward ...
) and 24° 35' 0" north latitude and 87° 5' 25" and 88° 1' 40" east longitudes, and about in area, this district is triangular. River Ajay forms the southern base and the apex of the triangle points north. The river forms the boundary between the districts of Birbhum and Bardhaman. The state of
Jharkhand Jharkhand (; ; ) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north and Odisha to the south. It has an area of . It ...
is at the northern and the western border of Birbhum and Murshidabad is at the east.Mondal, Dipanwita, ''Ek Najare Birbhum Jela'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue (in Bengali), February 2006, pp. 7–10 Geographically, this area lies at the northeastern end of the
Chota Nagpur Plateau The Chota Nagpur Plateau is a plateau in eastern India, which covers much of Jharkhand state as well as adjacent parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar. The Indo-Gangetic plain lies to the north and east of the plateau, and the bas ...
, as it slopes down and merges with the alluvial plains of the
Ganges The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
. In the district there is only hilly area of natural rock formation situated near
Dubrajpur Dubrajpur is a city and a municipality in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography Location Dubrajpur is located at . It has an average elevation of 77 metres (252 feet). Connectiv ...
town called Mama Bhagne ''Pahar'' (Hill). The western portion of the district is historically known as ''
Vajjabhumi Vajjabhumi was a part of Rarh region, Rarh in ancient times. It is located in what is now Birbhum district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. The more rugged western part of the district was known as Vajjabhumi, t ...
'' or ''Bajrabhumi''.O'Malley, pp. 10-31, It is an undulating upland that is generally barren. The comparatively more fertile eastern portion, constituting the northeastern Rarh region, merges with the Gangetic plain. ''Vajjabhumi'' is included in the Rarh region, and the rest of Rarh is called ''Sumha'' to differentiate it from ''Vajjabhumi''.


Climate

The climate on the western side is dry and extreme but is relatively milder on the eastern side. During summer, the temperature can shoot well above and in winters it can drop to around . Rainfall is higher in the western areas as compared to the eastern areas. The annual average rainfall in Rajnagar is and in Nanoor it is , mostly in the monsoon months (June to October). Climate and rainfall chart of Birbhum District:


Rivers

A number of rivers flow across Birbhum. Some of the most notable include Ajay,
Mayurakshi ''Mayurakshi'' is a 2017 Bengali film directed by Atanu Ghosh and produced by Firdausal Hassan & Probal Halder for Friends Communication. The music was composed by Debojyoti Mishra. The film won the award for Best Bengali feature film at the ...
, Kopai,
Bakreshwar Bakreshwar is a village in Dubrajpur CD Block in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited and Bakreswar Thermal Power Pla ...
,
Brahmani Brahmani (Sanskrit: ब्रह्माणी, IAST: Brahmāṇī) or Brahmi (Sanskrit: ब्राह्मी, IAST: Brāhmī), is one of the seven Hindu mother goddesses known as Sapta Matrikas. She is a form of Saraswati and is considered ...
,
Dwarka Dwarka () is a city and a municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the state of Gujarat in Western India. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti river at the mouth of the Gulf of Kut ...
, Hinglo, and Bansloi. Almost all the rivers originate higher up on the Chota Nagpur plateau and flow across Birbhum in a west–east direction. During the
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
season, the rivers flow high and swift compared to the dry summer season, resulting in a cycle of floods and droughts.Choudhuri, Tapan, ''Unnayaner Aloke Birbhum'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 59–74 The Mayurakshi provides irrigation for about .Selim, Mohammad, ''Irrigation Projects in Birbhum District'',''Paschim Banga'', February 2006 (in Bengali), Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 168–169


History


Prehistory

The area now known as Birbhum was inhabited from pre-historic times. Some of the archaeological sites related to
Pandu Rajar Dhibi Pandu Rajar Dhibi in the valley of the river Ajay is an Archaeological site in Ausgram II block in the Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was the first Chalcolithic site discovered in W ...
of chalcolithic remains are located in Birbhum. Stone age implements have been found at several places in the district. According to the old
Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
book ''
Acaranga Sutra The Acharanga Sutra (; First book c. 5th–4th century BCE; Second book c. 2nd–1st century BCE) is the first of the twelve Angas, part of the agamas (religious texts) which were compiled based on the teachings of 24th Jina Mahavira. The exi ...
'', the last (24th) great
Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a ' ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the '' dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable pass ...
Mahavira had wandered through this land, referred to as the "pathless country of
Ladha Ladha ( ps, لده; ur, لدها) or Lada is a town in South Waziristan, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (formerly in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, now merged with province). Just 10 km north of Ladha is the city of Makeen, while 1 ...
in ''Vajjabhumi'' and '' Subbhabhumi'' (probably
Suhma Suhma Kingdom was an ancient state during the Late Vedic period on the eastern part of the Indian Subcontinent, which originated in the region of Bengal. The kingdom included present day districts of Midnapore and parts of Hoogly and Howrah. Thi ...
)" in the fifth century BCE. According to some historians, the spread of
Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current ...
and
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
in the Rarh region was part of the process of Aryanisation of the area. Based on ''Divyabdan'', a
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
text, Dr. Atul Sur has inferred that
Gautam Buddha Gautama, Gautam or Gotama may refer to: Ancient sages and philosophers * Akṣapāda Gautama, a Hindu sage and founder of the Nyaya school of Hindu philosophy: see Nyāya Sūtras * Indrabhuti Gautama, chief disciple of Mahavira * Gautama Buddha, t ...
probably traversed this area to go to
Pundravardhana Pundravardhana or Pundra Kingdom ( sa, Puṇḍravardhana), was an ancient kingdom during the Iron Age period in India with a territory that included parts of present-day Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions of Bangladesh as well as the West Din ...
and
Samatata Samataṭa (Brahmi script: ''sa-ma-ta-ṭa'') was an ancient geopolitical division of Bengal in the eastern Indian subcontinent. The Greco-Roman account of ''Sounagoura'' is linked to the kingdom of Samatata. Its territory corresponded to much ...
.''Bangla O Bangalir Bibartan'', (An Ethno-Cultural History of Bengal) by Dr. Atul Sur, (Published by Sahityalok, Kolkata, 1986, 1994) The
Rarh region Rarh region () is a toponym for an area in the Indian subcontinent that lies between the Chota Nagpur Plateau on the West and the Ganges Delta on the East. Although the boundaries of the region have been defined differently according to various ...
, once a part of the Maurya empire was later included in the empires of the imperial Guptas,
Shashanka Shashanka (IAST: Śaśāṃka) was the first independent king of a unified polity in the Bengal region, called the Gauda Kingdom and is a major figure in Bengali history. He reigned in the 7th century, some historians place his rule between circ ...
and
Harshavardhana Harshavardhana (IAST Harṣa-vardhana; c. 590–647 CE) was a Pushyabhuti emperor who ruled northern India from 606 to 647 CE. He was the son of Prabhakaravardhana who had defeated the Alchon Huna invaders, and the younger brother of Rajya ...
. After dismemberment of Harshavardhana's empire, the region was ruled by the
Palas A ''palas'' () is a German term for the imposing or prestigious building of a medieval ''Pfalz'' or castle that contained the great hall. Such buildings appeared during the Romanesque period (11th to 13th century) and, according to Thompson ...
, under whose rule Buddhism, particularly the
Vajrayana Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...
cult, flourished. In the seventh century CE, the Chinese traveller
Xuanzang Xuanzang (, ; 602–664), born Chen Hui / Chen Yi (), also known as Hiuen Tsang, was a 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator. He is known for the epoch-making contributions to Chinese Buddhism, the travelogue of ...
described some of the monasteries he visited in the region. In the 12th century CE, the
Sena dynasty The Sena dynasty was a Hindu dynasty during the early medieval period on the Indian subcontinent, that ruled from Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. The empire at its peak covered much of the north-eastern region of the Indian subcont ...
took control of the area.


Medieval age

The region was ruled by Muslims in the 13th century CE, although their control over the western parts of the district appears to have been minimal, with true power resting in the hands of the local Hindu chiefs, known as the Bir Rajas (Bagdi Malla dynasty). The towns of Hetampur, Birsinghpur and Rajnagar contain their relics.Gupta, Dr. Ranjan Kumar, ''The Economic Life of a Bengal District: Birbhum 1770–1857'', pp. 2 – 9, The University of Burdwan, 1984.
Hetampur Hetampur is a large village in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated near Dubrajpur. The village is famous for the Royal and historical palace and reputed college. Geography Location He ...
and Rajnagar Kingdoms ruled most of Birbhum and parts of Burdwan, Maldah and
Jharkhand Jharkhand (; ; ) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north and Odisha to the south. It has an area of . It ...
from
Dubrajpur Dubrajpur is a city and a municipality in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography Location Dubrajpur is located at . It has an average elevation of 77 metres (252 feet). Connectiv ...
(meaning two kingdoms - Hetampur & Rajnagar).
Minhaj-i-Siraj Minhaj-al-Din Abu Amr Othman ibn Siraj-al-Din Muhammad Juzjani (born 1193), simply known as Minhaj al-Siraj Juzjani, was a 13th-century Persian historian born in the region of Ghur. In 1227, Juzjani migrated to Ucch then to Delhi. Juzjani was ...
, the author of the ''Tabaqat-i-Nasiri'', mentions Lakhnur as the ''thanah'' (headquarters) of the Rarh ''wing'' of the Muslim rule and an important frontier post. The location of Lakhnur, though not yet identified, falls in Birbhum.


Colonial era

The area which is now Birbhum district was badly impacted by the
Great Bengal famine of 1770 The Bengal Famine of 1770 was a famine that struck Bengal and Bihar between 1769 and 1770 and affected some 30 million people. It occurred during a period of dual governance in Bengal. This existed after the East India Company had been granted ...
. Many villages were wiped out entirely, and even in large towns, over three quarters of households perished. The administrative unit called Birbhum was first formed in 1787 under the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
, as "District Beerbhoom". The area had previously been administered as a part of Murshidabad district. The original district was much larger than its modern incarnation. In the late 18th century, Birbhum and surrounding areas were affected by more famines followed by a peasants' insurrection. Although the insurrection primarily targeted
zamindar A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as a ...
s and the government, trading and manufacturing centres were also looted. In June 1789, the manufacturing town of
Ilambazar Ilambazar is a census town, with a police station, in Ilambazar CD block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. A traditional weaving and trading centre it serves as a gateway to Birbhum district. Histor ...
was sacked, although it recovered and became a magnet for manufacturing and trade. Until 1793, Birbhum included "Bishenpore" or Bishnupur, which is now part of the Bankura district. Until the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, the
Santhal Parganas Santhal Pargana division constitutes one of the five district administration units known as the divisions of Jharkhand state in eastern India. Origin of name Santhal Pargana derives its name from two words: " Santhal", a major tribe of India ...
was part of Birbhum; the district thus sprawled up to
Deoghar Deoghar (pronounced ''Devaghar'') is a major city in Jharkhand, India. It is a holy sacred place of Hinduism. It is one of the 12 ''Jyotirlinga''s sites of Hinduism ( Baidyanath Temple). The sacred temples of the city make this a place for pi ...
in the west. The immediate reason then for separating the western tribal majority areas was the
Santhal rebellion The Santhal rebellion (also known as the Sonthal rebellion or the Santhal Hool), was a rebellion in present-day Jharkhand and West Bengal , Eastern India against both the British East India Company (BEIC) and zamindari system by the Santhal. I ...
of 1855–56.


Economy

Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75% of the people dependent on agriculture. While of land is occupied by forests, of land is used for agricultural purposes. 91.02% of the population live in villages. Out of total 4,50,313 farmers(holding 3,20,610 hectares of land), 3,59,404 are marginal farmers(holding 1,41,813 hectares altogether), 63,374 are small farmers(holding 95,144 hectares altogether), 26,236 are semi-medium farmers(holding 76,998 hectares altogether), 1,290 are medium farmers(holding 6,215 hectare altogether), and 9 are large farmers (holding 440 hectares of land). The average size of land holding per farmer is 0.71 hectares. 6,07,172 people work as agricultural labourers in Birbhum. Major crops produced in the district include rice, legumes, wheat, corn (maize), potatoes and sugar cane. The district has thirteen cold storages. Land with irrigation facilities in 2001-02 totalled . There are five barrages, providing irrigation support. Canada Dam on the Mayurakshi river at Massanjore lies close to the border of Birbhum and the
Dumka district Dumka district is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand state in eastern India. Dumka is the administrative headquarters of this district. This district covers an area of 3716.02 km. This district has a population of 1,321,442 (201 ...
in Jharkhand. Further down the Mayurakshi is the Tilpara Barrage at Suri. Birbhum is a major centre of
cottage industries The putting-out system is a means of subcontracting work. Historically, it was also known as the workshop system and the domestic system. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent to subcontractors who complete the project via remote ...
. Perhaps the most notable cottage industry is a non-profit rural organisation named Amar Kutir. Other main industries in Birbhum are agriculture-based industries, textiles, forestry, arts and crafts. Sriniketan is noted for its dairy industry and as a forestry centre. Some of the notable forms of cottage industries of Birbhum include textile—especially cotton and locally harvested tussar silk, jute works, batik, kantha stitch, macramé (weaving by knotting threads), leather, pottery and terracotta, solapith, woodcarving, bamboo and cane craft, metal works and tribal crafts. There are 8,883 small and medium scale industries. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling, lac harvesting, and metalware and pottery manufacture.
Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited is a power station with an installed capacity of 1050 MW (5x210 MW) and it is proposed for capacity expansion of another 500 MW. Location Bakreshwar Thermal P ...
(210 MW x 3 + 210 MW x 2 under construction) is the only heavy industry in the district.
Sainthia Sainthia (formerly Nandipur) is a city and a municipality in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The city is known as business city of Birbhum district. The city is under the jurisdiction of Sainthia po ...
is known as business capital of Birbhum and an economically important city. Sainthia is the major centre for export and import of cottage industries. Huge numbers of businesses run in this city and its economy stands tall due to sales of agricultural based products. In 2006 the
Ministry of Panchayati Raj The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is a branch of the Government of India. Ministry of Panchayati Raj looks into all matters relating to the Panchayati Raj and Panchayati Raj Institutions. It was created in May 2004. The ministry is headed by a m ...
named Birbhum one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the eleven districts in West Bengal currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).


Political and administrative divisions

The district comprises three subdivisions: Suri Sadar,
Bolpur Bolpur is a city and a municipality in Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bolpur subdivision. Bolpur municipal area includes Santiniketan, Sriniketan and Prantik. The city is known as a Cultural a ...
and
Rampurhat Rampurhat is a city and a municipality in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Rampurhat subdivision. According to Census 2011 Rampurhat is the third most populous city in Birbhum district and 82 ...
. Suri is the district headquarters. There are 26 police stations, 19 development blocks, 6 municipalities and 167
gram panchayat Gram Panchayat () is a basic village-governing institute in Indian villages. It is a democratic structure at the grass-roots level in India. It is a political institute, acting as cabinet of the village. The Gram Sabha work as the general bod ...
s in this district. Other than municipality area, each subdivision contains community development blocs which in turn are divided into rural areas and census towns. There are seven urban units: six municipalities and one census town. The latest amongst the urban units to have a municipality was Nalhati in 2000. Before delimitation the district was divided into 12 assembly constituencies (AC):
Nanoor Nanoor (also spelt Nanur, called Chandidas Nanoor), is a village in Nanoor CD block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal. Nanoor is the birthplace of 14th century lyric poet Chandidas of '' Vaishnava Padavali'' fame. It is d ...
(AC #283),
Bolpur Bolpur is a city and a municipality in Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bolpur subdivision. Bolpur municipal area includes Santiniketan, Sriniketan and Prantik. The city is known as a Cultural a ...
(AC #284),
Labhpur Labhpur is a census town in Labpur CD block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is known to the outside world as the native place of Tarashankar Bandopadhyay and one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. Geogr ...
(AC #285),
Dubrajpur Dubrajpur is a city and a municipality in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography Location Dubrajpur is located at . It has an average elevation of 77 metres (252 feet). Connectiv ...
(AC #286), Rajnagar (AC #287), Suri (AC #288), Mahammad Bazar (AC #289),
Mayureswar Mayureswar is a village and gram panchayat in Mayureswar II CD Block in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography Location Kotasur, the CD Block headquarters, is 10 km away from Mayureswar. ...
(AC #290),
Rampurhat Rampurhat is a city and a municipality in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Rampurhat subdivision. According to Census 2011 Rampurhat is the third most populous city in Birbhum district and 82 ...
(AC #291), Hansan (AC #292),
Nalhati Nalhati is a town and a municipality in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal near the West Bengal / Jharkhand border. This town is named after the '' Shakti peeth'' Nalhateshwari temple, which according ...
(AC #293) and
Murarai Murarai is a census town in Murarai I CD block in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography Police station Murarai police station has jurisdiction over Murarai I and Murarai II CD blocks. CD b ...
(AC #294). The constituencies of Nanoor, Rajnagar, Mayureswar and Hansan were reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.
Vidhan Sabha The State Legislative Assembly, or Vidhan Sabha, or also Saasana Sabha, is a legislative body in the states and union territories of India. In the 28 states and 3 union territories with a unicameral state legislature, it is the sole legislati ...
was elected in 2006 assembly elections, which took place before the rearrangement of parliamentary and assembly constituencies as per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the
delimitation of constituencies Boundary delimitation (or simply delimitation) is the drawing of boundaries, particularly of electoral precincts, states, counties or other municipalities.
in the West Bengal. Delimitation was made effective for all elections in the state of West Bengal that was held on or after 19 February 2008. 2009 Indian general election was based on the newly formed parliamentary constituencies and the newly formed assembly constituencies have representatives in the 2011 elections of West Bengal. As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the
delimitation of constituencies Boundary delimitation (or simply delimitation) is the drawing of boundaries, particularly of electoral precincts, states, counties or other municipalities.
in the West Bengal, the district is divided into 11 assembly constituencies: Dubrajpur, Suri,Mayureswar, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati and Murarai assembly segments form the
Birbhum (Lok Sabha constituency) Birbhum Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on the western part of Birbhum district in West Bengal. All the seven assembly segments of No. 42 Birbhum Lok Sabha constituency are ...
. Bolpur, Nanoor, Labhpur, and Sainthia constituencies are part of Bolpur (Lok Sabha constituency), which will contain three other assembly segments from Bardhaman district.


Transport

The
Panagarh–Morgram Highway Panagarh–Morgram Highway runs from the junction with NH 19 at Panagarh Darjeeling Mor to NH 12 at Morgram. It passes through Kanksa, Ilambazar, Hetampur, Dubrajpur, Suri, Rampurhat, Nalhati and Lohapur. It is mostly a two lane (30 feet ...
runs through the district. All the towns and villages are connected by roads. The total length of roads in the district are: surfaced– and unsurfaced–. Against this the total length of rail track in the district is , including of the Ahmadpur-Katwa line, laid in 1917. The
Sahibganj Loop The Sahibganj loop is a railway line connecting Khana Junction and Kiul Junction. Originally a part of the Howrah–Delhi main line, it was opened to traffic in 1866. With the construction of a shorter railway line for a part of the route, the ...
of the Eastern Railway, laid in 1862, passes through this district. There is a junction at Nalhati for the connection to
Azimganj Jiaganj Azimganj is a city and a municipality in Murshidabad district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography Location Jiaganj and Azimganj- the two towns located on opposite sides of the Baghirathi River, Jiaganj (Ziaganj) on the eas ...
in Murshidabad district. The Andal-Sainthia Branch Line connects it to the main Howrah-Delhi main line at Andal.


Demographics

In 1901, Birbhum had a population of 902,280, which by 1981 rose to 2,095,829. According to the 2001 census data, the total population has further risen to 3,015,422. The following table summarises the population distribution: According to the 2011 census Birbhum district has a
population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of 3,502,404, roughly equal to the nation of
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
or the US state of
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
. This gives it a ranking of 84th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its
population growth rate Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.15%. Birbhum has a
sex ratio The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species devia ...
of 956
females Female (symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Females ...
for every 1000 males, and a
literacy rate Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...
of 70.9%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 29.50% and 6.92% of the population respectively. Other than those speaking the local dialect of
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
, there are tribal
Santhal Santhal may refer to : Places and jurisdictions * Santhal Pargana division, in Jharkhand state, (north)eastern India * Santhal State, former petty princely state in Mahi Kantha, Gujarat, western India People * Santhal people (part of the Tea ...
s and ten other tribal communities in Birbhum with some presence, amongst whom
Koda KODA (99.1 FM, "Sunny 99.1") is an American commercial adult contemporary-formatted radio station in Houston, Texas. The station is owned by iHeartMedia. Its studios and offices are located along the West Loop Freeway in Uptown Houston. KODA ...
,
Mahali The Mahli are a community in the Indian states of Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. Basketry was main occupation of mahlis. Mahli speak Sadri, Mundari and Santali as their mother tongue rather than Mahli. May be Mahli is a threatened langua ...
and Oraons are more common.


Religion

According to 2011 Indian census, Hindus formed around 62% of the total population and Muslims over 37%. Muslims are in majority in
Murarai I Murarai I is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Overview Birbhum district is physiographically a part of the ancient Rarh region. The ...
(58.92%),
Murarai II Murarai II is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Overview Birbhum district is physiographically a part of the ancient Rarh region. Th ...
(75.00%) and
Nalhati II Nalhati II is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Overview Birbhum district is physiographically a part of the ancient Rarh region. Th ...
(70.10%) CD blocks in the northeast of the district, and have a significant presence in
Nalhati I Nalhati I is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Overview Birbhum district is physiographically a part of the ancient Rarh region. The ...
(46.64%),
Rampurhat II Rampurhat II is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Overview Birbhum district is physiographically a part of the ancient Rarh region ...
(48.20%), and
Ilambazar Ilambazar is a census town, with a police station, in Ilambazar CD block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. A traditional weaving and trading centre it serves as a gateway to Birbhum district. Histor ...
(47.40%) CD blocks. Others, including religious groups and non-religion population fall below 1% of the population. In the 2001 Indian census of the district, Hindus formed around 65% of the population while 33% were Muslims.Islam, Sheikh, ''Birbhumer Karmasansthane Matsya, Pranisampad Ebong Paschim Banga Sankhyalaghu Unnayan O Bityanigam'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, p. 178 There is a sprinkling of other religious groups in the population.


Language

At the time of the 2011 census, 92.38% of the population spoke
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
and 6.01% Santali as their first language.


Culture

The
baul The Baul ( bn, বাউল) are a group of mystic minstrels of mixed elements of Sufism, Vaishnavism and Tantra from Bangladesh and the neighboring Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley and Meghalaya. Bauls cons ...
s of Birbhum, their philosophy and their songs form a notable representation of the folk culture of the district. Birbhum has been home to ''kabiyal''s, ''kirtaniya''s and other folk culture groups. The numerous
fairs in Birbhum Fairs in Birbhum refers to the many fairs that take place in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Backdrop Birbhum is a large but primarily rural district dotted with small towns. Many of the small towns had markets that were held ...
start with ''Poush Mela'' at Santiniketan and follows through the Bengali month of
Poush Poush ( bn, পৌষ; ne, पौष) is the 9th month of both the Bengali calendar and the Nepali calendar. It overlaps December and January of the Gregorian calendar. It is the first month of the winter season. This month marks the start of Wi ...
until Makar Sankranti. Particularly lively is the fair at
Jaydev Kenduli Jaydev Kenduli is a village and gram panchayat in Ilambazar community development block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is believed by many to be the birthplace of Jayadeva, an issue that is sti ...
. Festivities are organised across the seasons.Sen, Suchbrata, ''Birbhumer Otit O Bartaman Samajchitra'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 107–116 People of Birbhum patronise folk entertainment programmes such as jatra,
kavigan Kavigan, Kobi Gaan, Kobi Lorai or Kabigan ( bn, কবিগান) is a form of Bengali folk performance wherein folk poets sing and perform. A verbal duel among the poets, this mystic minstrels art was popular with rural folk form in ninet ...
and
alkap Alkap ( bn, আলকাপ) is a Bengali folk dance popular in the districts of Murshidabad, Malda and Birbhum in West Bengal and Chapai Nawabganj, Randajshahi in Bangladesh. It has also spread to the adjoining areas of Jharkhand and Bihar such ...
. Many poets were born in this district, as for example, Chandidas (Rami).Das, Prabhat Kumar, ''Birbhumer Kirtan O Jatragan'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special issue (in Bengali), February 2006, pp. 311–319 In addition to being a confluence of
Vaishnava Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
,
Shakta Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti ( Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, all ...
and
Saiva ''Saiva'' is a genus of Asian planthoppers, family Fulgoridae. They are colourful insects, marked boldly in red, blue, white and black, with a prominent slender stalk like structure arising on the head that points upwards or forward. The known ...
cultures, Birbhum villages observe ancient customs like worship of gramdevta (''gram'' means village and ''devta'' means deity) in many forms.Mitra, Amalendu, Dr., ''Rarher Sanskriti O Dharma Thakur'' (Bengali), pp. 90-96, SubarnarekhaMitra, Ajit Kumar, ''Birbhumer loukik Debdebi'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 321–334 Amongst the major attractions of Birbhum are
Bakreshwar Bakreshwar is a village in Dubrajpur CD Block in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited and Bakreswar Thermal Power Pla ...
,
Tarapith Tarapith is a 13-century Hindu temple in Chandipur village Rampurhat II CD block in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district of the Indian state of West Bengal, known for its Tantric temple and its adjoining cremation (Maha Shmashan) groun ...
, Dwarbasini temple at Chondrapur and Patharchapuri. Birbhum has many old temples, such as the ones at Jaydev Kenduli, Surul and Nanoor, with delicate decorative tiles made of
terra cotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, and architecture, terracotta ...
(burnt clay).Sarkar, Joydeep, ''Paryatan Boichitre Birbhum Jela'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 197–202


Flora and fauna

The eastern area of Birbhum is a part of the rice plains of West Bengal, and the vegetation includes usual characteristics of rice fields in Bengal, such as species of
Aponogeton The Aponogetonaceae (the Cape-pondweed family or aponogeton family) are a family of flowering plants in the order Alismatales. In recent decades the family has had universal recognition by taxonomists. The APG system (1998) and APG II system (20 ...
,
Utricularia ''Utricularia'', commonly and collectively called the bladderworts, is a genus of carnivorous plants consisting of approximately 233 species (precise counts differ based on classification opinions; a 2001 publication lists 215 species).Salmon, Br ...
,
Drosera ''Drosera'', which is commonly known as the sundews, is one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. 2 volumes. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginou ...
, Philcoxia,
Scrophulariaceae The Scrophulariaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the figwort family. The plants are annual and perennial herbs, as well as shrubs. Flowers have bilateral (zygomorphic) or rarely radial (actinomorphic) symmetry. The Scr ...
and similar aquatic or
palustrine Palustrine wetlands include any inland wetland that contains ocean-derived salts in concentrations of less than 0.5 parts per thousand, and is non- tidal. The word ''palustrine'' comes from the Latin word ''palus'' or marsh. Wetlands within this ...
genera. In the drier western region of the district, the characteristic shrubs and herbs include species of
Wendlandia ''Wendlandia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is found in northeastern tropical Africa, and from tropical and subtropical Asia to Queensland. Species * '' Wendlandia aberrans'' F.C.How * '' Wendlandia acuminata'' Cow ...
,
Convolvulaceae Convolvulaceae (), commonly called the bindweeds or morning glories, is a family of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species. These species are primarily herbaceous vines, but also include trees, shrubs and herbs. The tubers of several spe ...
,
Stipa ''Stipa'' is a genus of around 300 large perennial hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae, which also contains many species form ...
, Tragus,
Spermacoce ''Spermacoce'' or false buttonweed is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It comprises about 275 species found throughout the tropics and subtropics. Its highest diversity is found in the Americas, followed by Africa, Australia ...
,
Ziziphus ''Ziziphus'' is a genus of about 40 species of spiny shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, distributed in the warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of the world. The leaves are alternate, entire, with three promi ...
, Capparis and similar plants that grows on laterite soil.
Mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...
,
palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...
, and
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...
are among common trees in Birbhum. Other common species of plants include
jackfruit The jackfruit (''Artocarpus heterophyllus''), also known as jack tree, is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). Its origin is in the region between the Western Ghats of southern India, all of Bangladesh, ...
, arjun, sal,
guava Guava () is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava ''Psidium guajava'' (lemon guava, apple guava) is a small tree in the myrtle family ( Myrtaceae), native to Mexico, Central America, the ...
, kend and
mahua Mahua Acharya Mahua or Mahuaa may refer to: Botany * '' Madhuca longifolia'' or mahua, a tree in the family Sapotaceae * ''Mahua'' (moss), a genus of mosses in family Hypnaceae Culture and entertainment * Mahua (snack), a Chinese fried dough twi ...
. Other than
feral A feral () animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in some ...
dogs and domestic cattle, the most frequently encountered non-human mammal is the
hanuman Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...
, a long tailed grey langur prevalent in the
Gangetic plain The Indo-Gangetic Plain, also known as the North Indian River Plain, is a fertile plain encompassing northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, including most of northern and eastern India, around half of Pakistan, virtually all of Bangla ...
. Some wild
boars The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is n ...
and
wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...
may still be spotted in the small forests of Chinpai, Bandarsol and Charicha. Leopards and bears are not to be seen any more in the wild. Sometimes during the season when mahua trees bloom, wild Asiatic elephants from Jharkhand come in trampling crops and threatening life and property. Birds of Birbhum include a mix of hilly and plain-land dwelling species like
partridge A partridge is a medium-sized galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They are sometimes grouped in the Perd ...
,
pigeon Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...
, green pigeon,
water fowl The Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating ...
s,
doyel The Oriental magpie-robin (''Copsychus saularis'') is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered an Old World flycatcher. They are distinctive black and white birds with a long ...
,
Indian robin The Indian robin (''Copsychus fulicatus'')Rasmussen & Anderton emend the species epithet from ''fulicata'' to ''fulicatus'' since ''Saxicola'' is masculine and the ''-oides'' ending is always masculine according to ICZN Code 30.1.4.4ICZN Code. See ...
,
drongo The drongos are a family, Dicruridae, of passerine birds of the Old World tropics. The 30 species in the family are placed in a single genus, ''Dicrurus''. Drongos are mostly black or dark grey, short-legged birds, with an upright stance when ...
,
hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...
,
cuckoo Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separ ...
,
koel The true koels, ''Eudynamys'', are a genus of cuckoos from Asia, Australia and the Pacific. They are large sexually dimorphic cuckoos that eat fruits and insects and have loud distinctive calls. They are brood parasites, laying their eggs in ...
,
sunbird Sunbirds and spiderhunters make up the family Nectariniidae of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from the Old World, usually with downward-curved bills. Many are brightly coloured, often with iridescent feathers, particularly ...
,
Indian roller The Indian roller (''Coracias benghalensis'') is a bird of the family Coraciidae. It is long with a wingspan of and weighs . The face and throat are pinkish, the head and back are brown, with blue on the rump and contrasting light and dark blu ...
,
parrot Parrots, also known as psittacines (), are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes (), found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittacoide ...
, babbler, and some
migratory birds Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting by ...
.
Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary (popular as Deer Park) was established in 1977. This wooded area is located near Bolpur Santiniketan in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography and location This wildli ...
near Santiniketan was declared a sanctuary in 1977. Economically important trees are planted here and
blackbuck The blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''), also known as the Indian antelope, is an antelope native to India and Nepal. It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources. It stands up to high at the shoulder. Ma ...
s,
spotted deer The chital or cheetal (''Axis axis''; ), also known as the spotted deer, chital deer, and axis deer, is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described and given a binomial name by German naturalist Johann Christian Po ...
, jackals, foxes and a variety of water birds live in its .


Literacy and education

According to the 2011 census Birbhum district had a
literacy rate Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...
of 70.9%. up from 62.16% in 2001. In 1951 census, the literacy rate was 17.74%. It increased to 48.56% in 1991.Roy, Bikash, ''Siksha Prasare Birbhum Jela'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 81–91 The growth of literacy in the last decade of the twentieth century was particularly remarkable with special emphasis on the eradication of illiteracy. While it is feared that Birbhum may not be able to fulfill the national objective of sending all children in the age group 6–14 years to school by 2010, efforts are on in that direction. The district has 127 libraries supported by the government, one private library and one district library.


Sports

One of the most popular outdoor sports in the villages of Birbhum used to be danguli (literal meaning "ball and stick"). However, in recent times
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
has replaced some of its popularity. A sport that can be played outdoors and indoors and is popular among children is
marbles A marble is a small spherical object often made from glass, clay, steel, plastic, or agate. They vary in size, and most commonly are about in diameter. These toys can be used for a variety of games called ''marbles'', as well being placed in mar ...
, which involves projecting a striker bead with fingers to hit an ensemble of black or green glass beads. In addition to
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
, the other most popular outdoor sports of this district are
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
and kabadi and
volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
.


Notable people

* * * *
Amartya Sen Amartya Kumar Sen (; born 3 November 1933) is an Indian economist and philosopher, who since 1972 has taught and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. Sen has made contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, econom ...
, economist and Nobel laureate *
Pranab Mukherjee Dr. Pranab Mukherjee (11 December 193531 August 2020) was an Indian politician and statesman who served as the 13th president of India from 2012 until 2017. In a political career spanning five decades, Mukherjee was a senior leader in the India ...
, 13th President of India *
Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay (23 July 1898 – 14 September 1971) was an Indian novelist who wrote in the Bengali language. He wrote 65 novels, 53-story-books, 12 plays, 4 essay-books, 4 autobiographies, 2 travel stories and composed several songs. ...
, Bengali novelistGhosal, Amartya, ''Birbhumer Bisisto Byakti O Monishi'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 321–334 who was nominited for
Nobel Prize in Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...
in 1971. *
Ekram Ali Ekram Ali ( bn, একরাম আলি; born 1 July 1950) is an Indian Bengali poet and critic. Life Ali was born in Teghoria (Dist. Birbhum, West Bengal) of a Bengali Muslim parentage. Before he came to Kolkata and took up journalism in a Beng ...
, Bengali poet and critic *
Sahana Bajpaie Sahana Bajpaie (born 6 February) is an Indian singer-songwriter and a contemporary Rabindra Sangeet vocalist in Bengali. Born in Santiniketan, by the age of three she started singing. She released her debut album '' Notun Kore Pabo Bole'' in 2007 ...
, Bengali singer-songwriter and one of the most prominent contemporary Rabindra Sangeet vocalists * Sutapa Biswas, British Indian conceptual artist *
Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty ( bn, আনন্দমোহন চক্রবর্তী ''Ānandamōhan Cakrabartī''), PhD (4 April 1938 – 10 Jul 2020) was an Indian American microbiologist, scientist, and researcher, most notable for his w ...
, Indian American microbiologist, scientist, and researcher, most notable for his work in
directed evolution Directed evolution (DE) is a method used in protein engineering that mimics the process of natural selection to steer proteins or nucleic acids toward a user-defined goal. It consists of subjecting a gene to iterative rounds of mutagenesis ( ...
* Basudeb Das Baul, Bengali
baul The Baul ( bn, বাউল) are a group of mystic minstrels of mixed elements of Sufism, Vaishnavism and Tantra from Bangladesh and the neighboring Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley and Meghalaya. Bauls cons ...
singer * Sumitra Devi, actress who worked in
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
and Bengali cinema during the 1940s and 1950s *
Kharaj Mukherjee Kharaj Mukherjee or Kharaj Mukhopadhyay (born 7 July 1963) is an Indian actor. He completed his early education from St. Lawrence High School, Kolkata He made his debut in Bengali film with the film ''Hulusthul'' in 1980. In the last 32 years, ...
, Indian actor who works in Bengali as well as Hindi cinema * Chandidas Rami, 14th-century poet born in
Nanoor Nanoor (also spelt Nanur, called Chandidas Nanoor), is a village in Nanoor CD block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal. Nanoor is the birthplace of 14th century lyric poet Chandidas of '' Vaishnava Padavali'' fame. It is d ...
* Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, prominent lawyer and statesman in British India * Nityananda Swami, co–founder of
Vaishnavism Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
, born at
Ekachakra Ekachakra is a small village, located 20 km away from the town of Rampurhat in the Birbhum District of West Bengal. Within Hindu tradition, the five Pandavas from the epic, Mahabharata are described as staying in Ekachakra during their years ...
*
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
, polymath and founder of
Visva-Bharati University Visva-Bharati () is a public central university and an Institution of National Importance located in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it ''Visva-Bharati'', which means the communion of the w ...
*
Abdus Sattar ʻAbd al-Sattār (ALA-LC romanization of ar, عبد الستّار) is an Arabic Muslim male given name, built on the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-Sattār''. The name means "servant of the Veiler (of sins)". Because the letter s is a sun lett ...
, former
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
and Vice President of Bangladesh * Mohammad Kibria, Bangladeshi artist *
Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda ( – 3 November 1977) was a Bangladeshi organic chemist, educationist and writer. He founded the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. From 1969 till 1972, he served as the president of the Pakista ...
, Bangladeshi organic chemist, educationist and writer. *
Ganga Narayan Singh Ganga Narayan Singh (25 April 1790 – 7 February 1833) was an Indian revolutionary from Jungle Mahals, known as the leader of Bhumij rebellion. He led a revolt against the East India Company in 1832-33. The British called it "Ganga Narain's Hun ...
, Indian tribal revolutionary


Villages

* Suhudighi *
Kondaipur Kondaipur is a village in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on the State Highway 6, on the way from Suri, Birbhum, Suri, West Bengal, to Ahmedpur, Birbhum, Ahmadpur, West Bengal, at a distance of approximately 9 ...
*
Paikar Paikar is a village in the Murarai II community development block in the Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography Location The Bansloi flows past Paikar.Google maps The Pagla River is in the west ...


References


External links

* *
Bengal District Gazetteers Birbhum
O'Malley L.S.S., 1910, Barcode(6010010076002), Language English fro
Digital Library of India
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birbhum District Districts of West Bengal Minority Concentrated Districts in India 1787 establishments in British India