West Dinajpur district

Former district in West Bengal, India

For other uses, see Dinajpur (disambiguation).

Former District in West Bengal, India

West Dinajpur

Former District

Clockwise from top: Durgapur Rajbari, Pramateshwar Mahadeb Mondir, Panchamukhi Shiva Temple in Aminpur, Manohali Zaimindar Bari, Dargah of Shah Ata, Pirpukur Dargah in Raiganj

Location of West Dinajpur district in West Bengal

Coordinates: 25°23′N 88°34′E﻿ / ﻿25.383°N 88.567°E﻿ / 25.383; 88.567
Country|  India
State|  West Bengal
Division| Malda
Headquarters| Balurghat
Government

• Subdivisions| Balurghat Sadar, Gangarampur, Raiganj, Islampur
• CD Blocks| Hili, Balurghat, Kumarganj, Tapan, Gangarampur, Bansihari, Harirampur, Kushmandi, Raiganj, Hemtabad, Kaliaganj, Itahar, Islampur, Chopra, Goalpokhar I, Goalpokhar II, Karandighi
• Lok Sabha constituencies| Balurghat, Raiganj
• Vidhan Sabha constituencies| Kushmandi, Kumarganj, Balurghat, Tapan, Gangarampur, Harirampur, Chopra, Islampur, Goalpokhar, Chakulia, Karandighi, Hemtabad, Kaliaganj, Raiganj, Itahar
Area

• Total

| 5,358 km2 (2,069 sq mi)
Population

(1991)

• Total

| 3,127,653
• Density| 580/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
• Urban

| 349,359
Demographics

• Literacy| 27.00 per cent
• Sex ratio| 937 ♂/♀
Languages

• Official| Bengali[1][2]
• Additional official| English[1]
Time zone| UTC+05:30 (IST)
Website| www.westdinajpur.nic.in

West Dinajpur (Pron: ˈpoʃtʃim dinad͡ʒpur), or sometimes Paschim Dinajpur, is a former district in the Indian state of West Bengal, headquartered in Balurghat. On 1 April 1992, the district was bifurcated into two separate districts namely Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur.[3][4]

## History

[edit]

Undivided Dinajpur district was part of the Pundra and Gauda Kingdom of ancient Bengal. The whole of Pundra was part of the Maurya Empire, and Jainism was spread in the region in the fourth century BCE. Their capital was at Pundrabardhan (now in Bangladesh), and two other ancient towns were Gourpur and Kotibarsha, now called Bangarh. Later multiple inscriptions show how the Guptas also controlled Pundra. After the reign of Gauda Kingdom, the district was then ruled by Pala Empire from 750 CE. The Senas overthrew the Palas in 1143. In 1204, Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji defeated the Senas and had Bangarh as its capital. After his murder, it was controlled by various governors sent by the Delhi Sultan from Gauda. In 1586, Mughal Emperor Akbar conquered Bengal and Dinajpur was controlled by the sarkars of Tajpur and Panjara. In 1765, it fell under the rule of the East India Company and was ruled from Murshidabad. In the later part of the 18th century, the district was home to the Sanyasi-Fakir rebellion until the early 19th century. At the time of India's independence, the former Dinajpur district of undivided Bengal was partitioned along religious lines,[5] and West Dinajpur became one of the 14 districts of West Bengal.[6] The other part of the district continues as Dinajpur district of Bangladesh.

With the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, some Bengali-speaking areas from Bihar were added to this district. On 1 April 1992, the West Dinajpur district was divided into Uttar Dinajpur district and Dakshin Dinajpur district.[7][8]

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1901| 741,284| —
1911| 791,512| +0.66%
1921| 695,536| −1.28%
1931| 745,821| +0.70%
1941| 834,726| +1.13%
1951| 976,882| +1.59%
1961| 1,323,797| +3.09%
1971| 1,859,887| +3.46%
1981| 2,404,947| +2.60%
1991| 3,127,653| +2.66%
Note: After 1991, the West Dinajpur district was bifurcated into two separate districts namely Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur. The census data is addition of two splitted districts.
Source: Census of India[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Fact and Figures". Wb.gov.in. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
2. ^ "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India" (PDF). Nclm.nic.in. Ministry of Minority Affairs. p. 85\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
3. ^ "Census of India 1981, West Bengal, District Census Handbook, West Dinajpur, Series – 23, Part XIII-A, Village and Town Directory" (PDF). Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
4. ^ "Census of India 1981, West Bengal, District Census Handbook, West Dinajpur, Series – 23, Part XIII-B, Village and Town Wise Primary Census Abstract" (PDF). Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
5. ^ Harun-or-Rashid. "Partition of Bengal, 1947". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 26 October 2006.
6. ^ Chatterji, Joya (2007). The Spoils of Partition: Bengal and India, 1947–1967. Cambridge University Press. p. 58\. ISBN 978-0-521-87536-3. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
7. ^ "History of Uttar Dinajpur". Official website of Uttar Dinajpur district. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
8. ^ "History of Dakshin Dinajpur". Official website of Dakshin Dinajpur district. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
9. ^ "A-02: Decadal variation in population 1901-2011, West Bengal, India, 2011" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to West Dinajpur district at Wikimedia Commons

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State of West Bengal

Capital: Kolkata

State symbols|

* Emblem: Emblem of West Bengal
* Anthem: Banglar Mati Banglar Jol
* Animal: Fishing cat
* Bird: White-throated kingfisher
* Flower: Night-flowering jasmine (Shiuli)
* Tree: Devil's tree (Saptaparni)
* Fish: Ilish

History|

* Gauda Kingdom
* Shashanka
* Pala Empire
* Sena dynasty
* Mallabhum kingdom
* Cooch Behar State
* Sher Shah Suri
* Mughal Empire
* Nawabs of Bengal
* East India Company
* Battle of Plassey
* Bengal Presidency
* Great Bengal famine of 1770
* Indian Rebellion of 1857
* Bengal Renaissance
* Bardhaman Raj
* Nadia Raj
* Jhargram Raj
* Sovabazar Raj
* Partition of Bengal (1905)
* Revolutionary movement for Indian independence
* Anushilan Samiti
* Jugantar
* Bengal famine of 1943
* Direct Action Day
* Noakhali riots
* Partition of Bengal (1947)
* Bengali Language Movement (Manbhum)
* Bangladesh Liberation War
* Naxalite–Maoist insurgency

Geography|

* Bengal Basin
* Darjeeling Himalayan hill region
* Terai
* North Bengal plains
* Dooars
* Rarh region
* Sundarbans
* Western plateau and high lands
* Ganges Delta
* Climate
* Sandakphu (Highest point)
* Protected areas of West Bengal
* Rivers of West Bengal
* Ganga
* Damodar River
* Brahmaputra River
* Teesta River
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* Siliguri Corridor

Governance|

* Chief Ministers
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* Parliamentary constituencies
* Assembly constituencies
* CID West Bengal
* Kolkata Police

Rights groups|

* Matua Mahasangha
* Bangla Pokkho

Divisions and
districts|

| Burdwan division|

* Birbhum
* Hooghly
* Paschim Bardhaman
* Purba Bardhaman

|

Jalpaiguri division|

* Alipurduar
* Cooch Behar
* Darjeeling
* Jalpaiguri
* Kalimpong

Malda division|

* Berhampore (declared)
* Dakshin Dinajpur
* Jangipur (declared)
* Malda
* Murshidabad
* Uttar Dinajpur

Medinipur division|

* Bankura
* Bishnupur (declared)
* Jhargram
* Paschim Medinipur
* Purba Medinipur
* Purulia

Presidency division|

* Basirhat (declared)
* Howrah
* Ichamati (declared)
* Kolkata
* Nadia
* North 24 Parganas
* Ranaghat (declared)
* South 24 Parganas
* Sundarbans (declared)

Cities and
towns|

* Alipore
* Asansol
* Berhampore
* Balurghat
* Bankura
* Barasat
* Bardhaman
* Bishnupur
* Hugli-Chuchura
* Cooch Behar
* Darjeeling
* Durgapur
* Haldia
* Howrah
* Jalpaiguri
* Jaynagar Majilpur
* Jiaganj Azimganj
* Kalimpong
* Kharagpur
* Kolkata
* Krishnanagar
* Kurseong
* Malda
* Midnapore
* Murshidabad
* Purulia
* Raiganj
* Siliguri
* Siuri
* Tamluk
* List of cities in West Bengal by population
* Cities and towns by district

Culture|

* Bengal Renaissance
* Bengali calendars
* Patachitra
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* Arts of West Bengal
* Baul
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* Gombhira
* Chhau dance
* Cuisine
* Bengali
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* Holi
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* Prostitution in Kolkata
* Pohela Boishakh
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* Architecture of Bengal
* Bengal temples
* Bengali language
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* Feluda
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* Professor Shonku
* Tarini Khuro
* Kakababu
* Kiriti Roy
* Pather Panchali (novel)
* Bengali cinema
* Jatra
* Ghosts in Bengali culture

GI products|

* Baluchari sari
* Banglar Rosogolla
* Banglar Muslin
* Bankura horse
* Bengal Patachitra
* Chhau mask
* Darjeeling tea
* Dhaniakhali Sari
* Dhokra
* Fazli (mango)
* Garad Saree
* Gobindobhog
* Himsagar
* Jaynagarer Moa
* Madurkathi
* Manasa chali
* Mihidana
* Nakshi kantha
* Santiniketan Leather Goods
* Shantipuri sari
* Sitabhog
* Sundarban Honey
* Tangail Saree
* Tulaipanji

Demographics|

* Bengali people
* Bihari people
* Economy of West Bengal
* Gurkha
* Adivasi
* Rajbanshi
* Anglo-Indian people
* Ethnic communities in Kolkata
* List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
* Discrimination against Bengalis in India

People|

* Rabindranath Tagore
* Satyajit Ray
* Kazi Nazrul Islam
* Anil Kumar Gain
* Ritwik Ghatak
* Subhas Chandra Bose
* Jamini Roy
* Bidhan Chandra Roy
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* Satyendranath Dutta
* Raja Ram Mohan Roy
* Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
* Rani Rashmoni
* Ramakrishna
* Swami Vivekananda
* Sarada Devi
* Dwarkanath Tagore
* Sukumar Ray
* Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury
* Michael Madhusudan Dutt
* Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
* Sister Nivedita
* Mother Teresa
* Amartya Sen
* Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
* Nihar Ranjan Gupta

Image gallery at Wikimedia Commons

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Districts of British India

Districts in the Madras Presidency|

* Ceded Districts
* Chingleput District
* Coimbatore District
* Godavari District
* Madura District
* Malabar District
* North Arcot
* South Arcot District
* South Canara
* Tanjore District
* Tinnevely District
* Trichinopoly District
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Districts in the Bengal Presidency|

* 24 Parganas
* Bardhaman district
* Backergunge District
* Bassein District
* Champaran District
* Garo Hills district
* Jungle Mahals
* Jungle Terry
* Khasi and Jaintia Hills
* Lushai Hills District
* Manbhum District
* Midnapore district
* Naga Hills District
* Shahabad district
* Singhbhum District
* Tipperah District

Districts in the Bombay Presidency|

* East Khandesh
* Kaladgi District
* Khandesh District
* Upper Sind Frontier District
* West Khandesh

Other districts|

* Bhilsa District
* Chanderi District
* Delhi District
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* Garhwal District
* Hazara District (NW Frontier)
* Isagarh District
* Kumaon District
* Lyallpur District
* Merwara District
* Montgomery District
* Muhamdi District
* Nimar District
* North Bareilly District
* Quetta-Pishin District
* Shahpur District
* Sironj District
* Thal-Chotiali
* Wun District
* Peshawar District (NW Frontier)

Post independence historical districts|

* Bangalore District
* Imphal District
* West Dinajpur district

* Subdivisions of British India
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* British Empire in India

Authority control databases

International|

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