THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS TALKS AGAINST CASTEIST HEGEMONY IN SOUTH ASIA

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS TALKS AGAINST CASTEIST HEGEMONY IN SOUTH ASIA INDIA AGAINST ITS OWN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

PalahBiswas On Unique Identity No1.mpg

Monday, October 3, 2011

Durga Puja and Bengal and Chandal and Harichand Thakur


This Durga Puja, Kolkata not on billboard high

Economic Times - ‎4 hours ago‎
This time, though, the industry estimated to be worth Rs.250 crore in West Bengal has taken a hit due to new rules to clear the Kolkata skyline. Zip through the streets during festival times, and staring down at you are billboards with witty one-liners ...

How green is your Durga Puja? PCB is watching

Times of India - ‎5 hours ago‎
KOLKATA: The West Bengal Pollution Control Board has started doing the rounds of the city to check whether puja committees are following the guidelines to keep Kolkata clean and pollution-free during the Pujas. Five teams will inspect pujas across the ...

What began online is an offl ine celebration now

IBNLive.com - ‎10 hours ago‎
Bringing a myriad of colours with it, Kolkata is brought to the city, in true Bengali fashion. And when one talks about anything Bengali, the pomp and splendour goes without even having to be mentioned. Bengali in Bangalore, an online community of ...

Clubs begin Durga Puja celebrations in Jaipur

Times of India - ‎15 hours ago‎
JAIPUR: With Aadhibas and Aamantran (pran-prathista) the Durga Puja at Bengali clubs in the city began on Sunday. Puja started with welcoming Goddess Durga on Shasti (6th day) will go on till Dashami (10th day) after which idols will be immersed. ...

Tant weavers hope to get lucky with Puja show

Times of India - ‎18 hours ago‎
NEW DELHI: Israfil Sheikh, a tant weaver from a small town of West Bengal, is really excited about this year's Durga Puja. He and a few other weavers from Shantipur will be in the capital along their tant handlooms during the Puja, carrying with them ...

Kandivli turns into mini Bengal for Durga puja

Times of India - ‎Oct 2, 2011‎
MUMBAI: Special lighting from Chandannagar, face masks from Purulia and bhog prepared with fine-grained rice and dal, all serve to recreate several mini-Bengals in the Kandivli-Borivli belt during Durga puja. The vast population of Bengalis in the area ...

Thousands hit the roads as Durga Puja begins in Bengal

Economic Times - ‎Oct 2, 2011‎
KOLKATA: Thousands of people decked in their best walked the streets of Kolkata shoulder to shoulder, visiting one marquee after another, as the Durga Puja festivities got off to a grand start under clear skies in West Bengal Sunday. ...

Mamata magic: Puja marquees go through `poriborton

Zee News - ‎2 hours ago‎
Bhawanipore Gol Math Sarbojonis Durgo Puja committee this year has chosen the theme 'Bonger Durga' (Durga of Bengal), which indirectly describes the recent political change in the state. "Though we have not named any political party or leader, ...

Being Bengali: Two Puja food recipes

Times of India - ‎4 hours ago‎
Here are the recipes of two simple but popular Bengali food items consumed during Durga Puja festival. - Mix Bengal gram flour with water to create a batter. Add a little salt for taste. - Dip eggplant slices in the batter to coat and add a little red ...

No fund crunch for Durga Puja

Business Standard - Debaleena Sengupta - ‎18 hours ago‎
While the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government is reeling under fund crunch, puja associations linked to the ruling party have no dearth of funds. In fact, medium-budget and lesser-known pujas are the talk of the town this year. ...

Kolkata jail inmates perform at city pandal

Hindustan Times - ‎19 hours ago‎
"This is the first time that the inmates have come out of their prison to perform at a public event outside Bengal. Despite the security threats, we decided to take a chance," said Odissi dancer Alokananda Roy, who choreographed the dance drama. ...

What's new this Durga Puja

Hindustan Times - ‎19 hours ago‎
Pankha Road Banga Sammiloni traditional Bengali handloom to make the dress of the Goddess, the chandelier and the main tent of pandal. "The theme of the Puja itself is, 'Maa aschen tant-er sharee te' (Mother arriving in Tant saree). ...

Mamata, Nitish extend Puja greetings

The Hindu - ‎51 minutes ago‎
Chief ministers of West Bengal and Bihar on Monday greeted people on the occasion of Durga Puja, wishing them a peaceful and happy festival. "This is the time we engage in celebrations forgetting the barriers of rich and poor, caste and creed and all ...

Durgotsav across India

Zee News - ‎2 hours ago‎
For the Bengali community, it is a much awaited event. Durga Puja is celebrated particularly in the east with much fanfare. While in Bengal, Durga Puja is the most important festival, in other parts of country, Bengali community celebrates the ...

Goddess Durga arrives in Pune

Daily News & Analysis - ‎Oct 2, 2011‎
"Though in West Bengal, the festival is celebrated on a much larger scale, for people like us who stay here for professional purpose, this puja provides a common platform for people cutting across religious lines to immerse themselves in cultural ...

Devotees throng Durga Puja pandals

Times of India - ‎8 hours ago‎
At Bengali Akhara in Machhuatoli, the organizers conducted "pran pratisthan" of the goddess at 7:30pm. "We have done it with traditional rituals. It marks the beginning of the puja. Now, devotees can visit our pandal and pay obeisance to the goddess," ...

Festive beat begins with people flocking to pandals

Times of India - ‎10 hours ago‎
Artisans from distant Paschim Banga (West Bengal) have come to this city to make the images or idols - the focus of worship for the four days. One such artisan is Amit Pal who has been in the profession of making idols for past 25 years. ...

Pranab celebrates Durga Puja in Birbhum

IBNLive.com - ‎12 hours ago‎
Kolkata: Away from all the controversies concerning the government, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukerjee is celebrating Durga Puja at his ancestral house in Birbhum in West Bengal. Mukherjee makes it a point to visit his village every year during the ...

Pranab off to ancestral home to perform Durga Puja

Hindustan Times - ‎Oct 2, 2011‎
Far from the rough and tumble of politics, union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today left for his ancestral home at Miriti in Birbhum district of West Bengal to perform Durga Puja as he has been doing every year. "I extend puja greetings (Saradiyar ...

Bengal recreated in city to make Durga feel at home

Hindustan Times - ‎Sep 30, 2011‎
A replica of Kolkata's Victoria Memorial Hall has been created on the sprawling grounds for the week-long celebrations at the Milantirtha Durga Puja "Karigars from Krishnanagar in Bengal were called to decorate the pandal, which will give the devotees ...

First in decades: Bengal ministers plunge into pujas

Hindustan Times - ‎Oct 1, 2011‎
For the first time in three-and-a-half decades, West Bengal's ministers have openly joined in organising Durga Puja celebrations, shedding the political diffidence of the previous leftist government, some of whose members were avowed atheists. ...

West Bengal likely to roll-out renewable energy policy in Oct

Utility Products - ‎12 hours ago‎
The West Bengal government is close to finalising a renewable energy policy for the state, which is expected to be announced in October this year. "We are almost ready with the renewable energy policy for the state and we will announce it after Durga ...

Durga goes green for her Ahmedabad devotees

Daily News & Analysis - ‎Oct 1, 2011‎
Among the interesting concepts for the celebration by city-based associations, the ChandkhedaBengal Cultural Association (CBCA plans to celebrate with the theme of 'Green Puja'. Various activities and events have been planned in this regard in ...

Bank customers concerned over Durga Puja holidays

Times of India - ‎Oct 1, 2011‎
KOLKATA: The bank closure during Durga Puja holidays in between October 3 to October 6 is going to be a cause of major concern for the customers in Bengal. Long queues were noticed in Kolkata in front of all major banks and the customers were in the ...

FESTIVE FERVOUR Puja and bhog keep Bengalis busy till Navami

Times of India - ‎Oct 1, 2011‎
BANGALORE: 'One Bengali is a poet. Two Bengalis are a trade union. Three Bengalis are a Durga Puja committee...' says a popular joke about the cultural and political proclivities of Bengalis. Proving that the generalization contains a grain of truth is ...

Celebs share their Navratri recipes!

Rediff - Rajul Hegde - ‎7 hours ago‎
Like any other Bengali, it's an important festival for me as well. Due to my work and travelling, I hardly get to visit any pandals now but I make it a point to visit at least on two days with my family. On these days, I break my fast only after I ...

Durga Puja fervor grips the Indian capital city

Zee News - ‎11 hours ago‎
"Music bands from Mumbai and Bengal will perform here. The highlight of our `pandal` is that we`ve flown down cooks from Kolkata and will definitely offer authentic Bengali dishes," he said. Delhiites are geared up to make the most of the occasion and ...

At 26 feet, Vashi has India's tallest Durga idol

Daily News & Analysis - Richa Pinto - ‎11 hours ago‎
"Highly-skilled artisans from rural Bengal had been called to make this 26-foot idol of Durga mata. We also had a truckload of sand from the bed of river Ganges to build the idols. With celebrities from the music industry like Shaan and Shankar ...

Nationalism, nursery rhymes to visit city pandals

Times of India - ‎Sep 30, 2011‎
LUCKNOW: A confluence of devotion and nationalism can be observed at the Victory XI Sports Club's pandal at Boys Anglo Bengali Inter-College situated at Sunderbagh, one of the bastions of the city's Bangla speaking populace. Decked up in traditional ...


Bengal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Bengal (disambiguation).
Bengal
Location-Bangla01.png
Map of the Bengal region: West Bengal andBangladesh
Largest Cities
Kolkata[1] (Calcutta)

23.34°N 88.22°E
Dhaka
23.42°N 90.22°E
Chittagong
22.22°N 91.48°E
Khulna
22.48°N 89.33°E

Main language Bangla (Bengali)
Area232,752 km² 
Population (2001)245,598,679[2][3]
Density 951.3/km²[2][3]
Infant mortality rate 55.91 per 1000 live births[4][5]
Websitesbangladesh.gov.bd andwbgov.com

Bengal (Bengali: বাংলা About this sound Bangla (help·info) or বঙ্গ Bôngo) is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh (previously East Bengal / East Pakistan) and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous kingdoms of Bengal (during local monarchical regimes and British rule) are now part of the neighboring Indian states ofBihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Tripura and Orissa. The majority of Bengal is inhabited byBengali people (বাঙালি Bangali) who speak the Bengali language (বাংলা Bangla).

The region of Bengal is one of the most densely populated regions on earth, with a population density exceeding 900/km². Most of the Bengal region lies in the low-lyingGanges–Brahmaputra River Delta or Ganges Delta, the world's largest delta. In the southern part of the delta lies the Sundarbans—the world's largest mangrove forest and home of the Bengal tiger. Though the population of the region is mostly rural and agrarian, two megacities, Kolkata (previously Calcutta) and Dhaka (previously Dacca), are located in Bengal. The Bengal region is renowned for its rich literary and cultural heritage as well as its immense contribution to the socio-cultural uplift of Indian society in the form of the Bengal Renaissance, and revolutionary activities during the Indian independence movement.

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[edit]Etymology

Main article: Bengali people

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 BC.[6]

Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from Banga (বঙ্গ bôngo), which came from the Austric word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. The word Banga and other words speculated to refer to Bengal (such as Anga) can be found in ancient Indian texts including the Vedas,Jaina texts, the Mahabharata and Puranas. The earliest reference to "Bangala" (বঙ্গাল bôngal) has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) ofRashtrakuta Govinda III which speak of Dharmapala as the king of Vangala.[7]

Some accounts claim that the word may derive from bhang, a preparation of cannabis which is used in some religious ceremonies in Bengal.[8][9] Dravidians migrated to Bengal from the south, while Tibeto-Burman peoples migrated from the Himalayas,[10] followed by theIndo-Aryans from north-western India. The modern Bengali people are a blend of these people. Smaller numbers of Pathans, Persians, Arabsand Turks also migrated to the region in the late Middle Ages while spreading Islam.

[edit]History

Main article: History of Bengal
Bengal

Remnants of Copper Age settlements in the Bengal region date back 4,300 years.[11][12] After the arrival of Indo-Aryans, the kingdoms of Anga, Vanga andMagadha were formed by the 10th century BC, located in the Bihar and Bengal regions. Magadha was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time ofBuddha and consisted of several Janapadas.[10] One of the earliest foreign references to Bengal is the mention of a land named Gangaridai by the Greeksaround 100 BC, located in an area in Bengal.[13] From the 3rd to the 6th centuries AD, the kingdom of Magadha served as the seat of the Gupta Empire.

The first recorded independent king of Bengal was Shashanka, reigning around early 7th century.[14] After a period of anarchy, the native Buddhist Pala Empire ruled the region for four hundred years, and expanded across much of the Indian subcontinent into Afghanistan during the reigns of Dharmapala andDevapala. The Pala dynasty was followed by the reign of the Hindu Saiva Sena dynasty. Islam made its first appearance in Bengal during the 12th century when Sufi missionaries arrived. Later, occasional Muslim raiders reinforced the process of conversion by building mosques, madrassas and Sufi Khanqah. Beginning in 1202 a military commander from the Delhi Sultanate, Bakhtiar Khilji, overran Bihar and Bengal as far east as Rangpur, Bogra and theBrahmaputra River. Although he failed to bring Bengal under his control, the expedition managed to defeat Lakshman Sen and his two sons moved to a place then called Vikramapur (present-day Munshiganj District), where their diminished dominion lasted until the late 13th century.

During the 14th century, the former kingdom became known as the Sultanate of Bengal, ruled intermittently with the Sultanate of Delhi as well as powerfulHindu states and land-lords-Baro-Bhuyans. The Hindu Deva Kingdom ruled over eastern Bengal after the collapse Sena Empire. The Sultanate of Bengal was interrupted by an uprising by the Hindus under Raja Ganesha. The Ganesha dynasty began in 1414, but his successors converted to Islam. Bengal came once more under the control of Delhi as the Mughals conquered it in 1576. There were several independent Hindu states established in Bengal during theMughal period like those of Maharaja Pratap Aditya of Jessore and Raja Sitaram Ray of Burdwan. These kingdoms contributed a lot to the economic and cultural landscape of Bengal. Extensive land reclamations in forested and marshy areas were carried out and trade as well as commerce were highly encouraged. These kingdoms also helped introduce new music, painting, dancing and sculpture into Bengali art-forms as well as many temples were constructed during this period. Militarily, they served as bulwarks against Portuguese and Burmese attacks. Koch Bihar Kingdom in the northern Bengal, flourished during the period of 16th and the 17th centuries as well as weathered the Mughals and survived till the advent of the British.

In 1534, the Pashtun Sher Shah Suri, or Farid Khan — a man of incredible military and political skill — succeeded in defeating the superior forces of theMughals under Humayun at Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540). Sher Shah fought back and captured both Delhi and Agra and established a kingdom stretching far into Punjab. Sher Shah's administrative skill showed in his public works, including the Grand Trunk Road connecting Sonargaon in Bengal withPeshawar in the Hindu Kush. Sher Shah's rule ended with his death in 1545, although even in those five years his reign would have a powerful influence on Indian society, politics, and economics.

Shah Suri's successors lacked his administrative skill, and quarreled over the domains of his empire. Humayun, who then ruled a rump Mughal state, saw an opportunity and in 1554 seized Lahore and Delhi. When Humayun died in Jan.1556, Hemu, also called Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, the then Hindu Prime Minister-cum- Chief of Army, of the Sur dynasty had already won Bengal in the battle at Chapperghatta, killing Muhammad Shah the then ruler of Bengal. This was Hemu's 20th continuous win in North India. Knowing of Humanyun's death, Hemu rushed to Delhi to win Agra and later on Delhi and established 'Hindu Raj' in North India on 6th Oct. 1556, after 300 years of Muslim rule, leaving Bengal to his Governor Shahbaz Khan. Akbar, the greatest of the Mughal emperors, who defeated the Karani rulers of Bengal in 1576. Bengal became a Mughal subah and ruled through subahdars(governors). Akbar exercised progressive rule and oversaw a period of prosperity (through trade and development) in Bengal and northern India.

Bengal's trade and wealth impressed the Mughals that they called the region the "Paradise of the Nations". Administration by governors appointed by the court of the Mughal Empire court (1575–1717) gave way to four decades of semi-independence under the Nawabs of Murshidabad, who respected the nominal sovereignty of the Mughals in Delhi. The Nawabs granted permission to the French East India Company to establish a trading post atChandernagore in 1673, and the British East India Company at Calcutta in 1690. The most notable among them is Murshid Quli Khan, who was succeeded by Alivardi Khan. Around the early 1700s, the Maratha Empire ledexpeditions in Bengal. The leader of the expedition was Maratha MaharajaRaghuji of Nagpur. Raghoji was able to annex Orissa and parts of Bengal permanently as he successfully exploited the chaotic conditions prevailing in the region after the death of their Governor Murshid Quli Khan in 1727.[15] The expeditions resulted in Bengal becoming a tributary region of the Marathas for a period of time.

Portuguese traders arrived late in the fifteenth century, once Vasco da Gama reached India by sea in 1498. European influence grew until theBritish 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.[16] The Bengal Presidency was established by 1766, eventually including all British territories north of the Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh), from the mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to theHimalayas and the Punjab. The Bengal famine of 1770 claimed millions of lives.[17] Calcutta was named the capital of British India in 1772. The Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements had great impact on the cultural and economic life of Bengal. 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.[18] Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones.[19]

Bengal has played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary groups were dominant. Armed attempts to overthrow the British Raj reached a climax when Subhash Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army against the British. Bengal was also central in the rising political awareness of the Muslim population—the Muslim League was established in Dhaka in 1906. In spite of a last ditch effort to form a United Bengal,[20] when India gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines.[21] 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). The circumstances of partition was bloody, with widespread religious riots in Bengal.[21][22]

[edit]Modern History

The post-partition political history of East and West Bengal diverged for the most part. Starting from the Bengali Language Movement of 1952.[23] political dissent against West Pakistani domination grew steadily. Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, emerged as the political voice of the Bengali-speaking population of East Pakistan by 1960s.[24] In 1971, the crisis deepened when Rahman was arrested and a sustained military assault was launched on East Pakistan.[25] Most of the Awami League leaders fled and set up a government-in-exile in West Bengal. The guerrilla Mukti Bahini and Bengali regulars eventually received support from the Indian Armed Forces in December 1971, resulting in a decisive victory over Pakistan on 16 December in the Bangladesh Liberation War or Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.[26] The post independence history of Bangladesh was strife with conflict, with a long history of political assassinations and coups before parliamentary democracy was established in 1991. Since then, the political environment has been relatively stable.

West Bengal, the western part of Bengal, became a state in India. In the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violentMarxist-Naxalite movement damaged much of the state's infrastructure, leading to a period of economic stagnation. The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 resulted in the influx of millions of refugees to West Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure.[27] West Bengal politics underwent a major change when the Left Front won the 1977 assembly election, defeating the incumbent Indian National Congress. The Left Front, led by Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has governed for the last three decades.In the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011,in West Bengal, CPI(M) alliance with 62 seats suffered a setback after 34 years of continuous rule, losing toTrinamool Congress led alliance's 226 seats. Its Chief Minister candidate who was also an incumbent Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also lost from his Jadavpur assembly constituency.[28] 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.

[edit]Geography

See also: Geography of West Bengal and Geography of Bangladesh

Most of the Bengal region is in the low-lying Ganges–Brahmaputra River Delta or Ganges Delta. The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries. The total area of Bengal is 232752  km²—West Bengal is 88,752 km² and Bangladesh 144,000 km².

Most parts of Bangladesh are within 10 meters (33 ft) above the sea level, and it is believed that about 10% of the land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 metre (3 ft).[29] Because of this low elevation, much of this region is exceptionally vulnerable to seasonal flooding due to monsoons. The highest point in Bangladesh is in Mowdok range at 1,052 metres (3,451 ft) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to the southeast of the country.[30] A major part of the coastline comprises a marshy jungle, the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world and home to diverse flora and fauna, including the Royal Bengal Tiger. In 1997, this region was declared endangered.[31]

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 state has a total area of 88,752 km² (34,267 sq mi).[32] The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. This region contains Sandakfu (3,636 m (11,929 ft))—the highest peak of the state.[33] The narrow Terai region separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and high lands. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangroveforests form a remarkable geographical landmark at the Ganges delta. At least nine districts in West Bengal and 42 districts in Bangladesh have arsenic levels in groundwater above the World Health Organization maximum permissible limit of 50 µg/L.[34]

[edit]Major cities

The following are the largest cities in Bengal (in terms of population):

  1. Kolkata (Calcutta)
  2. Dhaka (Dacca)
  3. Chittagong
  4. Howrah
  5. Khulna
  6. Rajshahi
  7. Siliguri
  8. Durgapur
  9. Asansol
  10. Sylhet
  11. Barisal
  12. Chandannagar
  13. Nabadwip
  14. Haldia

[edit]Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Bangladesh and Demographics of West Bengal

About 250 million people live in Bengal, around 68% of them in Bangladesh and the remainder in West Bengal.[2][35] The population density in the area is more than 900/km²; making it among the most densely populated areas in the world.[2][3]

Bengali is the main language spoken in Bengal. English is often used for official work. There are small minorities who speak Hindi, Urdu,Chakma. There are several tribal languages including Santhali. Nepali is spoken primarily by the Gorkhas of Darjeeling district of West Bengal.

50% of the total Bengali population is Muslim, and 48% is Hindu. In Bangladesh 89.7% of the population is Muslim and 9.2% are Hindus (Bangladesh Census 2001). In West Bengal, Hindus are the majority with 75% of the population while Muslims comprise 20%, and other religions make up the remainder.[36] Other religious groups include Buddhists, Christians, and Animists. About 2% of the population is tribal.[37]

Life expectancy is around 63 years, and are almost same for the men and women.[38][39] In terms of literacy, West Bengal leads with 69.22% literacy rate,[2] in Bangladesh the rate is approximately 53.5%.[40] The level of poverty is high, the proportion of people living below the poverty line is more than 30%.[37][41]

About 20,000 people live on chars. Chars are temporary islands formed by the deposition of sediments eroded off the banks of the Ganges in West Bengal which often disappear in the monsoon season. They are made of very fertile soil. The inhabitants of chars are not recognised by the Government of West Bengal on the grounds that it is not known whether they are Bengalis or Bangladeshi refugees. Consequently, no identification documents are issued to char-dwellers who cannot benefit from health care, barely survive due to very poor sanitation and are prevented from emigrating to the mainland to find jobs when they have turned 14. On a particular char it was reported that 13% of women died at childbirth.[42]

[edit]Economy

Agriculture is the leading occupation in the region. Rice is the staple food crop. Other food crops are pulses, potato, maize, and oil seeds.Jute is the principal cash crop. Tea is also produced commercially; the region is well known for Darjeeling and other high-quality teas.

Historically, Europe once regarded Bengal as "the richest country to trade with".[43]

[edit]West Bengal

Main article: Economy of West Bengal

The service sector is the largest contributor to the gross domestic product of West Bengal, contributing 51% of the state domestic product compared to 27% from agriculture and 22% from industry.[44] 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.[45] As of 2003–2004 West Bengal had the third-largest economy in India, with a net state domestic product of US$ 21.5 billion.[44] During 2001–2002, the state's average SDP was more than 7.8%—outperforming the National GDP Growth.[46] The state has promoted foreign direct investment, which has mostly occurred in the software and electronics fields;[47] Kolkata is becoming a major hub for the information technology (IT) industry. Owing to the boom in Kolkata's and the overall state's economy, West Bengal as of 2005 had the third-fastest-growing economy in India.[48]

[edit]Bangladesh

Main article: Economy of Bangladesh

Since 1990, Bangladesh has achieved an average annual growth rate of 5% according to the World Bank, despite the hurdles. The middle class and the consumer industry have seen some growth. Bangladesh has seen a sharp increase in foreign direct investment. A number ofmultinational corporations, including Unocal Corporation and Tata, have made major investments, the natural gas sector being a priority. In December 2005, the Central Bank of Bangladesh projected GDP growth around 6.5%.[49] Although two-thirds of Bangladeshis are farmers, more than three quarters of Bangladesh's export earnings come from the garment industry,[50] which began attracting foreign investors in the 1980s due to cheap labour and low conversion cost. In 2002, the industry exported US$5 billion worth of products.[51] The industry now employs more than 3 million workers, 90% of whom are women.[52] A large part of foreign currency earnings also comes from the remittances sent by expatriates living in other countries.

The provision of microcredit by Grameen Bank (founded by Muhammad Yunus) and by other similar organizations has contributed to the development of the economy of Bangladesh. Together, such organizations had about 5 million members by late 1990s.[53] [54]

[edit]Culture

Main articles: Culture of West Bengal and Culture of Bangladesh
Culture of Bengal

The common Bengali language and culture anchors the shared tradition of two parts of politically divided Bengal. Bengal has a long tradition in folk literature, evidenced by the Charyapada, Mangalkavya, Shreekrishna Kirtana,Maimansingha Gitika or Thakurmar Jhuli. Bengali literature in the medieval age was often either religious (e.g. Chandidas), or adaptations from other languages (e.g. Alaol). During the Bengal Renaissance of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Bengali literature was modernized through the works of authors such as Michael Madhusudan Dutta, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,Rabindranath Tagore, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Kazi Nazrul Islam.

The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of Bangla folk music.[55] The scholar saint Sri Anirvan loved Baul music, and in fact described himself as a simple Baul.[56] Other folk music forms include Gombhira, Bhatiali and Bhawaiya. Folk music in Bengal is often accompanied by the ektara, a one-stringed instrument. Other instruments include the dotara, dhol, flute, and tabla. The region also has an active heritage in North Indian classical music.

Bengal had also been the harbinger of modernism in Indian arts. Abanindranath Tagore, one of the important 18th century artist from Bengal is often referred to as the father of Indian modern art. He had established the first non-British art academy in India known as the Kalabhavan within the premises ofSantiniketan. Santiniketan in course of time had produced many important Indian artists like Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Benode Bihari Mukherjee and Ramkinkar Baij. In the post-independence era, Bengal had produced important artists like Somenath Hore, Meera Mukherjee andGanesh Pyne.

Rice and fish are traditional favorite foods, leading to a saying that in Bengali,mach ar bhaath bangali baanaay, that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali".[57] Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes Hilsa preparations, a favorite among Bengalis. Bengalis make distinctivesweetmeats from milk products, including Rôshogolla, Chômchôm, and several kinds of Pithe.

Bengali women commonly wear the shaŗi and the salwar kameez, often distinctly designed according to local cultural customs. In urban areas, many women and men wear Western-style attire. Among men, European dressing has greater acceptance. Men also wear traditional costumes such as the panjabi with dhuti or pyjama, often on religious occasions. The lungi, a kind of long skirt, is widely worn by Bangladeshi men.

The greatest religious festivals are the two Eids (Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha) for the Muslims, and the autumnal Durga Puja for Hindus.[58]Christmas (called Bôŗodin (Great day) in Bangla), Buddha Purnima are other major religious festivals. Other festivities include Pohela Baishakh (the Bengali New Year), Basanta-Utsab, Nobanno, and Poush parbon (festival of Poush).

Bengali cinema are made both in Kolkata and Dhaka. The Kolkata film industry is older and particularly well known for its art films. Its long tradition of film making has produced world famous directors like Satyajit Ray, while contemporary directors include Buddhadev Dasgupta andAparna Sen. Dhaka also has a vibrant commercial industry and more recently has been home to critically acclaimed directors like Tareque Masud. Mainstream Hindi films of Bollywood are also quite popular in both West Bengal and Bangladesh. Around 200 dailies are published in Bangladesh, along with more than 1800 periodicals. West Bengal had 559 published newspapers in 2005,[59] of which 430 were in Bangla.[59]Cricket and football are popular sports in the Bengal region. Local games include sports such as Kho Kho and Kabaddi, the later being the national sport of Bangladesh. An Indo-Bangladesh Bangla Games has been organized among the athletes of the Bengali speaking areas of the two countries.[60]

[edit]Intra-Bengal relations today

Geographic, cultural, historic, and commercial ties are growing, and both countries recognize the importance of good relations. During and immediately after Bangladesh's struggle for independence from Pakistan in 1971, India assisted refugees from East Pakistan, and intervened militarily to help bring about the independence of Bangladesh. The Indo-Bangladesh border length of 4,095 km (2,545 mi), West Bengal has a border length of 2,216 km (1,377 mi).[61] Despite overlapping historic, geographic and cultural ties, the relation between West Bengal andBangladesh is still well below the potential.[62] The pan-Bengali sentiment among the people of the two parts of Bengal was at its height during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.[63] While the government radio and national press in India might have backed the struggle out of strategic considerations, the Bengali broadcast and print media went out of its way to lend overwhelming support.[63]

Frequent air services link Kolkata with Dhaka and Chittagong. A bus service between Kolkata and Dhaka is operational. The primary road link is the Jessore Road which crosses the border at Petrapole-Benapole about 175 km north-west of Kolkata. The Train service between Kolkata and Dhaka, which was stopped after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, was resumed in 2008.[64]

Visa services are provided by Bangladesh's consulate at Kolkata's Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Road and India's high commissions in Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi. India has a liberal visa policy and nearly 500,000 visas[62] are issued every year to Bangladeshi students,tourists, health-tourists and others who visit West Bengal and often transit to other parts of India. People of West Bengal visit Bangladesh for limited numbers of tourism, pilgrimage, trade, expatriate assignments; there is significant potential for growth as Bangladesh's stability, economy, moderation in religion and tourist infrastructure improves. In addition West Bengal hosts the celebrated and controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen.

Undocumented immigration of Bangladeshi workers is a controversial issue[62] championed by right-wing nationalist parties in India but finds little sympathy in West Bengal. India has fenced the border to control this flow but immigration is still continuing.[65] A rallying cry for the right-wing Hindu parties in India is that the demographics changed such as in West Bengal's border district of Malda from Hindu-majority to Muslim-majority.

The official land border crossing at Petrapole-Benapole is the primary conduit for the over $1 billion trade between the two halves of Bengal. The volume of unofficial exports to Bangladesh from India is reportedly in the range of $350–500 million each year.[66] Bangladesh argues thatIndia needs to open up its border more to Bangladeshi exports. Other landports between the two Bengals are Changrabandha-Burimari and Balurghat-Hili.

Cultural exchanges between the two parts of Bengal have been somewhat (but not fully) impacted by ups and downs in India-Bangladesh relations and in the influence of extremist Islamist groups in Bangladesh. West Bengal singers and actors complained about being rejected visas in previous years. West Bengal television channels are widely watched in Banglades, while no Bangladeshi channels are absent in West Bengal due to import policies. In foreign countries such as the U.S., Canada, Britain, and UAE, it is common for Bengalis from both sides to form joint cultural associations and friendships, although inter-marriage is not significant, especially across religious barriers.

[edit]Gallery

The Royal Bengal Tiger  
Worker in a paddy, a common scene all over Bengal  
Shaheed Minar, or the Martyr's monument, in Dhaka, commemorates the struggle for the Bengali language.  
Baitul Mukarram in Dhaka is theNational Mosque of Bangladesh.  
Dakshineswar Kali Temple inKolkata, West Bengal.  

[edit]See also

BengaliScriptKo.svg Bengal portal

[edit]Notes

  1. ^ The Kolkata metropolitan area has a population of over 14 million, making it the largest urban agglomeration in Bengal.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Provisional Population Totals: West Bengal". Census of India, 2001. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
  3. ^ a b c World Bank Development Indicators Database, 2006.
  4. ^ "West Bengal - Human development fact sheet". United Nations Development Programme. 2001. Retrieved 2007-03-01.[dead link]
  5. ^ "The World Factbook - Bangladesh".CIA World Factbook. 2001. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
  6. ^ James Heitzman and Robert L. Worden, ed (1989). "Early History, 1000 B. C.-A. D. 1202". Bangladesh: A country study. Library of Congress.
  7. ^ M.A. Amitabha Bhattacharyya, Historical Geography of Ancient and Early Mediaeval Bengal, Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, 1977, pp. 61–62.
  8. ^ Robinson, Rowan (1995). The great book of hemp. Inner Traditions. p. 107.ISBN 9780892815418.
  9. ^http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/inhemp/4chapt9.htm
  10. ^ a b Sultana, Sabiha. "Settlement in Bengal (Early Period)". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  11. ^ "History of Bangladesh". Bangladesh Student Association. Archived from the original on 2006-12-19. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  12. ^ "4000-year old settlement unearthed in Bangladesh". Xinhua. 2006-March.
  13. ^ Chowdhury, AM. "Gangaridai".Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 2006-09-08.
  14. ^ "Shashank". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  15. ^ SNHM. Vol. II, pp. 209, 224.
  16. ^ Chaudhury, S; Mohsin, KM."Sirajuddaula". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  17. ^ Fiske, John. "The Famine of 1770 in Bengal". The Unseen World, and other essays. University of Adelaide Library Electronic Texts Collection. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  18. ^ (Baxter 1997, pp. 30–32)
  19. ^ (Baxter 1997, pp. 39–40)
  20. ^ Chitta Ranjan Misra. "United Bengal Movement". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  21. ^ a b Harun-or-Rashid. "Partition of Bengal, 1947". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  22. ^ Suranjan Das. "Calcutta Riots (1946)". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Archived from the originalon 2007-03-07. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  23. ^ (Baxter 1997, pp. 62–63)
  24. ^ (Baxter 1997, pp. 78–79)
  25. ^ Salik, Siddiq (1978). Witness to Surrender. Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-577264-4.
  26. ^ Burke, S (1973). "The Postwar Diplomacy of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971". Asian Survey 13 (11): 1036–1049.doi:10.1525/as.1973.13.11.01p0385c.
  27. ^ (Bennett & Hindle 1996, pp. 63–70)
  28. ^ Biswas, Soutik (2006-04-16)."Calcutta's colourless campaign".BBC. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
  29. ^ Ali, A (1996). "Vulnerability of Bangladesh to climate change and sea level rise through tropical cyclones and storm surges". Water, Air, & Soil Pollution92 (1-2): 171–179.doi:10.1007/BF00175563 (inactive 2009-11-14).
  30. ^ Summit Elevations: Frequent Internet Errors. Retrieved 2006-04-13.
  31. ^ IUCN (1997). "Sundarban wildlife sanctuaries Bangladesh". World Heritage Nomination-IUCN Technical Evaluation.
  32. ^ "Statistical Facts about India". www.indianmirror.com. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  33. ^ "National Himalayan Sandakphu-Gurdum Trekking Expedition: 2006". Youth Hostels Association of India: West Bengal State Branch. Archived from the original on 2006-10-24. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  34. ^ Chowdhury U. K., Biswas B. K., Chowdhury T. R. (2000). "Groundwater arsenic contamination in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India".Environmental Health Perspectives 108(4): 393–397. doi:10.2307/3454378.JSTOR 3454378.
  35. ^ Adjusted population, p.4, "Population Census 2001, Preliminary Report"(PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2001-08.
  36. ^ "Data on Religion". Census of India (2001). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
  37. ^ a b "Introduction and Human Development Indices for West Bengal" (PDF). West Bengal Human Development Report 2004. Development and Planning Department, Government of West Bengal. May 2004. pp. pp4–6. ISBN 81-7955-030-3. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
  38. ^ "An Indian life: Life expectancy in our nation". India Together. Civil Society Information Exchange Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
  39. ^ "World Health Report 2005". World Health Organization.
  40. ^ "2005 Human Development Report".UNDP.
  41. ^ Bangladesh Country Statistics,Unicef
  42. ^ "Wandering Gaia". "The Give and Take of the Ganges" WordPress.com. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  43. ^ Nanda, J. N (2005). Bengal: the unique state. Concept Publishing Company. p. 10. ISBN 9788180691492. Retrieved 2010-11-22. "Bengal [...] was rich in the production and export of grain, salt, fruit, liquors and wines, precious metals and ornaments besides the output of its handlooms in silk and cotton. Europe referred to Bengal as the richest country to trade with."
  44. ^ a b "The State Economy" (PDF).Indian States Economy and Business: West Bengal. India Brand Equity Foundation, Confederation of Indian Industry. p. 9. Retrieved 2006-09-07.
  45. ^ "Economy". West Bengal. Suni System (P) Ltd. Retrieved 2006-09-07.
  46. ^ "Basic Information". About West Bengal. West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation. Archived fromthe original on 2006-03-29. Retrieved 2006-09-07.
  47. ^ "Dasgupta, 2002". Retrieved 2006-04-11.[dead link]
  48. ^ "Consul General Henry V. Jardine to The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, October 20, 2005". Retrieved 2006-04-11.
  49. ^ Annual Report 2004-2005, Bangladesh Bank
  50. ^ Roland, B (2005-01-06). "Bangladesh Garments Aim to Compete". BBC. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  51. ^ Rahman, S (2004). "Global Shift: Bangladesh Garment Industry in Perspective". Asian Affairs 26 (1): 75–91.
  52. ^ Begum, N (2001). "Enforcement of Safety Regulations in Garment sector in Bangladesh". Proc. Growth of Garment Industry in Bangladesh: Economic and Social dimension. pp. 208–226.
  53. ^ Schreiner, Mark (2003). "A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh,". Development Policy Review 21 (3): 357–382.doi:10.1111/1467-7679.00215.
  54. ^ "Yunus sees big Answers in Micro-credit" Globe and Mail article |http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080611.RYUNUS11/TPStory/Business
  55. ^ "The Bauls of Bengal". Folk Music. BengalOnline. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  56. ^http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/A_0246.htm
  57. ^ Gertjan de Graaf, Abdul Latif."Development of freshwater fish farming and poverty alleviation: A case study from Bangladesh" (PDF). Aqua KE Government. Retrieved 2006-10-22.
  58. ^ "Durga Puja". Festivals of Bengal. West Bengal Tourism, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2006-10-28.
  59. ^ a b "General Review". Registrar of Newspapers for India. Retrieved 2006-09-01.
  60. ^ "Bangladesh dominate Indo-Bangla Games, clinch 45 gold medals". Yahoo Web Services India Pvt Ltd. 2008-02-27. Retrieved 2008-02-27.[dead link]
  61. ^ "Union Home Secretary Chairs a High Level Empowered Committee".Embassy of India: Foreign Relations. Government of India. December 10, 1998. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  62. ^ a b c "Address by External Affairs Minister Shri Natwar Singh at India-Bangladesh Dialogue Organised by Centre for Policy Dialogue and India International Centre". Speeches. Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. 2005-08-07. Retrieved 2008-02-26.[dead link]
  63. ^ a b Sinha, Dipankar (July–August 2005)."E par Bangla, O par Bangla, no thank you". Himal South Asian (Kathmandu, Nepal: The Southasia Trust) 17 (1). Archived from the original on 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  64. ^ "India-Bangladesh train to resume in April - official". Reuters. 2008-02-25. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  65. ^ Chattopadhyay, S.S (June 2007)."Constant traffic". Frontline (The Hindu)24 (11). Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  66. ^ Mishra, Richa (November 11, 2004)."Indo-Bangla informal trade cause for concern: FICCI". The Hindu Business Line (The Hindu). Retrieved 2008-03-27.

[edit]References

  • Baxter, C (1997). Bangladesh, From a Nation to a State. Westview Press. pp. 0813336325. ISBN 185984121X
  • Bennett, A; Hindle, J (1996). London Review of Books: An Anthology. Verso. pp. 63–70. ISBN 185984121X

[edit]External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bengal

Geo Links for Bengal

Maps

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection at University of Texas at Austin Libraries


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