title: Baranagar
text: Baranagar or Baranagore ( , ) is a city and a municipality in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Baranagar is the fifth most densely populated city proper 
  in the world.
  
  It is home to the Indian Statistical Institute, an institution of national importance devoted to the research, teaching and application of statistics, natural sciences and social sciences. Baranagore Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama High School is one of the oldest and most renowned schools in Baranagar and North Kolkata.
  
  Baranagar is a major industrial centre for the manufacture of agricultural and industrial machinery, chemicals, castor oil, and matches; Baranagar is also home to numerous cotton-processing companies, offset & digital printing companies and book publishers.
  
  Etymology
  The word Baranagar derives from the Bengali term Barahanagore (Bengali: বরাহনগর), meaning "City of the Hogs". (বরাহ: hog, নগর: city) 
  Streynsham Master who visited the area in 1676 spoke of the hog factory where about 3,000 hogs a year were slaughtered and salted for export.
  
  There are several explanations for the etymology of this name:
  
   Baranagar or Barahanagar, meaning the "big" (Bara or Barra) and "town or land" (nagar) of the "pig" (baraha).
  
  History 
  
  Baranagar Municipality was established in 1869; it is one of the oldest municipalities in India. The Dutch had homes there in the seventeenth century. Streynsham Master who visited the area in 1676 spoke of the hog factory where about 3,000 hogs a year were slaughtered and salted for export. Later it became the centre for the extensive jute trade, manufacturing gunny bags. A major road (Surya Sen Road) parallel to the Hooghly river connects Baranagar Bazaar with Dakshineswar. In between temples such as Kaancher Mandir (i.e. Glass Temple), Joy Mitra Kali Bari and Pathbari are located.
  
  Portuguese colonist first established their business camp here, which was in existence till 1862. Dutch settlers established their ‘Kuthi’ or office for business. Dutch supremacy ended with the arisen of British power in Bengal. M/s. Colvin Cow II Co. was the pioneer of industrial Baranagar. They founded a Sugar Mill near Alambazar. Later George Henderson founded Borneo Jute Factory at that site. In 1859, the factory was renamed Baranagar Jute Factory and is still in existence. The Baranagar Jute Factory was the
  first mechanical Jute Factory in India. During the two World Wars, many engineering factories were set up in Baranagar, and the town became famous as Industrial City. To provide civic amenities, North Suburban Municipality was formed in 1869 consisting of Chitpur and Cossipore (presently under Kolkata M.C.), all mouzas of present Baranagar Municipal Area along with Kamarhati, Ariadaha and Dakshineswar mouzas of present Kamarhati Municipality. In 1881 North Suburban Municipality was divided into two parts, 1) Cossipore- Chitpur Municipality (later amalgamated with Kolkata Municipal area) and 2) Baranagar Municipality. On 01.08.1899, Kamarhati Municipality was formed, parting Kamarhati and Ariadaha Mouzas from Baranagar. In 1949 Dakshineswar Mouza was parted from Baranagar and merged with Kamarhati Municipality. 
  
  In Kuthighat (Baranagar), there is still an old house/lodge of Nigerian merchants.
  
  Notable residents
  
  Spiritual Leaders
   Ramakrishna
   Sitaramdas Omkarnath
   Sarada Devi
   Swami Vivekananda
   Ramakrishnananda
   Swami Brahmananda
   Rani Rashmoni
   Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
   Swami Yogananda
   Swami Premananda
   Swami Niranjanananda
   Swami Shivananda
   Swami Saradananda
   Swami Abhedananda
   Swami Adbhutananda
   Swami Turiyananda
   Swami Advaitananda
   Swami Trigunatitananda
   Swami Subodhananda
   Swami Akhandananda
   Swami Vijnanananda
   Swami Tathagatananda
  
  Academician and Writers
   Rabindranath Tagore
   Manik Bandopadhyay
   Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
   Sanjib Chattopadhyay
   Bhaskar Chakraborty
   Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis
   Dwijesh Dutta Majumdar
   Bidyut Baran Chaudhuri
   C. A. Murthy
  
  Sports
   Rajib Bhattacharya
   Atanu Das
   Dola Banerjee
   Rahul Banerjee
  
  Entertainment
   Sisir Bhaduri
   Ganapati Chakraborty
   Jaya Bachchan (née Bhaduri)
   Sabitri Chatterjee
   Rudraprasad Sengupta
   Swatilekha Sengupta
   Sohini Sengupta
   Jeet Gannguli
   Shiboprosad Mukherjee
   Abhishek Chatterjee
   Shaan
  Manas Mukherjee
   Sagarika
  
  Others
   Prabhabati Bose (née Dutta) (Mother of Subhas Chandra Bose)
   Tanmoy Bhattacharya
   Sambhu Chandra Mukherjee
   Lieutenant Kanad Bhattacharya
   Sasipada Banerji
   Rajkumari Banerji
   Albion Rajkumar Banerjee
  
  Geography
  
  Location
  
  Baranagar is located at . It has an average elevation of 12 metres (39 feet). It is situated east of the Hooghly River. Baranagar Municipal area lies between Sinthee More and Dunlop.
  
  More particularly to say, the boundary of Baranagar is :- in the east – the Rail line from Sealdah towards Krishnanagar; in the west – the holy river Ganga, in the north – Dakshineshwar and PWD Road and in the south – Cossipore and Sinthee. Dakshineshwar Kali Temple lies just a quarter of a mile from this place. There are many Ganga ghats in Baranagar for example Pramanic ghat, Kuthighat, Kancher mandir or glass temple ghat etc.
  
  96% of the population of Barrackpore subdivision (partly presented in the map alongside, all places marked on the map are linked in the full screen map) lives in urban areas. In 2011, it had a density of population of 10,967 per km2. The subdivision has 16 municipalities and 24 census towns.
  
  Climate
  In summer, i.e. from April to June, the weather remains hot and temperatures range from a maximum of  to a minimum of .
  
  Monsoon season prevails during beginning-June to mid-September. Also retrieving monsoon from mid-October till mid-November
  
  The weather is quite pleasant, the summers and winters are moderate. The level of moisture increases during summers.
  
  Demographics
  
  Population
  
  As per the 2011 Census of India, Baranagar had a total population of 245,213, of which 126,187 (51%) were males and 119,026 (49%) were females. Population below 6 years was 16,825. The total number of literates in Baranagar was 208,779 (91.41% of the population over 6 years), male literates are 110,118 (93.69%) and female literates are 98,661 (89%).
  
   India census, Baranagar had a population of 250,615. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Baranagar has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 55% of the males and 45% of females literate. 8% of the population is under 6 years of age.
  
  Kolkata Urban Agglomeration
  The following Municipalities, Census Towns and other locations in Barrackpore subdivision were part of Kolkata Urban Agglomeration in the 2011 census: Kanchrapara (M), Jetia (CT), Halisahar (M), Balibhara (CT), Naihati (M), Bhatpara (M), Kaugachhi (CT), Garshyamnagar (CT), Garulia (M), Ichhapur Defence Estate (CT), North Barrackpur (M), Barrackpur Cantonment (CB), Barrackpore (M), Jafarpur (CT), Ruiya (CT), Titagarh (M), Khardaha (M), Bandipur (CT), Panihati (M), Muragachha (CT) New Barrackpore (M), Chandpur (CT), Talbandha (CT), Patulia (CT), Kamarhati (M), Baranagar (M), South Dumdum (M), North Dumdum (M), Dum Dum (M), Noapara (CT), Babanpur (CT), Teghari (CT), Nanna (OG), Chakla (OG), Srotribati (OG) and Panpur (OG).
  
  Infrastructure
  As per the District Census Handbook 2011, Baranagar Municipal city covered an area of 7.12 km2. Amongst the civic amenities it had 160.23 km of roads and both open and closed drains. Amongst the medical facilities It had 55 medicine shops. Amongst the educational facilities it had 49 primary schools, 33 middle schools, 33 secondary schools, many higher secondary schools and 2 non-formal education centres. Amongst the social, recreational and cultural facilities it had 2 cinema/theatres and 2 auditorium/ community halls. It had 20 bank branches.
  
  Economy
  Baranagar is also economically enriched for "Baranagar Jute Mill". Hessian, sacking, fabrics, carpets and bags from jute (Corchorus spp) are manufactured in here. It is one of the oldest jute mills. The service sector includes the rest of the economy. Baranagar is also home to numerous cotton-processing companies, offset & digital printers and Purushottam Publishers, an academic book publishing company.
  
  Transport
  
  Railways
  
  Baranagar Road railway station is situated in Baranagar. It is a Kolkata suburban railway station. It is one of the oldest railway station. Sealdah - Dankuni line's trains pass through this station.
  
  Metro railways
  
  Noapara metro station is situated at Noapara in Baranagar. It is Kolkata Metro's largest station.
  The extension of Kolkata Metro Line 1 from Dum Dum to Dakshineswar was sanctioned in 2010–11. It was extended up to Noapara in 2013. The subsequent work was held up because of the encroachments on railway land. Baranagar metro station is currently operational. Located adjacent to Baranagar Road railway station this station was inaugurated on 22 February 2021 and commercial run started on the following day.
  
  Road
  
  Barrackpore Trunk Road (part of both SH 1 and SH 2) passes through Baranagar. Belghoria Expressway also passes through Baranagar. Dunlop Crossing is one of the largest crossings near Kolkata which connects Kolkata with Northern suburban areas and Howrah, Hooghly. Another important road is Gopal Lal Tagore Road which is connected to B.T. Road at Sinthee More (via Kashi Nath Dutta Road), at Tobin More (via Baghajatin Road) and also at Dunlop. Gopal Lal Tagore Road is also connected to Dakshineswar via Deshbandhu Road-Surya Sen Road (through Alambazar). Many buses ply along all these roads.
  
  Ferry
   
  Transport in water pathway is held by boat, launch and bhutbhuti from Baranagar's Kuthi Ghat to Howrah and Belur of Howrah district, Cossipore and Bagbazar of Kolkata district, Uttarpara of Hooghly district, Dakshineshwar and Ariadaha of North 24 Parganas district on the river Ganges.
  
  Education
  
  University
  
  Baranagar houses the headquarters of the Indian Statistical Institute at Bonhooghly. It is an academic institute of national importance as recognised by a 1959 act of the Indian parliament. Established in 1931, this public university of India is focused on statistics.
  
  Colleges
  Colleges of Baranagar are: 
  Brahmananda Keshab Chandra College
  Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis Mahavidyalaya
   MSME - Development Institute, Kolkata
   Central Modern College of Education
  
  Schools
  
  Baranagar is also home to many schools providing quality education to the local and neighbourhood people.
  Baranagore Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama High School (Senior secondary boys' school)
  Ramakrishna Mission Centenary Primary School, Baranagore (Primary boys' school)
  Central Modern School
   Bonhooghly High School
  Baranagar Vidyamandir
   Rajkumari School for Girls
   Mayapith School
  Baranagar Narendranath Vidyamandir
  Baranagar Rajkumari Memorial Girls' High School
  Khalsa Model Senior Secondary School
  Ananda Ashram Sarada Vidyapith
  Baranagar Netaji Colony Bharti Girls' Institution
  Netaji High School
  Baranagar Rameswar H.S. School
  Baranagar Victoria School
  Ashokegarh Adarsha Vidyalaya
  Jyotinagar Bidyashree Niketan
  Sinthi R B T Vidyapith
  Mata Monmohini Secondary School
  Baranagar Mayapith Girls' High School
  G D Goenka Public School Dakshineswar (earlier: Delhi Public School North Kolkata)
  Calcutta Public School, Bidhan Park
  Baranagar Mohan Girls' High School
  Alambazar Urdu High School
  Jyotinagar Vidyashree Niketan
  
  Health facilities
  Following hospitals are located in Baranagar: 
   Baranagar State General Hospital
   Disha Eye Hospital
   National Institute for Locomotor Disability (NILD)
   Baine Hospital
   Baranagar Matri Sadan
   Indian Institute of Psychometry (IIP)
   Eskag Sanjeevani Multispeciality Hospital
  
  Culture 
  
  Baranagar Math near Pramanick ghat is the place where Swami Vivekananda and a few other disciples of Sri Ramakrishna Dev started their spiritual journey that culminated in forming the monastic order later located at Belur Math, the present headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission. Other places worth visiting are Jay Mitra Kalibari, Pramanick Kalibari, and Kouleswar Mandir. Pathbari Mandir is a place where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the great religious leader, set his foot on his way to Puri nearly five hundred years ago here. In Baranagar a math has been set up very recently, called Alambazar Math in the heritage building where Swami Vivekananda first put up after coming back from abroad.
  The Annapurna Temple and the newly built Omkarnath Temple are also other two attractions of the "Mahamilan Math". Trailanga Swami Math is also here in Baranagar at Vidyayatan Sarani. There is also an old kalibari in Baranagar Bazar and one in Kutighat and Pramanicghat.
  
  Baranagar has a gurdwara named "Dunlop Gurudwara" near Dunlop Bridge, a church named "St. James' Church, Baranagar" near Sinthee More along with many mosques.
  
  Baranagar is famous for Durga Puja. Popular Durga Puja organizations like Netaji Colony Lowland, Bandhudal Sporting club, Noapara Dadabhai Sangha, Karmi Sangha, Kalakar para, Ashokgarh Sarbojanin, Nainan Bandhav Samiti, Mullick Colony, Shibmandir maath- all lie in Baranagar.   In every winter, a circus is organised at 'Sinthi Circus Maidan' named "Ajanta Circus".
  
  Recently in 2019, AlamBazar Shyam Mandir has been inaugurated by then Governor of Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar.
  
  Sports
  Baranagar is the birthplace of famous sportspersons who have participated in Olympic Games e.g., archer Dola Banerjee, Rahul Banerjee, Atanu Das.
  
  Many sport academies and sporting clubs are situated in Baranagar:
   Bandhudal Sporting Club
   Calcutta Archery Club
   Baranagar Archery Club
   Baranagar Sporting Club
  
  Tourist attractions
   
  Several educational institutions, religious places, pilgrims, heritage buildings, places of Baranagar are tourist attractions of many people. 
   Baranagore Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama High School
   Indian Statistical Institute
   Baranagar Math
   Alambazar Math
   Kripamayee Kali Temple 
   Pathbari Temple
   Mahamilan Math (Omkarnath Math)
   Dokra Kali Mata Temple
   St. James' Church, Baranagar
   Dunlop Gurudwara
   Glass Temple (Kancher Mandir)
   Kuthi Ghat
   Dutch Kuthi 
   Peneti Bagabari of the Tagore family
  Besides these, many people come in Baranagar every year in Durga Puja period, in the time of "Ajanta Circus".
  
  Gallery
  
  Notes
  
  References
  
  External links
  
   Official website 
   Baranagar at Encyclopædia Britannica
   Official website of North 24 Parganas district
  Photos
   Photos of Baranagar at Flickr
  
   
  Cities and towns in North 24 Parganas district
  Neighbourhoods in Kolkata
  Kolkata Metropolitan Area
  Populated places established in 1869
  1869 establishments in British India
  Cities in West Bengal