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Birbhum district () is an administrative unit in the
Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 subnational entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 800 districts and smaller administrative divisions by the respe ...
of
West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...
. It is the northernmost district of
Burdwan division Burdwan Division is one of the 5 administrative division in the Indian state of West Bengal. The headquarters of the Burdwan division is situated at Chinsurah while the largest city in this division is Asansol. This division is known for its ...
—one of the five
administrative divisions Administrative divisions (also administrative units, administrative regions, subnational entities, or constituent states, as well as many similar generic terms) are geographical areas into which a particular independent sovereign state is divi ...
of West Bengal. The district headquarters is in Suri. Other important cities are Bolpur, Rampurhat and Sainthia. Jamtara, Dumka and Pakur districts of the state of
Jharkhand Jharkhand (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in East India, 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 ...
lie at the western border of this district; the border in other directions is covered by the districts of Bardhaman of Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman and
Murshidabad Murshidabad (), is a town in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. This town is the headquarters of Lalbag subdivision of Murshidabad district. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly river, Bhagirathi Riv ...
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 th ...
. 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 at
Santiniketan Shantiniketan (IPA: Help:IPA/Bengali, �antiniketɔn 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 Devendra ...
, established by
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...
, is one of the places Birbhum is known for. Many festivals are celebrated in the district, including Poush Mela.Mukhopadhyay, Aditya, ''Birbhumer Mela'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special issue , February 2006, pp. 203–214. Birbhum is primarily an agricultural district with around 75.09% of the population being dependent on agriculture. Principal industries of the district include cotton and silk harvesting and weaving, rice and oilseed milling, lac 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').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 king Bir Malla, who ruled in the area from 1501 to 1554 CE. ''Bir'' in the
Santali language Santali (, , , , ) is a Kherwarian languages, Kherwarian Munda languages, Munda language spoken natively by the Santals, Santal people of South Asia. It is the most widely-spoken language of the Munda subfamily of the Austroasiatic languages, ...
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, also known as the Northern Tropic, is the Earth's northernmost circle of latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead. This occurs on the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun ...
) 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 States and union territories of India, state in East India, 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 ...
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 th ...
, 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 which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...
. In the district there is only hilly area of natural rock formation situated near Dubrajpur town called Mama Bhagne ''Pahar'' (Hills). The western portion of the district is historically known as '' Vajjabhumi'' 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, Kopai,
Bakreshwar Bakreshwar is a village in Dubrajpur (community development block), Dubrajpur CD Block in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Be ...
, Brahmani,
Dwarka Dwarka () is a town and municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Gujarat. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti river at ...
, 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 Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
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 of
Chalcolithic The Chalcolithic ( ) (also called the Copper Age and Eneolithic) was an archaeological period characterized by the increasing use of smelted copper. It followed the Neolithic and preceded the Bronze Age. It occurred at different periods in di ...
remains are located in Birbhum. Stone age implements have been found at several places in the district. According to the old Jain book '' Acaranga Sutra'', the last (24th) great
Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''Dharma (Jainism), dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a ''Tirtha (Jainism), tirtha'', a fordable passage across ''Saṃsā ...
Mahavira Mahavira (Devanagari: महावीर, ), also known as Vardhamana (Devanagari: वर्धमान, ), was the 24th ''Tirthankara'' (Supreme Preacher and Ford Maker) of Jainism. Although the dates and most historical details of his lif ...
had wandered through this land, referred to as the "pathless country of Ladha in ''Vajjabhumi'' and '' Subbhabhumi'' (probably Suhma)" 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 whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...
and
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
in the Rarh region was part of the process of Aryanisation of the area. Based on ''Divyabdan'', a
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
text, Dr. Atul Sur has inferred that Gautam Buddha probably traversed this area to go to Pundravardhana and Samatata.''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 vari ...
, once a part of the
Maurya empire The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary source ...
was later included in the empires of the imperial Guptas,
Shashanka Shashanka Dev (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Śaśāṅka) was the first independent king of a unified polity in the Bengal region, called the Gauda Kingdom. He reigned in the 7th century, some historians place his r ...
and
Harshavardhana Harshavardhana (Sanskrit: हर्षवर्धन; 4 June 590 – 647) was an emperor of Kannauj from April 606 until his death in 647. He was the king of Thanesar who had defeated the Alchon Huns, 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'' (; 'vajra vehicle'), also known as Mantrayāna ('mantra vehicle'), Guhyamantrayāna ('secret mantra vehicle'), Tantrayāna ('tantra vehicle'), Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, is a Mahāyāna Buddhism, Mahāyāna Buddhis ...
cult, flourished. In the seventh century CE, the Chinese traveller
Xuanzang Xuanzang (; ; 6 April 6025 February 664), born Chen Hui or Chen Yi (), also known by his Sanskrit Dharma name Mokṣadeva, was a 7th-century Chinese Bhikkhu, Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator. He is known for the epoch-making ...
described some of the monasteries he visited in the region. In the 12th century CE, the
Sena dynasty The Sena/Sen dynasty was a List of Hindu empires and dynasties, Hindu dynasty during the Classical India, early medieval period on the Indian subcontinent, that ruled from Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. The empire at its peak cover ...
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 and Rajnagar kingdoms ruled most of Birbhum and parts of Burdwan, Maldah and
Jharkhand Jharkhand (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in East India, 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 ...
from Dubrajpur (meaning two kingdoms – Hetampur & Rajnagar). Minhaj-i-Siraj, 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 Great Bengal famine of 1770 struck Bengal and Bihar between 1769 and 1770 and affected some 30 million people, which was about ⅓ of the current population of the area. It occurred during a period of dual governance in Bengal. This existed ...
. 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 that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
, 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 in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semi-autonomous feudal lord of a ''zamindari'' (feudal estate). The term itself came into use during the Mughal Empire, when Persian was the official language; ''zamindar'' is the ...
s and the government, trading and manufacturing centres were also looted. In June 1789, the manufacturing town of Ilambazar 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 was part of Birbhum; the district thus sprawled up to Deoghar in the west. The immediate reason then for separating the western tribal majority areas was the Santhal rebellion of 1855–56. In 1872, Birbhum district comprises area with 695,921 inhabitants.


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 (20 ...
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, like a tailor. 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 p ...
. 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 is known as business capital of Birbhum and an economically important city. Sainthia is the major centre for export and import of cottage industries. Sainthia is known as the business capital of Birbhum and an economically important city. Sainthia is a major center for the export and import of cottage industries. As the business epicenter of Birbhum, Sainthia was home to a prominent coconut oil manufacturer established by the Chandra family. 'Lion (সিংহ) Marka' (Lion Brand) coconut oil, which was manufactured and processed in a factory located in main Sainthia. This iconic brand not only gained statewide and national recognition but also became a symbol of the Sainthia’s industrial prowess, significantly contributing to its economic growth. The factory's operations, which spanned from 1950s to nearly 45 years, were a cornerstone of Sainthia's prominence until they ceased in 1992. Today plenty of large, semi-large scale businesses run in this city, credit to its well connected logistics and rail network. Moreover the economy stands tall credit to sales of agricultural based products. In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj 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 and Rampurhat. Suri is the district headquarters. There are 26 police stations, 19 development blocks, 6 municipalities and 167 gram panchayats 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 In India and some other countries, a census town is designated as a town that satisfies certain characteristics. India In India, a census town is one which is not statutorily notified and administered as a town, but nevertheless whose population ...
. 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 (AC #283), Bolpur (AC #284), Labhpur (AC #285), Dubrajpur (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 States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. Name The name ''Mayūreswar'' is derived from Sanskrit ''Mayū ...
(AC #290), Rampurhat (AC #291), Hansan (AC #292), Nalhati (AC #293) and Murarai (AC #294). The constituencies of Nanoor, Rajnagar, Mayureswar and Hansan were reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.
Vidhan Sabha The State Legislative Assembly, also known as the Vidhan Sabha or the Saasana Sabha, is a legislative body in each of the states and certain union territories of India. Members of the legislative assembly are often directly elected to serve fiv ...
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 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 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). 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 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 of the Eastern Railway, laid in 1862, passes through this district. Rampurhat Junction is the most busiest railway station of this district. There is a junction at Nalhati for the connection to Azimganj 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 is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...
of 3,502,404, roughly equal to the nation of
Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, 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, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
or the US state of
Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
. 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 over the decade 2001-2011 was 16.15%. Birbhum has a
sex ratio A sex ratio is 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. However, many species deviate from an even sex ratio, ei ...
of 956 females for every 1000 males, and a
literacy rate Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...
of 70.9%. 12.83% of the population lives in urban areas. 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, there are tribal Santhals and ten other tribal communities in Birbhum with some presence, amongst whom Koda, Mahali 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 (58.92%), Murarai II (75.00%) and Nalhati II (70.10%) CD blocks in the northeast of the district, and have a significant presence in Nalhati I (46.64%), Rampurhat II (48.20%), and Ilambazar (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 64.49% of the population while 35.08% 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 and 6.01% Santali as their first language.


Culture

The
baul The Baul () are a group of mystic minstrels of mixed elements of Sufism and Vaishnavism from different parts of Bangladesh and the neighboring Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley and Meghalaya. Bauls constitute bot ...
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 start with ''Poush Mela'' at Santiniketan and follows through the Bengali month of Poush until
Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankrānti (), () also referred to as Uttarāyana, Makara, or simply Sankrānti, is a Hinduism, Hindu observance and a mid-winter harvest festival in India and Nepal. It is typically celebrated on 14 January annually (15 January on a ...
. Particularly lively is the fair at Jaydev Kenduli. 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, raibenshe and alkap. 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 () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, '' Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along wit ...
, Shakta 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 know ...
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 (community development block), Dubrajpur CD Block in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station of West Be ...
, Tarapith Temple, Dwarbasini temple at Chondrapur, Fullara at Labpur 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, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based Vitrification#Ceramics, non-vitreous ceramicOED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used ...
(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,
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, B ...
,
Drosera ''Drosera'', which is commonly known as the sundews, is one of the largest genus, genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. 2 volumes. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucil ...
, Philcoxia, Scrophulariaceae and similar aquatic or palustrine genera. In the drier western region of the district, the characteristic shrubs and herbs include species of Wendlandia,
Convolvulaceae Convolvulaceae (), commonly called the bindweed, bindweeds or morning glory, morning glories, is a Family (biology), family of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species. These species are primarily herbaceous vines, but also include trees, sh ...
,
Stipa ''Stipa'' is a genus of 141 species of large Perennial plant, perennial hermaphrodite, hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae, w ...
, Tragus, Spermacoce, Ziziphus, 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 originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...
,
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 **Palm oil * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music ...
, and
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...
are among common trees in Birbhum. Other common species of plants include
jackfruit The jackfruit or ''nangka'' (''Artocarpus heterophyllus'') is a species of tree in the Common fig, fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). The jackfruit is the largest tree fruit, reaching as much as in weight, in length, and in d ...
, arjun, sal,
guava Guava ( ), also known as the 'guava-pear', 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), nativ ...
, kend and
mahua 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 twist * Mahuli ...
. 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 som ...
dogs and domestic cattle, the most frequently encountered non-human mammal is the
hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...
, a long tailed grey langur prevalent in the Gangetic plain. Some wild boars and
wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, including the dog and dingo, though gr ...
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 Galliformes, galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide Indigenous (ecology), native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They ar ...
,
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 small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...
, green pigeon, water fowls, doyel, Indian robin, drongo,
hawk Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica. The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and others. This ...
,
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 somet ...
, koel, sunbird,
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 bl ...
,
parrot Parrots (Psittaciformes), also known as psittacines (), are birds with a strong curved beak, upright stance, and clawed feet. They are classified in four families that contain roughly 410 species in 101 genus (biology), genera, found mostly in ...
, babbler, and some migratory birds. Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary 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 a medium-sized 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 sh ...
s, spotted deer, 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 is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...
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 games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
has replaced some of its popularity. A major cricket event named as: ''Dream Gold Cup'' is organised in Labpur every year in the month of January. Cricket teams from all over the state comes for participation. It is played in the ''Stadium field'' in ''Sasthinagar.'' 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. These toys can be used for a variety of games called marbles, as well being placed in marble runs or races, or created as a form of art. They are ofte ...
, 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 games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
, the other most popular outdoor sports of this district are
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
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

* Shams-ul-Ulama Maulana Belayet Hossain Birbhumi (1887–1984), Islamic scholar and author * Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda (1900–1977), organic chemist, educationist and writer * Rezaul Karim Muhammad Jawad (1902–1993), lawyer * Justice Abdus Sattar (1906–1985), former
President of Bangladesh President of Bangladesh (POB), officially the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is the head of state of Bangladesh and commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The role of the president has changed three times since ...
* Khan Bahadur Mudassir Hossain, MLA for Birbhum * Shamsul Huda Chaudhury (1920–2000), two-time Speaker at the Jatiya Sangsad * Mohammad Zakaria (1923–1993), actor and producer *
Mohammad Kibria Mohammad Kibria ( – 7 June 2011) was a Bangladeshi artist. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1983 and Independence Day Award in 1999 by the Government of Bangladesh. Early life and career Kibria graduated from the Government School of Art at t ...
(1929–2011), artist *Hossain family of Bhimpur ** Dr. Motahar Hossain (1932–2011), Home Minister of State ** Dr. Mosarraf Hossain (born 1963), physician and politician * Rashidul Hasan (1932–1971), educationist * Noor Alam Chowdhury (1943–2021), Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court * Ekram Ali (born 1950), Bengali poet and critic * Takdira Begum (born 1953), embroiderer * Mahammad Hannan (born 1958), politician * Monirul Islam (born 1960), politician * Abdur Rahaman Liton (born 1961), social worker and politician * Dr. Mohammed Qamre Elahi, physician and politician * Milton Rashid (born 1975), politician * Golam Mohiuddin, four-time MLA * Sheikh Manjurul Islam, politician * Bazle Ahmed, politician * Shamsuddin Ahammad, politician * Yeakub Hossain, politician *Shams family of Nalhati ** Kalimuddin Shams (1939–2013), Agriculture Minister ** Moinuddin Shams (born 1967), advocate and politician *
Amartya Sen Amartya Kumar Sen (; born 3 November 1933) is an Indian economist and philosopher. Sen has taught and worked in England and the United States since 1972. In 1998, Sen received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his contributions ...
, economist and
Nobel laureate The Nobel Prizes (, ) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make outstanding contributions in th ...
*
Pranab Mukherjee Pranab Kumar Mukherjee ( ; born, 11 December 1935 – 31 August 2020) was an Indian statesman who served as the president of India from 2012 until 2017. He was the first person from West Bengal to hold the post of President of India. In a pol ...
, 13th President of India * Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, Bengali novelistGhosal, Amartya, ''Birbhumer Bisisto Byakti O Monishi'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 321–334 who was nominated three times for
Nobel Prize in Literature The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in ...
from 1971–1973, but never won any. * Sahana Bajpaie, Bengali singer-songwriter and one of the most prominent contemporary Rabindra Sangeet vocalists * Sutapa Biswas, British Indian conceptual artist * Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty,
Indian American Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestry originates wholly or partly from India. The terms Asian Indian and East Indian are used to avoid confusion with Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans in the United States, who ar ...
microbiologist, scientist, and researcher, most notable for his work in directed evolution * Basudeb Das Baul, Bengali
baul The Baul () are a group of mystic minstrels of mixed elements of Sufism and Vaishnavism from different parts of Bangladesh and the neighboring Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley and Meghalaya. Bauls constitute bot ...
singer * Sumitra Devi, actress who worked in
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
and Bengali cinema during the 1940s and 1950s * Kharaj Mukherjee, Indian actor who works in Bengali as well as Hindi cinema * Chandidas Rami, 14th-century poet born in Nanoor * Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, prominent lawyer and statesman in British India * Nityananda Swami, co–founder of
Vaishnavism Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the majo ...
, born at Ekachakra *
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...
, polymath and founder of Visva-Bharati University * Ganga Narayan Singh, Indian tribal revolutionary


Villages

* Harisara * Hetampur * Kondaipur * Labpur * Paikar


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