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Bardhaman

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Bardhaman is a busy city in the state of West Bengal, India.

Map of purba bardhaman district
Map of purba bardhaman district

It sits on the northern bank of the Damodar River. The city is about 100 km northwest of Kolkata. The map shows where the district sits in the region. The land here has an average height of 40 metres. It is a place with a tropical savanna climate. This means the weather stays warm throughout the year.

The history of this place goes back a very long time. Some evidence suggests people lived here as far back as 4000 BCE. The name Bardhaman may come from Mahavira. He was a great leader in Jainism during the sixth century BCE. He spent time in a place called Astikagrama. Later, the area was renamed to honor him. The city has also been a center for North-Indian classical music.

For many years, a royal family called the Maharajas ruled here. They were very powerful noblemen in lower Bengal. The Bardhaman Raj was started in 1657 by a man named Sangam Rai. Later, Maharaja Mahtab Chand managed the land very well. He was even given a special coat of arms in 1868. In 1908, Maharaja Bijaychand Mahtab showed great courage. He risked his life to save a government leader named Sir Andrew Fraser.

Today, Bardhaman is a place for learning and culture. The University of Burdwan was started in 1960. It uses the old Rajbati palace for its offices. The university also has a science centre and a planetarium. You can see many beautiful temples, like the Sarbamangala temple. There is also the Curzon Gate, built in 1902. If you visit, you should try the local sweets. Sitabhog and Mihidana are two very famous treats from this city.

Traveling to Bardhaman is quite easy for many people. The Grand Trunk Road runs right across the city. The East Indian Railway also passes through the area. You can take a train from Howrah to reach the city in about two hours. Many buses also travel to places like Asansol and Purulia. Inside the city, people use rickshaws and small electric carts called Totos. These help everyone move around the busy streets.

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File:Map of purba bardhaman district.jpg
Map of purba bardhaman district.jpg
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