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EASTERN BENGAL JJISTRIG'l GAZETTEERS. -- DINAJfUR. · . EASTERN BENGAL DISTRICT GAZETTEERS DIN·AJPUR :BY F. W. STRONG, INDU.N CIVIL IERVIOE. ALLAHABAD. 'l'Bll: PIONEER PR!il 19U •• . • ita EngZarall, 4s. 611.] [Price in In:.t.aa., R•· 8 • - .' PLAN OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGES I.-PHYSICAL AsPECTs .... 1-16 H.-HISTORY 17-29 III.-THE PEOPLE .•• ... 30-43 IV .-PUBLIC HEALTH 44-51 V.-AGRICULTURE ... 52-63 VI.-NATURAL CALAMITIES 64--69 -VII.-RENTS, WAGES AND PRICES 70-77 VIII.-OccUPATIONS, MANUFACTURES AND TRADE 78--86 IX.-MEANs oF CoMMUNICATION • -87-94 X.-LA.ND REVENUE ADMINISTRATION 95-108 XI.-GENERAL ADMINISTRATION 109-115 XII.-LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ... 116-119 XII I.-EDUCATION ... -120-126 XIV.-GAZETTEER ... 127-143 BIBLIOGRAPHY 144 INDEX ••• ... 145-153 PREFACE. I AM indebted to Babu Karuna Kumar Datta Gupta, District Engineer of Dinajpur, and to Babu Gobinda Chandra· Sen, Collectorate Sharistadar, for much valuable assistance, both in collecting material for the present Gazetteer, and in correcting errors and omissions in the MS. DINA.JPUR: } F. W. STRONG .. Th• 20th March 1911. TABLE OF CONTgNTS. CHAPTER I. PHYSICAL ASPECTS. PAGES GENERAL DESCRIPTION-Origin of name-Boundaries-General configu· ration-Natural divisions-RIVER SYSTEM- Nagar-Mahananda Chhiramati-Tiingan-Punarbha.bil.-Dhepii.-Atrai-J a. m unii.-Kara· toyii.-GEOLOGY-BOTANY-FAUNA-Mammals-Birds -Reptile a Fish-CLIMATE-Temperature-Humidity-Winds-Rainfall ... 1-16 CHAPTER II. HISTORY. LEUENDARY HISTORY-PlL DYNASTY-SEN DYNASTY-AFGINS- MoGHALs-DrNllPUR Rlz-BaiTISH ... 17-29 CHAPTER III. THE PEOPLE. GROWTH ou THE PoPULATION-Census of 1901-GENERAL CHARACTERIS• Tics-Density of population-Migration-Towns and villages- Sex Language-RAcEs·-RELIGioNs-M uhammadans-Fakirs of Baliyadighi ·-Hindus-Christians-Animists-TRIBES AND C.A.sTEs-Shekhs Hindu castes-Brahmans-Kayesthas-Rajputs-Kaibarttas-Haris- Other Hindu castes-Semi-Hindu castes-CHARACTER OJ' THE PEOPLE, • 30-U CHAPTER IV. PUBLIC HEALTH. CliMATE-VITAL STATISTICS-PRINCIPAL DISEASES-Malarial Fever Cholera-Other Diseases and Infirmities-VACCINATION-.MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS ... ... 44.-61 11 CON'fEN'fS. CHAPTER V. AGRICULTURE. PAGE~ GENERAL CONDITION-Formation of the land-Embankments-Rainfall -Irrigation-Levels-Wild Anima.ls-PRINCIPAL CROPS-Rice-Jute -Oilseeds-Sugarca.ue-Tobacco-Chillies-Other Crops-·AORICUL- TURAL STATISTICS-EXTENSION Oil' CULTIVATIO~-I:MPRO~EMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE -FRUITS AND VEGI<:TABLES-CATTLE POULTRY-VETERINARY RELIEF 52-63 CHAPTER VI. NATURAL CALAMITIES. CYCLONES-FLOODS-EARTHQUAKES-FAMINE-Scarcity of 1865-66- Famine of 1873-74-Scarcities of 1891 and 1897-8carcity of 1908·09. C4-69 CHAPTER VII. RENTS, WAGES AND PRICES. RENTS-W'AG:&fb-PRICES-MATERIAL CONDITION Oil' THE PEOPLE-Dwell· ings- Furniture-Food-Dress 70-77 CHAPTER VIII. OCCUPATIONS, MANU~'ACTURES AND TRADE. OccuPATIONS-MANUifACT u R E s-Factories-Rice-husking-~ugar press· ing-Fisheries-Weaving-Mat and Basket makjng-Other Indubtries -TRADE-Exports-Imports-Markets-Fairs... 78-86 CHAPTER IX . .MEANS 0~, COMMUNICATION. D~\'ELOPMENT OF CoM~JUNicATioNs-PRINCIPAL RoAns-Mur.shidli.bad D<'trjeeling Roa.d-Raugpur Road-.Mii.ldii. Rorul- Bogra Road-Purnea }{oatl-Kishenganj Road-Balurghat ~oad-Bii.lurghii.t·Hilli Road Gangarampur Road-Nilphamiiri. Roau-Other Roads-RAILWAYS- \\' A.TJJ:R CoMMU.NJ.CA'JIONS.- Cana.ls-.Boats-PoSTAL CoMMUNJCAl'IOxs. 87--94 CO~TENTS, iii CHA~TER X. LAND REVENUE ADMINISTRATION. PAGES REVESUB ADMINISTRATION IN MUHAMMADAN TIMES-EARLY BRITISH ADMINISTRATION-SURVEYS AND SETTLEMENTS-Revenue Survey of 1857-61-EsTATEs-Revenue-paying Estates-Revenue-free Estates Resumed Estates-TENURES- lstimrli.ri Tli.luks-Patni Tli.luks ljli.ras -Cultivating Tenures or Jotes-Rent-free Ttmures and holdings -LANDLORDS AND TENANTS '" ,,. 95-108 CHAPTER XI. GE~ERAL ADMINISTRATIOY. AD~IINISTRATIVB CHARGES AND STAFF-REVENUE-Land Revenne , Stamps-Cesses-Excise-Income Tax-Regiatration-AnMINISTRA· TION OF JusTICE-Civil Justice-Criminal Justice-Crime-Police Jails ·"' ,,, 109-115 CHAPTER XII. LOCAL SELF-tiOVERNMENT. DISTRICT BoARn-Income-Expenditure-LQCAL BoARDS-MUNICIPALITY -Income-Expenditure • •I"• "!•• ... 116-119 CHAPTER XIII. EDUCATION. - PUOGRESS OF EnUCA'riON-l.ITERATE POPULATION-GENERAL STATISTIOiJ -SECONDARY EDUCATION-High Schools-Middle English Schools . Middle Vernacular Schools-PIUMARY EouCA.TION-SPECIAL ScHOOLS -HOSTELS -PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS-EDUCATION OB' WOMEN- EDUCATION OB' MuHAMMADANS 120-126 CHAPTER XIV. GAZETTEER. ALOWAKHOWi-BlLURGHlT-BiLURGHlT SUBDIVISION-C.HURlMAN- DI.NiJPU u-Situa.t10n-Population-The Town,;_Buildings-lnstitu tions-Climate and Drainage-Wnter-Supply-Lighting-DINiJPUR SuBDIVISION-GANolulMPUR -CJAREYl=-GHORlGHlT-HAai puR :toYOANJ-KlNTANAOAR-KHlNslMl-LlHIRIBlT-MAaiPlL DIGHI - NAWi.BGANJ-NEKMARAD-NITHPUR -P!.RBATIFUR- PHULB 1 R I RliGANJ- RlMOANJ--SAMJHil-SAPAHlR-'rBlKURGlON-THIK u R• GAON SUBDIVISION ... 127-143 GAZET.TE.ER OF THE DJNAJPU·R DISTRIC1~~ CHAPTER I. PHYSICAL ASPECTS. ~Ti-IE _.district·~£ :Oiniji>ilr ·lies between 24° 55' and 26° 23' north GENEnu. latitude, and 88'.) 2' and 89° 19' east longitude, in the Rajshah i DE3cRtP· Commissionership of the province of Easte-rn Bengal and As~am. TtoN. The area of the district is 3,946 .square miles, its greate~t length from north to south being 105 miles, and its greatest breadth n~nr its southern end between Lhe Karatoya and the l\Jabananda rivers being 76 miles. Its population at the census of 1911 was 1,687,863 souls. The chief town, from which the district takes its name, is situated about the centre of the district, on the left bank of the Punarbhaba. river, in 25° 38' north latitude, and 88° 40'46" east longitude. According to Buchanan Hamilton, Dinajpur is said to signify Origin of. the abode of beggars and is identical with Dinwaj, a P.ajii ofwhiub, name, Gonesh, usurped the Government of Gaur. The name appears originally to have applied more particularly to the locality in which the present Rajbari is situated, and a possible explanation of it may be that some forgotten prince, Dinaj or Dinw~j, was the original founder of the Dinajpur family, and gave his name to the site. In Rennell's Description oqhe Roads of Bengal and Behar, published in 1778, it is given the alternative name of Rajganj. This name ' still survives in one of the wards of the town. The district is bounded on the north-east by J alpaiguri; on Boundaries. the north-west and west by Purnea. ; on the east by Hangpur ; on the south-east by Bogra; on the south by Rajshahi; and on the south-west by Malda.. The Nagar river forms its natural bound- ary on the Purnea side, while the Karatoya separates it from Hangpur for about fiO miles on the south-east. The general appearance of the country is flat, sloping gently Geuer~l con southwards, as is shown by the trend of the rivers. :. In the south figuratiOn. and portions of the west. of the dietrict the curious forination known as the Barind, geologically classed as old alluvium, makes its appearance. The characteristic of this is an undulating country B 2 DIN AJPUR DISTRICT. interspersed with ravines. The elevations are nowhere worthy of the name of hills, the highest ridge not exceeding 100 feet, b1;1t they make neverthelesR a consid~rable alteration in the appearance of the country, which elsewhere con~ists of the flat alluvial plain characteristic of the Gangetic delta. The ravines vary from shallow stretches of low land, suitable for growing rice, to deeper depressions bearing a resemblance to old river-beds and sometimes containing water. These latter are locally called Kharis. The ridges are commonly covered with scrub jungle and stunted trees. Another marked feature of the dh;trict are the· tanks, especially numerous in the south, where wells are comparatively little used. These vary in si~e from splendid stretches of water, which might justly be called lakes or meres, to small and insignific~ant ponds. The vast number of these has given rise to the supposition that at some former time the country was more populous than it is now. This is probably correct, but at the same time the desire of the well-to-do Bengali to perpetuate his memory and propitiate the Deity by digging a new tank, and his corresponding disinclination tore-excavate an old one, may have something to do with it. l\lost of these tanks have fallen into neglect and are overgrown with reeds, lotus, and other aquatic plants. Old writers make mention of the large number or marshes or bils, formed by the overflowing of the rivers, to be found in the district. It is possible that since those days the face of the country has gradually undergone a change, as nowadays it would be impossible to speak of such marshes as a feature of the scenery. They do indeed exist, and in the rains some of them are of considerable extent, but their number is small compared with the size of the district Natural In the absence of hills it is hard to trace natural divisions, divisions. but there are many points of difference between the north and the south of the district. The former is b;oken up with patches of tree jungle and clumps of bamboo~; the cultivated areas are smaller in size, and the villages consist of scattered homesteads embowered in luxuriant vegetation. To the south the country is more open; clumps of trees are comparatively scarce; the villages are often clusters of houses situated on bare ridges or on open river banks, and the prevailing toddy and date-palms give a peculiarly oriental character to the scenery. .RIVER The general direction of the main rivers is without exception SYSTEM. from north to south, and the ultimate de:-;tination of all is the Ganges. Their beds are aR a rule well below the level of the surrounding country, and it is only in exceptionally wet years tb&t they overflow their banks to any great extent. Wide spread inundations, sue"!:! as are of annual occurrence in the dis tricts of the Dacca division, are almost unknown in modern times, though they appear to have been common enough a century or so PIIYSICAL ASPECTS •• ·3 ago.