The city of Midnapore is the headquarters of the Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal. Surrounded by Purulia and Bankura districts on the North, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts of Orissa on the south, Hoogly and Purba Medinipur on the east and on the west lay the districts of Singhbhum in Jharkhand state. It was separated from the old Midnapore district in 2002 and came to be an independent district. According to some legends, Mednapore is named after the local tribal deity, Medinimata, who is considered as the reincarnation of Shakti and means Mother of the World. The history of Midnapore goes back to the documented records of the Kar dynasty rule during 1200 to 1415 A.D. Midnapore played an important role in the Indian freedom movement and today Midnapore is a bustling city with tribal roots and history making a cosmopolitan multi ethnic heritage in the region.
Midnapore is the land of great men. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Birendra Sasmal, Matangini Hazra are only a few to name. Haldia, the New Hope for the manufacturing renewal of the State is in this region. Midnapore, also spelled MIDNAPUR, or MEDINIPUR, city. The city lies just north of the Kasai River and is an agricultural-trade centre on the Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta to Amritsar. Kharagpur (q.v.), crossways the river, offers chief rail links. Rice milling and the produce of chemicals and silk cloth are the principal industries.
Midnapore region appears to have had an excellent impact of equally Buddhism and Jainism. In the Gupta period Fa-Hien and other far-off travelers had visited Tamralipta and had left images of the region. The kingdom of Sasanka and Harsha Vardhana had extended up to Ganjam in Orissa, and, of course, comprised Midna- pore. Hiuen Tsang declares that he saw 50 Hindu temples and 10 Buddhist Sangharams in Tamralipta.
Transport :
Train
Midnapore is well associated not only to bigger cities in the region, but also to less important towns and villages in the region. Midnapore Railway Station is on the Howrah-Adra and Howrah-Purulia Express train routes. Numerous main express trains bypass through Midnapore counting the Delhi-Puri Nilachal Express. In adding up, there are numerals of local trains that ply between Howrah and Midnapore with astounding regularity. The nearness to Kharagpur, a main center of the Indian South-Eastern Railway system, only 30 minutes or less by train, makes Midnapore well associated with the main cities of India.
Bus
A bus terminus provides the greater Midnapore area. Many buses ply to lesser towns in the districts of Midnapore West, Midnapore East, Burdwan, Bankura, and Purulia in West Bengal, to districts of Jharkhand and Mayurbhanj and Baleswar in Orissa.
Places of Interests
Geonkhali
Though Nurpur is only a stopover on the way to Geonkhali in east Midnapore on the other bank, it is by no means a place to hurry through.
There is a ruined and abandoned lighthouse and Mahishadal Rajbari. The historical account of the fortress does come with a quantity of thoughts but is enthralling none the less. The carcass carries the evidence to the rise of Janardhan Upadhyay, Uttar Pradesh inhabitant who turned up here in the 16th century and, by the ploy of skill, became the monarch.
How to go there
Take a train to Diamond Harbour on the Sealdah south section and then a local bus. On another route, Nurpur is about 20 minutes from Raichak. Take a rickshaw. The odd jeep also plies.
Where to stay
Irrigation bungalow at Geonkhali; bookings can be done from the department’s Writers’ Buildings office.
Jhargram
Positioned near to the district’s western boundary, Jhargram is at the centre of woodland area of west Midnapur. Here one can feel an intense close-to-nature sensation. Forest of shaal, piyal, and mahua trees and, to a smaller degree, cashew trees, are available here. The fortress of the former zaminder, The Durga Temple in the forest and a Deer Park are significant tourist spots here.
From Jhargram 11 km distanced Jamboni can be stepped over, as it is well-known for its old castle at Chilkigarh,
Jhargram is directly linked with Digha by bus and with Howrah by train. It is also connected by bus with Calcutta. Jhargram stn is on the main railway line from Howrah to Tata (Jamshedpur) on South Eastern Rly.
Haldia
This is the port town of West Bengal is just 96 km away from Calcutta. The seaport is fairly up to date, makes use of conveyor belts for loading and unloading and has the world’s second largest lock gate-1010 ft x 130 ft and a depth of 48 ft. The Haldia Refinery and Haldia Fertilizers worth visit with previous consent. The Centinery Park also pulls the visitors. Haldia is perfect for a weekend excursion.
