Mainaguri
Encyclopedia
Mainaguri is a census town
in Jalpaiguri district
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. It is known as the "Gate way of Duars
" and is a regionally significant tourist destination for its temple
to Shiva
.
Mainaguri is about 10 km north-east of Jalpaiguri
and 56 km from Siliguri
. Nearby towns include Neora Nadi, Dhupgari, Goyerkata
and Changrabandha. Local attractions include Jalpesh Shiva Temple, Gorumara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary. The nearest airport is Civil Enclave Bagdogra, and the nearest railway station is New Maynaguri..5 different roads connect to Maynaguri with i)Siliguri,Jalpaiguri(West) ii)Alipurduar,Coach Behar(East) ii)Changrabandha,Mathabhanga(South) iv)Malbazar,Lataguri(North) v)Ramsai(North-west).
, Mainaguri had a population of 27,086. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Mainaguri has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 70%.
In Mainaguri, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Maynaguri lies in the Northeast Frontier Railway zone of the Indian Railways. There are Railway links to the rest of the country directly and via Kolkata as well. The major railway junction of New Jalpaiguri (Code:NJP) is just 45 km from the town. The station named New Maynaguri(Code:NMX) is servicing the town directly . Nearly the whole country is connected via the stations of New Jalpaiguri .A new line via Maynaguri Road station will be opened shortly. It is expected that the work of New Maynaguri-Jogighopa line will be finished on march 2012.
). The temple was built in a style akin to Islamic architecture. Inside, there is a Shivling called Anadi. Mahashivaratri is the main festival celebrated in this temple. Pilgrims come during Sravani Mela in July–August and during the fair of Jalpesh Mela in February–March to offer special puja to Siva. After puja, devotees collect water from the river Teesta and walk barefoot 15 km to the temple.
The temple was founded by Bisu Singh
of Cooch Behar
in 1524 C.E. His son, Maharaja Narayan, rebuilt the temple in 1563. Pran Narayan in turn rebuilt the temple in 1663 C.E.
2>Bateswar Temple;
3>Ramsai Wildlife(Gorumara National Park);
Census town
In India, a census town is one which has:# A minimum population of 5,000# At least 75% of male working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits# A density of population of at least 400 persons per km2.In Ireland, a census town is;...
in Jalpaiguri district
Jalpaiguri District
Jalpaiguri district is the largest district of North Bengal, covering an area 6,245 km2. It is situated between 26° 16' and 27° 0' North latitudes and 88° 4' and 89° 53' East longitudes...
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...
. It is known as the "Gate way of Duars
Duars
The Dooars or Duars are the floodplains and foothills of the eastern Himalayas in North-East India around Bhutan. Duar means door in Assamese, Nepali, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magahi and Bengali languages, and the region forms the gateway to Bhutan from India. There were 18 passages or gateways through...
" and is a regionally significant tourist destination for its temple
Hindu temple
A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
to Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
.
History
The history of the Dooars is very old. According to current historical research carried out by Dr. Sailen Debnath, an eminent scholar of the region, the Dooars was the seat of the medieval Kamata kingdom.Kamatapur emerged as a sovereign state right from the middle of the seventh century. Most probably, Nalrajar Garh in Chilapata Forest was the earliest capital of Kamatapur; and subsequently through different ups and downs the capital was shifted to Maynaguri.Location
Mainaguri is located at 26.57°N 88.82°E. It has an average elevation of 84 metres (275 feet).Mainaguri is about 10 km north-east of Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri is a city in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of Jalpaiguri district, and the divisional headquarters of the North Bengal region.-History:...
and 56 km from Siliguri
Siliguri
Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
. Nearby towns include Neora Nadi, Dhupgari, Goyerkata
Goyerkata
-External links:* *...
and Changrabandha. Local attractions include Jalpesh Shiva Temple, Gorumara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary. The nearest airport is Civil Enclave Bagdogra, and the nearest railway station is New Maynaguri..5 different roads connect to Maynaguri with i)Siliguri,Jalpaiguri(West) ii)Alipurduar,Coach Behar(East) ii)Changrabandha,Mathabhanga(South) iv)Malbazar,Lataguri(North) v)Ramsai(North-west).
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Mainaguri had a population of 27,086. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Mainaguri has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 70%.
In Mainaguri, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Transport
The main mode of transport in the area is roadways. Most of the places are well connected by roads and to rest of India. N.H. 31 is the main highway of the area. Regular bus services provided by North Bengal State Transport Corporation and Assam State Transport Corporation and other private parties run between all important places of the area. Share jeeps and maxi-taxies are quite popular in the area.Maynaguri lies in the Northeast Frontier Railway zone of the Indian Railways. There are Railway links to the rest of the country directly and via Kolkata as well. The major railway junction of New Jalpaiguri (Code:NJP) is just 45 km from the town. The station named New Maynaguri(Code:NMX) is servicing the town directly . Nearly the whole country is connected via the stations of New Jalpaiguri .A new line via Maynaguri Road station will be opened shortly. It is expected that the work of New Maynaguri-Jogighopa line will be finished on march 2012.
Jalpesh Shiva Temple
The Jalpesh Temple is about three kilometres from Mainaguri 26°31′32"N 88°52′1"E, dedicated to Lord Jalpeswara (SivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
). The temple was built in a style akin to Islamic architecture. Inside, there is a Shivling called Anadi. Mahashivaratri is the main festival celebrated in this temple. Pilgrims come during Sravani Mela in July–August and during the fair of Jalpesh Mela in February–March to offer special puja to Siva. After puja, devotees collect water from the river Teesta and walk barefoot 15 km to the temple.
The temple was founded by Bisu Singh
Biswa Singha of Kamata
Vishwa Singha was the progenitor king of the Koch dynasty of the Kamata kingdom, a successor state of the ancient Kamarupa kingdom. A son of a Mech chieftain and grandson of a Koch hero, he was able to unify different tribal groups against the Baro-Bhuyans of Assam and established a kingdom the...
of Cooch Behar
Koch Bihar
Koch Bihar was a small kingdom located south of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, west of the upper Brahmaputra valley Ahom kingdom, and north-east of the Ganges plain and Bengal. It was formed when the Kamata Kingdom under the Koch dynasty split following the death of Nara Narayan in 1586. The...
in 1524 C.E. His son, Maharaja Narayan, rebuilt the temple in 1563. Pran Narayan in turn rebuilt the temple in 1663 C.E.
Other places of interest
1>Jatileswar Temple(Shiva);2>Bateswar Temple;
3>Ramsai Wildlife(Gorumara National Park);