Midnapore

Midnapore is located at 22.25°N 87.65°E / 22.25; 87.65 and is 23 metres above sea-level.

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

Map of Paschim Medinipur district showing Midnapore

The climate follows a hot tropical monsoon weather pattern. Summers last from April to mid-June with diurnal highs ranging from the upper 30s°C to the mid 40s°C and lows in the low 30s°C. Daily heat is often followed by evening rains known as kalboishakhis or dust-storms (loo). Monsoon rains can last from mid-June to late August or even September, with rains from the southeast monsoon contributing most of the annual rainfall of around 1500 mm. Winters last for 2 to 3 months and are mild; typical lows are from 8 °C – 14 °C. Allergies are common in winter and spring due to the high content of particulate dust in the air.

Soils near the Kangsabati River are alluvial with a high-degree of clay or sand, whereas soils towards Rangamati are lateritic. Vegetation includes eucalyptus and sal forests on the northwest side of town. The sal forests form part of the Dalma Hills, Bengal-Jharkhand Range. Arabari, the forest range which was the site of India's first Joint Forest Management scheme, is only 30 km away. Elephant attacks on humans are common in this area, although the town itself has never been attacked. Hordes of marauding elephants attacking human habitation in villages in Midnapore district have come as close to the town as Gurguripal, 6 km away.

Midnapore Railway Station

Midnapore Station Platform

Midnapore railway station is connected not only to larger cities in the region, but also to smaller towns and villages in the district. This railway station is situated on the Kharagpur–Bankura–Adra line. Many local and passenger trains ply all day between Howrah and Midnapore as well as Adra and Midnapore. Apart from these local trains, many major express trains also pass through Midnapore including the Jhargram-Medinipur Jangalmahal Express, Delhi-Puri Nandan Kanan Express, Howrah-Lokmanya Tilak T Samarsatta Express, Puri-Patna Express, Ernakulam-Patna Express, Malda Town-DIgha Express etc. Midnapore is close to Kharagpur, a major hub of the South Eastern Railway is 13 kilometres.

At present the Midnapore Railway Section is undergoing a development process. The station complex is undergoing modernisation. The platforms are being increased in length. Work is in process to double the railway line between Kharagpur Junction and Midnapore railway station. Apart from an existing railway bridge on the Kangsabati river, a new double line railway bridge has been constructed (carrying traffic from 4 March 2012) to smoothen the railway traffic.

Selected thoroughfares of Midnapore have been expanded and maintained in an ongoing "Megacity" project started in 1997. The major roads are now upgraded, well lighted and one way with divider. A long-awaited flyover connecting Rangamati over the railway gate minimised the traffic congestion at rush hours. Some of the smaller roads in the city are still unpaved and are difficult to use during and after the monsoon months. To compound the problems faced by inhabitants there are a limited number of bridges crossing the Kasai River affording entry from Howrah and Kolkata (NH6). Nevertheless, the ongoing construction of the new interstate highway system which passes by Midnapore has reduced the time it takes for inhabitants to reach Kolkata. A set of traffic control signals was recently installed in the city, and this helps control traffic. Motorized and bicycle traffic has been increasing in recent years. Within the city, previously cycle rickshaws were one of the few modes of public transportation since effective lobbying by rickshaw-pullers who depend on this for their livelihood had prevented the introduction of town buses and auto rickshaws. Now auto-rickshaws covering the different routes of the city like Railway station, Vidyasagar University, Amtala, Central bus stand, Battala, golkunwar chawk, sipoy bazar by sharing basis, which is a big boost for the city's development.

Chapaleswar (Shiva) temple, Karnagarh

The Chapaleswar and Mahamaya temples at Karnagarh built in the Odisha style of temple architecture aka Kalinga Architecture, 10 km north of the town, are two of the most popular temples. Both were built in the 10th century by Karna Keshari of Keshari/Soma Vamsi Dynasty of Odisha.[13] This temple is also of historic importance as being a hotspot of the Chuar Revolt during the Indian Independence Movement.

Outstanding Hindu and Jain temples are also located in the village of Pathra, a few kilometres from the town. Hundreds of small temples dating back into antiquity are located here but many are in a state of disrepair due in part to lack of any sort of preservation, succumbing to the waters of the Kasai River, and theft of bricks by locals. An NGO Pathra Archaeological Preservation Committee, founded by Yeasin Pathan, has successfully persuaded the Archaeological Survey of India to restore the temples. 2,000,000 Indian rupees were donated for this cause in 1998 and many of the temples have been restored. Remarkably secluded in location, this archaeological site is rarely visited as it is inaccessible and little known outside of the immediate area.

The Jagannath Temple at Nutan Bazar was built in 1851, possibly at the request of a descendant of the Ganga dynasty of Odisha.[13] Other temples from the eighteenth century include the Hanuman-jeu Temple in Mirzabazar, the Shitala temple at Barabazar, and the Habibpur Kali Temple.[13] One of the oldest temples in the town is the Rukmini temple at Nutanbazar which was built in the 17th century.[13] The Ramakrishna Mission also has a temple adjacent to an elementary and high school. The goddess Kali at the Battala temple is an important temple in the locality, but is a more recent addition.

There are numerous mazars and dargahs dotting the city. Jora Masjid is the most notable in the town and is the site of a notable annual urs. Among the mazars, Dewan Baba's mazar near the District Court and Fakir Kua near the bus terminus are locally revered. According to local legend, the water of the well at Fakir Kua majar has mysterious healing powers, although the veracity of this claim is debatable. There are two old churches in the town. St. John's Church, Midnapore was built in 1851 and the Medinipur Baptist Church which was built in 1863. In the heyday of Brahmo Samaj, Midnapore became a major centre of this society. Rishi Rajnarayan Basu, one of the luminaries in the Brahmo Samaj movement, worked as the head master of the Zilla School. The dilapidated hall of Brahmo Samaj, "Brahmo Samaj Mandir" near Midnapore Collegiate School is a silent reminder of the Brahmo presence of yesteryears. Some of the old administrative and educational buildings dating back more than 150 years are still functioning today.

The royal ruins at Gopegarh Heritage Park

A view of the Kasai from Gopegarh Heritage Park

Life, in general, is slow-paced in Midnapore, as a sort of tribute to the mofussil provincial heart of the city. Midnaporeans in general are laid-back and friendly. It is not uncommon for shops to open late and to close during the hours of the afternoon in the hotter months of the year. Also shops can close for tea and sporting events such as cricket and World Cup football. Tea-shops and paan-stalls abound and there is a high concentration of mishtir dokaan (sweet-shops). Here you can find one of the very notable sweets in Bengal – 'Khirayer Gogjaa'.Adda or Bengali gossip is prevalent and widely enjoyed.

The native local Odia dialect is termed as Midnapori Odia. The local dialect of Bengali is different from standard Kolkata pronunciation and though not as Odia-centric as the dialects of Contai and Dantan, but shows similarities with Odia. Speech is very informal and the talebossho, murdhenoshho, and dontesho are often pronounced differently from the standardised West Bengal dialect.

A significant fraction of the population of the undivided district descended from Vaishnavites – the followers of Shri Chaitanya – although they follow the rituals and caste system of mainstream Hinduism now. Odia people of Midnapore are native of the place and merged with migrant Bengalis during British occupation to form a unique culture. In fact, since the area was part of Odisha earlier, it is better described as a mix of Bengali and Odia culture. There are Marwari and Bhojpuri speakers and a number of speakers of Hindi in the town as well. Many of the Muslims of the town speak in a pidgin dialect with a mixture of Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, and Bhojpuri words.

Since many Midnaporeans are fond of walking, a number of parks have come up in recent years.Gopegarh Heritage Park is a good picnic spot for families and youth and was opened in 2001. Booking for picnic spot and boating facilities can be arranged at the ticket counter. The most popular park of the town is Sukumar Sengupta Smriti Uddan (popularly known as Police Line Park) which is near to Central Bus Stand. Other parks are Sishu Uddan and Khudiram Park. Many people can also be seen in the cooler morning and evening hours walking near the riverfront.

There are a number of major theatres in the town including the Aurora, Mahua and Hari Cinema Hall. But Aurora, Mahua are closed now, only Hari Cinema Hall is still running A number of private and government operated halls include the Zilla Parishad Hall, Vivekandanda Hall (inside Midnapore College), and Vidyasagar Hall. These are often the venue for numerous cultural events like the hosting of dramas, concerts, poetry-recitals, and dance programs. Some of these are venues for numerous "Melas" or canivals hosted each year on adjacent grounds such as the Midnapore College-collegiate ground, Church School ground (for the Christmas fair), and the river ground (for large political assemblies).

The bank of Kangsabati River (also variously known as Kasai and Cossye) is great for sightseeing and fishing and a common destination for picnics during the Christmas and New Year's breaks. The bank is being eroded by new construction, brick-kilns and new communities.

In the last one year City life, Metro bazzar, reliance trends, Hoffman, like supermarkets have come up and few others to start become the places of time pass and shopping like any other malls in major cities.

Rangamati Sarbajanin Durga Puja, 2003

Mednapore has its unique food culture which people outside the city do not know about. People have their own eating styles which is way different from those living in Kolkata or other parts of the state. There are many amazing dishes and cooking styles which have evolved from this place. Some of the notable ones are "Maacher Tel Jhal" cooked in West Midnapore and "Maacher Tok", a spicy and tangy dish prepared by using dried mangoes or raw mangoes with the fish which is cooked in the East Midnapore. Another unique dish is the "Posto Bati" which is very different from the "Posto Bata" or posto paste (opium seeds) which everyone else in Bengal knows about. Also Khirer Goja is a unique sweet of Midnapore Town.

In the month of Asadh, (roughly corresponding to mid-September), Rathayatra is celebrated as is the case in the rest of Odisha. A fair is hosted near the local Jagannath temple. And during Christmas, a fair on the grounds of Nirmal Hriday Ashram is well participated. The church is opened to all on this occasion and people from all communities gather in the prayer hall to view the murals narrating the life of Jesus. The resident students recreate the scene of Jesus' birth with clay models.

Apart from that, the regular festivals like Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, and Kali Puja are well attended. In the last few years, local clubs and communities have competed with each other for designing the best Durga Puja murtis (idols), mandaps (interior of abode), and pandals (bamboo and cloth makeshift enclosures) with hundreds of thousands of rupees often being spent by each club. In recent times, the Pujas hosted by Rangamati Sharbajanin Club, Keranitola, Burdge Town, Chottobazaar, Raja Bazaar, Bidhan Nagar, Ashok Nagar, and Judge's Court have been highly rated. Other common Pujas in the worship of Shitala, Jagaddhatri, Holi, Janmashtami, Manasa, Kartika, and Ganesh are common but not such a major cause of celebration.

Vishwakarma Puja is popular in the city. Unlike in Kolkata, Vishwakarma Puja is not celebrated with flying kites. With respect to its tribal history, people in Midnapur fly Kites to celebrate "Mage Porob","Baa Porob","Baraam Puja", the day of a "Ho" tribal god. This is on the last day of the month of Poush, i.e. Poush Sankranti. Apart from kite-flying, a fair is also held on Poush Sankranti. It has a rural flavour and is characterised by the trading of handicraft and household goods. The items of trade include spades, knives and other iron tools, combs and other goods made of buffalo-horn, baskets (jhuri and dhama) and platters for husking (kula) made of bamboo and cane, etc. Bheema Puja is another Puja that is not widespread elsewhere.

And many more religious festivals are held in Midnapore each year. Urs of the venerated saint Syed Shah Murshed Ali Alquadri Al Jilani son of Syed Shah Mehr Ali Alquadri Al Baghdadi is a major occasion for Bengali Muslims of West Bengal and Bangladesh. This is held each year near the Jora masjid (twin mosques). Milad-un-Nabi is also celebrated with the bursting of fireworks. Many devout Muslims observe fasts during the month of Ramadan, which ends in celebration at Eid ul-Fitr. Eid ul-Adha locally known as Bakhri-Eid is also celebrated. During the Remembrance of Muharram, processions throng the streets enacting mock stick-fights in remembrance of Husayn ibn Ali.

Science Block of Vidyasagar University

• Vidyasagar University is the only university of the city. It has a campus in the western part of the city. There are 39 colleges in the districts of East Midnapore and West Midnapore, affiliated to this university.
• On 18 May 2022, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was on an official tour in the city, declared that Midnapore College will be granted University status.

• Midnapore College was created out of the Midnapur Collegiate School in 1873. Though an autonomous Institute was previously under Vidyasagar University and, Calcutta University. It is located in Raja Bazaar, a busy area of the city.
• Industrial Training Institute, Midnapore is a technical vocational institute located in Rangamati.
• Midnapore Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital.
• Midnapore Law College is a relatively recent addition. This is situated at its new campus built at Rangamati.
• Midnapore Medical College and Hospital is a newborn institute, the newest medical college in West Bengal. After a lot of controversy regarding its recognition by the Medical Council of India, it has finally been permitted to conduct the MBBS course under section 10 (A) for 2005–06. Recently, BSc Nursing course has also been started.
• Raja Narendra Lal Khan Mahila Mahavidyalaya (Gope College:)- This is the only Women's College in the district. The lavish campus is located on premises donated by the Raaj rulers of Narajole.
• Vidyasagar Institute of Health, Rangamati, offers courses in Medical and Paramedical Technology.
• Oriental Institute of Science and Technology – offers postgraduate courses on Biotechnology and Biochemistry.
• Vidyasagar Teachers' Training College also known as BEd College.
• Medinipur Sadar Government Polytechnic – technical college in Midnapore town
• Midnapore Art College

• DAV Public School, Midnapore, This is the only CBSE affiliated school in Midnapore city managed by DAVCMC, New Delhi. This school was established in the year 1993 and initially it was sponsored & managed by Midnapore Marwari Sammelan. Later on after a year or two, it came under the control of DAVCMC, New Delhi.
• Gurguripal High School.
• Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Paschim Medinipur
• Midnapore Collegiate School (for boys) established in 1834, is one of the oldest schools in Bengal as well as India. The students and teachers of this school made contributions in Indian Freedom Movement during the British Rule. Khudiram Bose, a martyr in the freedom struggle is one of the notable alumni of this school.
• Midnapur Collegiate Girls' High School
• Midnapore Town School
• Mission Girls' High School is one of the girls' schools. Mahasweta Devi, Magsaysay Award recipient completed elementary school here.
• Keranitola Shree Shree Mohanananda Vidyamandir
• Sri Narayan Vidyabhaban Boys' High School
• Nirmal Hriday Ashram Catholic Church High School is a school run by Catholic missionaries and has both girls' and boys' section. It runs a primary section in the morning. Locally it is known as the "Church school".
• Rangamati Kironmoyee High School, popularly known as Rangamati High School.
• Aligunj Rishi Raj Narayan Balika Vidyalaya, popularly known as Aligung Girls School, is another school for girls.-
• Ramakrishna Mission Vidyabhaban, Midnapore.
• Vidyasagar Shishu Niketan: ICSE & ISC affiliated school in the city. One of the best in the district.
• Vidyasagar Vidyapith, popularly known as Bangla School is also a rather old institute. This has separate boys' and girls' section.
• Vidyasagar Vidyapith Girls' High School