?West Bengal India
Kolkata
Coordinates: 22°34′11″N 88°22′11″E / 22.5697, 88.3697
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area	88,752 km² (34,267 sq mi)
Capital	Kolkata
Largest city	Kolkata (Calcutta)
District(s)	19
Population • Density	80,221,171 (4th) • 904 /km² (2,341 /sq mi)
Language(s)	Bengali
Governor	Gopalkrishna Gandhi
Chief Minister	Buddhadeb Bhattacharya
Established	1960-05-01
Legislature (seats)	Unicameral (295)
ISO abbreviation	IN-WB
Website: www.wbgov.com
Portal: West Bengal
Seal of West Bengal

Coordinates: 22°34′11″N 88°22′11″E / 22.5697, 88.3697

West Bengal (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo IPA: [poʃtʃim bɔŋgo]) is a state in eastern India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Indian Standard Time ( IST) is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a Time offset of UTC+530. UTC+530 is the Timezone for Indian Standard Time Sri Lanka Time The geography of India is diverse with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts plains rainforests hills and plateaus To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of Indian state A district is an administrative division of a state in India India is divided into twenty-eight states and seven Union territories (UT In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume This is a list of the States of India in order of population The Constitution of India envisages Hindi as the primary official language to be used by the Union Government, with English as the subsidiary official language This is a list of Governors of West Bengal. See also West Bengal Governors of India Gopalkrishna Gandhi ( Bengali: গোপালকৃষ্ণ গান্ধি Gopalkrishno Gandhi; born April 22 1945) is the governor of Chief Ministers of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharya (বুদ্ধদেব ভট্টাচার্য (born March 1 1944) is an Indian Communist Politician The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India 's states and territories. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO ISO 3166-2IN is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to India. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country With Bangladesh, which lies on its eastern border, the state forms the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang To its northeast lie the states of Assam and Sikkim and the country Bhutan, and to its southwest, the state of Orissa. Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city Sikkim ( Nepali:, also Sikhim) is a Landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas It is the least populous state in India The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. Orissa (ଓଡ଼ିଶା is a state located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. To the west it borders the state of Jharkhand and Bihar, and to the northwest, Nepal. Jharkhand ( Hindi: झारखंड Bengali: ঝাড়খণ্ডdʒʰaːɽkʰəɳɖ is a state in eastern India. Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia.

The region that is now West Bengal was a part of a number of empires and kingdoms during the past two millennia. The British East India Company cemented their hold on the region following the Battle of Plassey in 1757 CE, and the city of Kolkata, then Calcutta, served for many years as the capital of British India. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or The Battle of Plassey (পলাশীর যুদ্ধ Pôlashir Juddho) was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British A hotbed of the Indian independence movement through the early 20th century, Bengal was divided in 1947 into two separate entities, West Bengal—a state of India, and East Pakistan belonging to the new nation of Pakistan. The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang The Partition of Bengal in 1947 part of the Partition of India, was a partition that divided Bengal into the two separate entities of West Bengal East Pakistan ( Bengali: পূর্ব পাকিস্তান Purbo Pakistan, Urdu: مشرقی پاکستان Mashriqi Pakistan) was Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Following India's independence in 1947, West Bengal's economic and political systems were dominated for many decades by Marxism, Naxalite movements and trade unionism. Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Naxalite or Naxalism is an informal name given to Communist groups that were born out of the Sino-Soviet split in the Indian communist movement A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming

An agriculture-dependent state, West Bengal occupies only 2. 7% of the India's land area, though it supports over 7. 8% of Indian population, and is the most densely populated state in India. ^[1] West Bengal has been ruled by the CPI(M)-led Left Front for three decades, making it the world's longest-running democratically-elected communist government. The Communist Party of India (Marxist (abbreviated CPI(M or CPM) is a Political party in India. BamfronttripuraJPG|thumb|right| West Bengal Left Front Committee meeting for solidarity with Tripura]] The Left Front ( Bengali: বাম ফ্রন্ট Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based While the state has seen a resurgence in its economy from late 1990s after decades of stagnation, it still faces poverty, social tensions and bureaucratic corruption. A major cultural center since the colonial period, West Bengal is the native land of many notable poets, writers, artists and performers.

History

Main article: History of Bengal

Remnants of civilisation in the greater Bengal region date back 4,000 years,^[2][3] when the region was settled by Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic peoples. See also History of Bangladesh The history of Bengal (including Bangladesh and West Bengal) dates back four millennia Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang Dravidian peoples refers to the peoples that natively speak languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. The Tibeto-Burman family of languages (often considered a sub-group of the Sino-Tibetan Language family) is spoken in various central and south Asian countries including The Austro-Asiatic languages are a large Language family of Southeast Asia, and also scattered throughout India and Bangladesh. The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown, though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang that settled in the area around the year 1000 BCE. ^[4] After the arrival of Indo-Aryans, the kingdom of Magadha was formed in 7th century BCE, consisting of the Bihar and Bengal regions. Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India. It was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time of Mahavira and the Buddha, and consisted of several Janapadas. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Mahavira (महावीर lit Great Hero) (599 – 527 BCE is the name most commonly used to refer to the Indian sage Vardhamana ( Sanskrit: वर्धमान Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder The Janapadas are the major realms or kingdoms of Vedic ( Iron Age) India, by the 6th century BC evolving into the sixteen classical ^[5] During the rule of Maurya dynasty, the Magadha Empire extended over nearly all of South Asia, including parts of Persia and Afghanistan under Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE. The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi One of the earliest foreign references to Bengal is the mention of a land named Gangaridai by the Greeks around 100 BCE. Gangaridai was the name of a kingdom in 300 BC in what is now the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions The word is speculated to have come from Gangahrd (Land with the Ganges in its heart) in reference to an area in Bengal. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent ^[6]

Robert Clive, of British East India Company, after winning the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Clive of India redirects here For the film see Clive of India (film. The Battle of Plassey (পলাশীর যুদ্ধ Pôlashir Juddho) was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal

From the 3rd to the 6th centuries CE, the kingdom of Magadha served as the seat of the Gupta Empire. The Gupta Empire ( Hindi: गुप्त राजवंश was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 C The first recorded independent king of Bengal was Shashanka, reigning around early 7th century. Shashanka (শশাঙ্ক Shôshangko) Shashanka the first important king of ancient Bengal, occupies a prominent place in history of the region ^[7] After a period of anarchy, the Buddhist Pala dynasty ruled the region for four hundred years, followed by a shorter reign of the Hindu Sena dynasty. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Pala Empire was a dynasty in control of the northern and eastern Indian subcontinent, mainly the Bengal and Bihar regions from the 8th to A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical The Sena dynasty ( Bengali সেন Shen) ruled Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. Islam was introduced to Bengal in the twelfth century by Sufi missionaries. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Subsequent Muslim conquests helped spread Islam throughout the region. The Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent mainly took place from the 11th to the 17th centuries though earlier Muslim conquests made limited inroads into the region beginning ^[8] Bakhtiar Khilji, a Turkic general of the Slave dynasty of Delhi Sultanate, defeated Lakshman Sen of the Sena dynasty and conquered large parts of Bengal. Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji ( Bengali ইখতিয়ার উদ্দিন মুহম্মদ বখতিয়ার খলজী Persian The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The Mamluk Dynasty or Ghulam Dynasty ( Urdu: غلام خاندان Hindi: ग़ुलाम ख़ानदान served as the first Sultans of The Delhi Sultanate ( Urdu: دلی سلطنت, दिल्ली सलतनत or Sultanat e Hind ( سلطنتِ هند; सलतनत ए Lakshman Sen (c 1178-1206 AD ( Bangla: লক্ষ্মণ সেন was the third king of the Sen dynasty who ruled for about 28 years Consequently, the region was ruled by dynasties of sultans and feudal lords under the Delhi Sultanate for the next few hundred years. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings In the sixteenth century, Mughal general Islam Khan conquered Bengal. Shaikh Alauddin Chisti (? - 1613 was a Subahdar and general of the army of the Mughal empire in Bengal, and the first governor of the city of Dhaka However, administration by governors appointed by the court of the Mughal Empire gave way to semi-independence of the area under the Nawabs of Murshidabad, who nominally respected the sovereignty of the Mughals in Delhi. The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazim s or Subadars (provincial governors of the Subah (province of Bengal during Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population

European traders arrived late in the fifteenth century. Their influence grew until the British East India Company gained taxation rights in Bengal subah, or province, following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, when Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab, was defeated by the British. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or A Subah is a Province of the former Mughal Empire. The governor of a subah was known as a subahdar, which later became Subedar The Battle of Plassey (পলাশীর যুদ্ধ Pôlashir Juddho) was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal Mîrzâ Mohammad Sirâjud Dawla, more popularly known as Siraj ud-Daulah (1733 &ndash July 2, 1757) was the last independent Nawab of ^[9] The Bengal Presidency was established by 1765, eventually including all British territories north of the Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh), from the mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to the Himalayas and the Punjab. The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal was a colonial region of British India, which comprised undivided Bengal which is present day Bangladesh The Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India. Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. Punjab ( ਪੰਜਾਬ پنجاب, पंजाब پنجاب also Panjab (پنجاب meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c The Bengal famine of 1770 claimed millions of lives. The Bengal famine of 1770 (Bengali ৭৬-এর মন্বন্তর Chhiattōrer monnōntór; lit The Famine of '76) was a catastrophic Famine between ^[10] Calcutta was named the capital of British India in 1772. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements had great impact on the cultural and economic life of Bengal. The Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the region of Bengal in Undivided India during the Brahmo Samaj ( Bengali ব্রাহ্ম সমাজ Bramho Shômaj) is the societal component of Brahmoism. The failed Indian rebellion of 1857 started near Calcutta and resulted in transfer of authority to the British Crown, administered by the Viceroy of India. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and ^[11] Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones. The Partition of Bengal in 1905, was made on 16 October by then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. ^[12] Bengal suffered from the Great Bengal famine in 1943 that claimed 3 million lives. The Bengal famine of 1943 is one amongst the several Famines that occurred in British administered Bengal. ^[13]

Bengal played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary groups such as Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar were dominant. The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant The Revolutionary movement for Indian independence is often a less-highlighted aspect of the Indian independence movement -- the underground revolutionary factions Anushilan Samiti ("Self-Culture Association" meaning to follow the teachings of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee) was the principal secret revolutionary organisation operating Jugantar or Yugantar (যুগান্তর Jugantor) (English meaning New Era or more literally Transition of an Epoch) was one of the two Armed attempts against the British Raj from Bengal reached a climax when Subhash Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army from Southeast Asia against the British. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British Subhas Chandra Bose (সুভাষ চন্দ্র বসু (born January 23, 1897; presumed to have died August 18, 1945 The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists When India gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines. The History of the Republic of India began on August 15, 1947 when India became an independent Dominion within the British Commonwealth The Partition of Bengal in 1947 part of the Partition of India, was a partition that divided Bengal into the two separate entities of West Bengal The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan, giving rise to Bangladesh in 1971). Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and East Bengal ( Bengali: পূর্ববঙ্গ Purbobôngo) was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded East Pakistan ( Bengali: পূর্ব পাকিস্তান Purbo Pakistan, Urdu: مشرقی پاکستان Mashriqi Pakistan) was ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially ^[14] Both West and East Bengal suffered from large refugee influx during the partition in 1947, leading to the political unrests later on. In 1955, the former French enclave of Chandannagar, which had passed into Indian control after 1950, was integrated into West Bengal; portions of Bihar were subsequently merged with West Bengal. French India is a general name for the former French possessions in India. Chandannagar, formerly known as Chandernagore or Chandernagar (Chandernagor (চন্দননগর Chôndonnôgor) is a small city and former French

During the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent Marxist-Naxalite movement damaged much of the state's infrastructure, leading to a period of economic stagnation. Naxalite or Naxalism is an informal name given to Communist groups that were born out of the Sino-Soviet split in the Indian communist movement The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 resulted in the influx of millions of refugees to West Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure. The Bangladesh Liberation War (i ( Bengali: মুক্তিযুদ্ধ Muktijuddho) was an armed conflict between West Pakistan (later ^[15] West Bengal politics underwent a major change when the Left Front won the 1977 assembly election, defeating the incumbent Indian National Congress. BamfronttripuraJPG|thumb|right| West Bengal Left Front Committee meeting for solidarity with Tripura]] The Left Front ( Bengali: বাম ফ্রন্ট Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. The Left Front, led by CPI(M) has governed for the subsequent three decades. The Communist Party of India (Marxist (abbreviated CPI(M or CPM) is a Political party in India. ^[16]

The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after economic reforms in India were introduced in the mid-1990s by the central government, aided by election of a new reformist Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya in 2000. Economic reforms in India is something which is under close study A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e As of 2007, armed activists have been organising minor terrorist attacks in some parts of the state,^[17][18] while clashes with the administration are taking place at several sensitive places on the issue of industrial land acquisition. ^[19][20]

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography of West Bengal

National Highway 31A winds along the banks of the Teesta River near Kalimpong, in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. The list of National Highways in India gives a region wide listing of the Indian Highways, a class of roads maintained by the National Highways Authority of India The River Teesta (टिस्ता खोला Tista Khola তিস্তা নদী Tista Nodi) said to be the lifeline of the Indian state Kalimpong (कालिम्पोङ is a Hill station (a hill town nestled in the Shiwalik Hills (or Lower Himalaya in the Indian state of West

Many areas remain flooded during the heavy rains brought by monsoon

West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. The state has a total area of 88,752 square kilometres (34,267 sq mi). ^[21] The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. Darjeeling Himalayan hill region is situated on the North-Western side of the state of West Bengal in India. This region contains Sandakfu (3,636 metres/11,929 feet)—the highest peak of the state. Sandakfu or Sandakphu (3636 m is the highest peak in the state of West Bengal, India. ^[22] The narrow Terai region separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India The Ganges Delta (also Sunderban Delta or the Bengal Delta) is a River delta in the South Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and high lands. Rarh region (রাঢ় of West Bengal is the region that intervenes between the Western plateau and high lands (bordering Chhotanagpur plateau) The Western plateau and highlands is the eastern border of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a remarkable geographical landmark at the Ganges delta. The Sundarbans (সুন্দরবন Shundorbôn) is the largest single block of tidal halophytic Mangrove forest in the world Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics.

The Ganges is the main river, which divides in West Bengal. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent One branch enters Bangladesh as the Padma or Pôdda, while the other flows through West Bengal as the Bhagirathi River and Hooghly River. The Padma ( Bangla: পদ্মা Pôdda) is a major Trans-boundary river in Bangladesh. This article is about the tributary of the GangesFor the distributary in West Bengal see Bhāgirathi-Hooghly. The Hooghly River ( Bengali হুগলী Hugli; Anglicized alternatively spelled Hoogli or Hugli) or the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly, is The Teesta, Torsa, Jaldhaka and Mahananda rivers are in the northern hilly region. The River Teesta (टिस्ता खोला Tista Khola তিস্তা নদী Tista Nodi) said to be the lifeline of the Indian state Torsa (occasionally Torsay) is one of the Slate Islands in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Jaldhaka River (জলঢাকা Jôlḍhaka) is a Trans-boundary river, with a length of 192 kilometres that originates in southeastern Sikkim The Mahananda River ( Bangla: মহানন্দা Môhanônda) is a river the originates in the district of Darjeeling in West Bengal The western plateau region has rivers such as the Damodar, Ajay and Kangsabati. Damodar River (দামোদর নদ originates near Chandwa village Palamau district on the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the Jharkhand state in Ajay River (অজয় নদী is a major river in Jharkhand and West Bengal. The Kangsabati River system (also variously known as the Kasai and Cossye and not to be confused with the Kasai River in Africa) rises from the Chota The Ganges delta and the Sundarbans area have numerous rivers and creeks. Pollution of the Ganges from indiscriminate waste dumped into the river is a major problem. ^[23] At least nine districts in the state suffer from arsenic contamination of groundwater, and an estimated 8. See also Water pollution Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a natural occurring high concentration of Arsenic in deeper levels of Groundwater 7 million people drink water containing arsenic above the World Health Organisation recommended limit of 10 µg/L. The litre or liter (see spelling differences) is a unit of Volume. ^[24]

West Bengal's climate varies from tropical savannah in the southern portions to humid subtropical in the north. A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. The main seasons are summer, rainy season, a short autumn, and winter. While the summer in the delta region is noted for excessive humidity, the western highlands experience a dry summer like northern India, with the highest day temperature ranging from 38 °C (100 °F) to 45 °C (113 °F). The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 ^[25] At nights, a cool southerly breeze carries moisture from the Bay of Bengal. In early summer brief squalls and thunderstorms known as Kalbaisakhi, or Nor'westers, often occur. A squall is a sudden sharp increase in wind speed which is usually associated with active weather such as rain showers thunderstorms or heavy snow ^[26] Monsoons bring rain to the whole state from June to September. West Bengal receives the Bay of Bengal branch of the Indian ocean monsoon that moves in a northwest direction. The climate of India defies easy generalisation comprising a wide range of weather conditions across a large geographic scale and varied topography A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months Winter (December–January) is mild over the plains with average minimum temperatures of 15 °C (59 °F). ^[25] A cold and dry northern wind blows in the winter, substantially lowering the humidity level. However, the Darjeeling Himalayan Hill region experiences a harsh winter, with occasional snowfall at places.

Government and politics

Main article: Government of West Bengal

See also : Chief Minister of West Bengal, Political parties of West Bengal

A Left Front political rally in Kolkata

West Bengal is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy, a feature the state shares with other Indian states. The Government of West Bengal also known as the State Government of West Bengal, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian Chief Ministers of West Bengal A demonstration is an historically and geographically common form of Nonviolent action by groups of people A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives Universal suffrage is granted to residents. Universal suffrage (also universal adult suffrage, general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to There are three branches of government. The legislature, the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, consists of elected members and special office bearers such as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, that are elected by the members. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The West Bengal Legislative Assembly &mdash the Vidhan Sabha is the Unicameral legislature of the Indian state of West Bengal. Assembly meetings are presided over by the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker in the Speaker's absence. The judiciary is composed of the Calcutta High Court and a system of lower courts. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State The Calcutta High Court (কলকাতা উচ্চ আদালত is the oldest High Court in India. Executive authority is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister, although the titular head of government is the Governor. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Chief Ministers of West Bengal The Governor of West Bengal is a Nominal head and representative of the President of India in the state of West Bengal. The Governor is the head of state appointed by the President of India. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The President of India or Rashtrapati ( Hindi: राष्ट्रपति a Sanskrit Neologism, lit The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the Chief Minister by the Governor, and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Council of Ministers reports to the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly is unicameral with 295 Members of the Legislative Assembly, or MLAs,^[27][28] including one nominated from the Anglo-Indian community. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber A Member of the Legislative Assembly, or MLA, is a representative elected by the voters of an Electoral district to the Legislature or Legislative Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry and the term is sometimes used in the West. Terms of office run for 5 years, unless the Assembly is dissolved prior to the completion of the term. Auxiliary authorities known as panchayats, for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs. The Panchayat is a South Asian Political system. ‘Panchayat’ literally means assembly ( yat) of five ( panch) wise and respected elders chosen The state contributes 42 seats to Lok Sabha and 16 seats to Rajya Sabha of the Indian Parliament. The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India The Rajya Sabha (meaning the "Council of States" is the Upper house of the Parliament of India. The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. ^[29]

The main players in the regional politics are the Left Front alliance (led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M)), the All India Trinamool Congress, the Indian National Congress, and other major parties. Politics in West Bengal is dominated by the following major political parties the Communist Party of India (Marxist, the Indian National Congress (also known as BamfronttripuraJPG|thumb|right| West Bengal Left Front Committee meeting for solidarity with Tripura]] The Left Front ( Bengali: বাম ফ্রন্ট All India Trinamool Congress, formerly West Bengal Trinamool Congress, (WBTC is a Political party in India led by Mamata Banerjee. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. Following the West Bengal State Assembly Election in 2006, the Left Front coalition under Buddhadeb Bhattacharya of the CPI(M) was elected to power. The West Bengal state assembly election of 2006, part of a series of state assembly elections in 2006, was scheduled to occur in five phases Buddhadeb Bhattacharya (বুদ্ধদেব ভট্টাচার্য (born March 1 1944) is an Indian Communist Politician West Bengal has been ruled by the Left Front for the past 30 years, making it the world's longest-running democratically-elected communist government. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based ^[16]

Subdivisions

Districts of West Bengal

Main article: Districts of West Bengal

There are 19 districts in West Bengal — Bankura, Bardhaman, Birbhum, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, East Midnapore, Hooghly, Howrah, Jalpaiguri, Kolkata, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur, Purulia, South 24 Parganas, Dakshin Dinajpur and West Midnapore. A district in West Bengal is governed by a District collector or district magistrate appointed either by the Indian Administrative Service or the West Bengal Bankura (বাঁকুড়া is one of the six districts of Bardhaman division in West Bengal. Bardhaman ( Bengali: বর্ধমান bôrdhoman) is a district in West Bengal. Birbhum (বীরভূম is a district in West Bengal state of India Cooch Behar (Bengali: কোচবিহার Rajbongshi/Kamatapuri: কোচবিহার is a district of the state of West Bengal, India, as well as Darjeeling, is the northern most district of West Bengal state in eastern India. Midnapore East or Purba Medinipur (পূ্র্ব মেদিনীপুর is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal, India. Hooghly is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal in India. Howrah (হাওড়া জেলা is a district of the West Bengal state in eastern India. Jalpaiguri is the largest district of North Bengal, covering an area 6245 sq Kolkata is an administrative district of the Indian state of West Bengal. Malda (মালদা is a district of the Indian state of West Bengal. Murshidabad District is a district of West Bengal in eastern India Nadia is a district of the state of West Bengal, in the north east of the Republic of India. North 24 Parganas is a district in southern West Bengal, India. district of Uttar Dinajpur ( Bengali: উত্তর দিনাজপুর ( Uttar meaning North came into existence on 1992-04-01 Purulia district is one of the 19 districts of West Bengal state in eastern India. 24 Parganas]] is an important district of West Bengal State with its district headquarters in Alipore. Paschim Medinipur (পিশচম েমিদনীপুর (also known as Midnapore West) is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal, Each district is governed by a district collector or district magistrate, appointed either by the Indian Administrative Service or the West Bengal Civil Service. The District Collector is a Central Indian Government appointee who is in charge of the governance of a district in a state. The Indian Administrative Service ( IAS) is the administrative Civil service of the Indian government. West Bengal Civil Service, popularly known as WBCS, is the civil services of the Indian state of West Bengal. Each district is subdivided into Sub-Divisions, governed by a sub-divisional magistrate, and again into Blocks. A Sub-Divisional Magistrate is a title sometimes given to the head official of a Country subdivision, an administrative unit that is sometimes below the level of District Blocks consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities. The Panchayat is a South Asian Political system. ‘Panchayat’ literally means assembly ( yat) of five ( panch) wise and respected elders chosen A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or

The capital and largest city of the state is Kolkata — the third-largest urban agglomeration^[30] and the fourth-largest city^[31] in India. This article lists the top hundred metropolitan areas in India by population as of 2008. In the study of human settlements an agglomeration is an extended City or Town area comprising the built-up area of a central place ( usually a Municipality The following is a list of the most populous cities in India. Siliguri is an economically important town, strategically located in the northeastern Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck) of India. Siliguri (শিলিগুড়ি ''Shiliguṛi'') is a rapidly developing metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. The Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck or is a narrow stretch of land which connects India 's north-eastern states to the rest of India Asansol, Durgapur and Raniganj are cities in the western industrial belt. Asansol (আসানসোল a coal-mining-industrial-commercial centre is the second largest city in West Bengal, after Kolkata. "Durgapur" redirects here For other uses see Durgapur (disambiguation. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Raniganj (রাণীগঞ্জ is a city and a Municipality in Bardhaman district Other major cities and towns in West Bengal are Howrah, Haldia, Kharagpur, Burdwan, Darjeeling, Midnapore, Tamluk, Malda and Cooch Behar. West Bengal is the state with highest Population density in India. For the village in Bangladesh see Haldia Bangladesh. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Haldia is a city and Kharagpur (KGP (খড়্গপুর is an industrial town in India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bardhaman (also Barddhaman; Bengali: বর্ধমান Bôrdhoman) is a city Darjeeling ( Nepali:) is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. Midnapore (also written as Medinipur and Midnapur Bangla: মেদিনীপুর meːd̪in̪ipʊɾ IAST: medinipur is a town in West Bengal, WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Tamluk (তমলুক is the district headquarters of Purba Medinipur district of West WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> English Bazar, better known as Malda, is a city and a Municipality in Malda district Cooch Behar ( is the district headquarters and the largest town of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Economy

Main article: Economy of West Bengal

Agriculture is the leading occupation in West Bengal. A crore is a unit in the Indian numbering system and was formerly a unit in the Persian numbering system still widely used in Bangladesh, India, Maldives The rupee (रुपया ( code: INR) is the Currency of India. Rice is the state's principal food crop. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Other food crops are maize, pulses, oil seeds, wheat, barley, tobacco, sugarcane and potatoes. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Pulses are annual leguminous crops yielding from one to twelve Grains or Seeds of variable size shape and color within a Pod, according Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae Potato, which is the English term for Solanum tuberosum, is a Carib loanword Jute is the main cash crop of the region. Jute is a long soft shiny Vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse strong threads In Agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for Money. Tea is also produced commercially; the region is well known for Darjeeling and other high quality teas. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market For other teas grown in Darjeeling see Darjeeling tea (disambiguation. ^[33] However, the service sector is the largest contributor to the gross domestic product of the state, contributing 51% of the state domestic product compared to 27% from agriculture and 22% from industry. ^[34] State industries are localized in the Kolkata region and the mineral-rich western highlands. Durgapur–Asansol colliery belt is home to a number of major steel plants. ^[33] Manufacturing industries playing an important economic role are engineering products, electronics, electrical equipment, cables, steel, leather, textiles, jewellery, frigates, automobiles, railway coaches, and wagons.

Freshly sown saplings of paddy; in the background are stacks of jute sticks

A significant part of the state is economically backward, namely, large parts of six northern districts of Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Malda, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur; three western districts of Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum; and the Sundarbans area. Cooch Behar ( is the district headquarters and the largest town of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. Darjeeling ( Nepali:) is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. Jalpaiguri ( Bengali:জলপাইগুড়ি is a town in the state of West Bengal, India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> English Bazar, better known as Malda, is a city and a Municipality in Malda district district of Uttar Dinajpur ( Bengali: উত্তর দিনাজপুর ( Uttar meaning North came into existence on 1992-04-01 WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Purulia (পুরুলিয়া (also spelled Puruliya) is a town located in West Bengal WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bankura (বাঁকুড়া is a city and a Municipality in Bankura District Birbhum (বীরভূম is a district in West Bengal state of India The Sundarbans (সুন্দরবন Shundorbôn) is the largest single block of tidal halophytic Mangrove forest in the world ^[1] Years after independence, West Bengal was still dependent on the central government for meeting its demands for food; food production remained stagnant and the Indian green revolution bypassed the state. The introduction of high-yielding varieties of seeds after 1965 and the increased use of Fertilizers and Irrigation are known collectively as the Green Revolution However, there has been a significant spurt in food production since the 1980s, and the state now has a surplus of grains. ^[1] The state's share of total industrial output in India was 9. 8% in 1980–81, declining to 5% by 1997–98. However, the service sector has grown at a rate higher than the national rate. ^[1]

West Bengal has the third largest economy (2003–2004) in India, with a net state domestic product of US$ 21. The Net Domestic Product (NDP equals the Gross Domestic Product (GDP minus Depreciation on a country's Capital (economics goods The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 5 billion. ^[34] During 2001–2002, the state's average SDP was more than 7. 8% — outperforming the National GDP Growth. ^[35] The state has promoted foreign direct investment, which has mostly come in the software and electronics fields;^[34] Kolkata is becoming a major hub for the Information technology (IT) industry. Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country Information technology ( IT) as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA is "the study design development implementation support Owing to the boom in Kolkata's and the overall state's economy, West Bengal is now the third fastest growing economy in the country. ^[36] However, the rapid industrialisation process has given rise to debate over land acquisition for industry in this agrarian state. ^[37] NASSCOM–Gartner ranks West Bengal power infrastructure the best in the country. The National Association of Software and Services Companies ( NASSCOM) the Indian Chamber of commerce is a consortium that serves as an interface to the Gartner, Inc ( is an information technology research and advisory firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. ^[38] West Bengals state domestic product (SDP) grew in 2004 with 12. 7 % and in 2005 with 11. 0 % . ^[39]

Transport

Cycle rickshaws and vans are ubiquitous in rural and semi-urban localities

The total length of surface road in West Bengal is over 92,023 km (57,180 mi);^[40] national highways comprise 2,377 km (1,477 mi)^[41] and state highways 2,393 km (1,487 mi). The road density of the state is 103. 69 km per 100 sq km (166. 92 mi per 100 sq mi), higher than the national average of 74. 7 km per 100 sq km (120 mi per 100 sq mi). ^[42] Average speed on state highways varies between 40–50 km/h (25–31 mi/h); in villages and towns, speeds are as low as 20–25 km/h (12–16 mi/h) due to the substandard quality of road constructions and low maintenance. (For the South African airport with IATA code "KMH" see Johan Pienaar Airport. Total railway length is 3,825 km (2,377 mi). ^[43] Kolkata is the headquarters of two divisions of the Indian Railways—Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway. Indian Railways (भारतीय रेल Bhāratīya Rail) abbreviated as IR (hi भारे is a Department of the Government of India under the Ministry Eastern Railway is a zone of the Indian Railways. Its headquarter is at Fairley Place Kolkata and it comprises Howrah, Malda, Sealdah The South Eastern Railway is one of the sixteen railway zones in India. ^[44] The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) plies in the northern parts of the state. The North Eastern Railway was created during the reorganisation of the Indian Railways system in 1952 by amalgamating the Assam Railway and Avadh-Tirhut Railway The Kolkata metro is the country's first underground railway. The Kolkata Metro or Calcutta Metro ( Bengali: কলকাতা মেট্রো Kolkata Meṭro) is the underground rail network in Kolkata ^[45] The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, part of NFR, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, nicknamed the "Toy Train" is a gauge Narrow-gauge railway from Siliguri to Darjeeling in West United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex ^[46]

The state's only international airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum, Kolkata; which is the 7th busiest in india. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is an Airport located in Dum Dum, near Kolkata, West Bengal, India Dumdum ( Bengali দমদম Dômdôm, Hindi दमदम Damdam) is a city and a Municipality in North 24 Parganas district Bagdogra airport near Siliguri is another significant airport in the state. Bagdogra Airport or Civil Aerodrome Bagdogra, a military Airport that is open for civilian flights is located about from the city of Siliguri in Siliguri (শিলিগুড়ি ''Shiliguṛi'') is a rapidly developing metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. Kolkata is a major river-port in eastern India. The Kolkata Port Trust manages both the Kolkata docks and the Haldia docks. The Port of Kolkata is a riverine Port in the city of Kolkata, India. For the village in Bangladesh see Haldia Bangladesh. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Haldia is a city and ^[47] There is passenger service to Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and cargo ship service to ports in India and abroad, operated by the Shipping Corporation of India. Port Blair ( Hindi: पोर्ट ब्लेयर is the largest town and a Municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands The Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a Union territory of India. Informally the territory's name is often abbreviated to A & N Islands, or ANI A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of Ship or vessel that carries Cargo, goods and materials from one port to another India has a long Coastline spanning 7600 kilometres forming one of the biggest Peninsulas in the world The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI is a company owned by the Government of India that operates and manages vessels that services both national and international lines Ferry is a principal mode of transport in the southern part of the state, especially in the Sundarbans area. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and Kolkata is the only city in India to have trams as a mode of transport and these are operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train The Calcutta Tramways Company Limited (CTC is a West Bengal state Government undertaken company that runs Trams in Kolkata and ^[48]

Several government-owned organisations operate substandard bus services in the state, including the Calcutta State Transport Corporation, the North Bengal State Transport Corporation, the South Bengal State Transport Corporation, the West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation, and the Calcutta Tramways Company, thus leading to mismanagement. Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC is a West Bengal State government undertaken transport Corporation. North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC is a West Bengal State government undertaken transport Corporation. South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC is a West Bengal State government undertaken transport Corporation. West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation (WBSTC is a West Bengal State government undertaken transport Corporation. There are also private bus companies. The railway system is a nationalised service without any private investment. Hired forms of transport include metered taxis and auto rickshaws which often ply specific routes in cities. An auto rickshaw or tuk tuk ( auto autorick or rickshaw in popular parlance is a Motor vehicle that is one of the chief In most of the state, cycle rickshaws, and in Kolkata, hand-pulled rickshaws, are also used for short-distance travel. The cycle rickshaw, being a small-scale local means of transport is also known by a variety of other names such as rickshaw, pedicab, bugbug, cyclo Rickshaws (or rickshas) are a mode of Human-powered transport: a runner draws a two-wheeled Cart which seats one or two persons

Demographics

A village scene in West Midnapur. Seventy-two percent of the state's population lives in villages.

The vast majority of the 80,221,171 people of West Bengal^[49] are Bengalis. The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between Bangladesh and India) on the Indian subcontinent with a history dating ^[50] The Bihari minority is scattered throughout the state and communities of Sherpas and ethnic Tibetans can be found in regions bordering Sikkim. For other uses of the word Sherpa see Sherpa (disambiguation. The Tibetan people are indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the North and West to Myanmar and China Proper Darjeeling district has a large number of Gurkha people of Nepalese origin. Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur The Way of Sacrifice The Rajputs Pages 28-30 Graduate Thesis South Asian Studies Department Dr Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. West Bengal is home to indigenous tribal Adivasis such as Santals, Kol, Koch-Rajbongshi and Toto tribe. Ādivāsīs (in Devanagari script: आदिवासी literally "original inhabitants" comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population The Santals (also spelled as Santhal; formerly also Sonthal are the largest tribal community in India, found mainly in the states of West Bengal, The Kol people is a generic name for the Munda, Ho, and Oraon tribes (Adivasi of eastern India who live in the states Koch Rajbongshi is an ancient tribe originally from the ancient Koch Kingdom The Toto are a primitive Indo-Bhutanese tribe residing in a small enclave called Totopara in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.

The official language is Bengali. Hindi and English are also used commonly. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Indian English comprises several Dialects or varieties of English spoken primarily in India, and by first-generation members of the Indian diaspora Nepali is spoken primarily in the Darjeeling district. Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma Darjeeling, is the northern most district of West Bengal state in eastern India. Languages such as Rajbongshi, Santali and Ho are used in some parts of the state. NABARAJ is an Eastern Indic language spoken in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Santali is a Language in the Munda subfamily of Austro-Asiatic, related to Ho and Mundari. Ho (also known as Bihar Ho and Lanka Kol) is a Munda language of the Austroasiatic language family spoken primarily in India Hinduism is the principal religion—72. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. 5% of the population are Hindus. Muslims comprise 25%; Sikhism,Christianity and other religions make up the remainder. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings ^[51] West Bengal has a population density of 904 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,341. 3/sq mi) making it the most densely populated state in India. ^[52] The state contributes 7. 81% of India's population. ^[53] The state's 1991–2001 growth rate of 17. 84% is lower than the national rate of 21. 34%. ^[49] The gender ratio is 934 females per 1000 males. ^[49]

The literacy rate is 69. 22%. ^[49] Data of 1995–1999 showed the life expectancy in the state was 63. 4 years, higher than the national value of 61. 7 years. ^[54] About 72% of people live in rural areas. The proportion of people living below the poverty line in 1999–2000 was 31. 85%. ^[1] Scheduled Castes and Tribes form 28. Scheduled Castes ("SC"s and Scheduled Tribes ("ST"s are Indian population groupings that are explicitly recognized by the Constitution of 6% and 5. 8% of the population respectively in rural areas, and 19. 9% and 1. 5% respectively in urban areas. ^[1]

The crime rate in the state in 2004 was 82. 6 per 100,000, which was half of the national average. ^[55] This is the fourth-lowest crime rate among the 32 states and union territories of India. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. ^[56] However, the state reported the highest rate of Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes. ^[57] In reported crimes against women, the state showed a crime rate of 7. 1 compared to the national rate of 14. 1. ^[56] West Bengal was the first Indian state to constitute a Human Rights Commission of its own. A Human Rights Commission is a body set up to investigate and protect Human rights. ^[56]

Culture

Baul singers at Basanta-Utsab, Shantiniketan

A Murti (representation) of Durga, shown riding her lion and attacking the demon Mahishasura. Holi ( or language|Bhojpuri]] also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring Festival observed in India, WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Santiniketan ( Bangla: শান্তিনিকেতন Shantiniketôn) is a small town In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess In Hindu mythology, Mahishasura was an Asura. Mahishasur's father Rambha was king of the Asura, and he once fell in love with a water buffalo

See also: Culture of West Bengal

See also: Culture of Darjeeling

The Bengali language boasts a rich literary heritage, shared with neighboring Bangladesh. The Culture of West Bengal has its roots in Bengali music, Bengali cinema, drama and Bengali literature. The culture of Darjeeling is quite diverse Apart from the major Hindu religious festivals like Diwali, Christmas, Dussera, Holi, West Bengal has a long tradition in folk literature, evidenced by the Charyapada, Mangalkavya, Shreekrishna Kirtana, Thakurmar Jhuli, and stories related to Gopal Bhar. The Charyapada ( Bangla: চর্যাপদ Assamese: চৰ্যাপদ is a collection of 8th-12th century Vajrayana Buddhist Caryagiti Shreekrishna Kirtana Kabya (Bengali শ্রীকৃষ্ণকীর্তন কাব্য or Sri Krishna Kirtana Kabya is a pastoral Vaishnava drama in verse Thakurmar Jhuli ( Tales my Grandmother Told Me) (ঠাকুরমার ঝুলি is a collection of Bengali folk tales and fairy tales Gopal Bhar (গোপাল ভাঁড় was a legendary court Jester in medieval Bengal. In the nineteenth and twentieth century, Bengali literature was modernized in the works of authors such as Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay and Manik Bandyopadhyay. The term Bengali literature refers to literary works written in Bengali language particularly from Bangladesh and Indian province of West Bengal Bankim Chandra Chatterjee ( 27 June[[ 838]] - 8 April[[ 894]] (বঙ্কিম চন্দ্র চট্টোপাধ্যায় Bôngkim Michael Madhusudan Dutt (Datta (মাইকেল মধুসূদন দত্ত Maikel Modhushudôn Dôtto) (1824-1873 born Madhusudan Dutt is a famous 19th For the Bangladeshi politician see Syed Nazrul Islam Kazi Nazrul Islam (কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম Kazi Nozrul Islam Sharat Chandra Chatterji ( Bangla: শরৎচন্দ্র চট্টোপাধ্যায় Shôrotchôndro Chôţţopaddhae) also known Manik Bandopadhay ( Bangla: মানিক বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় (1908-1956 is one of the most influential novelists in Bangla literature

The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of Bengali folk music, which has also been influenced by regional music traditions. Bauls (বাউল are a group of mystic Minstrels from Bengal, which comprises Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal ^[58] Other folk music forms include Gombhira and Bhawaiya. Gambhira ( Bangla: গম্ভীরা is a type of song (originating in Chapai Nawabganj in the Northern region of Bangladesh) Bhawaiya (ভাওয়াইয়া is a musical form popular in Northern Bangladesh, especially Rangpur District and in North Bengal specially in Folk music in West Bengal is often accompanied by the ektara, a one-stringed instrument. Ektara (একতারা ਇਕ ਤਾਰ also called iktar, ektar or gopichand) is a one string instrument used in Pakistan, India West Bengal also has an heritage in North Indian classical music. Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت "Rabindrasangeet", songs composed and set into tune by Rabindranath Tagore and "Nazrulgeeti" (by Kazi Nazrul Islam) are popular. Rabindra Sangeet ( Bengali: রবীন্দ্র সংগীত IPA: rabindra sŋgit also known as Tagore Songs in English Also prominent are other musical forms like Dwijendralal, Atulprasad and Rajanikanta's songs, and "adhunik" or modern music from films and other composers. Dwijendralal Ray (দ্বিজেন্দ্রলাল রায় (1863-1913 was a Bengali poet playwright and musician known primarily for his Indian and Bengali From the early 1990s, there has been an emergence and popularisation of new genres of music, including fusions of Baul and Jazz by several Bangla bands, as well as the emergence of what has been called Jeebonmukhi Gaan (a modern genre based on realism). Indian Rock is a tall peak on the Columbia Plateau in Washington, USA. A Bangla band is any (modern musical band that performs solely or mainly in the Bengali language and which uses Western principles of music Bengali dance forms draw from folk traditions, especially those of the tribal groups, as well as the broader Indian dance traditions. Chau dance of Purulia is a rare form of mask dance. Chhau dance (or Chau dance is form of tribal martial dance attributed to origins in Mayurbhanj princly state of Orissa. ^[59]

Mainstream Hindi films are popular, as are films from the Bengali cinema industry, dubbed "Tollywood". Bollywood (बॉलीवूड بالی وڈ is the informal term popularly used for the Mumbai -based Hindi-language Film industry in India The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the 1890s when the first " Bioscopes quot were shown in theatres in Calcutta. Tollygunj in Kolkata is the location of Bengali movie studios and the name "Tollywood" (similar as Hollywood, USA) is derived from that name. Tollygunge is a suburban locality of South Kolkata. It is flanked by the Eastern Railway south suburban line to the north Lake Gardens and Golf Green in the east The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Bengali film industry is also known for art films or Indy films. An Art film (also called an “art cinema” “art movie” or in the U Its long tradition of filmmaking has produced acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Ritwik Ghatak. A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. Satyajit Ray (সত্যজিত রায় or সত্যজিৎ রায়) (2 May 1921–23 April 1992 was a Bengali Indian Filmmaker. Mrinal Sen (মৃনাল েসন also spelled Mrinal Shen) is a famous Bengali Indian filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak (ঋত্বিক (কুমার ঘটক Rittik (Kumar Ghôţok) ( November 4 1925 February 6 1976) was a Contemporary directors include Buddhadev Dasgupta, Goutam Ghose, Aparna Sen and Rituparno Ghosh. Buddhadeb Dasgupta ( Bengali: বুদ্ধদেব দাশগুপ্ত Buddhodeb Dashgupto) is a Poet and prominent contemporary Gautam Ghose (Credited as Goutam Ghose in International Media Bengali: গৌতম ঘোষ is one of the most acclaimed film directors of modern India Rituparno Ghosh ( Bangla: ঋতুপর্ণ ঘোষ Ritupôrno Ghosh) is a young Bengali Film director whose work has met with considerable

Rice and fish are traditional favorite foods, leading to a saying in Bengali, machhe bhate bangali, that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali". ^[60] Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes hilsa preparations, a favorite among Bengalis. Hilsa (ইিলশ Ilish) is the national fish of Bangladesh, also popular in India 's Assamese - Bengali - and Oriya Bengalis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products, including Rôshogolla, Chômchôm, Kalojam and several kinds of Pithe. Confectionery is a set of Food items that are rich in Sugar; modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well Rasgulla (Rasagolla রসগোল্লা Rôshogolla; Rasgulla is a syrupy Dessert of Orissa and Bengal. Pithe or Piţha are a kind of rice cuisine of Assam, Orissa, Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and the general Northeast Indian Popular street food includes Beguni, Kati roll, and phuchka. Street food is food obtainable from a streetside vendor, often from a makeshift or portable stall. Beguni (বেগুনী is a Bengali snack made of Eggplant ( aubergine or brinjal) slices deep fried in batter Kati roll is a street-available fast food popular in Kolkata, India. Panipuri, also known as Gol Gappa or Gup chup is a popular street snack in the Indian subcontinent, especially in India. ^[61][62] Panta bhat (rice soaked overnight in water) is a traditional dish consumed in rural areas. Panta bhat (পান্তা ভাত Pàntà bhàt) is a lightly fermented Rice -based dish consumed in Bangladesh and West Bengal.

Bengali women commonly wear the shaŗi , often distinctly designed according to local cultural customs. for the town in Nepal see Sari Nepal A sari or saree or shari is a female garment in the Indian subcontinent In urban areas, many women and men wear Western attire. Among men, western dressing has greater acceptance. Men also wear traditional costumes such as the panjabi with dhuti , often on cultural occasions. A kurta ( Persian / Urdu: کرتا, Hindi: कुरता কুর্তা also called a panjabi in Bengali (or kurti The pancha in Telugu, called dhoti or doti in Hindi, Laacha in Punjabi, Mundu in Malayalam Durga Puja in October is the most popular festival in the West Bengal. In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess ^[63] Pohela Baishakh (the Bengali New Year), Rathayatra, Dolyatra or Basanta-Utsab, Nobanno, Poush parbon (festival of Poush), kalipuja, saraswatipuja, laxmipuja, Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha are other major festivals. Bengali New Year ( Bengali: নববর্ষ Nôbobôrsho) or Pohela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ Pôhela Boishakh or পয়লা Ratha Yatra is a major Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Orissa, India during Holi ( or language|Bhojpuri]] also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring Festival observed in India, Holi ( or language|Bhojpuri]] also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring Festival observed in India, Nobanno ( Bangla: নবান্ন is the festival of harvest in Bengal. Poush ( Bangla: পৌষ is the 9th month of both the Bangla calendar and the Nepali Calendar. Kali redirects here See Kali (disambiguation for other uses Not to be confused with Kali (demon, the personification of Kali Yuga Saraswati (pronounced as; Sanskrit: sa सरस्वती sarasvatī; Malay: Saraswati Thai: สุรัสวดี is the Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr) often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim Holiday that marks the end of Eid al-Adha ( Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd ul-’Aḍḥā, Urdu: بقرعید or the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated Buddha Purnima, which marks the birth of Gautama Buddha, is one of the most important Buddhist festivals while Christmas, called Bôŗodin (Great day) in Bengali is celebrated by the minority Christian population. Vesak is an annual holiday observed by practicing Buddhists in many Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder West Bengal has been home to several famous religious teachers, including Sri Chaitanya, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Paramahansa Yogananda. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST caitanya mahāprabhu) ( Bengali চৈতন্য মহাপ্রভূ (1486 - Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa ( Bangla: রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস Ramkṛiṣṇo Pôromôhongśo) ( February 18, 1836 - Swami Vivekananda (স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ Shami Bibekānondo; स्वामी विवेकानन्द Svāmi Vivekānanda) ( Paramahansa Yogananda ( Bengali: পরমহংস যোগানন্দ Pôromohôngsho Joganondo, Sanskrit: परमहंस योगानं‍द

Education

Main article: Education in West Bengal

IIT Kharagpur

West Bengal schools are run by the state government or by private organisations, including religious institutions. Kolkata has played a pioneering role in the development of the modern education system in India. The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur ( Devanāgarī:) (commonly known as IIT Kharagpur or IIT KGP) is an autonomous Engineering and Instruction is mainly in English or Bengali, though Hindi and Urdu are also used. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised The secondary schools are affiliated with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), or the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (often abbreviated as CISCE) is a private non-governmental board of School Education in India The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education is the West Bengal state government administered autonomous examining authority for the Standard 10 examination (or secondary school Under the 10+2+3 plan, after completing secondary school, students typically enroll for 2 years in a junior college, also known as pre-university, or in schools with a higher secondary facility affiliated with the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education or any central board. The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education is the West Bengal state government administered autonomous examining authority for the Standard 12 examination (or higher secondary Students choose from one of three streams, namely, liberal arts, commerce or science. The term liberal arts refers to a particular type of educational Curriculum broadly defined as a Classical education. Commerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Upon completing the required coursework, students may enroll in general or professional degree programs.

West Bengal has eighteen universities. ^[64][65] The University of Calcutta, one of the oldest and largest public universities in India, has more than 200 affiliated colleges. Formally established on the 24 January 1857, the University of Calcutta (also known as Calcutta University) (কলকাতা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় ^[66] The Bengal Engineering & Science University and Jadavpur University are prestigious technical universities. The Bengal Engineering and Science University, established in 1856 at Shibpur, Howrah is one of the oldest and the premier Engineering College Jadavpur University (যাদবপুর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় (JU is a premier educational and research institution in India. ^[67] Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan is a central university and an institution of national importance. Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan is a Central University in India and is located in the Indian state of West Bengal WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Santiniketan ( Bangla: শান্তিনিকেতন Shantiniketôn) is a small town ^[68] West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences is located in Kolkata. University The West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences was established on January 2. The state has higher education institutes of national importance including the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (the first management institute in India of its kind), the National Institute of Technology at Durgapur, the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, the Asiatic Society, the Indian Statistical Institute, the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences,the National Institute of Fashion Technology and the Marine Engineering and Research Institute. The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur ( Devanāgarī:) (commonly known as IIT Kharagpur or IIT KGP) is an autonomous Engineering and The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC is a national institute imparting post graduate education in management The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs are India's premier Management institutes that also conduct research and provide consultancy services in the field of management National Institutes of Technology (NITs are premier colleges of engineering and technology education in India. The Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics ( SINP) is an institution of basic research and training in physical and biophysical sciences located in Bidhannagar, The Asiatic Society was founded by Sir William Jones ( 1746 - 1794) on January 15, 1784 in a meeting presided over by Sir Robert Indian Statistical Institute (ISI engages in the research teaching and application of Statistics to the Natural sciences and Social sciences. The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, abbreviated to WBNUJS or NUJS is a specialised law university offering courses at the undergraduate and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT Delhi was established in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles Government of India. The Marine Engineering and Research Institute (MERI, formerly known as the Directorate of Marine Engineering Training, is India 's national institute for the

Media

Anandabazar Patrika, a news daily published from Kolkata in Bengali. Anandabazar Patrika ( Bengali: আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা Anôndobajar Potrika) is a Bengali language Newspaper

West Bengal had 505 published newspapers in 2005,^[69] of which 389 were in Bengali. ^[69] Ananda Bazar Patrika, published from Kolkata with 1,234,122 daily copies, has the largest circulation for a single-edition, regional language newspaper in India. Anandabazar Patrika ( Bengali: আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা Anôndobajar Potrika) is a Bengali language Newspaper ^[69] Other major Bengali newspapers are Aajkaal, Bartaman, Sangbad Pratidin, Uttarbanga Sambad and Ganashakti. Aajkaal is one of the leading Bengali newspapers in Kolkata, India. Bartaman Patrika (বর্তমান পত্রিকা is a pro Trinamool Congress Bengali language newspaper published from Kolkata, India Sangbad Pratidin ( Bengali: সংবাদ প্রতিদিন (literally meaning news every day is a Bengali newspaper published from Kolkata Uttar Banga Sambad (উত্তর বঙ্গ সংবাদ is a Bengali language broadsheet published from Siliguri. Ganashakti Patrika is the official Mouthpiece of the Communist Party of India (Marxist West Bengal State Committee which first appeared as The Telegraph, The Statesman, Asian Age, Hindustan Times and The Times of India are some of the newspapers published in English. The Statesman is among the leading daily Newspapers of India. The Asian Age is an Indian daily newspaper The Asian Age has editions in four major cities in India and one in London. Hindustan Times ( HT) is a leading newspaper in India, published since 1924 with roots in the independence movement The Times of India ( TOI) is a leading English-language Broadsheet Daily newspaper in India. Vernacular newspapers such as those in Hindi, Gujarati, Oriya, Urdu, Punjabi and Nepali are also read by a select readership. Gujarati (ગુજરાતી Gujǎrātī ? Oriya (ଓଡ଼ିଆ oṛiā) is one of the Indian Languages mainly spoken in the Indian state of Orissa. Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi

Doordarshan is the state-owned television broadcaster. Doordarshan (दूरदर्शन literally Tele-Vision) is the public television broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati, a public Multi system operators provide a mix of Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, English and international channels via cable. A multiple system operator (MSO is an operator of multiple Cable television systems Bengali 24-hour television news channels include STAR Ananda and Kolkata TV. STAR Ananda is a national Bengali news channel in India. This channel is co-production of STAR TV and Anandabazar Patrika. Kolkata TV ( Bengali: 'Kolkata Tibhi) is a 24x7 news Bengali channel launched by SST Media formerly a company of the Rs 627 crore Xenitis Group March 27 All India Radio is a public radio station. All India Radio (abbreviated as AIR) officially known as Akashvani ( Devanagari: आकाशवाणी ākāshavānī ( Urdu: اکاشوانی Private FM stations are available only in cities like Kolkata. BSNL, Reliance Infocomm, Tata Indicom, Vodafone Essar, Aircel and Airtel are available cellular phone operators. Reliance Communications (formerly Reliance Infocomm) along with Reliance Telecom and Flag Telecom, is part of Reliance Communications Ventures (RCoVL Introduction Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL is a part of the Tata Group of companies an Indian conglomerate Vodafone Essar, previously Hutchison Essar is a cellular operator in India that covers 16 telecom circles in India. Aircel is a Mobile phone Service provider in India. It offers both Prepaid and Postpaid GSM cellular phone coverage throughout Bharti Airtel, formerly known as Bharti Tele-Ventures Limited (BTVL is India 's largest cellular service provider with more than 75 million subscribers as of August Broadband internet is available in select towns and cities and is provided by the state-run BSNL and by other private companies. The term broadband can have different meanings in different contexts Dial-up access is provided throughout the state by BSNL and other providers. Dial-up Internet Access is a form of Internet access via Telephone lines The user's computer or Router uses an attached Modem connected to a

See also

Notes

This article contains Indic text. The Brahmic family is a family of syllabaries (writing systems used in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central Asia and East Asia, Without rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes or other symbols instead of Indic characters; or irregular vowel positioning and a lack of conjuncts. Mojibake is the happenstance of incorrect unreadable characters (garbage characters shown when Computer software fails to render a text correctly according to its associated

References