Backergunje
Encyclopedia
Backergunje, Backergunge, Bakarganj, or Bakerganj was a former district of British India in the Dacca division of Eastern Bengal
and Assam
, and is now mostly in Bangladesh
. With an area of 4542 mi2, it forms part of the joint delta
of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers.
and betelnut trees, and intersected by a perfect network of dark-coloured and sluggish streams. There is not a hill or hillock in the whole district, but it derives a certain picturesque beauty from its wide expanses of cultivation, and the greenness and freshness of the vegetation. This is especially true immediately after the rains, but at no time of the year does the district present a dried-up or burnt appearance. The villages, which are always walled by groves of bamboo and betelnut palms, have often a very striking appearance; and Backergunje has many beauties of detail which strike a traveller in passing through the country.
The level of the country is low, forming as it does, a part of the great Gangetic delta
; and the rivers, streams and water-courses are so numerous that it is very difficult to travel, except by boat at any season of the year. Every natural hollow is full of water, around the margin of which, long grasses, reeds
and other aquatic plants grow in the greatest profusion, often making it difficult to say where the land ends and the water begins. Towards the north-west, the country is very marsh
y and nothing is to be seen for miles but tracts of unreclaimed swamp
s and rice
fields, with a few huts scattered here and there raised on mounds of earth. In the south of the district, along the coast of the Bay of Bengal
, lie the forest tracts of the Sundarbans
, the habitation of tiger
s, leopard
s and other wild beasts.
or Baleswar, with their numerous offshoots. The Meghna represents the accumulated waters of the Brahmaputra and Ganges. It flows along the eastern boundary of the district in a southerly direction until it debouches into the Bay of Bengal
. During the latter part of its course the river expands into a large estuary
containing many islands, the principal of which is that of Dakshin Shahbazpur. The islands on the seafront are regularly exposed to devastation by cyclonic storm-waves.
The Arial Khan, a branch of the Ganges, enters the district from the north, and flows generally in a south-easterly direction until it falls into the estuary of the Meghna. The main channel of the Arial Khan is about 1500 metres (1,640.4 yd) in width in the dry season, and from 2000 to 3000 m (2,187.2 to 3,280.8 yd) in the rains. It receives a number of tributaries, sends off several offshoots, and is navigable throughout the year by the native cargo boats that are often of considerable size.
The Haringhata
, Baleswar, Madhumati
and Garai are different local names for the same river along various parts of its course and it represent another great offshoot of the Ganges. It enters Backergunje near the north-west corner of the district, whence it forms its western boundary, and runs south, but with great windings in its upper reaches, until it crosses the Sundarbans, and finally falls into the Bay of Bengal
by a large and deep estuary, capable of receiving ship
s of considerable size.
In the whole of its course through the district, the river is navigable by native boats of large tonnage, and by large sea-going ships as high up as Morrellganj, in the neighbouring district of Jessore. Among its many tributaries in Backergunje, the most important is the Kacha
, itself a considerable stream and navigable by large boats all the year round, flowing in a southerly direction for 30 km (18.6 mi), when it falls into the Baleswar.
Other rivers of minor importance are the Barisal, Bishkhali, Nihalganj, Khairabad
, Ghagar, Kumar
, etc. All the rivers in the district are subject to tidal action from the Meghna on the north, and from the Bay of Bengal on the south, and nearly all of them are navigable at high tide by country boats of all sizes. The rise of the tide is very considerable in the estuary of the Meghna, and many of the creek
s and water-courses in the island of Dakshin Shahbazpur, which are almost dry at ebb tide, contain 5.5 to 6 m (18 to 19.7 ft) of water at the flood. A very strong tidal bore
or wave runs up the estuary of the Meghna at spring tides, and a singular sound like thunder, known as the Barisal guns, is often heard far out at sea, about the time it is coming in. There are numerous marshes in the district, of great size and depth, and abounding in fish.
is the principal religion
professed in the region. The Faraizis or Puritan
sect
of Islam is exceedingly adhered to in the district. The Buddhist population consists of Magh
s or the people of Arakan
, who first settled in Backergunje around the year 1800. A nomadic tribe called the Bebajias is rather numerous in this district. They played a large role in clearing the Sundarbans
. Living principally in boat
s, they travel from place to place, profess Islam, and gain their subsistence by wood-cutting in the Sundarbans, fishing
, fortune-telling
and trading in trinket
s. In 1901, the population was 2,291,752, showing an increase of 6% over the decade.
A number of small trading village
s exist throughout the district, and each locality has its periodical fair
s for purposes of traffic. The material condition of the people is good. Every inhabitant is a small land-holder and cultivates sufficient rice and other necessaries for the support of their families. Owing to this reason, hired labour is very scarce.
is the primary crop of the district, and three harvests are obtained annually — the aman or winter rice; aus or autumn crop; and bore or spring rice. The climate
of Backergunje is one of the healthiest in Eastern Bengal, owing to the strong south-west monsoon
, which comes up directly from the Bay of Bengal, and keeps the atmosphere cool; but the heavy rainfall and consequent humidity
of the atmosphere, combined with the use of bad water, are fruitful sources of disease
. The average annual temperature varies from 25 to 30 °C (77 to 86 F) with maximal temperature ranges of 17 to 37 °C (62.6 to 98.6 F).
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, and is now mostly in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. With an area of 4542 mi2, it forms part of the joint delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers.
Geography
The general aspect of the district is that of a flat even country, dotted with clusters of bambooBamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
and betelnut trees, and intersected by a perfect network of dark-coloured and sluggish streams. There is not a hill or hillock in the whole district, but it derives a certain picturesque beauty from its wide expanses of cultivation, and the greenness and freshness of the vegetation. This is especially true immediately after the rains, but at no time of the year does the district present a dried-up or burnt appearance. The villages, which are always walled by groves of bamboo and betelnut palms, have often a very striking appearance; and Backergunje has many beauties of detail which strike a traveller in passing through the country.
The level of the country is low, forming as it does, a part of the great Gangetic delta
Ganges Delta
The Ganges Delta is a river delta in the South Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal, India. It is the world's largest delta, and empties into the Bay of Bengal...
; and the rivers, streams and water-courses are so numerous that it is very difficult to travel, except by boat at any season of the year. Every natural hollow is full of water, around the margin of which, long grasses, reeds
Phragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
and other aquatic plants grow in the greatest profusion, often making it difficult to say where the land ends and the water begins. Towards the north-west, the country is very marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y and nothing is to be seen for miles but tracts of unreclaimed swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s and rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
fields, with a few huts scattered here and there raised on mounds of earth. In the south of the district, along the coast of the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
, lie the forest tracts of the Sundarbans
Sundarbans
The Sundarbans [Sundarban Tour Booking-9051115228] is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.The name Sundarban can be literally translated as "beautiful jungle" or "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language...
, the habitation of tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s and other wild beasts.
Rivers
The principal rivers of the district are the Meghna, the Arial Khan and the HaringhataHaringhata
Haringhata is a town in Kalyani subdivision of Nadia District in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Haringhata is located at . It has an average elevation of 10 metres .- Economy :...
or Baleswar, with their numerous offshoots. The Meghna represents the accumulated waters of the Brahmaputra and Ganges. It flows along the eastern boundary of the district in a southerly direction until it debouches into the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
. During the latter part of its course the river expands into a large estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
containing many islands, the principal of which is that of Dakshin Shahbazpur. The islands on the seafront are regularly exposed to devastation by cyclonic storm-waves.
The Arial Khan, a branch of the Ganges, enters the district from the north, and flows generally in a south-easterly direction until it falls into the estuary of the Meghna. The main channel of the Arial Khan is about 1500 metres (1,640.4 yd) in width in the dry season, and from 2000 to 3000 m (2,187.2 to 3,280.8 yd) in the rains. It receives a number of tributaries, sends off several offshoots, and is navigable throughout the year by the native cargo boats that are often of considerable size.
The Haringhata
Haringhata
Haringhata is a town in Kalyani subdivision of Nadia District in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Haringhata is located at . It has an average elevation of 10 metres .- Economy :...
, Baleswar, Madhumati
Madhumati
Madhumati is a 1958 Hindi film produced and directed by Bimal Roy, and written by Ritwik Ghatak and Rajinder Singh Bedi. The music was composed by Salil Choudhury with the lyrics by Shailendra. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Vyjayantimala, Pran, and Johnny Walker. It was one of the earliest films to...
and Garai are different local names for the same river along various parts of its course and it represent another great offshoot of the Ganges. It enters Backergunje near the north-west corner of the district, whence it forms its western boundary, and runs south, but with great windings in its upper reaches, until it crosses the Sundarbans, and finally falls into the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
by a large and deep estuary, capable of receiving ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s of considerable size.
In the whole of its course through the district, the river is navigable by native boats of large tonnage, and by large sea-going ships as high up as Morrellganj, in the neighbouring district of Jessore. Among its many tributaries in Backergunje, the most important is the Kacha
Kacha
Kacha may refer to:*Kacha , an urban-type settlement in Crimea, Ukraine*Kacha , a mythological sage in Hinduism*Kacha Bira, one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia...
, itself a considerable stream and navigable by large boats all the year round, flowing in a southerly direction for 30 km (18.6 mi), when it falls into the Baleswar.
Other rivers of minor importance are the Barisal, Bishkhali, Nihalganj, Khairabad
Khairabad
Khairabad is a city and a municipal board in Sitapur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Khairabad is located at . It has an average elevation of 138 metres .-Demographics:...
, Ghagar, Kumar
Kumar
Kumār OR Kunwar is a title, a given name or a family name native to India.In many Indian languages, Kumar literally means prince or a young/unmarried male....
, etc. All the rivers in the district are subject to tidal action from the Meghna on the north, and from the Bay of Bengal on the south, and nearly all of them are navigable at high tide by country boats of all sizes. The rise of the tide is very considerable in the estuary of the Meghna, and many of the creek
Creek (tidal)
A tidal creek, tidal channel, or estuary is the portion of a stream that is affected by ebb and flow of ocean tides, in the case that the subject stream discharges to an ocean, sea or strait. Thus this portion of the stream has variable salinity and electrical conductivity over the tidal cycle...
s and water-courses in the island of Dakshin Shahbazpur, which are almost dry at ebb tide, contain 5.5 to 6 m (18 to 19.7 ft) of water at the flood. A very strong tidal bore
Tidal bore
A tidal bore is a tidal phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave of water that travel up a river or narrow bay against the direction of the river or bay's current...
or wave runs up the estuary of the Meghna at spring tides, and a singular sound like thunder, known as the Barisal guns, is often heard far out at sea, about the time it is coming in. There are numerous marshes in the district, of great size and depth, and abounding in fish.
Culture
IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
is the principal religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
professed in the region. The Faraizis or Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
of Islam is exceedingly adhered to in the district. The Buddhist population consists of Magh
Magh people
The Magh is the term used in Bengal for the Arakanese or Rakhine people of Arakan. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the kingdom of Arakan expended its territories to the Chittagong area of Bengal...
s or the people of Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
, who first settled in Backergunje around the year 1800. A nomadic tribe called the Bebajias is rather numerous in this district. They played a large role in clearing the Sundarbans
Sundarbans
The Sundarbans [Sundarban Tour Booking-9051115228] is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.The name Sundarban can be literally translated as "beautiful jungle" or "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language...
. Living principally in boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, they travel from place to place, profess Islam, and gain their subsistence by wood-cutting in the Sundarbans, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, fortune-telling
Fortune-telling
Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. The scope of fortune-telling is in principle identical with the practice of divination...
and trading in trinket
Trinket
A trinket is a small showy ornament or something that is a mere trifle. Trinket may also refer to:* Trinket Island, an island of the Nicobar Islands**Trinket , a village on the island...
s. In 1901, the population was 2,291,752, showing an increase of 6% over the decade.
A number of small trading village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s exist throughout the district, and each locality has its periodical fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
s for purposes of traffic. The material condition of the people is good. Every inhabitant is a small land-holder and cultivates sufficient rice and other necessaries for the support of their families. Owing to this reason, hired labour is very scarce.
Agriculture
RiceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
is the primary crop of the district, and three harvests are obtained annually — the aman or winter rice; aus or autumn crop; and bore or spring rice. The climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
of Backergunje is one of the healthiest in Eastern Bengal, owing to the strong south-west monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
, which comes up directly from the Bay of Bengal, and keeps the atmosphere cool; but the heavy rainfall and consequent humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
of the atmosphere, combined with the use of bad water, are fruitful sources of disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
. The average annual temperature varies from 25 to 30 °C (77 to 86 F) with maximal temperature ranges of 17 to 37 °C (62.6 to 98.6 F).