It is the headquarters of Bardhaman District.Burdwan is an alternative name for the city, which remains in use since the British period. Bardhaman or Burdwan (also Barddhaman; Bengali: বর্ধমান Bôrdhoman), is a city of West Bengal state in eastern India. Bardhaman has been a district capital since the time of Mughal Empire. Later on it became a district headquarters of British India. Burdwan is an
alternative name for the city, which remains in use since the British period. The origin of this name dates back to the 6th century BCE and is ascribed to Vardhaman Swami or Mahavira (599-527 BCE), the 24th Jain Tirthankar, who spent some time in Astikagrama, according to the Jain scripture of Kalpasutra. History
During period of Jahangir this place was named Badh-e-dewan (district headquarters). The city owes its historical importance to being the headquarters of the Maharajas of Burdwan, the premier noblemen of lower Bengal, whose rent-roll was upwards of 300,000. Bardhaman Raj was founded in 1657 by Sangam Rai, of the Kapoor Khatri family of Kotli in Lahore, Punjab, whose descendants served in turn the Mughal Emperors and the British government. The East Indian Railway from Howrah was opened in 1855. The great prosperity of the raj was due to the excellent management of Maharaja Mahtab Chand (died 1879), whose loyalty to the government especially during the "Hul" (Santhal rebellion) of 1855-56 and the Indian rebellion of 1857 was rewarded with the grant of a coat of arms in 1868 and the right to a personal salute of 13 guns in 1877. Maharaja Bijai Chand Mahtab (born 1881), who succeeded his adoptive father in 1888, earned great distinction by the courage with which he risked his life to save that of Sir Andrew Fraser, the lieutenant-governor of Bengal, on the occasion of the attempt to assassinate him made by freedom fighters of Bengal on 7 November 1908. Mahtab Chand Bahadur and later Bijoy Chand Mahtab struggled their best to make this region culturally, economically and ecologically healthier. The chief educational institution was the Burdwan Raj college, which was entirely supported out of the maharaja's estate. Sadhak Kamalakanta as composer of devotional songs and Kashiram Das as a poet and translator of the great Mahabharata were possibly the best products of such an endeavour. Pratap Chandra Roy was the first translator in the world to translate Mahabharata in English. He was about 98% correct. The society at large also continued to gain the fruits. We find, among others, the great rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and Kala-azar-famed U. Brahmachari as the relatively recent illustrious sons of this soil. The town became an important center of North-Indian classical music as well. Places of interest
Sarbamangala Temple
108 Shiva Temple
Golapbag
Damodar River
Inside View of The Palace of Burdwan Maharaja
Curzon Gate
The famous Shrine of Sarvamangala, said to contain the remnant of Sati's body, the umbilicus, is situated here. Aside this, there are quite a number of temples and Sivalingams. The Curzon Gate built in honour of the visit of Lord Curzon. The palaces and gardens of the maharaja Golapbag. Golap Bag, or the Garden of Rose, of Bardhaman, is a favourite tourist haunt. It is the Botanical and Zoological garden eastablished by the King Bijoy Chand Mahatab in 1884. Famous botanist Dalton Ho**er came here and listed 128 types of trees. At present there are numerous mango, casuarina, eucalyptus and other trees in the garden. The University of Bardhaman also takes classes in the complex. Distance from railway station is about two and half km. Konkaleswari Kali Mandir ashram situated in Kanchan-Nagar is an icon of skeleton with a famous Kali temple. The goddess is made of stone and the temple is of 2000 years old. Burdwan is a town of tanks. Several tanks are scattered here and there across the town. These caught the attention of Victor Jacquemont, a young French natural scientist, who visited this town in November 1829. At Nawab Hat, On the Burdwan-Siuri NH, some 4 kilometers from rail station, is a group of 108 Siva lingam temples built in 1788 popularly known as 108 Shiva Temple. Rani Bishnukumari (queen of Burdwan) ordered to build this temple. Here each year a week long festival is celebrated on the occasion of "Maha-Shivratri". One must also know about a small village of Burdhaman called "Panchkula" where Gajan-Festival is celebrated with huge passion during the month of May–June.[3]
Shrine and Pir Bahram and Sher Afghan. Barddhaman have a planetarium named after India's eminent scientist Meghnad Saha. It is the second planetarium of the state after Kolkata's "Birla planetarium". Ramana Bagan: It is the forest office of Bardhaman sub-division. It is placed at east side of Golapbag. This forest is pointed as sanctuary. This is also called deer park. Deers, tigers, crocodiles, and different kinds of birds make this place beautiful. There is a science museum in Burdwan called the "Science Center" situated at Golapbag Road near Burdwan University. It offers insight into the animal kingdom, the environment, application of laws of physics etc. Tomb of Sher Afghan: The Tomb of Sher Afghan, the last of the Afghan jagirdars in Bardhaman, is located at Pir Beharam near Rajbati (Burdwan Royal Palace). Sher Afghan married Nurjahan. He revolt against Mughal Samrat and to control this, Mughal Samrat Jahangir had sent Kutubuddin. Both were died at war in 1610 AD and both were buried at the burial ground of Pir Baharam. There is a village called Arraha in the Bhatar Block where a very famous festival "Dharmarajer-Gajan" is celebrated. Food
Sitabhog and Mihidana are two famous sweets of Burdwan, introduced first in honour of the Raj family. Shaktigarh's Langcha is another local speciality. Rice is the staple food of Bengal and is main agricultural produce of Burdwan district. Fish is also the favorite curry item of Bengal. (Bardhaman or Burdwan, is a city of West Bengal state in eastern India. It is the headquarters of Bardhaman district. Bardhaman has been a district capital (D.C.) since the time of Mughal Empire. The origin of this name dates back to the 6th century BCE and is ascribed to Vardhaman Swami or Mahavira (599-527 BCE), the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, who spent some time in Astikagrama, according to the Jain scripture of Kalpasutra. Geography
The region has an average elevation of 40 metres (131 ft). The city is situated 1100 km from New Delhi and a little less than 100 km north-west of Kolkata on the Grand Trunk Road (NH-2) and Eastern Railway. The chief rivers are the Damodar and the Banka. The origin of this name dates back to 4000 BCE and is ascribed to Vardhamanswami or Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara in Jainism, who spent some time in Astikagrama, according to the Jain scripture of Kalpasutra. This place was renamed as Vardhamana in his honour)
