Ichapore

Ichapore
Town
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	North 24 Parganas
Elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Languages
• Official	Bengali, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Telephone code	91 33
Website	north24parganas.nic.in

Ichapore (also written as Ichapur) (Bengali: ইছাপুর) is a town, near the River Ganges, in Barrackpore subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. This town is famous for two ordnance factories, viz. the Ishapore Rifle Factory (RFI) and the Metal and Steel Factory (MSF) of the gigantic Ordnance Factories Board. The town has a population of around 100,000 and is densely populated.

Overview

This town is also referred to as Ishapore with anglicized spelling. The majority of the population in Ichapore are Bengalis and they speak Bengali as their native language. The town is connected to Kolkata and nearby cities by railroad as well as paved highway. The distance between Ichapur and Sealdah Railway Stations is approximately 27 km. The various other neighbourhoods in Ishapore apart from The Nawabganj (Nawabgunj) <https://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Nawabganj,_North_24_Parganas> are known as The Park Estate, The Palta Park Estate, Kanthadhar, Badamtala, Chunaripara, The Northland Estate, The Eastland Estate, The Store Bazar, Goyalapara, Maniktala, Majherpara,Debitala, Indrapuri, Anandamath etc.

Nawabganj, by the river, has one of the oldest residential buildings of the city. As the name implies, the Nawabs (local Kings) had their residence in this area. There are still relics from the old days in this part of the city. In the adjoining Park area, Cannons from the 18th. Century (from the 1857 battles)can still be found. A stroll by the river in Nawabganj <https://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Nawabganj,_North_24_Parganas> is very pleasant, peaceful, cultural, spiritual, architectural, social, scenically and educationally delightful destination for everyone. One of the most popular fair in this area is Jhulan Mela that takes place in Nawabganj during the month of August–September. This tradition is more than a hundred fifty years old and draws thousands of people and businesses to this fair. Rows of businesses set up their stalls along the main road of Nawabganj. The fair ends on the day of Janmashthami. Nawabganj is also the place where traditional Durga/Jagadhatri/Saraswati idols are immersed in the river Ganges on Dashami ending Durga Puja celebration.

There are numerous schools which caters to the need of the residents viz., The Sridhar Banshidhar High School (estd.1880 A.D.), Nawabgunj High School, Rifle Factory High School, Anandamath Vidyapith, Northland High School, Bibhukinkar High School and Sridhar Banshidhar High School, two exclusively Girl's schools viz.-Nawabganj Girls High School (Nawabganj Balika Vidyalaya,Bahumukhi), and Northland Girls and two Kendriya Vidyalayas viz. The Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1 Ishapore, 4th The Park, REDIRECT 1, and K.V. No.2, Eastland.. There are trade schools run by the ordnance factories. Some neighbourhoods like The Nawabganj (The Nawabganj General Library or The Nawabganj Sadharan Granthagar estd. 1932) and anadamath run their own public libraries.

Most part of the city is urbane in nature. There are quite a few dining places suitable for family as well as young adult population. Abhiruchi is one of the most popular food joint in Ichapur. Another popular places are Sonar Tori and Madol Situated near Chowmatha. These are Restaurant-cum-Bar, though most customers are here for drink. Hotels are few in numbers though guest houses are available for business visitors. As for place of worships, there are few Hindu Temples, one Mosque (Muslim) and one Gurudawara (Shikh). The nearest Christian Church is in Barrackpore.Sazid's meat shop is very famous for fresh meat at badamtala.

The two Ordnance factories, the lifeline of the city, have been a model of "corporate responsibility" for over a hundred years. They provide excellent amenities for their workers including quality housing and extensive recreational facilities. The Metal and Steel Factory (MSF) is a unique facility that supplies metallic parts to other Ordnance factories throughout the nation. The Rifle Factory (RFI) makes rifles and guns for the Defense sector and for recreational purposes. Weapons tested and later produced here for the Indian Army included the Vickers-Berthier light machine gun, turned down by the British Army in favour of the Bren gun on performance grounds. The largest production was of the Indian version (in various guises and marks) of the Lee Enfield rifle. The recent model from the stable of Ishapore Rifle Factory is famous INSAS which is the mainstay in Indian Army as well as other security forces of India.

Geography

Ichapore is located at 22.81°N 88.37°E / 22.81; 88.37. It has an average elevation of 12 m (39 ft).

Banks and Financial Houses

There are few Banks and financial houses that serve the people living in Ishapore and nearby areas. While State Bank of India is the busiest of all, other banks like Allahabad Bank, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank also have their presence here. SBI Branch opposite Northland Bazar, PNB near Badamtala and Axis Bank in Kanthadhar & Store Bazar have ATM facilities. Allahabad Bank at Kanthadhar and Canara Bank near Badamtala are also easily accessible. The Private institutions do business mainly in the investment area.

Healthcare

The Two Ordnance Factories jointly operate a hospital (both in-patient and out-patient care) as well as few dispensaries. Basic care and surgical services are available here. The Hospital is well staffed and well maintained. Patients requiring advanced treatments are referred to hospitals in Barrackpore or Kolkata. There are also numerous Doctors in private practice and medicine stores spread throughout the city.The North Barrackpore Municipality Hospital situated at G.B Mondal Road offers basic care and surgical services for the patient.Some great doctors giving their care to the patients such as Dr. Samaresh Majumder (Dental), Dr. Abir Roy (General), Dr. Goutam Nayak (General), Dr. Maloy Ghosh( General), Dr. Santanu Roy (General), Dr. Pranab Roy (General),dr.somenath das(general)

North 24 Parganas district has been identified as one of the areas where ground water is affected by arsenic contamination.

Transport

Ichapur is well connected to the nearby city Kolkata by various means of transportation. The most common transport link is through the Sealdah-Ranaghat Line of the suburban railway system which is also the efficient of all.Frequency of each sub urban train is of 5–10 minutes depending on the time of the day. The railway station provides basic amenities to the commuters such as Drinking water, Washroom and overhead sheds.It is also well connected to other cities by roadways and frequent buses and autorickshaws are available for commuters.Cycle rickshaws are also in numbers to cover shorter distances. Though there are shortages of hired cabs but that hardly effects the transport communications.There is a petrol pump near maniktala to serve the vehicles plying on GB Mondal road which is the main arterary of transport. A newly built highway has been set up on the eastern front of the town which connects the town to the Airport on one end and another major town Kalyani on the other.

Culture and Festivals

Almost 80% of the population consists of Bengalis, most of them from East Pakistan(now Bangladesh) who had crossed the border during partition. Local Bengalis are also found in numbers. Being a place with two huge factories, people from various parts of the country also came and got settled here. While majority of migrants are from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, a decent number of people can be found from other parts of the country too. Though the population is diversified in nature but still there are no instance of communal violence. People are very hospitable and live in peace and harmony. As majority of the city population belong to Hindu faith, Durga Puja is the most visible of all festivals. Other notable festivals are Diwali/Kalipuja,Jagaddhatri Puja, Saraswati Puja, Dol jatra/Holi, Rakhi, Eid and Christmas. Another festival that also an integral part of the culture of this town is Jhulan Mela. This social fair is celebrated in the occasion of Lord Krishna’s birthday and continues for 10–15 days. Jhulan Mela of Nawabgunj, ichapur.

Jhulan Mela of Nawabgunj is one of Bengals oldest fairs. Though much of the past glory has faded away, it still upholds the rich traditions of the locales and the locality. It virtually takes the dimension of a pilgrimage during the full-moon phase of Shrabana-Bhadra months (Bengali calender whose time according to the English calender falls during the months of August-September), when thousands of people accumulate here.

Nawabgunj is in the outskirts of Kolkata (aroung 25kms from Kolkata towards North) in North Barrackpore Municipal area. The place is of immense importance as it is surrounded by the river Ganges in the West, Ichapore rifle factory in the north, the Palta water supply (which is the main water reserve of Kolkata) in the south and the Ghospara road (which leads to Shyamnagar) in the east. The place is also connected by the western bank of the river Ganges by ferry service.

It is learnt that this place was once the market place of the Nawabs, so the place derived its name, Nawabgunj; but any concrete historical evidence is unavailable.During the end of the Muslim era, the European businessmen used to visit this place which is evident from the available historical records (District Gazetteers 24-Pargonas). There is a Dutch memorial found here.

It is not known for sure when the fair initiated. But it is heard that the fair was initiated by the Pals. Their Thakurbari is still present but the idols are not there. The main attraction of todays fair is centered round the Mondal-family's Gopinath Jew's Thakurbari foundation. In the year 1257 (Bengali Bangabda) in the month of Asara (June-July) the two brothers Sridhar & Bansidhar Mondal founded the Thakurbari and after 9 years of it the Jhulan Mela started there. Actually the main fair shifted from the Pal's place to this place. Initially it was held for six days but later it extended upto Janmastami. This history is also recorded in the said Gazetteer.

In the year 1845 the Mondal brother duo founded a Devmandir and started to worship Gopinath Jew and Thakurani's idols there by donating 2lakh rupees property at that time. The earnings from this donation is expended in the Idols daily puja, feeding the poor, courtesy to the guests and annual festivals. Every year the festival is performed in a grand fashion.This type of fun and frolic which is held every year in this Jhulan Mela is rarely seen. The celebration of the fair is coupled with theater, jatra, dance-drama, sports etc. Many people from far and wide come to see this fair.Every year different events of the Ramayana and Mahabharata are depicted in the Jhulan by decorating with the earthen idols which are brought from Krishnanagar. Many current events or jokes are also reflected by the idols. The place is visited by lakhs of people in the evening and the Holidays turn to be jam-packed by the visitors during the span of the fair. The Sridhar-Banshidhar road is totally blocked by the stall-owners who offer various objects for sale during this popular fair. .

The Earl of Minto, the then Viceroy visited the Thakurbari with his wife and daughter on 25th February,1906 when the Jhulan Mela was held earlier as display of an extra-ordinary protocol to his visit.The Viceroy was delighted with the grand reception and the display of the clay-models.

There is another Thakurbari which is better known as Ginni-Maa's Thakurbari where Radhagobinda is worshiped. This was founded by wife of a rich man Mahendralal Saha, whose name was Dasumani Dasi on 15th of Baisakh, Bengali year 1327. This lady is known as Ginni-Maa of Nawabgunj. Near the Thakurbari there is Dharmathakur, Maa Sitala, Siddeshweri Kalimaataa's place.Also the Pir-Gazi Saheb is not far away. As per records available the oldest deity of this place is Pir-Gazi Saheb which is even older than Gopinath Gobindo.

The fair now extends for about / over a month from Jhulan to Janmastami. It is a festival of the Baisnabs. This festival commemorates the different Lila's of Krishna Bhagawan. All our festival is somewhat connected to some speciality of nature and this fair-festival is connected to the monsoon. There is a special significance of monsoon according to the Baisnab belief which is nicely reflected here by the warm patronization of two very devoted Baisnab families of this place.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933352948399219649

During the days of Jhulan there are different Saajas (attire) of the deities. The different Lilas of Sree Krishna which he performed in his human life is depicted in these Saajas. There is a pond which is known as Thakurpukur in front of the Thakurbari. There is a Nahabatkhana in its Southern bank. In the morning of Ekadashi the festival is inaugurated with the tune of Nahabat playing "Bhairon". The different Saajas or Beshs of Sree Krishna are respectively Asta Sakhi Shibika Rairaj, Krishnakotal, Naukabilas in the full moon day, Anantasajya, Kaaliadaman, Nanichuri, Gostholila, Bastraharan, Jugal Madhuri etc.

Many people from the adjoining districts of Hoogly, Howrah, Nadia, 24 Pargonas (both) and even from Burdwan, Kolkata etc. come to this place in Janmastami. The ladies gather in numbers and observe fasting to offer their tributes to the deity. The belief is absolvation from all sins.

The day following Janmastami is commemorated as Nandotsav which is popularly known in the local language as "Badai". The main attraction of it is songs, dances, different 'song' (Bengali word meaning dressing / imitating any popular figure/deity). Earlier many 'Badai' party used to visit this place for the night long fun and frolic. There are many historical evidences of this sort of functions when Methai (sweets)etc. used to be distributed for free to the person coming to visit / see these events.

Nearby, there is a stage, popularly known as 'Tin'er Shed' (Gosthomandap) for enacting the play which used to be staged for whole night during these days. Many noted jatra-pary of that time came and acted here. Among them the eminent film actor Chobi Biswas also came here. Another vital attraction of these fair is puppet-show (putul-naach). Many tableau are arranged in two sides of the entrance of the Thakutbari which mostly depicts stories of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. There were so many cultural events which used to take place now had been seized to happen due to the modernization of the fair. Those golden era of cultural performance upheld the public/mass education movement.

Nowadays one can see large shops and stalls selling edibles, hotels, tea, papad, paan, etc. Shops selling different stationery items can be seen along with shops selling cane-utensils, wooden items, clay-models, soft-toys, suiting-shirtings, furnishings, bangles, ornaments, plastic items, photo-frames, and what not.

Other than these one can experience a number of rides here, viz. Nagardola,(both manual and electrical), Ghoradola, Break-dance, etc.The local schools gets 2-3 days holiday in this time to enjoy this gala event. Different shows also come here such as the largest Bhetki fish, goat with three head strange-looking foetus etc. Special train arrangements are made. The ferry-service ply extra pairs of ferry during the Sundays and Holidays when the crowd becomes too much to control. Police posting and the local volunteers help maintain the law and order situation during this time. The locals earn a fair amount by lending their place to the stall-owners during the month long fair.

Anybody seeking a offbeat experience to this exceptionally oldest and heritage fair can definitely think of visiting this old fair to get the taste of Bengal's cultural flair. Persons plying from Kolkata can take local train upto the Ichapur station and boarding a rickshaw one might visit there. Otherwise take bus to badamtala bus-stoppage of Ichapur and visit there.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933353468675806993 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5960943206057871441 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933353294604657937 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933353983616506913 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933353430563668257 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5961207024009764129 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5959726035194593233

References

http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=22.801424&lon=88.368530&z=14&m=b&show=/439288/Ishapur

https://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Nawabganj,_North_24_Parganas

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933352948399219649 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933353468675806993 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5960943206057871441 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933353294604657937 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933353983616506913 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5933353430563668257 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5961207024009764129 https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+subhabratasaha/albums/5959726035194593233 https://plus.google.com/101061955750658897620/about?gl=in&hl=en

External links

• Kolkata/Northern fringes travel guide from Wikivoyage
• IIM Ichapur Chapter
• Metal & Steel factory