Ranaghat
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| Ranaghat | |
  Ranaghat
|
|
| State - District(s) |
West Bengal - Nadia |
| Coordinates | |
| Area - Elevation |
- 7 m |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Population (2001) - Density |
68,754 - |
| CPM Chairman | Shankar Singh |
| Codes - Postal - Telephone - Vehicle |
- 741201 - +91-3473-2xxxxx - WB-52 |
Ranaghat is a town in the district of Nadia, West Bengal, India. It is situated 74 kilometers north of Calcutta. One of the most important railway junction in the sealdah-murshidabad railway section.
Contents |
[edit] History
Ranaghat, the town that has its existence since the English invaded this country, was mentioned in some of famous historians' books. A myth/rumour is there that the name came from the 'Rana Dacoit' who used to loot in this place and neighbourhood 5 or 6 hundred years back and he used to give pujas to Maa Kali after looting them. Though not yet confirmed, but anthropologists believe the name 'Ranaghat' must have come from there.
The town is home to the famous bengali poet Joy Goswami.
[edit] Geography
The town is exactly 74 kilometers north of calcutta and 26 kms south of Krishnanagar, nadia-district headquarter. Bangadesh border is within very high proximity of this town. Ranaghat is located at [1]. It has an average elevation of 7 metres (22 feet).
The www.heavens-above.com says, co-ordinates of ranaghat is : 23.1830° N, 88.5830° E .
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India censusGRIndia, Ranaghat had a population of 68,754. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Ranaghat has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 87%, and female literacy is 80%. In Ranaghat, 8% of the population is under 6 years of age.
[edit] Places of Interest
The following places might be interesting to the people who are coming to the town.
1. Churni Nodir ghat -- The bank of churni, really pleasant in the scorching heats of summer. The recently made bridge over the churni is being used as a medium of communication between the people of Ainshtola (the west side of churni) and burrabazzar(east side).
2. The Church - More about it in the Culture section.
[edit] Economy
Economy of ranaghat is mostly based on agriculture. Different types of grains starting from paddy, flour, wheat, different fruits are being produced in a vast area outside the main township, where you would find a large of number of farmers and villagers. Various products from milk are transported to calcutta each and every morning.
Another type of product which is not getting so much of govenrment's notice is the handicraft and boutiques. At least 1000 people or more depend on this.
IT infrastructure is getting polularised lately there. All the banks have been computerised in the town.
[edit] Education
The town boasts a number of schools for higher-secondary education. but not so many for graduation.
Current situation is as follows:
Higher-Secondary school
- Palchaudhary High School.
- Brajobala girls' higher secondary school.
- Lalgopal boys' high school.
- Lalgopal girls' high school.
- Bharati High School.
- Nasra High School.
- Milan Bagan Higher Secondary School
Primary school
- Brajobala girls' primary school.
- Malancha Vidyapith.
- Holychild high school.
- Nivedita Academy.
- Chhobi Memorial and so many others are there.
College:
- At present only one is there.
Ranaghat College. It offers batchelors' programme in most of the science subjects(B.Sc degree to be offered), in arts (B.A to be offered) and in commerce(B.Com). The college politics is a part and parcel of this college. The current ruling party is DYFI. Democratic Youth Federation of India. We sincerely hope this whole politics gets eradicated from this academic place. But some miracle is needed for that. The city desperately needs some engineering or medical college. But as we are all aware of west-bengal economic situation we better not mention anything about it. We hope one day, an institute named 'Ranaghat Institute of Technology' would be set up there.
[edit] Culture
The town is inhabitated mostly by bengalis. The city literacy is 85.7%, more than any other cities of west bengal. Durga-puja like all other bengali counterpart is celebrated throughout the entire city. All the other pujas are celebrated also. But the ranaghat municipality has other things to worry about than to invest money in these issues.
The church near Begopara is one of the most beautiful churches of bengal. The writer sincerely requests all the people, who are yet to set their feet there must pay a visit there this december on 25th. Other users are encouraged to upload a picture of the church.
- More information can be found out here.
[edit] Transport
The city is well connected to Sealdah railway station. Local and passenger trains are available every half-an-hour. But due to population outburst in the intermediate stations like Chakdah, Kalyani never except a seat during day-hours. Our railway-minister has recently passed a bill for running a superfast train in the Sealdah-Lalgola route. That would minimise the current 2 hrs time by at least one hour. But this project requires a helluva money. So the writer is not sure when it will be materialised.
From Ranaghat railway station, trains ply in both north and south. Local trains are available for these places: Krishnagar, Shantipur, Gede, Bangaon and Sealdah. A handful of fast passengers train between Lalgola and Sealdah also goes over Ranaghat and another express train Bhagirathi express, mainly for the office-goers run in the morning. To be exact it departs from Ranaghat for Sealdah at 8:50 in the morning and in the evening leaves Sealdah station at 6:25pm for Ranaghat. It takes around 1 and half hour in contrary to the 2 hours taken by the local trains.
Bus service, though less used by the commoners due to the bus-stop position in a far place from the railway station, is also available. Buses ply through the 34th national highway: in north to north bengal through Krishnagar, and to Kolkata in the south direction.
Auto-service might be popular in other cities of West Bengal, but its not available here.
[edit] Recreation
Four theatres are there in the city (none of them are Dolby-DTS though). They are Surendra, Ranaghat Talkies, Geetanjali and Pramanick. The last one is supposed to be closed by dec-2006 and a multiplex is supposed to be opened there.
Cultural programmes are mostly held at Najrul Mancha also known as Aheli. Last time it came in the news when it held the Junior. P.C. Sorcar Magic show.
[edit] Current Condition of the city
Everything about the city is good except the roads. The streets are shrinking day by day. And due to huge tresspassers from Bangladesh, the population of the city also reached a high-mark. To do away with the pressure, large multi-storeyed flats and buildings are being made nowadays. When the writer was in town lastly, the total number of flats had already crossed 35. Barring with this problem, the writer must say, its a nice place to live. No din and bustle there like Kolkata.
| Nadia District |
|---|
| Krishnagar | Nabadwip | Mayapur | Ranaghat | Kalyani | Shantipur | Gede | Chakdaha | Phulia | Haringhata | Bethudahari | Badkulla |
| Districts of West Bengal |
|---|
| Bankura | Bardhaman | Birbhum | Cooch Behar | Darjeeling | North Dinajpur | South Dinajpur | Hooghly | Howrah | Jalpaiguri | Kolkata | Malda | Midnapore East | Midnapore West | Murshidabad | Nadia | North 24 Parganas | South 24 Parganas | Purulia |
