District:
The district 24 Parganas (North & South) lies between 21º31' and 22º57' N latitude and between 88º2' and 89º6' longitude. The district is extended over 14136.0 sq kms. Of which rural area covers an area of 13509.9 sq kms, while urban area of the district is 626.1 sq kms. (According to Census 1981).
The district is bounded on the north by Bangladesh and the district of Nadia, on the east by Bangladesh, on the south by the newly created district of 24 Parganas (South) and Bay of Bengal on the west by Hoogly district. The river Hoogly flowing from north to south and separates the district from Hoogly, Howraha & Midnapore.
The headquarters of this district is Barasat. Total area of 890156.98 hectors, is inhabited by villagers of the district and cultivable area is 74.07% of which 9.36% is irrigated.
The district, at present, comprised of 33 police station and 22 Community Development Blocks. It has 59 towns and 1613 villages (1600 inhabited villages & 13 uninhabited villages).
Total population of the district according to 1991 census is 72,81,881 persons (comprising of 38,18,197 males and 34,63,684 females). Rural population of the district is 35,51,581 persons (18,33,049 males and 17,18,532 females) and urban population is 37,30,300 persons (19,85,148 males and 17,45,152 females). The S.C. and S.T. population of the district as per 1991 census are 15,64,689 persons and 1,69,831 persons respectively. The rural and urban breakup of these populations is indicated below:
Rural : S.C. - 10,87,988
S.T. - 1,50,144
Urban: S.C. - 4,76,701
S.T. - 19,687
The decennial growth rate of population of the district as a whole in relation to the state between the periods 1981 –1991 is presented below:
Table:2.1
Decennial Growth Rate of Population.
Decennial Growth Rate of Population (%) (1981 – 1991)
Total
Rural
Urban
West Bengal
24.55
22.99
28.90
24 Parganas (N)
31.66
32.18
31.16
History of the district:
In the year 1757, Nabab Mirjafor give right of 24 parganas to the hand of East India Company. This Parganas are –Akborpur, Amirpur, Ajimabad, Balia, Baridhati, Basondhari, Kolikata, Dokhin sagar, Gor, Hatiagor, Ektierpur, Kharijuri, khaspur, Medonmolla, Magura, Manpur, Moida, Muragacha, Paicon, Pechakuli, Satol, Sahanagor, Sahapur, and Uttor porgona. In the year 1759 company give it to Klive Loyed and after his death it again come in to company in the year 1774. In the year 1983 Dr. Ashok Mitra administrative committee first propose to divide the district. In the year 1986 (1st March) the district divided into two parts-South and North 24 Parganas.
Sub-Division:
The studied villages are situated in Bongaon sub-division. Bongaon sub-division is situated in 23º3'N and 88º50'E on the Ichamati river. The sub-division is divided into Bongaon, Bagdha, Gaighata and Gopal Nagar police station.
Climate:
The climate of Bongaon sub-division is of moderate type. Neither excessive heat is felt in the summer nor excessive cold is felt in the winter. Monsoon plays a vital role in the climatic condition of this area and also in the cultivation.
Soil:
Soil of this region is two kinds, mainly found such as sandy loamy and clay. The soil is suitable for cultivation of different types of crops and vegetables.
Geography and physical features:
As the district lies within the limits of the Gangetic delta, the physical features are like that of deltaic land. The district has plain surface and is little raised above flood level and the highest ground is that bordering the river channels. It is the northern inland tract of fairly well raised delta land of old formation is land of slow moving rivers, the beds of which are often out of reach due to the forces of the tides. Hoogly is the main river which passes through the district from north to south.
Language and Religion:
Main languages spoken in the district are Bengali, Hindi, Oriya, Punjabi and Urdu. But very common is Bengali. The people of different community always speak their own language when they interact within their own community where as in common or interaction with different community Bengali language serve as communicating language medium.
Different religious group or community lived in this district and they are distributed in different places of this district. The following table shows the population distribution according to religion or religious group:
Table: 2.2 Distribution of Religious Group in the District
Religious Group
No.
Hindu
54,95,214
Muslims
17,59,839
Christians
14,645
Sikhs
7,135
Buddhists
3,644
Jains
927
Others religions & persuasions
443
Not stated
34
Flora & Fauna:
The main floras of this area are Mango tree, Black berry tree, Jackfruit tree, Sal tree, Guava tree, Neem tree, Wood apple tree, Babla tree, Segun tree, Coconut tree, Betel nut tree, Banana tree, Bamboo bush and many more locally grow trees are main flora of this area. Now as day’s different types of hybrid trees like cotton tree also enrich this area.
This area is covered with plain land as well as water land, so both type of fauna of this area are found. In case of plain land goat, dog, cow, fox, buffalo, cat, rat, rabbit, squirrel, different types of snakes and lizards, etc are very common. Different types of birds like hen, pigeon, duck, night angle, parrot, etc also very much common. The aquatic fauna mainly dominated by different types of fish, snakes, etc.
Communications:
The district has grown in importance because of the port facilities. There is also a very important airport. The airport is of international status and used as passenger traffic. There are two other airports in the district, one in Barackpur, which is mainly reserved for cargo traffic and for army or military force purpose. There is third aerodrome in Kanchrapara. It is also reserved for training and cargo traffic purpose. In addition to that, there are several leading strips in the district. In a great portion of the district, the waterways, such as estuaries, rivers and creeks are the main and often the only means of communication, on account of the growing importance of the suburbs a large number of ferries play in the district. Small powered motorboats in the ferries mostly carry the internal traffic of goods and men. The greater part of the inland traffic is carried by country boats, which can carry as much as 150tonners. The local boats called Pansi and Dingi are used in the rivers for passenger’s traffic. Regarding railway route, the Eastern Railway lines generate in the following routs from Sealdah Railway Station – 1) Sealdah – Ranagahat – Krishnagar 2) Sealdah – Bongaon, 3) Sealdah – Dankuni (Cord), 4) Sealdah – Diamond Harbour, 5) Sealdah – Budge Budge, 6) Sealdha – Laksmikantapur via Baruipur, 7)Sealdah – Canning via Sonarpur, 8) Sealdah – Barast – Basirhat – Hasnabad.
Roads connect Al the sub-division headquarters of the district and all the police stations in the northern portion of the district. In the southern part of the district roads due to river courses do not connect a few police station. The state Highway viz. Barrackpur Trunk Road (BT Road) passes through the district. There are two main National Highway passes through this district and they are NH 34 and NH 35. The NH 35 & NH34 also very close to the studied area and it is a international significance because it is the cross the border of Indo – Bangladesh in Bongaon subdivision and the port is situated and Petrapole. Today the Indo-Bangladesh Transit Visa Passengers and Normal Visa Passengers utilize this port. The trade between these two nations is also giving a special importance of this border base land port.
Works and occupation:
Majority of the main workers are engaged in agricultural pursuits. Rice, wheat, pulses, oil seeds, jute (fibers) are main crops of this district. Different types of fruit and vegetables also cultivate in this area. The land support to cultivate different types of seasonal flowers and it is new horizon of cultivation for business purpose today. The total amount of agricultural land in this district is 953.37 thousand hector, the forestland is about 44.71%.
THE VILLAGE (study area)
Administrative Location of the Villages:
Name : Gopalnagar
Mouja Name : Dhikhen khamar kolla
Gram Panchayat : Gopalnagar
Post Office : Gopalnagar
Police Station : Gopalnagar
Sub-division : Bongaon
Block : Bongaon
District : North 24-Parganas
Village Boundary:
This village had well defined boundaries. Agricultural fields surrounded the villages. Six neighbouring village surrounded these villages. palla, sripalli, bhardhanberia, batkemari, sunderpur, kalopur.north.
Major Public Place in the village:
Among the religious institutions there is one "kalibari" in the entrance of the village Gopalnagar. There is another place at the center of the village where the worshiped or God Kali. Now they also worship different God and Goddesses of Hindu community. There is many Mashzid in this village in the boundary of these village
In gopalnagar there is a market ,name gopal nagar bazaar. such it is a very famous market.. The villages of gopalnagar always prefer to marketing at bongaon(Adjoining town in the north side)in case of some big amount of shopping. But in case of gopangagar a regular market is present and it is also known as gopalnagar bazar. The people of this village collect their daily needs from this market.there is a hat in 2 days in a week, thrusday and Sunday is found in this area. They have to go at Madia gohata; it is a very famous hut for selling and buying cow, goat and other pastoral animals. Bhanderkholla Weekly market held on every Monday and Thursday. All of the products available in the hat, are divided into two categories i.e., domestic and non-domestic products. The people of local areas could trade their agricultural products and other products here. The bidi binder also get their raw materials from here.
The Village have 2 high school,one is Gopalnagar Haripada Institution and another is Gopalnagar Girbala balika bidayalaya.there are 4 primary schools,shree shree sarada sishu sikha niketan,sasticharan prathamik bidayalaya,vhubanmohini prathamik bidayalaya,Haripada sanglagna prathamik bidyalaya,.. Midday Meal also serve to them. In these centers the education is full free and supply of learning materials also given to the students with free of cost. The school gopalnagar Haripada Institution established in1926, Before independent .it is have V standard to XII standard. Bellow of class X only male student and upto X standard the male female student get their education. Under the primary schools, boys and girls could get their education from this institution.The students have to go at Gopalnagar haripada institution High School (V – XII Class) for further study. For graduation they have to go Bongaon Dinabandhu Mahavidyalaya.
The villagers of Gopalnagar organized many club like Pragati Sangha, There are above 230 members. The club have govt . registered A few number of young football player of these villages played in the different other neighbouring clubs who participated in sub-divisional football association organized tournaments. The club organized different religious activities side by side their games and sports activities. Like Sarwasati Puja, Kalipuja, Durga puja organized by them (though these religious function actually practiced by Hindu community). The boys and girls of studied community actively participate in such programs. A fair held at Gopalnagar ‘Bhivuti mela’ village every year in the month of December 23 in the remember of the great author Bhivuti Bhusan Bandhayapadya (in the occasion of Christmas).
The healthcare system of these villages are moderate . because there is no such well health care center like nursing home,hospital, in the case of serious patient the near hospital is ‘Bongaon Mohokuma Haspatal (Bongaon Sub-divisional Hospital)’ it is near about 6 km distance from the study area. There is some doctors dispensaries. And the villagers are depended on them. The Panchayat serves only primary steps in this purpose. The nearest sub-divisional hospital situated at Bongaon and it is near about 6 k.m. distance.
The drainage system is also very poor. The condition of the road is very poor .that is a metalled road but there is carven or hole in every space of the road .though it is the national high way 34.But in the recent time a planned will sanction.
The inter village communication for the males dominated with cycle where as rickshaw van used by all of them. Nearest Bus Stop are Gopalnagar kalibari, Gopalnagar station. The nearest Railway Station is Gopalnagar(Eastern Railway). In case of telecommunication only Hindu community have some personal telephone but in Muslim community no such facilities enjoyed by them. The television, radio, and newspapers serve as communication medium for them. The people of all communities know how the world is going through such printing or visual mediums.
The People:
The village Gopalnagar is a multiethnic in nature .The villages generally occupied by Hindu, but other ethnic groups also reside there. The people of Gopalnagar was migrated or came from mainly Bangladesh or Purbo Pakisthan in this area and due course of time they settled here permanently.
During my study of this society, they informed me that they are migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma.etc. They cannot trace out the exact year of migration of them. There are only three families, who are emigrated from Bangladesh. It has been taking place before 1971 and all the families migrated together.
The people of Gopalnagar exchange their views in Bangla language with each other.there is a caste system of this village that is Brahimn, Baisha, Khatrya, Sudra. In my study the sample of bidi binder is a huge amount of SC.. The young males wear shirt, pant, the older male ware dhuti etc. and young females wear churidar, nighty, the older female blouse, slawar, , etc. During the fieldwork there is no wearing of tradition dress is observed. They used ring, earring, churi, necklace, etc. They consume rice, different type of vegetables, like potato, cabbage, onion, ladies finger, tomato, brinjal, green chili, cumber, etc. as their daily main course of food. Animal proteins like different type of fishes, egg, meat. They also consume different types of sweets and they take there traditional cake called pithe ,payas ,etc.. For drinking water they used the water from tube well. For other domestic purpose they use the water of local ponds.
The main livestock of these studied villages are cow, goat, pigeon, hen, pig, etc.. They enjoy fishing during rainy season. The female folk catch fishes during rainy season form paddy field and local canals. It supports their economy very much in this period.
The society mainly depends on agricultural related jobs. Both male and female members of the family earn for their livelihood. It most striking point that the people of these society. Migrated here as agriculture labourers and most of them continued their previous job where as a portion of them now change their occupation due to different causes, one of that is bidi binding. The new occupations like Government employ, Van Rickshaw Puller, Day Labourers etc. are popular to them. Due to sacristy of work in this area a large part of the younger generation migrated in the different states of cities (Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata etc) for a new occupation.