Bardhaman (region)

Bardhaman (বর্ধমান Bardhamān), also called Burdwan, is a region in West Bengal, consisting of Paschim Bardhaman and Purba Bardhaman districts. It was used to be single district before its bifurcation in 2017.

Cities

 * &mdash; temple town, home to Kalna Rajbari and Nava Kailasha


 * &mdash; important mining and industrial centre, headquarters of Paschim Bardhaman


 * (Burdwan) &mdash; major agricultural city, headquarters of Purba Bardhaman


 * &mdash; also known as the "Ruhr of India" and home to Durgapur Steel Plant


 * &mdash; one of the centres of Vaishnavism in West Bengal


 * &mdash; a famous picnic spot with Maithon Dam and Kalyaneshwari Temple


 * &mdash;

Other destinations

 * &mdash; famous for dhokra works and a secluded forest


 * (Chupi Char) &mdash; famous for migratory birds


 * &mdash; lush region, birthplace of several revolutionaries

Understand
The Bardhaman region has been defined in several different ways, often including parts of Jharkhand. This article covers the West Bengal side of the Damodar Valley and the Chota Nagpur Plateau. Some definitions cover the larger area west of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River.

History
The Bardhaman region has hosted numerous settlements and kingdoms throughout history and has a rich cultural heritage of several years. Some identify the region with the powerful Gangaridai nation mentioned in the ancient Greek and Roman documents. According to the accounts, Gangaridai was a powerful kingdom whose war elephant forces led to the withdrawal of Alexander the Great from India. Subsequent empires such as the Mauryas, Kushanas and Guptas held sway over the region and beyond it. In the 7th century, the region was part of Shashanka's kingdom. It was subsequently ruled by the Palas and Senas, till Bakhtiyar Khalji captured it in 1199. During the British Raj, Rarh gave rise to several Indian independence activists, including Rash Behari Bose, Batukeshwar Dutt and Kazi Nazrul Islam.

Geography
The Bardhaman region is a transitional zone between the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the west and the Ganges Plains in the east. The major rivers in the region include the Ajay, Bhagirathi, Damodar and Dwarakeswar. The Damodar River was once known as the "Sorrow of Bengal" and the "River of Sorrows" as its floods wreaked havoc in the past. Since the formation of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in 1948, such hazards have been reduced.

Industry
The western parts of the Bardhaman region is a major mining and industrial area in West Bengal. The area was once heavily forested and infested with plunderers and marauders for ages. The discovery of coal in the 18th century led to industrialisation, with cities like Asansol and Durgapur flourishing to become some of the most important industrial centres in Eastern India.

By plane
Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport at Durgapur is the only airport in this region with commercial operations.

By train
The major railway stations are in Asansol, Bankura, Bardhaman, Durgapur and Purulia.

By car
The NH 19 (formerly NH 2), also known as the Durgapur Expressway, crosses this region by Asansol, Bardhaman and Durgapur. The highway is part of the Golden Quadrilateral that connects four megacities of India. NH 19 is also part of the Asian Highway 1 (AH 1) that continues further east to Bangladesh and eventually to Japan.

By train
The Bardhaman region has an extensive railway network and is part of both the Eastern Railway (ER) and the South Eastern Railway (SER) zones.

See and do
The major landmarks in the region include the Curzon Gate (Bijoy Toran) and Sarbamangala Temple in Bardhaman, and Nava Kailash (108 Shiva Temples) and Rajbari Temple Complex in Ambika Kalna.

Eat and drink
Bardhaman is diverse in terms of cuisine. It is famous for confectioneries like sitabhog, mihidana and langcha.