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Jalpaiguri
Metropolitan City / Urban Agglomeration
Nickname: City of Hospitality
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	Jalpaiguri
Named for	The Divisional Headquarters of North Bengal, Administrative Headquarters of Jalpaiguri Division, Commercial Capital of North Bengal
Government
• Type	Jalpaiguri Municipal Corporation
• Body	JMC
• Mayor	Mohan Bose
Area
• Metropolitan City / Urban Agglomeration	89.29 km (34.48 sq mi)
Elevation	94 m (308 ft)
Population
• Density	2,026/km (5,250/sq mi)
• Metro	303,874
Demonym(s)	Jalpaigurians, Jalpaiguribashi
Languages
• Official	Bengali, Hindi, English, Marwari, Nepali
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	735 101-735 110
Telephone code	+913561
Vehicle registration	WB-71, WB-72
Lok Sabha constituency	Jalpaiguri
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Jalpaiguri, Rajganj, Maynaguri
Website	jalpaiguri.gov.in
The coordinates given here are in metric system and based upon the Microsoft Encarta Reference Library Map Center 2005 The Vehicle Code given here based upon the Jalpaiguri District Court documentations.

Jalpaiguri (Pron: ˌʤælpaɪˈgʊəri) (Template:Lang-bn Jôlpaiguṛi) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the largest city and the headquarters of the Jalpaiguri district, and the divisional headquarters of the North Bengal region. The city is located on the banks of the Teesta River which is the second largest river in West Bengal on the foothills of the Himalayas. As of 2011, the city had more than 3 lakh residents. The city has become an important trade center of West Bengal. It is a principal commercial, tourism, transportation, and educational center of the North Bengal region. It lies 42 kilometers away from Siliguri which is its twin city.

Etymology

The name "Jalpaiguri" comes from the Bhutanese term je-le-pe-go-ri, meaning a place where warm clothes are traded, suggesting a trading centre. Another suggestion is that it is from the word "Jalpai" meaning olive, and "Guri" meaning a place. The city of Jalpaiguri once had many olive trees.

History

Jalpaiguri is a significant city in commercialisation and business. It is one of the most busiest and important cities of North Bengal as well as in the Indian state of West Bengal. Jalpaiguri is the largest city and the headquarters of the Jalpaiguri district, and of the Jalpaiguri division, comprising all of the seven districts of North Bengal.

Geography

Jalpaiguri is located at 26°31′N 88°44′E / 26.52°N 88.73°E / 26.52; 88.73. It has an average elevation of 75 metres (246 feet).Jalpaiguri lies in the middle of the vast fertile plains (Terai) south of the Himalayas, watered by innumerable rivers and rivulets rising from and flowing down the Himalayas.On a clear sunny day, the Mount Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak is visible from the city itself. The city lies on the banks of the Teesta River which is the second largest river in West Bengal after the Ganges. A mass flood in 1968 nearly flattened out the city and huge spurs had to be built and the river diverted to some km. outside the city to avoid the same carnage as it caused. Other than the Teesta, the Karala River, nicknamed the "Thames of Jalpaiguri", flows through the city thereby bisecting it into two halves.

Climate

The city of Jalpaiguri experiences three seasons mainly, namely summer, monsoons and winter. Summers are tropical and quite hot with temperatures ranging in the mid-thirties (Celsius). The highest recorded temperature in Jalpaiguri is 42.5 degree Celsius. Monsoons are very severe with the city experiencing high amount of rainfall, sometimes stalling all life and activities. Winters are again quite severe and chilly, with the cold Himalayan winds blowing straight into the city. Temperatures are around 8 to 14 degrees Celsius during this period. The lowest recorded temperature in Jalpaiguri City is 2.1 degree Celsius.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Jalpaiguri City Urban Agglomeration had a population of more than 3,03,874; out of which 1,53,564 were males and 1,50,310 were females. The 0–6 years population was 76,526. Effective literacy rate for the 8+ population was 91.25 per cent.

Jalpaiguri has a majority Bengali population. Other minority communities include Gorkhas (Nepali), Marwaris and Biharis. Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, English, , Marwari, Bihari, Assamese, Punjabi, and Gujrati are the languages that are spoken by the local people of Jalpaiguri.

As of 2001 India census, Jalpaiguri had a population of 2,30,145. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Jalpaiguri has an average literacy rate of 91%, higher than the national average of 79.5%:male literacy is 91%, and female literacy is 89%. In Jalpaiguri City, 28% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Civic administration

Administration is the responsibility of the Jalpaiguri Municipal Corporation which is the fifth oldest one in West Bengal after that of Kolkata, Howrah, Berhampore and Burdwan. Set up in 1885, it is headed by a mayor who is elected by the all residents of the city. It has 45 wards that elect the ward councilors. The All India Trinamool Congress is in power of this municipal body. The mayor is Mr. Mohan Bose.

Economy

Jalpaiguri has gradually developed as a profitable centre for a variety of businesses. As a central hub, many national companies and organizations have set up their offices here. Main shopping centres lie at Cosmos Arcade, Rupasree Mall, Kadamtala, Merchant Road, D.B.C. Road, Kamarpara, Hospital Road, Raikatpara, Hakimpara, Dinbazaar, Club Road, Race Course, Ashram Para, Shanti Para, Beguntary, Shilpasamiti Para, and Deshbandhu Circle.

Jalpaiguri has been witnessing radical changes, along with rapid development in segments like industry, real estate, information technology and I.T.E.S. firms, and education, since the advent of the twenty-first century. The changes are with respect to infrastructure and industrial growth for steel (direct reduced iron), metal, cement and knowledge-based industries. Many engineering, technology, management, and professional study colleges have opened at Jalpaiguri. Housing co-operatives and flats, shopping malls, multiplexes, cineplexes a science and energy park, a software technology park (STPI), hotels and stadiums have also come up.

With the growing economic transactions, some major banks have opened in the city: Standard Chartered Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Allahabad Bank, State Bank of India, Axis Bank, UCO Bank, Vijaya Bank, IDBI Bank, Bank of India, Union Bank of India, Indian Bank, Corporation Bank, Allahabad Bank, Punjab National Bank and Uttar Banga Kshetriya Gramin Bank (UBKG Bank). There are also some other banks such as Bank of Maharashtra, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Andhra Bank, Sonali Bank.

Jalpaiguri has its own bank, the Jalpaiguri Central Co-operative Bank, whose head office is located at Temple Street of the city. Founded in 1919, it has more than 20 branches spread across North Bengal.

An industrial park has been built at Dabgram, just a few kilometres from the city centre, on the route to Siliguri. As the city is near the international border, the Border Security Force (BSF) maintains a large presence in the vicinity of Jalpaiguri. This gives rise to a large population of semi-permanent residents, who bring revenue to the local economy. The state government is trying to promote Jalpaiguri City as a tourist destination.

Utility services

Jalpaiguri is a well-planned city and the municipal corporation is responsible for providing basic services, such as potable water and sanitation. The water is supplied by the municipal authorities using its groundwater resources, and almost all the houses in the municipal area are connected through the system. Solid waste is collected every day by the city van from individual houses. The surface drains, mostly uncemented, drain into the Teesta River. Electricity is supplied by the West Bengal State Electricity Board, and the West Bengal Fire Service provides emergency services like fire tenders. Almost all the roads are metalled (macadam), and street lighting is available throughout the city. The Public Works Department is responsible for road maintenance in the city and on the roads connecting Jalpaiguri with other cities and towns in the region. Health services in Jalpaiguri include a government-owned District Hospital, a Regional Cancer Centre, T.B. Hospital, and private hospitals, clinics and nursing homes.

Transport

Public transport includes cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, local buses and tempos. There is no metered vehicular transport. While 6-seater city autos ply between two fixed destinations of about 10–15  km, one can hire petrol-driven auto rickshaws from auto stands at a rate fixed by the municipal authorities. A total of 16,000 rickshaws licensed by the municipal corporation.

Rail

Jalpaiguri City Urban Agglomeration has five important railway stations:-

1. Jalpaiguri City/Jalpaiguri - The oldest station in the area.

2. Jalpaiguri Road -Opened in 1944, this is an important railway station today with broad gauge extended to New Bongaigaon.

3. New Jalpaiguri - Opened in 1964 as a totally greenfield project. It was named New Jalpaiguri as it is located in the Jalpaiguri District, this is now the most important station in the region and is located just 35 km. away from the city. It is also known as NJP. This station connects both the twin cities of Jalpaiguri City and Siliguri to every nook and corner of the country by railway. The Darjeeling Himalayan Toy train is the main attraction of this station. The station is the largest railway station in the entire North-East with wide parking area and has awarded as cleanest railway of India in the year 2011.

4. Mohitnagar- Lying in the Haldibari-New Jalpaiguri line, it is another important railway station of the region.

5. Raninagar Jalpaiguri- It is a junction railway station, situated at the further western part of the city. The railway station has strategic importance as it facilitates not only the people of Jalpaiguri but also Raninagar and other nearby places.

Air

Bagdogra Airport situated about 48 km. away from the main city, is the only functioning airport in the region. The airport is connected to Bengalore, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangkok, Kathmandu and Paro. Jalpaiguri has an airport of its own named the Jalpaiguri Airport towards the northern end of the city at Kranti off the River Panga with all modern passenger facilities but no airlines operate in this airport but steps are taken to resume flights from this airport.

Bus

The Netaji Subhash Central Bus Terminus situated next to the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) Bus Stop is a major stop for most private and state-owned buses in the region. The Royal Government of Bhutan also operates buses from Jalpaiguri to its border town Phuentsholing. Air conditioned sleeper coach bus service is available from Jalpaiguri to Kolkata, Patna and Assam. There are several bus stands in the Jalpaiguri:-

• NBSTC Depot: All sorts of Govt. Buses are available from here.
• Kadamtala Bus Terminus: Private buses to Siliguri are available from here.

Super Bus Stand near the Jalpaiguri City railway station - Super (or non stop) bus services to Siliguri are available from here.

• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Private Bus Terminus: Buses to the Dooars region,i.e. Malbazar, Birpara, etc. are available from here.
• Bowbazaar Bus Stand: Bus services to Haldibari are available from here.

The Simanacharya Tours and Travels operates in all modes of transport. Hence, the city is very well connected to all neighbouring cities and districts through roadways as well as airways and railways.

Culture

Major festivals observed at Jalpaiguri include Durga puja, Chhath Puja, Ganesh puja, Laxmi puja, Saraswati puja, and Diwali. Baisakhi Mela is one of the oldest fairs in Jalpaiguri which takes place in the Bengali month of Baisakh (i.e., April-May).

Lot of fairs and carnivals take place in Jalpaiguri. The most popular fairs in Jalpaiguri are Baisakhi Mela, Hasta Shilpa Mela, Book Fair, and Lexpo Fair. Most of the fairs happens in the Jalpaiguri District Sports Complex Stadium or the Town Club Stadium.

The city hosts group theatres, music & dance schools and night clubs.

Education

Jalpaiguri's schools are run by the state government or private organizations, many of which are religious. Bengali and English are the primary languages of instruction; Nepali and Hindi are also used. Schools in Jalpaiguri follow the "10+2+3" plan. After completing their secondary education, students typically enroll in schools that have a higher secondary facility and are affiliated with the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), or the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). They usually choose a focus on liberal arts, business, or science. Vocational programs are also available. Jalpaiguri Zilla School is the oldest school of the city founded in 1876. Some of the other reputed schools in the city include Fanindradeb Institution, Holy Child School, Jalpaiguri, Sunitibala Sadar Girls School, D.A.V. School, Techno India School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Saint Anthony's Day School, Saint Paul's School, Jalpaiguri, Government Girls High School. Out of the many a colleges in the city, some of the most reputed & significant colleges include the Ananda Chandra College, P.D. Women's College, St. Xavier's College all of which are affiliated with the University of North Bengal, Raja Rammohanpur, Dist.:Darjeeling. Jalpaiguri Polytechnic Institute, is a Government Diploma level institute with 3 yrs.(10+) Civil, Electrical, Mechanical & Automobile Engineering and 2 yrs.(12+) The Institute of Pharmacy, Jalpaiguri is the sole pharmacist college in the region which offers pharmacy courses under West Bengal State Council of Technical Education, Kolkata. There is also an industrial training institute in the city.

The Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College is the sole Government affiliated engineering college in the region and it lies in the Southern Bypass at Goshala of the city. It is autonomous and is considered the third most reputed and significant engineering college in West Bengal after that Shibpur and Kharagpur. Jalpaiguri Law College is considered a significant law college of the region.

The North Bengal Medical College, located about 42 km away from the city proper, is the sole medical college in the region and is connected to the main city through the National Highway 31(D).

Media

• Newspaper: English-language newspapers include the Times of India, The Economic Times, The Asian Age, The Statesman and The Telegraph. Several Bengali newspapers, including Uttarbanga Sambad, Bartaman, Ganashakti, Aajkaal and Pratidin are also available.

• Radio: In addition to All India Radio, other private FM radio stations of Nine FM 91.9 MHz, Radio High 92.7 MHz, Red FM 93.5 MHz and Radio Misty 94.3 MHz are available from the city.

• Television : Jalpaiguri receives almost all the television channels that are received by the rest of India. Apart from the state-owned terrestrial network Doordarshan, cable television serves most of the homes in the city, while satellite television is common in the outlying areas and in wealthier households. Besides mainstream Indian channels, the city also receives some Nepali and Bangladeshi television channels. Local news broadcasts, sporting events, and concerts are broadcast live or delayed via cable to many households. DTH services by government and private companies are also available such as Tata Sky, Dish TV, Videocon d2h, Airtel Digital TV and Reliance Digital TV. Jalpaiguri has four local channels - JCC, CCN, Uttarer Mon and Amar Cable.

• Internet: Internet cafes can be found in the main market area, served through broadband services provided by BSNL and other private companies like MetroNET (Orange Networks) and Sinet (JCC and CCN).

• Mobile phone: The area is serviced by cell phone companies such as Idea, Vodafone, Airtel, Aircel, BSNL, Reliance, Tata Indicom, MTS, Tata Docomo, Virgin Mobile and Uninor. And also has 3G network of BSNL, Reliance, Vodafone, Bharti Airtel, and Aircel.

Sports

Table tennis, cricket, taekwon-do, chess and football are the most popular sports here. The Jalpaiguri District Sports Complex Stadium and the Town Club Stadium are the city's only outdoor stadiums and have hosted many state as well as national level matches. The stadium houses the Sports Authority of India sports hostel for athletes. There are three indoor stadiums at Shilpasamitipara, Raikatpara and Hakimpara, respectively in the southern part of the city. The new stadium next to Sports Complex has facilities for lawn tennis, badminton and table tennis as well as other indoor sports.

Visitor attractions

• The Jalpaiguri Palace

• Raikatpara Palace Gate
• Bay of the River Teesta
• Rajbari Dighi, Jalpaiguri

• North Bengal University 2nd Campus next to the Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College

• Gorumara National Park, Malbazar, Jalpaiguri
• Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary
• Jogomaya Kali Temple, Temple Street
• Salvation Army Catholic Church
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalpaiguri
• Jordighi
• Mohitnagar, Jalpaiguri industrial park

• Royal Palace of Baiknthapur Royal Estate, at Rajbaripara. The building has made in the early of twentieth century in place of the old palace made by Raja Jayantadev Raikot.
• Several lakes in Rajbari Palace ground among them, the largest one excavated in the time of Raja Sarbadev Raikot by Deenu Gomasta of Dinajpur somewhere around the middle of nineteenth century.
• Raipur Tea Estate, Rangdhamali, Jalpaiguri.
• Jalpaiguri Nawab Bari, (now the Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court)
• Jubilee Park, a park located on the spurs of the River Teesta
• India's first Forensic Science laboratory in the Police Lines, Racecourse Para
• Rabindra Bhawan (also called the Arya Natya Samaj), a cultural centre
• The Teesta River
• The Karala River

• Teesta Udyan, a children's park along the banks of the Karala River.
• Sarojendra Deb Raikat Kala Kendra, an art gallery, (now a cineplex) opposite the Town Club Stadium.
• Jogomaya Kalibari, a famous temple dedicated to the Goddess Kali on Temple Street. It also houses a temple of Baba Loknath.
• Durga Puja, especially "The Ravana Badh" at Babupara
• Devi Bhramari Temple near Bodaganj, Maynaguri on the banks of river Teesta which is regarded as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of India. People believed that the sacred left toe of Devi Sati has fallen after the famous daksha-yajna.
• GOSALA mela near Denguajhar (Organised by Shri Baikunthnath Pinjrapol Gosala)
• Devi Chaudhurani Mandir- It is believed that Devi Chaudhurani the bandit queen from the novel of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, has her Kali Temple near the banks of the Karala river and has an underground subway to the banks of Teesta.
• Jalpesh Temple- An old Shiva temple about 15 km from the city, established more than five hundred years ago.
• Jatileshwar Temple- Another ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, from the time of Sen period.

Notable residents

• Ratan Lal Basu, renowned fiction writer in English
• Samaresh Majumdar, famous Bengali author of novels like Uttoradhikar, Kalpurush, and Kaalbela.
• Pradip Kumar Banerjee, renowned football player and coach who represented India at the international level.
• Nirmal Bose, Senior Cabinet Minister government of West Bengal, Member of Parliament, President Indian Political Science Association.

References

1. Gupta, Om (2007). Encyclopaedia of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Isha Books. p. 1086. ISBN 978-8182053892.
2. Raha, Manis Kumar (1989). Matriliny to Patriliny: A Study of the Rabha Society. Gian Publishing House. p. 22.
3. Gupta, Om (2007). Jalpaiguri City, India. Isha Books. p. 1086. ISBN 978-8182053892.
4. Raha, Manis Kumar (1989). Matriliny to Patriliny: A Study of the city Jalpaiguri. Gian Publishing House. p. 22.
5. Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Jalpaiguri
6. "Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above" (PDF). Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
7. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
8. "More airports for Indian cities, says India's Civil Aviation Minister". Trav Talk. 2006-03-27. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
9. ^ "Annual Report 2007––2008" (PDF). Department of School Education, Government of West Bengal. p. 69. Retrieved 10 December 2011. {{cite web}}: C1 control character in |title= at position 19 (help)
10. "List of schools in Jalpaiguri, Kolkata". West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Retrieved 10 December 2011.

External links

• Jalpaiguri travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Jalpaiguri Website
• West Bengal Jalpaiguri District
• Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority

v t e Cities, towns and locations in Jalpaiguri district
Cities, municipal and census towns	Jalpaiguri Sadar subdivision Banarhat Binnaguri, Rajganj Chakiabhita Dabgram Dakshin Khagrabari Dhupguri Gairkata Jalpaiguri Kharia Mainaguri Telipara Tea Garden Malbazar subdivision Chalsa Dakshin Odlabari Lataguri Mangalbari Malbazar Matelli Odlabari
Locations other than cities and towns	Jalpaiguri Sadar subdivision Belakoba Binnaguri Dakshin Khairbari Khayerkhal Phulbari Rajganj Malbazar subdivision Bagrakote Batabari Tea Garden Dam Dim Gajoldoba Gurjangjhora Tea Garden Murti Nagrakata Rajadanga Samsing Sulkapara Zurantee Tea Garden
Tea estates	Meenglas and Leesh River Tea Estates Gandrapara and Lakhipara Tea Estates Hope and Jiti Tea Estates Chalouni, Aibheel and Chalsa Tea Estates Danguajhar Tea Estate
Related topics	Jalpaiguri topics People from Jalpaiguri district Villages in Jalpaiguri district
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