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Guptipara is a village in
Balagarh Balagarh is a village in Balagarh CD Block in Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the state of West Bengal, India. Geography Location Balagarh is located at . The Balagarh CD Block is mostly part of the Hooghly Flats, one of the th ...
, a
community development block In India, a community development block (CD block) or simply Block is a sub-division of District, administratively earmarked for planning and development. In tribal areas, similar sub-divisions are called tribal development blocks (TD blocks). T ...
that forms an administrative division in the Sadar subdivision of the
Hooghly district Hooghly district () is one of the districts of the Indian state of West Bengal. It can alternatively be spelt ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli''. The district is named after the Hooghly River. The headquarters of the district are at Hooghly-Chinsurah (' ...
in the
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
n
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
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 ...
.


Geography

Guptipara sits beside the
Hooghly River The Hooghly River (, also spelled ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli'') is the westernmost distributary of the Ganges, situated in West Bengal, India. It is known in its upper reaches as the Bhagirathi. The Bhagirathi splits off from the main branch of the G ...
that divides Guptipara into two parts (Panchayat I and II are situated in the western part and Panchayat III is situated on the eastern side). Two oxbow lakes, Dekol and Dhama, are situated at the northern and southern end of Guptipara, respectively. Before the 15th century, many parts of Guptipara sank and were covered by lakes and rivers. The Dekol was connected with the Hooghly by the ''Muri Ganga'' channel, which can no longer be traced. During floods, water from the river enters through the Muri Ganga Path before it reunites with Dekol. An increase in population and farming, floods, the STKK road and railway lines define the landscape. The village is part of the Hooghly-Burdwan rice belt.


History

Guptipara is the home of Bengal's first "Barowari" ()
Durga Puja Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...
which introduced Sri Bindhabasini Jagaddhatri Puja (Worshipping Devi Durga introduced by
Lord Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda'' ...
), with a club named Bindhyabasini. It is now known as Bindhyabasini Mata. In the 1760s, a group of men were stopped from taking part in the household
Durga Puja Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...
of the ruling Sen family. In retaliation, seven of these men formed a committee and organised a modern club culture called "Barowari Puja." (In Sanskrit''Bar'' means Public or community and in Farsi ''wari'' means By or for) Opinions vary about the year of commencement of the Barowari puja. Some believe it to be 1760 while others claim it to be 1790. Guptipara was one of the main places in ancient India where the "
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
Toles" and Pandith lived. "Pathmahal," "Raghu Nath" Mandir, and ''Mela'' were situated throughout Guptipara in large numbers. Many old manuscripts and books are preserved in the "''Sisir Bani Mandir Pathagar''", the government library. Guptipara is the birthplace of folk singer Bhola Moira, and of Diwan Mohanlal, the Commander in Chief of King
Siraj ud-Daulah Mir Syed Jafar Ali Khan Mirza Muhammad Siraj-ud-Daulah (1733 – 2 July 1757), commonly known as Siraj-ud-Daulah or Siraj ud-Daula, was the last independent Nawab of the Bengal Subah. The end of his reign marked the start of the rule of th ...
. The temple complex at Brindaban Chandra's Math houses four
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 ...
Temples: Chaitanya, Brindabanchandra, Ramchandra and Krishnachandra. The Ramchandra Temples contain many
terracotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ...
works, and the structures bear characteristics of the Bengal school of architecture, with carvings depicting scenes from the
epics Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...
and . Guptipara was a citadel of Vaishnavite culture. Even today, residents observe Ras, Dol and Ratha-Yatra, which is Guptipara's greatest festival. The Guptipara ''ratha'' (), one of the tallest and oldest ''rathas'' in West Bengal, is said to cover the second-longest distance in India after that of
Puri Puri, also known as Jagannath Puri, () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state ca ...
. On the day before the Ultorath (the homecoming of Lord Bridabanchandra), a festival known as "Bhandarloot" is held in Guptipara. Many people across Eastern India come gather there to pull the ropes of the ''ratha''. Guptipara is the home of the first branded Bengali "''Gupo sandesh,''" a special kind of sweetmeat.


Demographics

As per the 2011 Census of India, the population was 2,169, of which 1,090 (50%) were males and 1,079 (50%) were females. 192 of the population was below age 6. The literacy rate was 83.92% of the population over age 6.


Transport

Guptipara can be reached from
Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
or
Howrah Howrah (; ; alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River, opposite to its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively ...
on the suburban train service. Local trains from Howrah,
Katwa Katwa is a sub-divisional town and railway junction in Purba Bardhaman district of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Katwa subdivision. The town was built at the confluence of Ganga and Ajay. Katwa is a border cit ...
and
Bandel Bandel is a city in the Hooghly district of the Indian state of West Bengal. It was founded by Portuguese Empire, Portuguese settlers and falls under the jurisdiction of Chandernagore Police Commissionerate. It is a part of the area covered by ...
stop at Guptipara railway station. Train service is also available from
Sealdah Sealdah is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Etymology Jackals (''sheal'' in Bengali) howled around Sealdah. Antiquarians identify it as Shrigaldwipa (Jackal Island). Nearby Beliaghata ...
. Guptipara is from Howrah and from Bandel on the Bandel–Katwa Branch Line. Guptipara is connected by roadways, including the Assam (S.T.K.K.) Road. Buses are available from district headquarters
Chinsurah Hugli-Chuchura (), also known by its former names Chinsurah or Hooghly-Chinsurah, is a city of Hooghly district and the district headquarters of Hooghly division in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is one of the densely populated citie ...
& Kalna (Kalna–Chinsurah 8 No. Private Bus),
Burdwan Bardhaman (, ), officially Bardhaman Sadar, is a city and 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 a ...
(Guptipara–Burdwan) and
Tarakeswar Tarakeswar is a famous sacred city and a municipality in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Tarakeswar is called "Baba Dham" or "The city of Shiva". It is one of the major tourist and holy place of West Bengal as well as India ...
(Guptipara–Tarakeswar). Ferry service to Guptipara is available from
Shantipur Shantipur is a city and a municipality in the Ranaghat subdivision of Nadia district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. The fort area of this city, also known as Daak-Garh (calling or gathering room) is thought ...
and Tarapur. Autorickshaw services are available from
Jirat Jirat is a census town located in Hooghly district, Hooghly District in the Indian States and territories of India, State of West Bengal. Geography Location Jirat is situated under Balagarh (community development block), Balagarh Block. Ba ...
(Jirat–Guptipara) and from Kalna (Kalna–Guptipara).


Sports

The two main sports clubs are over one-hundred and twenty years old: The Gupitara Football Club and the Gupitara Premier League. The Guptipara Football Club, Aida Milani Sangha, and the Guptipara Cricket Association arrange regular tournaments. The Guptipara Premier League in cricket received some fame and came into the spotlight of Bengal Media. These clubs organize football tournaments at Guptipara.


Administration

Guptipara is divided into three administrative parts, or gram panchayats. Guptipara I covers areas like Guptipara Station Road, Satgachia, Bandhagachi, Pathmahal, Mirdanga, Tengripara, and Saradanagar villages. Guptipara II covers the largest area with Manasatala, Pathakpukur, Beldanga, Kumorpara, Chutorpara, Baburdanga, Aryanagar, Rathsadak, Jamtala, Behula, Ghoshpara, Sondolpur, Rampur, Aida, and Baire, as well as many other small villages. Guptipara III covers Fultala, Char-Krishnabati, Benali, Shaktipur etc. Guptipara is under The Hooghly Lok Sabha and
Balagarh Balagarh is a village in Balagarh CD Block in Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the state of West Bengal, India. Geography Location Balagarh is located at . The Balagarh CD Block is mostly part of the Hooghly Flats, one of the th ...
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 ...
.


Heads of Administration

* M.P.: Locket Chatterjee * MLA: Asim Majhi *Zilla Parishad: Paritosh Ghosh *Pradhan Guptipara -I: Padma Roy *Pradhan Guptipara -II: Sonali Ghosh *Pradhan Guptipara -III: Sanjib Mahato


Education


College

*
Saroj Mohan Institute of Technology Saroj Mohan Institute of Technology (commonly SMIT) is a co-educational private engineering college located in Guptipara, West Bengal, India. SMIT is affiliated to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal and approved by Al ...


Higher Secondary schools

* Guptipara High School ( 1890, Near Guptipara police outpost, Bhattacharya Para. Co-ed) * Guptipara Girls High School (est. 1950, Hugli. Co-ed)


Secondary schools

* Satyabrata Balika Vidyalaya (Girls Only) * Krishna Bati Char High School (Co-Ed) * Satgachia High School (Co-Ed) * Natagarh High School (Co-Ed) * Sultanpur Alia Sr. Madarasah School (Co-Ed) * Satgachia Balika Vidyalaya (Girls only)


Mission

# Hindu Mission Boys Welfare Home


Festivals and culture

Guptiparans celebrate several events: Ratha Yatra, Jagadhatri Puja, Durga Puja, Dol Yatra, Jhapan, Kali Puja and many local festivals, including Guptipara Rathayatra.


Ratha-Yatra

Ratha Yatra is the main attraction. At approximately 2 km, the Guptipara Ratha covers the second largest distance in India. It starts from the temple complex in Lord Brindaban Chandra Temple and stretches to Lord Gopal Temple at Borobazar, Guptipara. Approximately one million people gather there to celebrate the Ratha Yatra. On the eve of the Ulto Rath, Guptipara holds a unique ritual known as Bhandar Loot. During Bhandar Loot the bhog is not distributed but looted.


Jagaddhatri Puja

Barowari committees and houses organize Jagadhatri Puja. The main attraction is a firecracker competition and procession that takes place on the last evening of the Puja.


Durga Puja

Like other areas of Bengal, Guptipara hosts Durga Puja. Puja from the Sen's house is one of the oldest traditions in Bengal. The famous clubs who organize Durga Puja are United Club, Saradanagar New Young Star, Bandhagachi Barowari, Azad hind Club, SMIT, Jagarani Sangha, Durga Mandir, Nirbhik Sangha, Daspara Barowari, Bhumijpara Barowari, Swaralipi Club, Evergreen, Thakurpara Barowari, Aryanagar Barowari, and Sasthitala Barowari. At least 100 small and big pujas have been organized here.


Kali Puja

The main attractions are Desh Kali Puja & Mashal Kali Puja (Deceits Kali). Flares are often used in the procession of Mashal Kali Puja.


References


Notes


External links


Abhimunya Classes for Competitive Exams



Guptipara Ratha Yatra PhotosEbar Guptipara
{{Temple towns in West Bengal Villages in Hooghly district