Jaynagar Majilpur

A temple city in the southeast region of West Bengal, Jaynagar Majilpur (Bengali: জয়নগর মজিলপুর) is also famous for its confectionery Jaynagarer Moa.

History
Jaynagar Majilpur carries the memory of a very significant incident in the history of Bengal. When King Pratapaditya Roy of Jessore was defeated by the Mughal forces, the State Diwan's (Grand Vizier) family and the State Priest's family were forced to flee to avoid persecution and conversion. They settled in this city to form the estate of the Duttas, and the Brahmin priest, Sree Krishna Udgata, who came over, settled in what is today the Bhattacharya Para. All the Bhattacharyas in the city are his scions, with the current 13th generation being settled out of the town.

Jaynagar was also known as "Half-Calcutta" because of its mounting development before Indian independence, with stalwarts like Sivanath Shastri emerging. It was also a centre for active independence movement, with names like Kanailal Bhattacharya and Rajaram Bhattacharya.

Economy
Initially, most of the residents of Jaynagar Majilpur were government employees. Gradually, the importance of the city increased due to its geographic location and now it is also a business hub. Due to its historical significance, the city earns a good number of tourists, thus making tourism another prominent industry there.

The city has been witnessing radical changes, along with rapid development in segments like industry, real estate and education, since the advent of the twenty-first century. The changes are with respect to infrastructure and industrial growth for knowledge-based industries. Housing co-operatives and flats, shopping malls, multiplexes, hotels, and sports complexes have also come up.

By plane
The nearest airport is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. Once you get off, you will need to take a taxi or hire a car. The distance to Jaynagar Majilpur is about, and the drive can take between 75 and 90 minutes depending on the traffic.

By bus
Jaynagar Majilpur is also connected by road. The entire area of this city is well connected through State Highway 1. State buses run by West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) are available.

By taxi
Kolkata's yellow Ambassador taxis are allowed into Jaynagar Majilpur. The prepaid taxi service available at the airport is the recommended hassle-free way of getting to Jaynagar Majilpur. The fare you pay at the counter includes the toll you need to pay when you leave Kolkata.

Do
An annual event is held, called the "Besher Mela", where the goddess Kali is dressed up as Radha Krishna and other goddesses. It attracts thousands of devotees, and is one of the most iconic yearly events in the city.

Every year, during Kali Puja, it is mandatory to host a Kali Puja in every Brahmin household of the place. It used to be a big annual festival, with hundreds of houses performing Kali Puja on the night of the Diwali, and going out on the next day in a beautifully orchestrated procession, going around the city, before the immersion or the "visarjana". However, over the past few years, the number of houses performing Kali Puja has fallen drastically for, mainly due to the gradual outward immigration of people from the city, the reluctancy of the younger generation and the rise of "barowari puja".

Buy
Jaynagar Majilpur is one of the major shopping areas of Southeast Bengal other than Kolkata. There are many shopping malls in this city where all types of branded products are available.

Eat and drink
Jaynagar Majilpur is famous for the confectionery of "Jaynagarer Moa", made with Nolen Gur (jaggery made from date palm tree extract with exquisite taste and aroma), Kanakchur Khoi (a form of popped rice made from a special variety of aromatic rice), Gawa Ghee (a type of clarified butter made from cow's milk), Elach (cardamom), and Posto (poppy seed). Both Nolen Gur and Kanakchur Rice are winter products, available around November to January, and hence "Jaynagarer Moa" is available during this period only. There are over 250 sweetmeat shops around the city, which produce it with the original ingredients. The "Jaynagarer Moa" manufacturers in Jaynagar Majilpur had been attempting to get Geographical Indication status for "Jaynagarer Moa". Besides, there are many shops of other Bengali confectionery too.

There are plenty of non-vegetarian Bengali restaurants here. The city also has many excellent North Indian and South Indian vegetarian restaurants ranging from budget to expensive ones.

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