Sonamukhi

For the plant called sonamukhi in Ayurvedic medicine, see senna (plant).

Sonamukhi
town
Sonamukhi railway station
Sonamukhi Location in West Bengal, India Show map of West Bengal Sonamukhi Sonamukhi (India) Show map of India
Coordinates: 23°18′N87°25′E / 23.3°N 87.42°E / 23.3; 87.42 Coordinates: 23°18′N87°25′E / 23.3°N 87.42°E / 23.3; 87.42
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	Bankura
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Body	Sonamukhi Municipality
Area [1]
• Total	11.65 km2 (4.50 sq mi)
Elevation	66 m (217 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	29,085 [2]
Languages
• Official	Bengali, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	722207
Telephone code	91 3244
ISO 3166 code	IN-WB
Lok Sabha constituency	Bishnupur
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Sonamukhi
Website	www.wbdma.gov.in/HTM/DIS/MUNI_ULB_Sonamukhi.htm

Sonamukhi is a town and a municipality in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is famous for its Kali and Karthik and Godashiv puja .

Geography

[Interactive fullscreen map]

Places in Bishnupur subdivision in Bankura district
M: Municipal town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, T: ancient/ temple centre
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Location

Sonamukhi is located at 23°18′N87°25′E / 23.3°N 87.42°E / 23.3; 87.42 . ^[3] It has an average elevation of 66 m (217 ft).

Sonamukhi-Maito-Kali

Sonamukhi Babupara Rashtola

Area overview

The map alongside shows the Bishnupur subdivision of Bankura district. Physiographically, this area has fertile low lying alluvial plains. ^[4] It is a predominantly rural area with 90.06% of the population living in rural areas and only 8.94% living in the urban areas. ^[5] It was a part of the core area of Mallabhum. ^[6]

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

History

Sonamukhi is a town of religious importance. There are many old temples throughout the town and a Mosque near Sonamukhi police station. Sonamukhi is the birthplace of Haranath and KusumKumari Devi. Sonamukhi also famous for temples made by terracotta art. one can find many temples showing a great form of terracotta, like Sridhar temple. ^[7] They are the reincarnation of Gouranga also known as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This place is considered equal importance among devotees as that of places like Vrindavan and Nabadwip respective birthplace of Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.^{[ citation needed ]} Its has numerous Kali and Karthik temples all over the town . This place is also famous for ancient Godashiv puja, which is located on Godashivtala (Satyapirtala). Besides the temple of Kusumharanath there other temples such as Manohar Das Thakur etc. Adjacent to the temple of Kusumharanath there is Ananta Kunda which water is sacred.

Adi Maito Kali

Krishna Kali Mandir

Sonamukhi BJ High School

Demographics

As of 2011 ^[update] India census, ^[8] Sonamukhi had a population of 29,085. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Sonamukhi has an average literacy rate of 86.25%, higher than state average of 76.26%.: male literacy is 92.22%, and female literacy is 79.90%. In Sonamukhi, 8.21% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Civic administration

Police station

Sonamukhi police station has jurisdiction over Sonamukhi municipality and Sonamukhi CD block. The area covered is 380 km² with a population of 142,305. ^{[9] [10]}

CD block HQ

The headquarters of Sonamukhi CD block are located at Sonamukhi. ^[11]

Transport

In September 2005, South Eastern Railway began passenger services on the 41 km (25 mi) Bankura-Sonamukhi broad gauge section, being the first phase of the Bankura-Damodar River Railway project. BDR project reduced the distance from Bankura to Howrah via Masagram, providing alternate connectivity to Howrah through Eastern Railway via Howrah–Bardhaman chord. ^[12] Work up to Masagram including Sonamukhi railway station is completed and inaugurated on 16 April 2013. ^[13]

State Highway 8 running from Santaldih (in Purulia district) to Majhdia (in Nadia district) passes through Sonamukhi. ^[14]

Education

Sonamukhi College was established in 1966. Affiliated with Bankura University, it offers honours courses in Bengali, Sanskrit, English, political science, history, philosophy, economics, geography, accountancy, physics, chemistry, mathematics, botany, zoology, computer science and general courses in arts, science and commerce. ^{[15] [16]}

Sonamukhi BJ High School is a Bengali-medium coeducational institution established in 1887. It has facilities for teaching from class V to class XII. The school has 13 computers, a library with 1,100 books and a playground. ^[17]

Sonamukhi Girls High School is a Bengali-medium girls only institution established in 1887. It has facilities for teaching from class V to class XII. The school has 13 computers, a library with 435 books and a playground. ^[18]

Sonamukhi BC Boys High School is a Bengali-medium boys only institution established in 1962. It has facilities for teaching from class V to class XII. The school has a library with 2,359 books. ^[19]

The famous Primary school here is the Kumarbrata Memorial KG School. Which has produced many students who won state and national awards.

Healthcare

Sonamukhi Rural Hospital, with 30 beds at Sonamukhi, is the major government medical facility in the Sonamukhi CD block. There are primary health centres at Dhulai (Gopikantapur) (with 6 beds), Panchal (with 6 beds), Kundu Pushkarini (with 10 beds) and Sitaljhore (with 6 beds). ^{[20] [21]}

References

1. "Sonamukhi City".
2. "Sonamukhi Municipality City Population Census 2011-2021 | West Bengal".
3. Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Sonamukhi
4. "District Census Handbook Bankura" (PDF). pages 13-17. Directorate of Census Operations West Bengal. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
5. "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Bankura". Table 2.4b. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
6. O'Malley, L.S.S., ICS, Bankura, Bengal District Gazetteers, pp. 21–46, 1995 reprint, first published 1908, Government of West Bengal
7. "Haranath's History: Birth & Childhood test".
8. "Sonamukhi Municipality City Population Census 2011-2021 | West Bengal".
9. "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Bankura". Tables 2.1, 2.2. Department of Planning and Statistics, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
10. "Sonamukhi PS". Bankura District Police. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
11. "District Census Handbook: Bankura" (PDF). Map of Bankura with CD block HQs and Police Stations (on the fifth page). Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
12. Hindu Business Line 21 September 2005
13. "South Eastern Railway". Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
14. "List of State Highways in West Bengal". West Bengal Traffic Police. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
15. "Sonamukhi College". SC. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
16. "Sonamukhi College". College Admission. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
17. "Sonamukhi BJ HS". Schools.org.in. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
18. "Sonamukhi Girls HS". Schools.org.in. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
19. "Sonamukhi BC Boys HS". Schools.org.in. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
20. "Health & Family Welfare Department" (PDF). Health Statistics – Rural Hospitals. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
21. "Health & Family Welfare Department" (PDF). Health Statistics – Primary Health Centres. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 10 April 2020.

External links

• Map of Bankura district