West Bengal : Some brief Info for KPS & Other Exams

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Brief Information About WEST BENGAL For KPS & Other Exams

Capital : Calcutta
Districts : 25
Languages: Bengali, Hindi, English
Introduction to West Bengal
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee composed his famous song, Vande Mataram, in 1882, he was in
many ways symbolizing the beauty of Bengal. Some things here are still eternal. The rich culture of
the state binds the population together through its unique unity in diversity and offers matchless
geographical variety to its visitors. West Bengal, located in the eastern part of the Indian peninsula,
is one of the countrys medium-sized, states. However, in its physical form, it is a complete
representation of the Indian subcontinent. Darjeeling, its northern end, is embraced by the arms of
the mighty Himalayas. The Dooars in the foothills are rich in forest. The unconquerable river Ganga
flows across the states rich alluvial plains to reach the Bay of Bengal in the south, through vast
swamps that are known as the Sundarbans.
Geography of West Bengal
West Benga is stretching for about 300 miles from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, West
Bengals geography is as diversified as its culture. Through West Bengal runs the tropic of cancer.
West Bengal is surrounded by the three international frontiers in the north, namely, Bhutan, Nepal
and Bangladesh. On its northeast lies the green valley of Assam. On the east lies Bangladesh. Bihar
lies on the western side. To the southwest, lies Orissa, the state with, its golden beaches, and the
Bay of Bengal lies to the south of West Bengal. Starting from the mighty Himalayas in the north to
the Bay of Bengal in the south, West Bengal is a cluster of varied physical features. Coming
downward, the state houses some of the rare species of wildlife in the Sundarbans that is also the
natural habitat of the famous Royal Bengal Tiger. Between the Himalayan mountain region and the
delta region lie the fertile Gangetic plains.
Brief History of West Bengal
West Bengal was formerly known as Vanga and was spread over a vast area. Ruled by several
dynasties from ancient times, the actual history of this region is, however, available from the Gupta
period. The prosperity and the importance of the state increased largely when the British East India
Company took over the place. It was a widespread Bengal province until under the terms of the
Indian Independence Act, 1947, the province of Bengal ceased to exist. The Muslim-dominated
districts, namely, Chittagong, Dacca and part of Presidency and Rajshahi division went to the

West Bengal : Some brief Info for KPS & Other Exams

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present-day Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal came into existence in 1947.
The district of Cooch Behar was merged with the state on January 1, 1950. The former
Chandernogor came within the state on October 2, 1954 and the state got its present political
boundary when, according to the States Reorganization Act, part of the state of Bihar was
transferred to West Bengal.
Government of West Bengal
Mamata Banerjee has been the Chief Minister of West Bengal since 2011.Again she has been
elected as new Chief minister of WB in 2016. She is also the leader of Trinimul Congress (TMC).
Districts of West Bengal
There are 25 districts in West Bengal at present, namely:
Bankura, Bardhaman, Birbhum, Cooch, Behar, Darjeeling, District East Midnapore. Hooghly.
Howrah. Jalpaiguri. Kolkata, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, District North 24 Parganas, North
Dinajpur, Purulia South 24 Parganas, Dakshin Dinajpur & West Midnapore, Kalimpong,
Sundarbans,Basirhat,Burdwan industrial,Jhargram,Alipurduar.
Economy of West Bengal
Minerals, like rock phosphate, fire clay, iron, limestone, copper, silica, quartz, manganese and
sandstone are found in a considerable amount in the state. As a result, a few industries related to
these are being established in the state. Steel and alloy steel plants in Durgapur and another steel
plant in Burnpur are some of the important industries of the state. Other industries include jute, tea,
cotton textiles, automobiles, bicycle, footwear, leather, paper, pharmaceuticals, chemicals,
aluminum, sugar, timber processing, ceramic, glass, bone metal, and dairy. Fifty-five percent of the
population of West Bengal depends upon agriculture. In fact, agriculture makes a substantial
contribution to the states income. West Bengal accounts for 57.3% of the total jute and 24% of the
total tea produced in the country. Pulses, oilseeds, barley, maize, betel leaf, tobacco and sugarcane
are some of the other agricultural products of West Bengal. Moreover, there are several
multipurpose irrigation schemes in West Bengal, namely, the Damodar Valley, Mayurakshi,
Kangsbati and Subarnarekha Barrage. The irrigation schemes are Teesta-Mahananda link canal in
Jalpaiguri district, Terageria and Turga irrigation scheme in Purulia, Hinlow irrigation scheme in
Birbhum district and Sohajare scheme in Bankura district.
West Bengal Travel Information
West Bengal is one of the first destinations in a tourists itinerary visiting the eastern part of the
country. Calcutta (Kolkata), the capital of the state, is the proud intellectual capital of the country.
The city has made outstanding contribution to the country in the fields of art, science, medicine,

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social reform and literature. The city retains some of the most striking colonial buildings of the
country. It used to be the capital of the British East India Company and the evidence of the British
colonization continues in the city even today. The Victoria Memorial is a majestic house constructed
in the memory of Queen Victoria. This building houses a number of rare specimens of the historical
preserves of the land. Moreover, the manuscripts, the paintings and the sculptures here are
outstanding. Howrah Bridge is yet another landmark that denotes this city of joy. This hanging
bridge is an architectural marvel of the country. The second largest planetarium in Asia, the Birla
Planetarium, is another site that attracts attention of all, regardless of their age.
The Botanical Garden with its 250-year-old banyan tree (Ficus bengalhensis) is another, attraction
of the city. The Dakshineshwar Temple is an important pilgrimage center that attracts a number of
tourists as well as pilgrims from all over the country. It is said that Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa,
the spiritual guru of Swami Vivekananda, used to worship Goddess Kali in this place. The recently
built Vidyasagar Setu, another architectural marvel, connects both the banks of the Hooghly River.
Thakur Bari, the residence of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, is another site that receives a herd of
visitors every year. Moreover, the Metro Railway, National Library, Shaheed Minar, Eden Garden,
Fort William, Rat Park and Marble Palace are some of the other sites of the city that are worth
visiting.
Shantiniketan, Tagores university township, is a must on any itinerary that plots Bengal as a
stopover. Just two and a half hours away by rail from Calcutta, this town in the Birbhum district is
rich in culture and art. At Tagores residence in the Uttarayan complex, one could visit the museum
and his various homes. From Shantiniketan, you could also take a stopover at Bakreswar, where
ancient Kali and Shiva temples rise into the azure sky. The hot springs are famous for curing many
chronic diseases. For witnessing the sheer magnificence of the mountains, untouched and unspoiled,
one should visit the hill station of Darjeeling, located 7,000 feet above sea level. Darjeeling is
famous for its flavored tea all over the world. The brew is often compared to champagne and the tea
gardens that dot the slopes are witness to this gigantic industry. The Himalayan Mountaineering
Institute is a paradise for trekkers. West Bengal has lot more to offer as a tourist destination.-Digha, Siliguri, Gaur, Pandua, Murshidabad, Bishnupur, Haldia and the Sunderban Tiger Reserve
are some of the few places of West Bengal that need to be mentioned here.
Rivers of West Bengal
The main rivers of the state are: Teesta, Brahamaputra, Jaldhaka, Torsha, Sankosh, Raidak,
Mahananda, Mahanadi, Balason, Machi, Tangan, Punarbhava, Atrai, Ganga, Bhagirathi,
Mayurakshi, Brahmani, Dwaraka, Bakreswar, Kopai, Damodar, Hooghly, Rupanarayan, Kansabati
or Kasai and Subarnarekha
Education in West Bengal
In the whole of the rural West Bengal and in the most of the municipal areas the primary education

West Bengal : Some brief Info for KPS & Other Exams

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is free and compulsory. Free supply of text books have been under taken. Girls education up to
standard VIII has been made free in rural and urban areas, including Calcutta. Schools in West
Bengal are either run by the state government or by private organisations. Schools mainly use
English or Bengali as the medium of instruction, though Hindi and Urdu may also be used. The
schools are affiliated with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), the Central Board
for Secondary Education (CBSE), or the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. West Bengal
has fifteen universities. The University of Calcutta has more than 200 affiliated colleges. Bengal
Engineering & Science University and Jadavpur University have notable engineering institutions.
Notable collegess include Presidency College, St. Xavier's College, Medical College Kolkata. The
state has many higher education institutes of national importance including Indian Institute of
Technology, Kharagpur, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, National Institute of Technology,
Durgapur, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Asiatic Society, Indian Statistical Institute, Marine
Engineering and Research Institute etc.
Food of West Bengal
Among all East Indian food, Bengali food is known all over for its varied taste and flavor. The
cuisine contains sweets as well as other meal accompanying dishes. The sweets made from milk and
curds, namely, rasogolla, sondesh, malai somsom, chana mukhi, and raj bhog are especially famous
all over India. Above all, the fish preparation of Bengal is a culinary delight for the non-vegetarian
food lovers. Fish of different varieties are prepared mostly with mustard oil and mustard seeds. Fish
items are sometimes marinated in spices and sometimes cooked with curd. The ilcha macher jhol is
an all-time favorite. Misti doi or sweet curd is another delicacy worth savoring. The Bengali is
predominantly a rice eater. All but the very devout Hindus eat fish as a principal item of their food.
Bengalis prefer to other beverages, the habit of taking sweetened tea has a spread to their remotest
villages. Chewing of pan laced with lime, Kattha and arecanut is universal. Drinking of palm juice
today and home made alcoholic brews is largely confined to industrial labour and the tribal
population.
Arts & Culture of West Bengal
The attire of the Bengalis is very much Indian in origin. The main dress for the male is a cotton
dhoti and silk or muslin kurta with a long cloth that is placed on the shoulder and neck. The women
wear cotton saris especially known as Bangla tanter saree that is worn in a unique way, where the
pallav of the saree comes from the backside of the wearer. The ethnicity of the state is diversified.
The majority of the people are Bengalis. Some of the tribal groups like the Santhals and Oraon live
in the remote plains whereas, the Lepchas and Bhotias live in the Himalayan regions of the state.
Eighty-five percent of the population speaks Bengali whereas the remaining speaks Hindi, Urdu and
other tribal languages.
Though the music of the state is not very old, it has gained a lot more maturity in its journey to

West Bengal : Some brief Info for KPS & Other Exams

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perfection in the last 200 years. However, in the long run, Bengali music, especially Rabindra
Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti and baul songs have successfully made their mark in the world of Indian
music.
Festivals of West Bengal
Besides the other festivals of the Hindu solar calendar, Durga Puja is the one that gains the ultimate
importance and attention in West Bengal. Durga Puja is an extravaganza of almost seven days, but,
the preparation starts months before the actual event. New clothes are an integral part of Puja for
every Bengali. Besides Durga Puja; Saraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja and Janmashtami are
some other festivals that are given special attention in Bengal. The art and craft of West Bengal is
known world over. Decent with the touch of minute observation, Bengali art and craft are unique.
The leather products of Bengal are very famous all over the country.