Mainaguri is a Town and a Municipality in the Jalpaiguri Sadar subdivision of the Jalpaiguri district in the state of West Bengal, India.[4] It is known as the "Gateway of the Dooars" and is a regionally significant tourist destination for Jalpesh Temple of Lord Shiva and nearby Gorumara National Park.

Maynaguri
Town
Nickname: 
Gateway of Dooars
Maynaguri is located in West Bengal
Maynaguri
Maynaguri
Location in West Bengal, India
Maynaguri is located in India
Maynaguri
Maynaguri
Maynaguri (India)
Maynaguri is located in Asia
Maynaguri
Maynaguri
Maynaguri (Asia)
Coordinates: 26°33′57″N 88°49′17″E / 26.56583°N 88.82139°E / 26.56583; 88.82139
Country India
StateWest Bengal
DistrictJalpaiguri
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • BodyMaynaguri Municipality
 • ChairmanAnanta Deb Adhikari
Area
 • Total12.38 km2 (4.78 sq mi)
Elevation
84 m (276 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total45,045
 • Density3,600/km2 (9,400/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialBengali[1][2]
 • Additional officialEnglish[1]
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
735224[3]
Vehicle registrationWB
Lok Sabha constituencyJalpaiguri
Vidhan Sabha constituencyMaynaguri
Websitewww.maynagurimunicipality.in

Geography

edit
 
 
15km
10miles
B
A
N
G
L
A
D
E
S
H
B
H
U
T
A
N
Jaldhaka
River
River
Teesta
Chapramari
Wildlife
Sanctuary
NP
Gorumara
National
Park
NP
New Jalpaiguri JRS
F
Lakhipara TE
TE
Gandrapara TE
TE
Danguajhar TE
TE
Belakoba
R
Rajganj
R
Phulbari
checkpoint
R
Binnaguri 1
C
Dhupguri
M
Jalpaiguri
M
Telipara TG
CT
Banarhat
CT
Gairkata
CT
Dakshin Khagrabari
CT
Mainaguri
CT
Kharia
CT
Binnaguri 2
CT
Chakiabhita
CT
Dabgram
CT
Places and tea estates in Jalpaiguri Sadar subdivision (including Rajganj, Jalpaiguri, Maynaguri and Dhupguri CD blocks) in Jalpaiguri district
CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, N: neighbourhood, C: cantonment, NP: national park/ wildlife sanctuary, TE: tea estate
Abbreviations used in names – TG for Tea Garden (town/village), TE for Tea Estate, JRS: junction railway station
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Municipality

edit

Maynaguri, earlier a census town was created a municipality in 6 July 2021.[5]

Area overview

edit

The map alongside shows the alluvial floodplains south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas. The area is mostly flat, except for low hills in the northern portions.[6][7] It is a primarily rural area with 62.01% of the population living in rural areas and a moderate 37.99% living in the urban areas.[8][9] Tea gardens in the Dooars and Terai regions produce 226 million kg or over a quarter of India's total tea crop.[10][11] Some tea gardens were identified in the 2011 census as census towns or villages.[12] Such places are marked in the map as CT (census town) or R (rural/ urban centre). Specific tea estate pages are marked TE.

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

Location

edit

Mainaguri is located at 26°34′N 88°49′E / 26.57°N 88.82°E / 26.57; 88.82.[13] It has an average elevation of 84 metres (275 feet).

Mainaguri is about 10 km north-east of Jalpaiguri and 50 km from Siliguri. Local attractions include Jalpesh Temple, Gorumara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary. The nearest airport is Civil Enclave Bagdogra, and the nearest railway station is New Mainaguri.[14]

Five roads connect Mainaguri with

  1. Siliguri, Jalpaiguri (West)
  2. Alipurduar, Cooch Behar (East)
  3. Changrabandha, Mathabhanga (South)
  4. Malbazar, Lataguri (North)
  5. Ramsai (North-west).[15]

Civic administration

edit

Maynaguri is mainly governed by Mainaguri Municipality. Maynaguri covers 17 wards spread across Madhabdanga-I and Maynaguri panchayats and parts of Khagrabari-I and Domohoni-I panchayats of Maynaguri CD block.[16]

Police station

edit

Mainaguri police has jurisdiction over Maynaguri CD block.[17]

CD block HQ

edit

Headquarters of Maynaguri CD block is at Mainaguri.[18]

Demographics

edit

According to the 2011 Census of India, Mainaguri had a total population of 30,490 of which 15,487 (51%) were males and 15,003 (49%) were females. There were 2,951 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate people in Mainaguri was 24,408 (88.63% of the population over 6 years).[19]

As of 2001 India census,[20] Mainaguri had a population of 27,086. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Mainaguri has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 70%. In Mainaguri, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

In 2021, Maynaguri municipality was formed comprising Maynaguri census town and Madhabdanga-I and Maynaguri panchayats and parts of Khagrabari-I and Domohoni-I panchayats of Maynaguri block. The population of the new municipality was 45,045.

Infrastructure

edit
 
A view of Himalayan Range

According to the District Census Handbook 2011, Jalpaiguri, Mainaguri covered an area of 12.38 km2. Among the civic amenities, it had 28 km roads with open drains, the protected water supply involved overhead tanks, uncovered wells. It had 3,458 domestic electric connections, 518 road lighting points. Among the medical facilities it had 1 hospital, 3 dispensaries/ health centres, 30 medicine shops. Among the educational facilities it had 12 primary schools, 5 middle schools, 5 secondary schools, 5 senior secondary schools. It had 4 recognised shorthand, typewriting and vocational training centre, 24 non-formal education centres (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan), 1 special school for the disabled. Among the social, recreational and cultural facilities it had 1 cinema theatre, 1 auditorium/ community hall, 1 public library. Three important commodities it produced were: furniture, jute yarn, tea. It had branches of 2 nationalised banks, 1 private commercial bank and 1 cooperative bank.[21]

Education

edit

Schools

edit


  • Radhika Library, has been operating here since 1910. Radhikanath Nandi who was the Deputy Collector of the Khasmahal office at Mainaguri, helped to begin the library. At the beginning, 1 anna was decided as the monthly fees of the library. It used to be a rural library. It was upgraded as town library on 1 March 1983. It has more than 14,000 books and around 600 members.[32][33]

Transport

edit

Road:

 
National Highway 27 (India)

The main mode of transport in the area is roadways. Most of the places are well connected by roads and to rest of India. National Highway 27 (India) is the main highway of the area. Regular bus services provided by North Bengal State Transport Corporation and Assam State Transport Corporation and other private parties run between all important places of the area. Share jeeps and maxi-taxies are quite popular in the area.

Rail:

 
A DMU train @ New Maynaguri

Mainaguri lies in the Northeast Frontier Railway zone of the Indian Railways. There are railway links to the rest of the country directly and via Kolkata. The major railway junction of New Jalpaiguri (Code:NJP) is 45 km from the town. New Mainaguri railway station (NMX) serves the town directly. Another rail station of this city is Maynaguri Road Railway Station (MYGD). It is about 5 km from the city. Maynaguri Road station is an important station of Malbazar-Changrabandha. Previously it was known as Doars railway. Mainaguri Road station is also 'Y' connected with New Maynaguri and New Domohoni rail station.

Places of interest

edit
 
Jalpesh Temple of Lord Shiva

Jalpesh Temple

edit

The Jalpesh Temple is approximately 3 kilometres from away Mainaguri 26°31′32″N 88°52′1″E / 26.52556°N 88.86694°E / 26.52556; 88.86694, and is dedicated to Lord Jalpeshwar (Siva). The temple was built in a style akin to Islamic architecture. Inside the temple, there is a Shivling called 'Anadi'. Mahashivaratri is the main festival celebrated in this temple, which is 126 feet high and 120 feet wide.[34] Pilgrims come during Sravani Mela in July–August and during the fair of Jalpesh Mela in February–March to offer special puja to Siva. After worshipping, devotees, whose number reach approximately 1.2 million, collect water from River Teesta and walk barefoot 15 kilometres to the temple.[35]

Jalpesh Temple was founded by Bisu Singh of Cooch Behar in A.D. 1524. His son, Maharaja Narayan, rebuilt the temple in A.D. 1563. Pran Narayan in turn rebuilt the temple in A.D. 1663[36]

 
Jatileswar Temple of Lord Shiva

Jatileswar Temple

edit

The Jatileswar Temple is located in Purbba Dehar about 10 km from the Maynaguri town of Jalpaiguri district. It is situated on the western side of Jaldhaka River to the highway connecting Maynaguri with Dhupguri. The location of the Temple is about halfway between the two towns. About 8 km after Maynaguri on National Highway 31, you will reach Husludanga crossing. Leave the National Highway and take the right-hand road to Husludanga which is a small village. From here a small village road to your right will take you to the Jatileswar Temple.

The temple in the Dooars area of North Bengal is one of the oldest temples in the region. It has religious as well as historic significance. The main temple was built during the time of the Gupta rulers of Bengal around 320 AD to 600 AD. The temple is dedicated to Jatileswar or Lord Shiva.[37]

It is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India. The government of West Bengal had declared the temple of Purbba Dehar as an archaeological site and the place now has been reserved under the State Protected Monuments.[38]

Other places

edit

Culture

edit

Festivals

edit

Various festivals are celebrated throughout the year. Kali Puja of Mainaguri is renowned. It also celebrates Eid and Christmas Day with similar pompousness.

Sports and entertainment

edit

Mainaguri has a famous playground (Known as Mainaguri Football Ground) where several football tournaments are held every year.

Other than that several fairs like Boishakhi Mela, Mela during Durga Puja, book fair, one yearly cultural function organised by local clubs is also held. This ground is an inseparable part of the people of Mainaguri.

Healthcare

edit

Maynaguri Rural Hospital, with 60 beds at Mainaguri, is the major government medical facility in the Maynaguri CD block.[39]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Fact and Figures". Wb.gov.in. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  2. ^ "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India" (PDF). Nclm.nic.in. Ministry of Minority Affairs. p. 85. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Maynaguri Pin Code, Search Maynaguri JALPAIGURI PinCode". www.citypincode.in. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Two new civic bodies for Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts". Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Gazette Notification" (PDF). Department of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  6. ^ Debnath, S. (2010). The Dooars in Historical Transition (PDF). Shiv Mandir: N. L. Publishers. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  7. ^ Dinerstein, E., Loucks, C. (2001). "Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  8. ^ "Jalpaiguri". District Profile. District administration. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  9. ^ "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Jalpaiguri". Tables 2.2, 2.4b. Department of Planning and Statistics, Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Tea Growing Regions". Dooars and Terai. Indian Tea Association. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Dooars-Terai". Tea Board India. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  12. ^ "2011 Census – Primary Census Abstract Data Tables". West Bengal – District-wise. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Maps, Weather, and Airports for Mainaguri, India". www.fallingrain.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  14. ^ "Mainaguri in Mainaguri India". www.india9.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  15. ^ "Mainaguri Pincode". citypincode.in. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  16. ^ "পুরসভার মর্যাদা পেল দু'জেলার দুই শহর". Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  17. ^ "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Jalpaiguri". Tables 2.1, 2.2. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  18. ^ "District Census Handbook, Jalpaiguri, Series 20, Part XIIA" (PDF). Census of India 2011, Fifth page, map of Jalpaiguri district. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  19. ^ "2011 Census – Primary Census Abstract Data Tables". West Bengal – District-wise. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  21. ^ "District Census Handbook Jalpaiguri, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A" (PDF). Section II Town Directory, Pages 451-453: Statement I: Status and Growth History, Pages 454-455: Statement II: Physical Aspects and Location of Towns, Pages 456-457: Statement III: Civic and other Amenities, Pages 458-459: Statement IV: Medical Facilities 2009, Pages 460—463: Statement V: Educational, Recreational and Cultural Facilities, Pages 464: Statement VI:Industry and Banking. Directorate of Census Operations V, West Bengal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Manoranjan Saha Memorial B.ed College". MSMBC. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Maynaguri College". MC. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  24. ^ "Maynaguri Government Polytechnic". MGP. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Maynaguri Government ITI". Department of Technical Education, Training and Skill Development, Govt. of West Bengal. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  26. ^ "MAYANAGURI HIGH SCHOOL(H.S.)". Banglar Shiksha. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  27. ^ "MAYNAGURI GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL (XI-XII)". Banglar Shiksha. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  28. ^ "MAYNAGURI SUBHASH NAGAR HIGH SCHOOL". Banglar Shiksha. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  29. ^ "SAHIDGARH HIGH SCHOOL". Banglar Shiksha. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  30. ^ "KHAGRABARI GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL (H.S)". Banglar Shiksha. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  31. ^ "Evergreen Public School". EPS. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  32. ^ "Town Library Automation " Radhika Library". Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  33. ^ "RADHIKA LIBRARY (T.L.), MAYNAGURI". VVS. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  34. ^ "Jalpesh Shiva Temple in Jalpaiguri India". www.india9.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  35. ^ "Tourist Places in North Bengal | North Bengal Tourism". www.north-bengal.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  36. ^ "Cooch Behar Government: Royal History : Book of Facts and Events". Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
  37. ^ "Jatileswar Temple". northbengaltourism.com. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  38. ^ "State Protected Monuments Directorate of Archaeology & Museums W.B." West Bengal Heritage Commission Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  39. ^ "Health & Family Welfare Department" (PDF). Health Statistics – Rural Hospitals. Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2020.