Kopai River

Last updated

Kopai River
River Kopai - Ballavpur - Birbhum 2014-06-29 5629-5634 Compress.JPG
River Kopai at Ballavpur, Birbhum
Location
Country India
State West Bengal
Cities Santiniketan, Kirnahar (Mirati), Labhpur
Physical characteristics
Discharge 
  location Mayurakshi River
Basin features
Tributaries 
  left Bakreshwar River

The Kopai River (also called Sal River) is a tributary of the Bakreshwar River. [1] [2] It flows past such towns as Santiniketan, Bolpur, Kankalitala, Kirnahar and Labhpur in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. [3] It is a small river in dry season but overflows its banks during the monsoon. [4] [5] There is a village name Chhora (ছোড়া) beside this river. Also Barghata (বড়ঘাটা), Nichinta (নিচিন্তা), Rupuspur (রুপুসপুর), Perua, (পেরুয়া) etc depend on this river. হাসুলি বাঁকের উপকথা তে শাল নদীর নাম উল্লেখ করা হয়েছে । Edited by Mr. Subrata Ghosh aka ঋজু ঘোষ।

Contents

Literary association

The area around the river quite often has purple soil, which forms ravines on the river bank with weathering and is popular as the khoai. It has inspired literary figures in the area. [4] It is described by Rabindranath Tagore as follows

amader chhoto nadi chale banke banke
baisakh mase taar haatu jal thake
[6]
Our small stream moves forward in bends and curves
In the month of Baisakh it only has knee deep waters

The local name of a sickle-shaped, channel like curve in the river inspired the title of the novel Hansuli Banker Upakatha (Story of the Sickle-shaped Curve) by Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, made into a film by Tapan Sinha. [7] [8]

Archaeology

Microliths of crystalline stone and petrified wood from about 1250–1000 BC are found in many places in the Ajay-Kunur-Kopai river system. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shantiniketan</span> Neighbourhood in Bolpur, Birbhum, West Bengal, India

Shantiniketan is a neighbourhood of Bolpur town in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal, India, approximately 152 km north of Kolkata. It was established by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, and later expanded by his son, Rabindranath Tagore whose vision became what is now a university town with the creation of Visva-Bharati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jorasanko Thakur Bari</span> Ancestral home of the Nilmoni Tagore branch of the Tagore family in Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Jorasanko Thakur Bari in Jorasanko, North Kolkata, West Bengal, India, is the ancestral home of the Tagore family. It is the birthplace of poet Rabindranath Tagore and the host of the Rabindra Bharati University campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visva-Bharati University</span> Public university in West Bengal, India

Visva-Bharati, is a public central university and an Institute of National Importance located in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it Visva-Bharati, which means the communion of the world with India. Until independence it was a college. Soon after independence, the institution was given the status of a central university in 1951 by an act of the Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birbhum district</span> District of West Bengal in India

Birbhum district is an administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the northernmost district of Burdwan division—one of the five administrative divisions of West Bengal. The district headquarters is in Suri. Other important cities are Bolpur, Rampurhat and Sainthia. Jamtara, Dumka and Pakur districts of the state of Jharkhand lie at the western border of this district; the border in other directions is covered by the districts of Bardhaman and Murshidabad of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolpur</span> City in West Bengal, India

Bolpur is a city and a municipality in Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bolpur subdivision. Bolpur municipal area includes Santiniketan. The city is known as a cultural and educational hub of West Bengal. The city is under the jurisdiction of Bolpur and Santiniketan Police station. Bolpur is the largest and most populous city in Birbhum district and 28th most populous city in West Bengal. Located on the banks of Ajay River and Kopai River, Bolpur has been a major human settlement. It is 150 km north of Kolkata and is famous for Visva Bharati, the University set up by the Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poush Mela</span> Annual fair and festival in Santiniketan, West Bengal, India

Poush Mela is an annual fair and festival that takes place in Santiniketan, in Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal, marking the harvest season. Commencing on the 7th day of the month of Poush, the fair officially lasts for three days, although vendors may stay until the month-end as per the university regulations. From 2017 onwards, the fair lasted for six days. The key characteristic of this fair include live performances of Bengali folk music, such as baul, kirtan and Kobigan.

Kirnahar is a village in Nanoor CD block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santidev Ghosh</span> Indian author, singer, actor, dancer (1910–1999)

Santidev Ghose was an Indian author, singer, actor, dancer and maestro of Rabindra Sangeet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolpur subdivision</span> Subdivision in West Bengal, India

Bolpur Subdivision is an administrative subdivision of Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khoyrasol (community development block)</span> Community development block in West Bengal, India

Khayrasol is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Jaydev Kenduli is a village and gram panchayat in Ilambazar community development block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is believed by many to be the birthplace of Jayadeva, an issue that is still debated by scholars. It has developed as a religious centre with many temples and ashramas (hermitages). An annual fair, popular as baul fair, is organized on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.

Sriniketan is a neighbourhood of Surul in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is adjacent to Santiniketan and houses the second campus of Visva-Bharati University. The Palli Samgathana Vibhag and Palli Siksha Bhavana are located in west bengal

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amar Kutir</span>

Amar Kutir, once a place of refuge for independence movement activists has been turned into a cooperative society for the promotion of arts and crafts. It is located on the banks of the Kopai River, about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Santiniketan in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Raipur is a village under Raipur–Supur gram panchayat of Bolpur Sriniketan block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surul</span> Census Town in West Bengal, India

Surul is a census town in Bolpur Sriniketan CD block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Binuria is a village in Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India.It is about 150 kilometers far away from Kolkata but only 6 kilometers away from our well known Santiniketan as well as Visva-Bharati University founded by Rabindranath Tagore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolpur Sriniketan</span> Community development block in West Bengal, India

Bolpur Sriniketan is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayureswar I</span> Community development block in West Bengal, India

Mayureswar I is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rabindra Jayanti</span> Day of celebration

Rabindra Jayanti is an annually celebrated cultural festival, prevalent among Tagorephiles around the world, in remembrance of Rabindranath Tagore's birthday anniversary. It is celebrated in early May, on the 25th day of the Bengali month of Boishakh, since Tagore was born on this day of the year 1268 of the Bengali calendar. Every year, numerous cultural programmes and events, such as: Kabipranam (কবিপ্রণাম) – the songs, poetries, dances and dramas, written and composed by Tagore, are organised in this particular day, by various schools, colleges and universities in Bengal, and is also celebrated by different groups abroad, as a tribute to Tagore and his works. Throughout the globe, Tagore's birth anniversary is largely celebrated at Santiniketan, Birbhum in West Bengal, chiefly in Visva-Bharati University, the institution founded by Tagore himself for the cultural, social and educational upliftment of the students as well as the society. In 2011, the Government of India issued a five-rupee coin to mark the 150th anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore's birth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shonajhuri Haat</span> Saturday bazaar in Santiniketan, West Bengal

Shonajhuri Haat or Khoai Mela, also known as Shonibarer haat is a weekly Saturday afternoon bazaar set up by local artisans in Santiniketan, Birbhum district, West Bengal. The Khoai Mela has now become a part of the culture of the Bengali people and has been taking place for over 20 years. It takes place every Saturday on the bank of the Khoai or Kopai River. The Mela is named after this Khoai region and River. This Mela is also called Shanibarer haat due to its opening day.

References

  1. "Rivers". West Bengal Tourism. Archived from the original on 9 November 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  2. "River System". Birbhum district administration. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  3. "Birbhum". bangalinet. Retrieved 14 February 2009.[ dead link ]
  4. 1 2 Halder, Ritam (4 July 2008). "Next weekend you can be at ...Santiniketan". Calcutta, India: The Telegraph, 4 July 2008. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  5. "Kopai River". india9.com. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  6. Sahaj Path by Rabindranath Tagore
  7. Mukhopadhyay Manabendra, Tarashankarer Birbhum, Paschim Banga, Birbhum Special issue, pp. 259268, February 2005, Information and Culture Dept., Govt. of West Bengal.
  8. Hansuli Banker Upakatha at IMDb OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  9. "Ancient Bengal in Ancient India" . Retrieved 14 February 2009.

23°51′41″N88°01′43″E / 23.86135°N 88.028641°E / 23.86135; 88.028641