Ranaghat

After the independence of India, Ranaghat was chosen to be the district capital of Nadia, but later Krishnanagar city was selected instead.

Ranaghat has existed since the British invaded India. The most likely origin for the name of the town comes from Rani (Queen) or Rana (a Rajput warrior) and Ghat (steps leading to the river). A myth is still prevalent that the name of the town came from the bandit 'Rana Dacoit', who used to pillage this area five or six hundred years back and he used to give pujas to the goddess Kali to thank her.[2]

A large percentage of the population are the families of Hindu refugees from Bangladesh, who fled during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 with Pakistan. There are also many families who had extensive ties to foreign investments in the town. Ranaghat also played an important role in the Indian struggle for freedom.[3]

This is the home town of some notable Bengali people. Film actress Raakhee Gulzar was born and brought up in a refugee colony in Ranaghat.[4] Athlete and olympian Soma Biswas is from Ranaghat. Poet Joy Goswami was brought up in the town near Chotobazar area. Krishna Panti was known as one of the "5 Great Noblemen of Bengal." He and his descendants the Pal-Chaudhuri family donated land and built many of the town's temples. He was given the title Pal-Chaudhuri and became Zamindar over a huge area of Nadia. Employing Scottish architects, he built palatial buildings, temples and gardens, which are some of the only such buildings in the region to remain mostly intact.

Ranaghat and Taherpur police stations have jurisdiction over Ranaghat, Birnagar, Taherpur and Ranaghat I CD Block.[5][6] The total area covered by the Ranaghat police station is 250 km² and the population covered was 624,151 in 2001.[7]

As of 2001 India census,[8] Ranaghat had a population of 68,754.[9] Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Ranaghat had an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy was 87%, and female literacy was 80%. In Ranaghat, 8% of the population was under 6 years old.

In the 2011 census, Ranaghat Urban Agglomeration had a population of 235,583, out of which 119,578 were male and 116,005 were female. The 0–6 years population was 18,575. Effective literacy rate for the 7+ population was 86.10%. Male literacy was 89.77% and female literacy at 82.33%[10]

The following municipalities, notified area, outgrowths and census towns were part of Ranaghat Urban Agglomeration in 2011 census: Ranaghat (M), Birnagar (M), Cooper's Camp (NA), Magurkhali (OG), Ranaghat (CT) (CT), Hijuli (CT), Aistala (CT), Satigachha (CT), Nasra (CT), Panpara (CT), Raghabpur (CT), Kamgachhi (CT), Anulia (CT) and Halalpur Krishnapur (CT).[11]

Churni Bridge

Siddeshwari Temple

A farmland in Shankarpur, Ranaghat outskirt

Ranaghat is an important place of business. Small traders from nearby towns and villages purchase goods from Ranaghat Town Bazar. Both wholesale and retail business have developed here. The economy of Ranaghat and its surrounding region is mostly based on agriculture. Paddy (rice), flour, wheat and fruits are produced by farmers outside the main township. Various dairy products are transported to Kolkata every morning. A cold storage had been renovated by former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya at Nokari village, located on east half of the town.

The Department of Food Processing Industries of India was planning to set up a market complex exclusively for florists in Ranaghat.[12] Ranaghat has one of the most capturing market of flowers in West Bengal.[13]

Another industry which receives immense government patronage is handicraft and boutiques. At least a 1000 people depend on this for their livelihood. Aishtala (situated on the west bank of river Churni) is a place for textile weaving. Moreover, ready-made garments are trendy clothes of late became very popular among the teens and youths.[14]

Front View

Pal Chaudhary High School

Bharati High School

Ranaghat College Entrance

St Mary's English School

Brojobala Girls' High School

The town has a large number of primary and high schools and a college for higher education.

Cricket and football are the most popular sports in Ranaghat. Karate has been a great interest amongst the youth of Ranaghat since the 1980s. Since then many boys and girls have excelled in this field and brought laurels for Ranaghat even from national and international arena.

• Joy Goswami, poet of Bengali literature
• Mausumi Dikpati, scientist at the High Altitude Observatory[23] operated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, USA
• Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri, ancestral place for this Indian-Canadian-British director and photographer
• Rakhee Gulzar, film actress
• Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyaya, a Bengali author best known for his biography of Rabindranath Tagore
• Soma Biswas, an internationally recognized athlete
• Susmita Bose, Indian-American scientist, Herbert and Brita Lindholm endowed Chair Professor, Washington State University
• Indranil Biswas, Indian-American Microbiologist. Fulbright Scholar.
• Nikhil Nandy, Indian Olympian

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ranaghat.

Ranaghat travel guide from Wikivoyage

• Ranaghat on Google Maps
• Ranaghat Sub Division Official HomePage