Nabadwip

It is known from the Deopara stone slab of Rajshahi district that Raja Samanta Sena, a resident of Karnataka, lived in the Ganges-Pulin in his last years when he was defeated by his tenants and zamindars. According to the eminent historian Harprasad Shastri, Samanta Sen lived on the shores of Bhagirathi, probably in Nabadwip in his last years.[10] Prior to Gour, Nabadwip was the capital of Sena dynasty during the reigns of Ballal Sen and Lakshman Sen. They ruled Bengal from here in the period from 1159 to 1206. The Ballal Dhipi in the Bamanpukur area adjacent to Nabadwip, which is associated with the history of Sen dynasty, has been protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.[11] During the reign of Lakshman Sen, in 1202 AD, Bakhtiyar Khalji invaded and plundered Nabadwip and defeated Lakshman Sen, a victory that led to Muslim rule in Bengal. At that time the prosperity of Nabadwip was particularly damaged. During the Muslim rule, various temples, golden monasteries and idols of Bengal and Nabadwip were destroyed.[12]

The birth of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is an important chapter of the fifteenth century. With the advent of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Vaishnava culture was well established in Nabadwip. However, even before the birth of Mahaprabhu, during the reign of Jalaluddin Fateh Shah (1481–87), royal fear appeared in Nabadwip. The ruling society and the Brahmin society obstructed the spread of Vaishnava culture in Nabadwip at that time.[13] Many Brahmin scholars and common people had to leave Nabadwip at that time due to the oppression of the king. However, when Chand Kazi, the then ruler of Nabadwip, issued an order to the Vaishnava community to stop chanting, Mahaprabhu went to Kazi's house with his companions and convinced the Kazi to allow the chanting, which is the first instance of civil disobedience movement in the history of India.[14] During Chaitanya and later, various Pandits-Sadhaks-Vidyalankars and Sanskrit Pandits were born in Nabadwip. During the period of Chaitanya, Basudev Sarvabhauma, Raghunath Shiromani, Raghunandan etc. and later Krishnananda Agamavagisha, Buno Ramnath etc., Nabadwip became the main center of Sanskrit practice and learning.[15] At the time of Raja Rudra Roy, there were four thousand students and six hundred professors teaching in Nabadwip, leading to its nickname as the "Oxford of Bengal".[16]

Buno Ramnath, Shankara Tarkabagish and other scholars and logicians made the name of Nabadwip famous in the eighteenth century. Shakti worship spread in Nabadwip during the time of Raja Krishnachandra of Nadia royal family. During the reign of Raja Krishnachandra Roy and later Raja Girish Chandra, the popularity, glory and pomp of Shakta Rash increased. Various temples and idols were established in that time.[17]

Hinduism is majority religion in Nabadwip city with 98.97% followers. Islam is second most popular religion in city of Nabadwip with approximately 0.79% following it. In Nabadwip city, Christianity is followed by 0.04%, Jainism by 0.00%, Sikhism by 0.01% and Buddhism by 0.00%. Around 0.01% stated Other Religion, approximately 0.18% stated No Particular Religion.

Nabadwip PS Map

Nabadwip police station has jurisdiction over Nabadwip municipality and the Nabadwip CD block.[22][23] The total area covered by the police station is 102.94 km² and the population covered is 260,843 (2001 census).[24]

Shakta Rash is the most celebrated age-old festival of Nabadwip, celebrated thirty-five days after the autumnal Durga puja celebration, or fifteen days after Kali puja in Kartik Purnima. The main feature of the festival is to make huge idols of different types of goddesses and to worship Shakti. After the patronize of Raja Krishnachandra Roy and mainly Girish Chandra Basu, Nabadwip Shakta Rash became more popular and glorious.[28]

Left: Notkona fruit, specially found in Ratha Yatra in Nabadwip; Right: The Ratha-Yatra of Jagannath In Nabadwip features unusual images with hands.[29]

Although Ratha Yatra is the main festival of Odisha, still Nabadwip have a pride of Ratha Yatra because of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Nearly 20-25 Ratha Chariots are bloom in this occasion. Here in Nabadwip one can found some exceptions like full hand idols of Lord Jagannatha. Here another speciality is a fruit called "Notkona" which is specially found in this eve, mainly brought from Assam. This Fruit is a vital part of Eastern part of Bengali.[29]

Nabadwip Dham railway station is the main railway station of Nabadwip. The railway inaugurated in 1913. It is situated 105 km from Howrah on the Bandel-Katwa Branch Line.[30] Nabadwip Dham Railway Station is seventh longest railway station of India (2362 ft). Bishnupriya railway station is another Halt station of Nabadwip, 107 km from howrah junction and 38 km from katwa junction.

Nabadwip Dham is 65 km from Bandel,105 km from Howrah and 112 km from Sealdah on the Bandel-Katwa-Azimganj section of Eastern Railway.[31] It has very good railway communication with North Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Odisha and Kolkata.[32]

There is a good bus services in Nabadwip. From Nabadwip bus stand, it connect with Krishnanagar, Shantipur, Phulia, Ranaghat, Chakdaha, Nadanghat, Kusumgram, Bardhaman, Karimpur, Samudragarh, Memari, Tarapith Via Katwa etc. A long-distance bus services like Durgapur, Asansol, Tarakeswar, Siliguri, Dinhata Via Berhampur, Maldah, Coochbehar, Bolpur, Puruliya, Bankura, Suri, Gangarampur provided here.