Jalpaiguri
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Jalpaiguri (), is a city in the Indian state 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 headquarters of the Jalpaiguri district as well as of the
Jalpaiguri division Jalpaiguri Division is one of the 5 divisions in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the northernmost division of West Bengal. It is surrounded by Nepal to the west, Bihar on the south-western side, Bhutan to the north and Bangladesh to the ...
of West Bengal, covering the jurisdiction of the five districts of
North Bengal North Bengal ( , Uttar Banga) is a cross-border cultural–geographic region consisting of the north-western areas of Bangladesh as well as the northern part of the West Bengal state of India. Bounded to the east by the Jamuna and in the south ...
. The city is located on the banks of the
Teesta River Teesta River is a long river that rises in the Pauhunri Mountain of eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal and subsequently enters Bangladesh through Rangpur division. In Bangladesh, it merges with Jamu ...
and Karala River, on the foothills of the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
. The city is home to the circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court, the other seat being at
Port Blair Port Blair (), officially named Sri Vijaya Puram, is the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India in the Bay of Bengal. It is also the local administrative sub-division (''tehsil'') of the islands, the headqu ...
in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India comprising 572 islands, of which only 38 are inhabited. The islands are grouped into two main clusters: the northern Andaman Islands and the southern Nicobar Islands, separated by a ...
. Jalpaiguri features the Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College, the second campus of the
University of North Bengal The University of North Bengal (also North Bengal University, abbreviated as NBU) is a public state university in the North Bengal region of West Bengal, India. Its main campus is located in Raja Rammohanpur, Siliguri, Darjeeling district, in ...
and the Biswa Bangla Krirangan/ Jalpaiguri Sports Village. It lies east of its twin city,
Siliguri Siliguri (, ; ), also known as Shiliguri, is a major Tier ii cities in india, tier-II city in West Bengal. It forms the twin cities, Twin Cities with the neighbouring city of Jalpaiguri. The city spans areas of the Darjeeling district, Darjeel ...
. The merging of the two cities makes it the largest metropolis of the
region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
.


Etymology

The name "Jalpaiguri" comes from the word "Jalpai''"'' meaning ''Ceylon olive'', which grew in the city and adjacent areas. And "Guri" means ''a'' place.


Geography

Jalpaiguri is the district headquarter of Jalpaiguri District. It is situated at a height of 89m(292ft) from Mean Sea Level. The city lies very close to the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
and on the left bank of Teesta river. The Karla river is another major river of Jalpaiguri which flows through the city.


Climate


Temperature

The annual average temperature of Jalpaiguri city is 24.8 °C. In summer, the temperature varies from a minimum of 20–22 °C to a maximum of 30–35 °C. August is the hottest month with an average temperature of 29.2 °C. The temperature in peak summer sometimes exceeds 37 °C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Jalpaiguri was 40.9 °C, recorded on 21 July 1986. The winter maximum temperature here hovers around 22–25 °C and minimum drops to 8–10 °C. The minimum temperature sometimes falls below 7 °C. The lowest temperature ever dropped in Jalpaiguri city was 2.2 °C, recorded on 5 February 1914.


Rainfall and other conditions

As Jalpaiguri is located on the base of the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
, the city receives a high amount of rainfall throughout the year. The average annual rainfall is approximately 3400 mm. A distinct season, monsoon is observed from June to September. About 917.3 mm rain falls in July. Though the amount plummets to 3.3 mm in December. On an average, the rainy days in Jalpaiguri city are 100. The heaviest one-day rainfall occurred on 10 July 1999 when 474 mm rain fell on the city. The wettest month was July 1996. In that month, a total of 1546.2 mm of rain was received. Jalpaiguri doesn't get snowfall. Humidity is very high in the air.


Demographics

According to the 2011 census, Jalpaiguri had a population of 107,341 people (53,708 male and 53,633 female) while the Metropolitan region had a population of 169,002 people (85,226 males and 83,787 females). The population for children aged 0-6 was 14,522. Effective literacy rate for people aged 7+ was 86.43 per cent. The main languages spoken here are Bengali,
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 Nepali.


Civic administration

Civic administration is the responsibility of the Jalpaiguri Municipality which is the tenth oldest in West Bengal after that of
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 ...
, Uttarpara,
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 ...
,
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 ...
, Krishnanagar,
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 ...
,
Basirhat Basirhat is a city and a municipal urban region of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Basirhat subdivision. Established on April 1, 1869, Basirhat is one of the oldest municipal board ...
, Berhampore and Siuri. Set up in 1885, it is headed by a chairman who is elected by the residents of the city. It has 25 wards that elect the ward councillors. The
All India Trinamool Congress The All India Trinamool Congress (; AITC), simply known as Trinamool Congress, is an Indian political party that is mainly influential in the state of West Bengal. It was founded by Mamata Banerjee on 1 January 1998 as a breakaway faction f ...
is in the power of this municipal body. The chairperson of the municipality is Papia Pal.


Economy

Jalpaiguri has its own bank, the Jalpaiguri Central Co-operative Bank, whose head office is located at Temple Street of the city. Founded in 1919, it has more than 20 branches with ATMs spread across the District.


Utility services

The municipality is responsible for providing basic services, such as
potable water Drinking water or potable water is water that is safe for ingestion, either when drunk directly in liquid form or consumed indirectly through food preparation. It is often (but not always) supplied through taps, in which case it is also calle ...
and
sanitation Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation systems ...
. The water is supplied by the municipal authorities using its groundwater resources, and almost all the houses in the municipal area are connected through the system.


Transport


Rail

Jalpaiguri city region has four important railway stations:- # Jalpaiguri Town is the oldest station in the area. # Jalpaiguri Road was opened in 1944 and is the primarily crucial railway station of the city. # Mohitnagar lies at Mohitnagar in the Haldibari-New Jalpaiguri line. # Raninagar Jalpaiguri Junction is situated at the further western part of the city. The railway station serves Jalpaiguri, Raninagar and other nearby places.


Road

The Asian Highway 2 and the National Highway 31D NH 27 (New Numbering)">National_Highway_27_(India).html" ;"title="nowiki/>National Highway 27 (India)">NH 27 (New Numbering)passes just through the city connecting it right with the rest of the country. The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Central Bus Terminus situated next to the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) Bus Terminal is a major stop for most private and state-owned buses in the region. The Royal Government of Bhutan also operates buses from Jalpaiguri to its border town Jaigaon/ Phuentsholing, Bhutan. Air-conditioned sleeper coach bus service is also available from Jalpaiguri to
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 ...
(Banglashree Express). There are several bus stands in Jalpaiguri:- * NBSTC Depot: Government buses are available from here. * Kadamtala Bus Terminus: Private buses to
Siliguri Siliguri (, ; ), also known as Shiliguri, is a major Tier ii cities in india, tier-II city in West Bengal. It forms the twin cities, Twin Cities with the neighbouring city of Jalpaiguri. The city spans areas of the Darjeeling district, Darjeel ...
and Islampur are available from here. * Super Bus Stand near the Jalpaiguri railway station – Super (or non-stop) bus services to Siliguri are available from here. * Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Private Bus Terminus: Buses to the Dooars region, i.e., Malbazar, Birpara, are available from here. * Bowbazaar Bus Stand: Bus services to Haldibari are available from here.


Air

The nearest airport is
Bagdogra Airport Bagdogra Airport () is a customs airport serving the city of Siliguri in West Bengal, India. It is located in Bagdogra, south-west from the city centre. It is operated as a civil enclave at the Bagdogra Air Force Station of the Indian A ...
,
Siliguri Siliguri (, ; ), also known as Shiliguri, is a major Tier ii cities in india, tier-II city in West Bengal. It forms the twin cities, Twin Cities with the neighbouring city of Jalpaiguri. The city spans areas of the Darjeeling district, Darjeel ...
, which lies 45 km north-west from Jalpaiguri city centre, with regular flights to major cities like
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 ...
,
New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...
,
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
,
Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
,
Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
,
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
,
Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ), also spelled Amdavad (), is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 ...
,
Guwahati Guwahati () the largest city of the Indian state of Assam, and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the seat of the Government of Assam. Th ...
and has international connectivity with Paro and
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
.


Education

Jalpaiguri's schools are run by the state government or private organisations, many of which are religious. Bengali and English are the primary languages of instruction; Nepali and
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 ...
are also used. Schools in Jalpaiguri follow the "10+2+3" plan. After completing their secondary education, students typically enroll in schools that have a higher secondary facility and are affiliated with the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education, the
Indian Certificate of Secondary Education The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) is an academic qualification awarded by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private, non-governmental board of education in India. The CISCE conducts these examinati ...
(ICSE), or the
Central Board of Secondary Education The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national-level board of education in India for public and private schools, controlled and managed by the Government of India. Established in 1929 by a resolution of the government, the Board ...
(CBSE). They usually choose a focus on liberal arts, business, or science. Vocational programs are also available. In 2012, the Government proposed a medical college for the suburb of Paharpur. Colleges include: * Ananda Chandra College * Ananda Chandra College of Commerce * Institute of Pharmacy, Jalpaiguri is the pharmacy college which offers pharmacy courses under West Bengal State Council of Technical Education,
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 ...
. There is also an industrial training institute in the city. * Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College is an autonomous institution of the
Government of West Bengal The Government of West Bengal, also known as the West Bengal Government, is the Administrative division, principal administrative authority of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of West Bengal, created by the Constitution ...
, one of premier technical institutes is present in Jalpaiguri, best known for scientists like Promode R. Bandyopadhyay. It is located near the National Highway 27 (West Bengal State Highway 12A) at Denguajhar, Jalpaiguri. The institute is one of the oldest institutes of engineering in the state. * Jalpaiguri Government Medical College and Hospital, established in 2022, is a full-fledged tertiary referral Government Medical college. It is located at Jalpaiguri town of West Bengal. The college imparts the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS). The hospital associated with the college is one of the largest hospitals in the Jalpaiguri district. The yearly undergraduate student intake is 100 from the year 2022. * Jalpaiguri Law College is the city's law college. * Jalpaiguri Polytechnic Institute, is a Government Diploma level institute with 3 yrs.(10+) Civil Engineering, Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. *
North Bengal St. Xavier's College North Bengal St. Xavier's College, Jalpaiguri, is the third Jesuit college established in the northern area of West Bengal, India. Founded in 2007, it offers undergraduate courses in arts and sciences and is affiliated to the University of No ...
, all of which are affiliated with the
University of North Bengal The University of North Bengal (also North Bengal University, abbreviated as NBU) is a public state university in the North Bengal region of West Bengal, India. Its main campus is located in Raja Rammohanpur, Siliguri, Darjeeling district, in ...
. Also, since 2011, the second campus of the university with the same name provides with master's degrees in arts, sciences, and commerce. * P.D. Women's College


Notable people

* Promode R. Bandyopadhyay, Indian born American inventor, research scientist and Technical Program Manager at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, New Port,
Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, USA *
P. K. Banerjee Pradip Kumar Banerjee (23 June 1936 – 20 March 2020) was an Indian professional association football, footballer who played as a forward (association football), striker for the India national football team. He also captained the nationa ...
, Indian
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
and coach who represented India at the international level. * Swapna Barman, the heptathlete was born here. * Ratan Lal Basu, an economist,
fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying character (arts), individuals, events, or setting (narrative), places that are imagination, imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent ...
author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...
in English,
Indologist Indology, also known as South Asian studies, is the academic study of the history and cultures, languages, and literature of the Indian subcontinent, and as such is a subset of Asian studies. The term ''Indology'' (in German, ''Indologie'') is ...
and specialist in
Yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
and
Tantra Tantra (; ) is an esoteric yogic tradition that developed on the India, Indian subcontinent beginning in the middle of the 1st millennium CE, first within Shaivism and later in Buddhism. The term ''tantra'', in the Greater India, Indian tr ...
cult. * Moushumi Bhowmik, the eminent singer-songwriter was born here. * Mimi Chakraborty, Tollywood actress and Member of Parliament from Jadavpur constituency. * Sukalyan Ghosh Dastidar, Indian
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
of the 1970s * Samaresh Majumdar, Bengali author of novels like ''Uttoradhikar'', ''Kalpurush'', and ''Kaalbela''. *
Khaleda Zia Begum Khaleda Zia (born August–September 1945) is a Bangladeshi politician who served as the prime minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. She was the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and the second fema ...
, Former Prime Minister of
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
during 1991 to 1996 & 2001 to 2006 and leader of
Bangladesh Nationalist Party The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (), popularly abbreviated as BNP (), is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. It was founded on 1 September 1978 by President of Bangladesh, President Ziaur Rahman, wit ...
.


See also

* Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalpaiguri * Cities and towns in West Bengal


References


External links

*
Official website of Jalpaiguri Municipality





Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority
{{West Bengal Cities and towns in Jalpaiguri district Former capital cities in India Cities in West Bengal