Bardhaman also known as Burdwan, the biggest district in the state of West Bengal
, is located on the banks of river
. The history of Bardhaman dates back to 5000 BC. There are different views about the origin of the name Bardhaman. According to one such view, the area was named after the 24th Jain monk, Tirthankar Mahavir Bardhaman. Another observation is that the place was called Bardhaman as a landmark of growth and prosperity during the Aryan Era.
Lying between Ajay and Bhagirathi rivers, the district covers an area of 7,024 sq km. Bardhaman District has as its borders
Jharkhand, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts in the north, Hooghly District in the south, Nadia in the east, and Bankura and Purulia districts in the west. The population is over 7 million.
Covered by vast area of forests, Bardhaman is one of the mineral rich districts in India. It is also known as ‘the granary of West Bengal’ for its high production of rice. Rice is also the major commodity of trade. Majority of the workers are cultivators and agricultural laborers. The
Asansol and Durgapur subdivisions are two important industrial regions of the state. Besides steel industries, there are chemical factories, thermal power station, paper mills and coal mining industries. Some of the major industrial establishments include Chittaranjan Locomotives, Hindustan Cables Limited, Durgapur Project Limited and Durgapur Fertilizer Project.
Bardhaman is well-connected to other parts of India. Regular train and bus services are available from Kolkata, Howrah and
sealdah. Some of the tourist attractions include Curzon Gate, Tomb of Sher Afghan, Golapbag, and Meghnad Saha Planetarium. The
Pratapeswar Temple, a 108 temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva is a famous site.