West Bengal

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Coordinates: 22°34′N 88°22′E / 22.57°N 88.37°E / 22.57; 88.37
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"Poschim Bongo" and "Poshchimbôŋgo" redirect here. For other uses, see Paschimbanga.
This article is about the Indian State in Eastern India created in 1947. For the Indian Province that existed between 1905 and 1911, see
Western Bengal Province
.

West Bengal
State
by bifurcation
)
15 August 1947
State Legislature
Unicameral
 • AssemblyWest Bengal Legislative Assembly (294 seats)
National ParliamentParliament of India
 • Rajya Sabha16 seats
 • Lok Sabha42 seats
High CourtCalcutta High Court
Area
 • Total88,752 km2 (34,267 sq mi)
 • Rank
Song
Banglar Mati Banglar Jol
(The Soil of Bengal, The Water of Bengal)[1]
BirdWhite-throated kingfisher
FishIlish
FlowerNight-flowering jasmine
FruitMango
MammalFishing cat
TreeChhaatim tree
State highway mark
State highway of West Bengal
WB SH1 - WB SH15
List of Indian state symbols
^The Province of Bengal was split into two states i.e. West Bengal and East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh) by the Indian Independence Act 1947[11]
†† Partition of Bengal (1947)

West Bengal (

Ganges delta, the Rarh region, the coastal Sundarbans and the Bay of Bengal. The state's main ethnic group are the Bengalis, with the Bengali Hindus
forming the demographic majority.

The area's early history featured a succession of

British East India Company after the Battle of Buxar in 1764.[15][16] From 1772 to 1911, Calcutta was the capital of all of East India Company's territories and then the capital of the entirety of India after the establishment of the Viceroyalty.[17] From 1912 to India's Independence in 1947, it was the capital of the Bengal Province.[18]

The region was a hotbed of the

Bengali Renaissance. Several regional and pan−Indian empires throughout Bengal's history have shaped its culture, cuisine, and architecture
.

Post-Indian independence, as a

human development index, with the index value being lower than the Indian average.[8][22] The state government debt of ₹6.47 lakh crore (US$81 billion), or 37.67% of GSDP, has dropped from 40.65% since 2010–11.[27][5] West Bengal has three World Heritage sites and ranks as the eight-most visited tourist destination in India and third-most visited state of India globally.[28][29]

Etymology

Main article: Names of Bengal

The origin of the name Bengal (Bangla and Bongo in Bengali) is unknown. One theory suggests the word derives from "Bang", the name of a Dravidian tribe that settled the region around 1000 BCE.[30] The Bengali word Bongo might have been derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga (or Banga). Although some early Sanskrit literature mentions the name Vanga, the region's early history is obscure.[31]

In 1947, at the end of British rule over the Indian subcontinent the Bengal Legislative Council and the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted on the Partition of Bengal along religious lines into two separate entities: West Bengal, which continued as an Indian state and East Bengal, a province of Pakistan, which came to be known be as East Pakistan and later became the independent Bangladesh.[11][32]

In 2011 the Government of West Bengal proposed a change in the official name of the state to Paschim Banga (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Pôshchimbônggô).[33] This is the native name of the state, literally meaning "western Bengal" in the native Bengali language. In August 2016 the West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed another resolution to change the name of West Bengal to "Bengal" in English and "Bangla" in Bengali. Despite the Trinamool Congress government's efforts to forge a consensus on the name change resolution, the Indian National Congress, the Left Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party opposed the resolution.[34] However, the central government has turned down the proposal maintaining the state should have one single name for all languages instead of three and it should not be the same as that of any other territory (pointing out that the name 'Bangla' may create confusion with neighbouring Bangladesh).[34][35][36]

History

Main articles:
History of rulers of Bengal, and History of West Bengal

Ancient and classical period

A coin of the King Shashanka showing the obverse and reverse sides
Coin of the King Shashanka, who created the first separate political entity in Bengal, called the Gauda Kingdom

Mahavamsa, Prince Vijaya (c. 543 – c. 505 BCE), a Vanga Kingdom prince, conquered Lanka (modern-day Sri Lanka) and named the country Sinhala Kingdom.[41]

The kingdom of

Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism. It consisted of several janapadas, or kingdoms.[42] Under Ashoka, the Maurya Empire of Magadha in the 3rd century BCE extended over nearly all of South Asia, including Afghanistan and parts of Balochistan. From the 3rd to the 6th centuries CE, the kingdom of Magadha served as the seat of the Gupta Empire.[43]

Late Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Bengal
.

Two kingdoms—Vanga or Samatata, and Gauda—are said in some texts to have appeared after the end of the Gupta Empire although details of their ascendancy are uncertain.

lingams.[46] After a period of anarchy,[47]: 36  the Pala dynasty ruled the region for four hundred years beginning in the 8th century. A shorter reign of the Hindu Sena dynasty followed.[48]

Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty invaded some areas of Bengal between 1021 and 1023.[49]

Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji and the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, it spread across the entire Bengal region. Mosques, madrasas and khanqahs were built throughout these stages. During the Islamic Bengal Sultanate, founded in 1352, Bengal was a major world trading nation and was often referred by the Europeans as the richest country with which to trade.[51] Later, in 1576, it was absorbed into the Mughal Empire.[52]

Medieval and early modern periods

Firoz Minar a red stone tower at Gauda
Firoz Minar at Gauḍa was built during the Bengal Sultanate.

Subsequent Muslim conquests helped spread Islam throughout the region.

Industrial revolution.[13][14] The Koch dynasty in northern Bengal flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries; it weathered the Mughals and survived until the advent of the British colonial era.[54][55]

Colonial period

An map of Bengal in 1880
An 1880 map of Bengal

Several European traders reached this area in the late 15th century. The

Viceroy of India.[60]

Subhas Chandra Bose, he was a leading freedom fighter of India

The Bengal Renaissance and the Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements significantly influenced the cultural and economic life of Bengal.[61] Between 1905 and 1911 an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones.[62] Bengal suffered from the Great Bengal famine in 1943, which claimed three million lives during World War II.[63] Bengalis played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary groups such as Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar were dominant.[19] Armed attempts against the British Raj from Bengal reached a climax when news of Subhas Chandra Bose leading the Indian National Army against the British reached Bengal. The Indian National Army was subsequently routed by the British.[64]

Indian independence and afterwards

When India

gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines. The western part went to the Dominion of India and was named West Bengal. The eastern part went to the Dominion of Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan in 1956), becoming the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971.[65] In 1950 the Princely State of Cooch Behar merged with West Bengal.[66] 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 also subsequently merged with West Bengal. Both West and East Bengal experienced large influxes of refugees during and after the partition in 1947. Refugee resettlement and related issues continued to play a significant role in the politics and socio-economic condition of the state.[66]

UNESCO World Heritage Site
in 1999.

During the 1970s and 1980s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent

1974 smallpox epidemic killed thousands. 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 the Communist Party of India (Marxist), governed the state for the next three decades.[68]

The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after the central government introduced economic liberalisations in the mid-1990s. This was aided by the advent of information technology and IT-enabled services. Beginning in the mid-2000s, armed activists conducted minor terrorist attacks in some parts of the state.[69][70] Clashes with the administration took place at several controversial locations over the issue of industrial land acquisition.[71][72] This became a decisive reason behind the defeat of the ruling Left Front government in the 2011 assembly election.[73] Although the economy was severely damaged during the unrest in the 1970s, the state has managed to revive its economy steadily throughout the years.[74][75][76] The state has shown improvement regarding bandhs (strikes)[77][78][79] and educational infrastructure.[80] Significant strides have been made in reducing unemployment,[81] though the state suffers from substandard healthcare services,[82][83] a lack of socio-economic development,[84] poor infrastructure,[85] unemployment and civil violence.[86][87] In 2006 the state's healthcare system was severely criticised in the aftermath of the West Bengal blood test kit scam.[88][89]

Geography

Main articles: Geography of West Bengal and Climate of West Bengal
Many areas remain flooded during the heavy rains brought by a monsoon.

West Bengal is on the

western plateau and high lands. A small coastal region is in the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a geographical landmark at the Ganges delta.[91]

The main river in West Bengal is the

Damodar Valley Project. At least nine districts in the state suffer from arsenic contamination of groundwater, and as of 2017 an estimated 1.04 crore people were afflicted by arsenic poisoning.[94]

West Bengal's climate varies from

Indian Ocean monsoon that moves in a southeast to northwest direction. Monsoons bring rain to the whole state from June to September. Heavy rainfall of above 250 centimetres (98 in) is observed in the Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar district. During the arrival of the monsoons, low pressure in the Bay of Bengal region often leads to the formation of storms in the coastal areas. Winter (December–January) is mild over the plains with average minimum temperatures of 15 °C (59 °F).[95] A cold and dry northern wind blows in the winter, substantially lowering the humidity level. The Darjeeling Himalayan Hill region experiences a harsh winter, with occasional snowfall.[97]

Flora and fauna

Midnapur

The "India State of Forest Report 2017", recorded forest area in the state is 16,847 km2 (6,505 sq mi),

Sundarbans in southern West Bengal.[102]

From a

Purba Medinipur exhibits coastal vegetation; the predominant tree is the Casuarina. A notable tree from the Sundarbans is the ubiquitous sundari (Heritiera fomes), from which the forest gets its name.[104]

The distribution of vegetation in northern West Bengal is dictated by elevation and

precipitation. For example, the foothills of the Himalayas, the Dooars, are densely wooded with sal and other tropical evergreen trees.[105] Above an elevation of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), the forest becomes predominantly subtropical. In Darjeeling, which is above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), temperate forest trees like oaks, conifers and rhododendrons predominate.[105]

3.26% of the geographical area of West Bengal is protected land, comprising fifteen wildlife sanctuaries and five national parks—

Gangetic dolphin, river terrapin and estuarine crocodile.[107] The mangrove forest also acts as a natural fish nursery, supporting coastal fishes along the Bay of Bengal.[107] Recognising its special conservation value, the Sundarbans area has been declared a Biosphere Reserve.[101]

Government and politics

Main articles: Government of West Bengal and Politics of West Bengal
See also:
List of Chief Ministers of West Bengal

West Bengal is governed through a

Indian Parliament.[110]

West Bengal State Assembly Election in 2011, the All India Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress coalition under Mamata Banerjee of the All India Trinamool Congress was elected to power with 225 seats in the legislature.[111]

Prior to this, West Bengal was ruled by the Left Front for 34 years (1977–2011), making it the world's longest-running democratically elected

communist government.[68] Banerjee was re-elected twice as Chief Minister in the 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election and 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election with 211 and 215 seats respectively, an absolute majority by the Trinamool Congress.[112] The state has one autonomous region, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.[113]

Main offices in West Bengal
Chief Minister of West Bengal
Writers' Building
, West Bengal Government Secretariat

Districts and cities

Districts

Main article: List of districts of West Bengal
Districts of West Bengal
A hut in a village in the Hooghly district

As of 1 November 2023, West Bengal is divided into 23 districts.[114]

District Population Growth rate Sex ratio Literacy Density per square Kilometer
North 24 Parganas 10,009,781 12.04 955 84.06 2445
South 24 Parganas
 8,161,961 18.17 956 77.51 819
Purba Bardhaman 4,835,432 – 945 74.73 890
Paschim Bardhaman 2,882,031 – 922 78.75 1800
Murshidabad 7,103,807 21.09 958 66.59 1334
West Midnapore 5,913,457 13.86 966 78.00 631
Hooghly 5,519,145 9.46 961 81.80 1753
Nadia 5,167,600 12.22 947 74.97 1316
East Midnapore 5,095,875 15.36 938 87.02 1081
Howrah 4,850,029 13.50 939 83.31 3306
Kolkata 4,496,694 −1.67 908 86.31 24306
Maldah
 3,988,845 21.22 944 61.73 1069
Jalpaiguri 3,872,846 13.87 953 73.25 622
Alipurduar[a] 1,700,000 – – – 400
Bankura 3,596,292 12.64 954 70.95 523
Birbhum 3,502,404 16.15 956 70.68 771
North Dinajpur 3,007,134 23.15 939 59.07 958
Purulia 2,930,115 15.52 957 64.48 468
Cooch Behar 2,819,086 13.71 942 74.78 832
Darjeeling 1,846,823 14.77 970 79.56 586
Dakshin Dinajpur 1,676,276 11.52 956 72.82 755
Kalimpong[a] 202,239 – – – 270
Jhargram[a] 1,136,548 – – – 374
  1. ^ a b c Was created after the 2011 Census

Each district is governed by a

Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and again into blocks. Blocks consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities.[116]

Cities

The capital and largest city of the state is

seventh-largest city[118] in India. Asansol is the second-largest city and urban agglomeration in West Bengal.[117]

Major

Baharampur, Jalpaiguri, and Purulia etc.[120]

Economy

Main article: Economy of West Bengal
Net State Domestic Product at Factor Cost at Current Prices (2004–05 Base)[121]

(figures in crores of Indian rupees)

Year Net State Domestic Product
2004–2005 190,073
2005–2006 209,642
2006–2007 238,625
2007–2008 272,166
2008–2009 309,799
2009–2010 366,318
The Grand Hotel in Kolkata
The Grand Hotel in Kolkata. Tourism, especially from Bangladesh, is an important part of West Bengal's economy.

As of 2015, West Bengal has the sixth-highest

GSDP in India. GSDP at current prices (base 2004–2005) has increased from Rs 2,086.56 billion in 2004–05 to Rs 8,00,868 crores in 2014–2015,[122] reaching Rs 10,21,000 crores in 2017–18.[123] GSDP per cent growth at current prices varied from a low of 10.3% in 2010–2011 to a high of 17.11% in 2013–2014. The growth rate was 13.35% in 2014–2015.[124] The state's per capita income has lagged the all India average for over two decades. As of 2014–2015, per capita NSDP at current prices was Rs 78,903.[124] Per-capita NSDP growth rate at current prices varied from 9.4% in 2010–2011 to a high of 16.15% in 2013–2014. The growth rate was 12.62% in 2014–2015.[125]

In 2015–2016, the percentage share of Gross Value Added (GVA) at factor cost by economic activity at the constant price (the base year 2011–2012) was Agriculture-Forestry and Fishery—4.84%, Industry 18.51% and Services 66.65%. It has been observed that there has been a slow but steady decline in the percentage share of industry and agriculture over the years.

fertilisers. Natural resources like tea and jute in nearby areas have made West Bengal a major centre for the jute and tea industries.[129]

Years after independence, West Bengal is dependent on the central government for help in meeting its demands for food; food production remained stagnant, and the

Indian green revolution bypassed the state. However, there has been a significant increase in food production since the 1980s and the state now has a surplus of grains.[130] The state's share of total industrial output in India was 9.8% in 1980–1981, declining to 5% by 1997–1998. In contrast, the service sector has grown at a rate higher than the national rate.[130] The state's total financial debt stood at ₹1,918,350 million (US$24 billion) as of 2011.[131]

Brown jute sticks stacked in groups with small green saplings of rice in the foreground
Freshly sown saplings of rice in a paddy; in the background are stacks of jute sticks.

In the period 2004–2010, the average gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth rate was 13.9% (calculated in Indian rupee terms) lower than 15.5%, the average for all states of the country.[127]: 4 

The economy of West Bengal has witnessed many surprising changes in direction. The agricultural sector in particular rose to 8.33% in 2010–11 before tumbling to −4.01% in 2012–13.

Gorkhaland agitation.[134]

However, over the years due to effective changes in the stance towards industrialisation, ease of doing business has improved in West Bengal.[135][136][137] Steps are being taken to remedy this situation by promoting West Bengal as an investment destination. A leather complex has been built in Kolkata. Smart cities are being planned close to Kolkata, and major roadway projects are in the offing to revive the economy.[138] West Bengal has been able to attract 2% of the foreign direct investment in the last decade.[139]

Transport

See also: Transport in West Bengal and List of airports in West Bengal
  • Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is a hub for flights to and from Bangladesh, East Asia, Nepal, Bhutan and north-east India.
    Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
    is a hub for flights to and from Bangladesh, East Asia, Nepal, Bhutan and north-east India.
  • Durgapur Expressway
    Durgapur Expressway
  • An SBSTC bus in Karunamoyee
    An SBSTC bus in Karunamoyee
  • Kolkata Metro, India's first metro rail system
    Kolkata Metro, India's first metro rail system

As of 2011, the total length of surface roads in West Bengal was over 92,023 kilometres (57,180 miles);[127]: 18  national highways comprise 2,578 km (1,602 mi)[140] and state highways 2,393 km (1,487 mi).[127]: 18  As of 2006, the road density of the state was 103.69 kilometres per square kilometre (166.87 miles per square mile), higher than the national average of 74.7 km/km2 (120.2 mi/sq mi).[141]

As of 2011, the total railway route length was around 4,481 km (2,784 mi).

Kolkata metro is the country's first underground railway.[144] The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, part of NFR, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[145]

Paschim Bardhaman.[146][147]

Kolkata is a major river port in eastern India. The

ports in India and abroad, operated by the Shipping Corporation of India. Ferries are a principal mode of transport in the southern part of the state, especially in the Sundarbans area. Kolkata is the only city in India to have trams as a mode of transport; these are operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company.[149]

Several government-owned organisations operate bus services in the state, including: the

West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation and the Calcutta Tramways Company.[150] There are also private bus companies. The railway system is a nationalised service without any private investment.[151] Hired forms of transport include metered taxis and auto rickshaws, which often ply specific routes in cities. In most of the state, cycle rickshaws and in Kolkata, hand-pulled rickshaws and electric rickshaws are used for short-distance travel.[152]

Demographics

Dakshineswar Kali Temple
Tipu Sultan Mosque
St Paul's Cathedral
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1901 16,940,088—    
1911 17,998,769+6.2%
1921 17,474,348−2.9%
1931 18,897,036+8.1%
1941 23,229,552+22.9%
1951 26,300,000+13.2%
1961 34,926,000+32.8%
1971 44,312,000+26.9%
1981 54,581,000+23.2%
1991 68,078,000+24.7%
2001 80,176,000+17.8%
2011 91,276,115+13.8%
202298,604,000+8.0%
Source: Census of India[153]

According to the provisional results of the 2011 national census, West Bengal is the fourth-most-populous state in India with a population of 91,347,736 (7.55% of India's population).[3] The state's 2001–2011 decennial population growth rate was 13.93%,[3] lower than the 1991–2001 growth rate of 17.8%[3] and lower than the national rate of 17.64%.[154] The gender ratio is 947 females per 1,000 males.[154] As of 2011, West Bengal had a population density of 1,029 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,670/sq mi) making it the second-most densely populated state in India, after Bihar.[154]

The literacy rate is 77.08%, higher than the national rate of 74.04%.

Scheduled castes and tribes form 28.6% and 5.8% of the population, respectively, in rural areas and 19.9% and 1.5%, respectively, in urban areas.[130]

In September 2017, West Bengal achieved 100% electrification, after some remote villages in the Sunderbans became the last to be electrified.[159]

As of September 2017, of 125 towns and cities in Bengal, 76 have achieved

open defecation free (ODF) status. All towns in the districts of: Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Bardhaman and East Medinipur are ODF zones, with Nadia becoming the first ODF district in the state in April 2015.[160][161]

A study conducted in three districts of West Bengal found that accessing private health services to treat illness had a catastrophic impact on households. This indicates the importance of the public provision of health services to mitigate poverty and the impact of illness on poor households.[162]

The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) statistical report shows that West Bengal has the lowest

fertility rate among Indian states. West Bengal's total fertility rate was 1.6, lower than neighbouring Bihar's 3.4, which is the highest in the entire country. Bengal's TFR of 1.6 roughly equals that of Canada.[163]

Yolmos and ethnic Tibetans can be found in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. Native Khortha speakers are found in Malda district.[165]

Kol and Toto
.

There are a small number of

Parsis.[167] India's sole Chinatown is in eastern Kolkata.[168]

Languages

Languages of West Bengal (2011)[169]

  Bengali (86.22%)
  Hindi (6.97%)
  Santali (2.66%)
  Urdu (1.82%)
  Nepali (1.27%)
  Others (1.06%)

The state's official languages are Bengali and English;

Kurmali and Rajbanshi as additional official languages in blocks, divisions or districts where the speakers exceed 10% of the population.[4] On 24 December 2020, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced Telugu as an additional official language.[4] As of the 2011 census, 86.22% of the population spoke Bengali, 5.00% Hindi, 2.66% Santali, 1.82% Urdu and 1.26% Nepali as their first language.[169]

Religion

Main article: Religion in West Bengal

Religion in West Bengal (2011)[170]

  
Tribal religions, Judaism and Zoroastrianism
) (1.03%)

West Bengal is religiously diverse, with regional cultural and religious specificities. Although

2011, Hinduism is the most common religion, with adherents representing 70.54% of the total population.[171] Muslims, the second-largest community, comprise 27.01% of the total population,[172] Three of West Bengal's districts: Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur, are Muslim-majority. Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism and other religions make up the remainder.[173] Buddhism remains a prominent religion in the Himalayan region of the Darjeeling hills; almost the entirety of West Bengal's Buddhist population is from this region.[174] Christianity is mainly found among the tea garden tribes at tea plantations scattered throughout the Dooars of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar
districts.

The Hindu population of West Bengal is 64,385,546 while the Muslim population is 24,654,825, according to the 2011 census.[175]

Culture

See also: Bengalis, Culture of West Bengal, and Culture of Darjeeling

Literature

Main articles:
History of Bengali literature
Nobel laureate and the composer of India's national anthem.
A portrait of Swami Vivekanada
Swami Vivekananda was a key figure in introducing Vedanta and Yoga to Europe and the US,[176] raising interfaith awareness and making Hinduism a world religion.[177]

The Bengali language boasts a rich literary heritage it shares with neighbouring Bangladesh. West Bengal has a long tradition of folk literature, evidenced by the

Buddhadeb Basu,[186] Joy Goswami and Sunil Gangopadhyay.[187][188]

Music and dance

Main article: Music of West Bengal
Basanta-Utsab, Shantiniketan
Dance with Rabindra Sangeet
Chhau Dance

A notable music tradition is the Baul music, practised by the

Chhau dance of Purulia is a rare form of masked dance.[192]

Films

Main article: Cinema of West Bengal
Ravi Sankar
.

Bollywood) is derived from that name. The Bengali film industry is well known for its art films, and has produced acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray who is widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century,[193] Mrinal Sen whose films were known for their artistic depiction of social reality, Tapan Sinha,[194] and Ritwik Ghatak. Some contemporary directors include veterans such as: Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Tarun Majumdar, Goutam Ghose, Aparna Sen, and Rituparno Ghosh, and a newer pool of directors such as Kaushik Ganguly and Srijit Mukherji.[195][196][197] Uttam Kumar was the most popular lead actor for decades, and his romantic pairing with actress Suchitra Sen in films attained legendary status.[198] Soumitra Chatterjee, who acted in many Satyajit Ray-films, and Prosenjit Chatterjee are among other popular lead male actors. As of 2020, Bengali films have won India's annual National Film Award for Best Feature Film
twenty-two times in sixty seven years, the highest among all Indian languages.

Fine arts

Panchura Temple made from terracotta
Panchchura Temple in Bishnupur, one of the older examples of the terracotta arts of India.

There are significant examples of fine arts in Bengal from earlier times, including the terracotta art of Hindu temples and the Kalighat paintings. Bengal has been in the vanguard of modernism in fine arts. Abanindranath Tagore, called the father of modern Indian art, started the Bengal School of Art, one of whose goals was to promote the development of styles of art outside the European realist tradition that had been taught in art colleges under the British colonial administration. The movement had many adherents, including: Gaganendranath Tagore, Ramkinkar Baij, Jamini Roy and Rabindranath Tagore. After Indian Independence, important groups such as the Calcutta Group and the Society of Contemporary Artists were formed in Bengal and came to dominate the art scene in India.[199][200]

Reformist heritage

The capital, Kolkata, was the workplace of several social reformers, including

Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar and Swami Vivekananda. Their social reforms eventually led to a cultural atmosphere that made it possible for practices like sati, dowry, and caste-based discrimination, or untouchability, to be abolished.[201] The region was also home to several religious teachers, such as Chaitanya, Ramakrishna, Prabhupada and Paramahansa Yogananda.[201]

Cuisine

Main article:
Cuisine of West Bengal
Assorted food eaten in West Bengal: Patisapta, a kind of pitha; shorshe ilish (hilsha with mustard sauce) and rasgullas in sugar syrup

Rice and fish are traditional favourite foods, leading to a saying in Bengali, "machhe bhate bangali", that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali".

phuchka.[207][208]

Clothing

Photograph of a woman wearing a red Jamdani sari
Jamdani Sari of Bangladesh is very popular in West Bengal.

Bengali women commonly wear the

salwar kameez or sari.[209]

West Bengal produces several varieties of cotton and silk saris in the country. Handlooms are a popular way for the state's rural population to earn a living through weaving. Every district has weaving clusters, which are home to artisan communities, each specialising in specific varieties of handloom weaving. Notable handloom saris include tant, jamdani, garad, korial, baluchari, tussar and muslin.[210]

Festivals

Main article: List of festivals in West Bengal

Durga Puja is the biggest, most popular and widely celebrated festival in West Bengal.[211] The five-day-long colourful Hindu festival includes intense celebration across the state. Pandals are erected in various cities, towns, and villages throughout West Bengal. The city of Kolkata transforms Durga Puja. It is decked up in lighting decorations and thousands of colourful pandals are set up where effigies of the goddess Durga and her four children are displayed and worshipped. The idols of the goddess are brought in from Kumortuli, where idol-makers work throughout the year fashioning clay models of the goddess. Since independence in 1947, Durga Puja has slowly changed into more of a glamorous carnival than a religious festival. Today people of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds partake in the festivities.[212] On Vijayadashami, the last day of the festival, the effigies are paraded through the streets with riotous pageantry before being immersed into the rivers.[213]

Rath Yatra is a Hindu festival which celebrates Jagannath, a form of Krishna. It is celebrated with much fanfare in Kolkata as well as in rural Bengal. Images of Jagannath are set upon a chariot and pulled through the streets.[214]

Saraswati Puja

Other major festivals of West Bengal include:

Kolkata Film Festival, and Nazrul Jayanti. All are important cultural events.[214]

Eid al-Fitr is the most important Muslim festival in West Bengal. They celebrate the end of Ramadan with prayers, alms-giving, shopping, gift-giving, and feasting.[215]

Christmas, called Bôŗodin (Great day) is perhaps the next major festival celebrated in Kolkata, after Durga Puja. Although Hinduism is the major religion in the state, people show significant passion to the festival. Just like Durga Puja, Christmas in Kolkata is an occasion when all communities and people of every religion take part. Large masses of people go to parks, gardens, museums, parties, fairs, churches and other places to celebrate the day. A lot of Hindus go to Hindu-temples and the festival is celebrated there too with Hindu rituals.

North East India states to perform choir recitals, carols, and jazz numbers.[219]

Dusshera, Holi, Diwali, Losar, Namsoong or the Lepcha New Year, and Losoong are the other major festivals of the Darjeeling Himalayan region.[215]

Each year between July and August (on the eve of the month of Shravan) in Tarakeswar Yatra held, nearly 10 million devotees come from various part of India bringing holy water of Ganga from Nimai Tirtha Ghat of Baidyabati, which is almost 39 km (24 mi) from Tarakeswar, in order to offer it to Lord Shiva. During that month, a line of people in saffron-dyed clothes stretches over the full 39 km (24 mi). It is the longest and largest Mela of West Bengal.

Poush Mela is a popular winter festival of Shantiniketan, with performances of folk music, Baul songs, dance, and theatre taking place throughout the town.[215]

Ganga Sagar Mela coincides with the Makar Sankranti, and hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims converge where the river Ganges meets the sea to bathe en masse during this fervent festival.[214]

Education

Main articles:
List of institutions of higher education in West Bengal, and List of schools in West Bengal
  • University of Calcutta, the oldest public university of India.
    University of Calcutta, the oldest public university of India.
  • The front entrance to the academic block of NUJS, Kolkata.
    The front entrance to the academic block of NUJS, Kolkata.
  • Prajna Bhavan, housing the School of Mathematical Sciences and School of RKMVU.
    Prajna Bhavan, housing the School of Mathematical Sciences and School of RKMVU.

West Bengal schools are run by the state government or private organisations, including religious institutions. Instruction is mainly in English or Bengali, though Urdu is also used, especially in Central Kolkata. Secondary schools are affiliated with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), the National Institute of Open School (NIOS), West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, or the West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education.[220]

As of 2016 85% of children within the 6 to 17-year age group attend school (86% do so in urban areas and 84% in rural areas). School attendance is almost universal among the 6 to 14-year age group then drops to 70% with the 15 to 17-year age group. There is a gender disparity in school attendance in the 6 to 14-year age group, more girls than boys are attending school. In Bengal, 71% of women aged 15–49 years and 81% of men aged 15–49 years are literate. Only 14% of women aged 15–49 years in West Bengal have completed 12 or more years of schooling, compared with 22% of men. 22% of women and 14% of men aged 15–49 years have never attended school.[221]

St. Joseph's School, Darjeeling
St. Joseph's School, Darjeeling

Some of the notable schools in the city are:

La Martiniere Calcutta, Calcutta Boys' School, St. James' School (Kolkata), South Point School, Techno India Group Public School, St. Xavier's Collegiate School, and Loreto House, Loreto Convent, Pearl Rosary School are some of which rank amongst the best schools in the country.[222] Many of the schools in Kolkata and Darjeeling are colonial-era establishments housed in buildings that are exemplars of neo-classical architecture. Darjeeling's schools include: St. Paul's, St. Joseph's North Point, Goethals Memorial School, and Dow Hill in Kurseong.[223]

West Bengal has eighteen universities.

Ram Mohan Roy, David Hare, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Alexander Duff and William Carey played leading roles in setting up modern schools and colleges in the city.[215]

The

Santiniketan is a central university and an institution of national importance.[230]

Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
The Auditorium at Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

Other higher education institutes of importance in West Bengal include:

Gour Banga University.[231]

Jadavpur University (Focus area—Mobile Computing and Communication and Nano-science), and the University of Calcutta (Modern Biology) are among two of the fifteen universities selected under the "University with Potential for Excellence" scheme. University of Calcutta (Focus Area—Electro-Physiological and Neuro-imaging studies including mathematical modelling) has also been selected under the "Centre with Potential for Excellence in a Particular Area" scheme.[232]

In addition, the state is home to

Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University at Belur Math.[233]

There are several research institutes in Kolkata. The

National Institute of Research on Jute and Allied Fibre Technology, Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani, and the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre are the most prominent.[231]

Notable scholars who were born, worked, or studied in the geographic area of the state include physicists:

Prafulla Chandra Roy;[234] statisticians Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis and Anil Kumar Gain;[234] physician Upendranath Brahmachari;[234] educator Ashutosh Mukherjee;[236] and Nobel laureates Rabindranath Tagore,[237] C. V. Raman,[235] Amartya Sen,[238] and Abhijit Banerjee[239]

Media

In 2005 West Bengal had 505 published newspapers,

Asian Age. Some prominent financial dailies such as: The Economic Times, Financial Express, Business Line and Business Standard are widely circulated. Vernacular newspapers such as those in Hindi, Nepali, Gujarati, Odia, Urdu and Punjabi also exist.[241]

Dial-up access is provided throughout the state by BSNL and other providers.[244]

Sports

Main article: Sports in West Bengal
Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata
Salt Lake Stadium (Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan), Kolkata

Mohammedan Sporting Club.[249]

Netaji Indoor Stadium, Kolkata

West Bengal has several large stadiums. Eden Gardens was one of only two 100,000-seat cricket stadiums in the world;[250] renovations before the 2011 Cricket World Cup reduced the capacity to 66,000.[251] The stadium is the home to various cricket teams such as the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Bengal cricket team and the East Zone. The 1987 Cricket World Cup final was hosted in Eden Gardens. The Calcutta Cricket and Football Club is the second-oldest cricket club in the world.[252]

SAF Games of 1987 and the 2011 FIFA friendly football match between Argentina and Venezuela featuring Lionel Messi.[254] In 2008 legendary German goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn played his farewell match on this ground.[255] The stadium hosted the final match of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup
.

Notable sports persons from West Bengal include former

grand master Dibyendu Barua.[245][246][247]

IPL 2008

See also

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Sources

External links

Government
General information
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