Ausgram II (community development block)
Encyclopedia
Ausgram II is an administrative division in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision
of Bardhaman district
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. Ausgram and Bud Bud police stations serve this block. Headquarters of this block is at Amrargar.
Ausgram II community development block
has an area of 354.00 km2.
The uneven laterite territory in the western part of Bardhaman district extends up to Ausgram and then the alluvial flood plains commence. The entire Durgapur-Kanksa-Faridpur
-Ausgram area was densely forested even in more recent times. The influx of refugees from East Pakistan and their rehabilitation in the area, and irrigation facilities extended by Damodar Valley Corporation
led to destruction of much of the forests in the area, but some still remain.A portion of the forest area is now part of the Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary
.
With water from several small streams swelling it during the monsoons, Kunur River
often floods large areas of Ausgram and Mangalkot
police station areas.
s of Ausgram II block/panchayat samiti
are: Amarpur, Balki, Bhedia, Debsala, Eral, Kota and Ramnagar.
in the area and it was extended in 1965. The excavations have revealed the traces of a 3,500 year-old civilisation similar to that of Harappa
-Mohenjo-daro
. There also are indications of links with the Minoan civilization
of Crete
. The excavated items have been added to the collection of the State Archaeological Gallery
.
Further excavations were carried out in 1985 by the state department of archaeology. The main mound at Pandu Rajar Dhibi
is associated with King Pandu mentioned in Mahabharata
. The 1985 excavation has clearly shown that there were six periods of occupation at the sites. There were two main periods – the Chalcolithic
period around 1600 BC – 750 BC, and the Iron Age
. The excavation at Pandu Rajar Dhibi has provided evidence for the gradual growth of a Chalcolithic culture and its displacement by iron-using people.
and Ajay
was known as Gopbhum, where the Sadgope kings ruled for many centuries, prior to the advent of the Muslims. The Sur kings also occupy a somewhat mythical position in the region. Adi Sur of this dynasty is credited with having brought the five Brahmins and Kayasthas (two important upper castes in Bengal) from Kannauj in what is now Uttar Pradesh.
In the 18th century the area faced massive attacks of the Bargi
warriors.
subdivision was created, Ausgram was one of the three thanas or police stations, the other two being Bud Bud and Sonamukhi
. In Peterson’s District Gazeteer of 1910, Ausgram is mentioned as one of the police stations of Bardhaman
subdivision.
Damage to embankments of the Ajay
and consequent flooding was a regular problem in the Ausgram and Mangalkot area. The devastating flood of 1943 caused immense suffering and lead to a mass movement for restoration/ repair of the embankments. A massive meeting was organised at Guskara
in 1944, with Uday Chand Mahtab, Maharaja of Bardhaman. However, the government did not take any action,. Ultimately, the Communist Party, which had been at the forefront of agitations for some years, provided a huge work force for the purpose and completed the repair work. It laid the foundation for the party’s popularity in the area.
Scheduled castes at 54,111 formed around one-third the population. Scheduled tribes numbered 19,355.
Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision
Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision is a subdivision of the Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of Bardhaman municipality, Guskara municipality and six community development blocks: Ausgram — I, Ausgram–II, Bhatar, Burdwan–I, Burdwan–II and...
of Bardhaman district
Bardhaman District
'Bardhaman district is a district in West Bengal. The headquarter of the district is Bardhaman, though it houses other important industrial towns like Durgapur and Asansol...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Ausgram and Bud Bud police stations serve this block. Headquarters of this block is at Amrargar.
Geography
Amrargar is located at 23.4327300°N 87.5787730°E.Ausgram II community development block
Community Development Block in India
The Community development block is a rural area earmarked for administration and development in India. The area is administered by a Block Development Officer...
has an area of 354.00 km2.
The uneven laterite territory in the western part of Bardhaman district extends up to Ausgram and then the alluvial flood plains commence. The entire Durgapur-Kanksa-Faridpur
Faridpur, Durgapur
Faridpur-Durgapur is an administrative division in Durgapur subdivision of Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Faridpur and New Township police stations serve this block. Headquarters of this block is at Loudaha. Sarpi, Mandarbani and Sirsha are urban areas in this...
-Ausgram area was densely forested even in more recent times. The influx of refugees from East Pakistan and their rehabilitation in the area, and irrigation facilities extended by Damodar Valley Corporation
Damodar Valley Corporation
The Damodar Valley Corporation, popularly known as DVC, is the first multipurpose river valley project of independent India. The corporation came into being on July 7, 1948 by an Act of the Constituent Assembly of India . It is modelled on the Tennessee Valley Authority of the USA. Jawaharlal...
led to destruction of much of the forests in the area, but some still remain.A portion of the forest area is now part of the Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary
Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary
Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Burdwan, West Bengal, India. The animals found includes Spotted deer and Common Langur. Black Buck has been introduced recently.-References:*...
.
With water from several small streams swelling it during the monsoons, Kunur River
Kunur River
Kunur River , one of main tributaries of the Ajay, in length, has its origin near Bansgara in the Faridpur police station area. With water from several small streams swelling it during the monsoons, it often floods large areas of Ausgram and Mangalkot police stations of Bardhaman district...
often floods large areas of Ausgram and Mangalkot
Mangalkot
Mongalkote is an administrative division in Katwa subdivision of Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Mongolkote police station serves this block...
police station areas.
Gram panchayats
Gram panchayatGram panchayat
Gram panchayats are local self-governments at the village or small town level in India. As of 2002 there were about 265,000 gram panchayats in India. The gram panchayat is the foundation of the Panchayat System. A gram panchayat can be set up in villages with minimum population of 300...
s of Ausgram II block/panchayat samiti
Panchayat samiti
Panchayat samiti is a local government body at the tehsil or Taluka level in India. It works for the villages of the Tehsil or Taluka that together are called a Development Block. The Panchayat Samiti is the link between the Gram Panchayat and the district administration. There are a number of...
are: Amarpur, Balki, Bhedia, Debsala, Eral, Kota and Ramnagar.
Pandu Rajar Dhibi
In 1962, excavation were initiated at Rajpotadanga village, near the southern bank of the Ajay RiverAjay River
The Ajay River is a major river in Jharkhand and West Bengal. The word “Ajay” means “not conquered”.-Geography:The Ajay River originates on a small hill about 300 metres high, south west of Munger in Bihar. It then flows through Jharkhand and enters West Bengal at Simjuri, near Chittaranjan...
in the area and it was extended in 1965. The excavations have revealed the traces of a 3,500 year-old civilisation similar to that of Harappa
Harappa
Harappa is an archaeological site in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, about west of Sahiwal. The site takes its name from a modern village located near the former course of the Ravi River. The current village of Harappa is from the ancient site. Although modern Harappa has a train station left from...
-Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro is an archeological site situated in what is now the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Built around 2600 BC, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, and one of the world's earliest major urban settlements, existing at the same time as the...
. There also are indications of links with the Minoan civilization
Minoan civilization
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that arose on the island of Crete and flourished from approximately the 27th century BC to the 15th century BC. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of the British archaeologist Arthur Evans...
of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. The excavated items have been added to the collection of the State Archaeological Gallery
State Archaeological Gallery
State Archaeological Gallery established in Calcutta in 1962 has collections including rare tools of the Early, Middle and the Late Stone Ages from Susunia and other sites, proto-historic antiquities from Pandu Rajar Dhibi , terracottas, sculptures, stone and stucco from the Gupta, Maurya, Sunga,...
.
Further excavations were carried out in 1985 by the state department of archaeology. The main mound at Pandu Rajar Dhibi
Pandu Rajar Dhibi
Pandu Rajar Dhibi is an archaeological site in Ausgram block in the sadar subdivision of Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was the first Chalcolithic site discovered in West Bengal...
is associated with King Pandu mentioned in Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. The 1985 excavation has clearly shown that there were six periods of occupation at the sites. There were two main periods – the Chalcolithic
Copper Age
The Chalcolithic |stone]]") period or Copper Age, also known as the Eneolithic/Æneolithic , is a phase of the Bronze Age in which the addition of tin to copper to form bronze during smelting remained yet unknown by the metallurgists of the times...
period around 1600 BC – 750 BC, and the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. The excavation at Pandu Rajar Dhibi has provided evidence for the gradual growth of a Chalcolithic culture and its displacement by iron-using people.
Medieval history
The area between the DamodarDamodar River
Damodar River originates near Chandwa village, Palamau district, on the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the Jharkhand state in eastern India, and flows eastward for about 592 km through the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal to the estaury of the River Hooghly...
and Ajay
Ajay River
The Ajay River is a major river in Jharkhand and West Bengal. The word “Ajay” means “not conquered”.-Geography:The Ajay River originates on a small hill about 300 metres high, south west of Munger in Bihar. It then flows through Jharkhand and enters West Bengal at Simjuri, near Chittaranjan...
was known as Gopbhum, where the Sadgope kings ruled for many centuries, prior to the advent of the Muslims. The Sur kings also occupy a somewhat mythical position in the region. Adi Sur of this dynasty is credited with having brought the five Brahmins and Kayasthas (two important upper castes in Bengal) from Kannauj in what is now Uttar Pradesh.
In the 18th century the area faced massive attacks of the Bargi
Bargi
Bargis indulged in large scale plundering of the countryside dominated western part of Bengal for about ten years . Bargi invasions took place almost as an annual event.- Etymology :...
warriors.
Administrative set ups
In 1846, when Bud BudBud Bud
Bud Bud is a town and police station in Durgapur subdivision of Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on Grand Trunk Road, and is near Mankar railway station on the Bardhaman-Durgapur stretch of the Howrah-Delhi track...
subdivision was created, Ausgram was one of the three thanas or police stations, the other two being Bud Bud and Sonamukhi
Sonamukhi
Sonamukhi is a town and a municipality in Bankura District in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Sonamukhi is located at . It has an average elevation of 66 metres .-Demographics:...
. In Peterson’s District Gazeteer of 1910, Ausgram is mentioned as one of the police stations of Bardhaman
Bardhaman
'Bardhaman or Burdwan , is a city of West Bengal state in eastern India. It is the headquarters of Bardhaman District....
subdivision.
Movements
This being a canal-irrigated area it had faced agitations against the imposition of taxes for canal water.Damage to embankments of the Ajay
Ajay River
The Ajay River is a major river in Jharkhand and West Bengal. The word “Ajay” means “not conquered”.-Geography:The Ajay River originates on a small hill about 300 metres high, south west of Munger in Bihar. It then flows through Jharkhand and enters West Bengal at Simjuri, near Chittaranjan...
and consequent flooding was a regular problem in the Ausgram and Mangalkot area. The devastating flood of 1943 caused immense suffering and lead to a mass movement for restoration/ repair of the embankments. A massive meeting was organised at Guskara
Guskara
Guskara is a town and a municipality under Ausgram police station of Sadar subdivision in Barddhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Guskara is located at . It has an average elevation of 38 metres ....
in 1944, with Uday Chand Mahtab, Maharaja of Bardhaman. However, the government did not take any action,. Ultimately, the Communist Party, which had been at the forefront of agitations for some years, provided a huge work force for the purpose and completed the repair work. It laid the foundation for the party’s popularity in the area.
Demographics
As per 2001 census, Ausgram II block had a total population of 136,235, out of which 69,913 were males and 66,322 were females. Ausgram II block registered a population growth of 14.46 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for Bardhaman district was 14.36 per cent.Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.Scheduled castes at 54,111 formed around one-third the population. Scheduled tribes numbered 19,355.