Dihika

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  ?Dihika
West Bengal • India
Map indicating the location of Dihika
Thumbnail map of India with West Bengal highlighted
Location of Dihika
 Dihika 
Coordinates: 23°41′N 86°59′E / 23.68, 86.98
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
District(s) Barddhaman
Website: bardhaman.gov.in/

Coordinates: 23°41′N 86°59′E / 23.68, 86.98

Dihika (Bengali: ডিহিকা) is a village in Asansol subdivision of Bardhaman District, West Bengal, India.

Contents

[edit] History

It was made famous by Paramahansa Yogananda who had landed here way back in 1917 for setting up a "How-to-Live" school with only 7 students and a couple of teachers. The school, housed in a one-storey building on the brink of a small pond, was inaugurated on 22nd March, 1917 with the financial assistance of Sri Manindra Chandra Nandi, the then Maharaja of Kashimbazar. However, the school was shifted to Ranchi in 1918.

In 1997, a piece of this land encompassing the pond was purchased by Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, the Spiritual Organization that Paramahansa Yogananda had founded in 1917. YSSI Dihika Kendra has been functioning from this place since then.

[edit] Geography

This village is located on the north bank of Damodar River and is approximately 10 km away from the city of Asansol.

Dihika Ashram School, 1917
Dihika Ashram School, 1917

The Asansol-Durgapur region is composed of undulating latterite region. This area lies between two mighty rivers – the Damodar and the Ajay. They flow almost parallel to each other in the region – the average distance between the two rivers is around 30 km. For ages the area was heavily forested and infested with plunderers and marauders. The discovery of coal led to industrialisation of the area and most of the forests have been cleared.[1]

[edit] External links

For a brief history of this place and the school, please visit: Geocities

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, Bardhaman Jelar Itihas O Lok Sanskriti (History and Folk lore of Bardhaman District.), (Bengali), Vol I, pp 14-15, Radical Impression. ISBN 81-85459-36-3

[edit] See also