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60-633: 26°46′48″N 88°30′54″E  /  26.780°N 88.515°E  / 26.780; 88.515 Baikunthapur is a Terai forest region in the western part of the Dooars in West Bengal , India , south of the Himalayan foothills, between the Mahananda River to the west and Teesta River to the east. The main towns in the area are Siliguri and Jalpaiguri . The forests are partly in

120-533: A growing number of incidents. Human-elephant clashes have become a regular feature in the tea gardens of Jalpaiguri district. There is a growing number of reports of poisoning and electrocution of the elephants by farmers trying to protect their fields. In July 2008, an elephant that had strayed out of the Baikunthapur forest range near Jalpaiguri trampled to death one man and injured another who came in its way. The Siliguri- Alipurduar broad gauge line cuts across

180-492: A permeable mixture of gravel, boulders and sand evolves, which leads to a sinking water table . But where layers consist of clay and fine sediments, the groundwater rises to the surface and heavy sediment is washed out, thus enabling frequent and massive floods during monsoon , such as the 2008 Bihar flood . In India, the Terai extends over the states of Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. These are mostly

240-536: A place close to Narayanganj ) with war-vessels, for the conquest of Koch-Behar. The Rajah (Bhim Narain) fled to Bhutan , his minister Bholanath fled to the Murang, and the Imperialists stormed Kuch-Behar town, and named it Alamgirnagar . Ghoraghat thana was established in 1895 and was turned into an upazila in 1984. It was primarily founded as a thana in 1895 and converted into an upazila in 1984. Ghoraghat

300-584: A reward for Nepal's military aid in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , they returned some of this region in 1860, namely today's districts of Kanchanpur, Kailali, Banke and Bardiya. To promote economic development of the Nepal Terai, people from the hills were invited to settle in the region. Since only a few moved to the Terai, Indian people were further encouraged to settle. Immigration of Indian people increased between 1846 and 1950. They settled in

360-659: A semi-nomadic life to evade outbreaks of diseases. Today, they are subsistence farmers. The Bhoksa people are indigenous to the western Terai in the Indian Kumaon division . Maithils inhabit the Indian Terai in Bihar and the eastern Terai in Nepal. Bhojpuri people reside in the central and eastern Terai, and Awadhi people live in the central and western Terai. Bantawa people reside foremost in two districts of

420-483: Is called तराइ 'tarāi' meaning "the low-lying land, plain" and especially "the low-lying land at the foot of the Himālayas". It has been described as "low, marshy ground". The Terai is crossed by the large perennial Himalayan rivers Yamuna, Ganges, Sarda , Karnali , Narayani and Kosi that have each built alluvial fans covering thousands of square kilometres below their exits from the hills. Medium rivers such as

480-544: Is covered by fans of sediment washed down from the Himalayas . The Baikanthapur formation is the youngest fan in the area. It consists of very fine white sand inter-layered with ochre yellow sticky silty clay and overlain by dark grey to thick silty loam. The Shangaon formation represents the deposits of the flood plain faces of the Baikunthapur formation. Measurements have shown a maximum arsenic content well beyond

540-470: Is increasing and causing sociocultural changes in the region. Since the early 1950s, several political parties advocated for autonomy and independence of the Nepal Terai, such as the Nepal Terai Congress and Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha . Several armed groups were formed, which pursued this aim using violent means. In 2013, more than 24 Madheshi political parties were registered for

600-416: Is located at 25°14′45″N 89°13′00″E  /  25.2458°N 89.2167°E  / 25.2458; 89.2167 . It has 17535 house holds and a total area of 148.67 km . According to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh , Ghoraghat Upazila had 30,077 households and a population of 117,740. 25,404 (21.58%) were under 10 years of age. Ghoraghat had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 45.98%, compared to

660-536: Is negligible. Forests serve as the main source of fuelwood for local people in Jalpaiguri, Baikunthapur, Cooch Bihar (Wildlife) and Darjeeling Forest Divisions. According to a study carried out by the Indian Institute of Forest Management , 93% of households collect wood for fuel from forests in the Baikunthapur area. The quantity of wood extracted does not appear to be sustainable. Each year, teams from

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720-537: Is the most productive region in Nepal with the majority of the country's industries. Agriculture is the basis of the economy. Major crops include rice , wheat , maize , potato , peas , lentil , mustard , sugar cane , ginger , turmeric , cardamom , garlic and chili . Fruits comprise mango , lychee , guava , papaya , banana and jackfruit . The Terai is also known for beekeeping and honey production, with about 120,000 colonies of Apis cerana . In Jhapa District, tea has been cultivated since 1960;

780-486: Is used by many water birds from Ladakh and Central Asia including brahminy duck , bar-headed goose , pochard , pintail, shoveller, mallard , black ibis , and many species of stork , cormorant and duck . Terai The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in parts of southern Nepal and northern India that lies to the south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas , the Sivalik Hills and north of

840-636: The Constituent Assembly of Nepal election. The most significant border dispute of the Indo-Nepal boundary in the Terai region is the Susta area. In the Susta region, 14,500 hectares of land is under dispute but recent development has manage to discuss it bilaterally. After the 2008 Nepalese Constituent Assembly election , Indian politicians kept on trying to secure strategic interests in

900-698: The Darjeeling district and partly in the Jalpaiguri district . Baikunthapur is an important ecological zone, home to many wild elephants , but is threatened by growth of the local population. The least disturbed areas are in the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary . Historically, the Baikunthapur forests were the secure base of the Raikat princes in the time when Koch Bihar was an independent kingdom. The northern part of West Bengal

960-792: The Indo-Gangetic Plain . This lowland belt is characterised by tall grasslands , scrub savannah , sal forests and clay rich swamps . In North India , the Terai spreads from the Yamuna River eastward across Haryana , Uttarakhand , Uttar Pradesh , Bihar and West Bengal . The Terai is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion . Nepal's Terai stretches over 33,998.8 km (13,127.0 sq mi), about 23.1% of Nepal's land area, and lies at an elevation of between 67 and 300 m (220 and 984 ft). The region comprises more than 50 wetlands . North of

1020-524: The Kingdom of Sikkim . The Tulsipur State , in the Dang Valley of Nepal's western Terai, was also an independent kingdom until it was conquered in 1785 by Bahadur Shah of Nepal during the unification of Nepal . Until the mid 18th century, the Nepal Terai was divided into several smaller kingdoms, and the forests and wild places were, largely, left undisturbed. Since the late 18th century, however,

1080-655: The Mid-Western Region, Nepal , Bardiya and Banke Districts . Further east, the Outer Terai comprises the Kapilvastu , Rupandehi , Nawalparasi , Parsa , Bara , Rautahat , Sarlahi , Mahottari , Dhanusa , Siraha, Saptari, Sunsari , Morang and Jhapa Districts . Several protected areas were established in the Terai since the late 1950s: Based on the Köppen–Geiger climate classification system ,

1140-450: The Rana dynasty as a defensive perimeter called Char Kose Jhadi , meaning 'four kos forest'; one kos equals about 3 km (1.9 mi). A British observer noted, "Plainsmen and paharis generally die if they sleep in the Terai before November 1 or after June 1." British travelers to Kathmandu went as fast as possible from the border at Raxaul to reach the hills before nightfall. Malaria

1200-553: The Rapti rise in the Mahabharat Range . The geological structure of the region consists of old and new alluvium , both of which constitute alluvial deposits of mainly sand, clay , silt , gravels and coarse fragments. The new alluvium is renewed every year by fresh deposits brought down by active streams, which engage themselves in fluvial action . Old alluvium is found rather away from river courses, especially on uplands of

1260-475: The 14th century forced Hindu and Buddhist people to seek refuge from religious persecution. Rajput nobles and their entourage migrated to the Himalayan foothills and gained control over the region from Kashmir to the eastern Terai during the following three centuries. By the 16th century, the rulers of Palpa and Makwanpur controlled the mid-western Terai and extended this control to the eastern Terai by

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1320-419: The 17th century. They controlled the area of today's districts of Saptari , Siraha, Dhanusa , Mahottari and Sarlahi. The rulers of Makwanpur controlled the central Terai region of present-day Nepal, and the rulers of Vijayapur controlled today's Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa Districts. The Shah dynasty conquered the eastern Nepal Terai in the 1770s. They also conquered land in the eastern Terai that belonged to

1380-549: The Baikanthapur with all their diversity of life and value in moderating water flow continue to be eroded by the growing human population. It is believed that Lord Krishna went into hiding in the jungles of Baikunthapur with his principal wife and queen Rukmini at one time. For this reason, ISKCON chose nearby Siliguri as the site for the biggest Krishna Centre in the Northeast. The Raikat family were local rulers in

1440-622: The Baikunthapur area between 1523 and 1771, semi-independent rulers related to the Koch dynasty of the Kamata kingdom. The Raikat capital was at Siliguri, then deep within impenetrable forests between the rivers Mahananda to the west and Teesta to the west. During the 1680s, when the Bhutias were trying to take control of Koch Bihar, the Raikats intervened and tried to establish their own candidate for

1500-631: The Baikunthapur area in 1994-95. The efforts have not been fully effective, perhaps because the Forest Department has not sufficiently involved the local population or explained the purpose of the program. Natural forests in the Baikunthapur and Jalpaiguri Forest Divisions, where more than 30% of forest area is under the Joint Forest Management, are being ruined by illegal and destructive felling and uncontrolled grazing. Production of agricultural residue for use as household fuel

1560-542: The Baikunthapur forest division seize illegal consignments of lumber worth lakhs of rupees from the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary and the adjacent Baikunthapur Forest Reserve in West Bengal. However, far more wood is sold than seized. Again, some argue that this is because the land tenure system does not encourage proper stewardship by the local inhabitants. In the past, there have been abuses by

1620-606: The Emperor Shah Jahan , but that during the chaos which arose owing to Emperor's illness, and after the death of Sultan Shuja in February 1661 there was anarchy in the region. Bhim Narain became daring and refused to pay tribute and with a large force attacked Ghoraghat. In the same year (on 17th Rabiul-Awwal 1072 A.H) the Khan-i-Khinan ( Muazzam Khan ) set out from Khizrpur (which has been identified to be

1680-421: The Nepal Terai experiences a tropical savanna climate type with dry winters and hot summers, a mean annual temperature of 20–28 °C (68–82 °F), a mean annual rainfall of 1,600–1,800 mm (63–71 in) in the west and 2,500–3,000 mm (98–118 in) in the east. Tharu and Dhimal people are the indigenous inhabitants of the Terai forests. Several Tharu subgroups are scattered over most of

1740-430: The Nepal Terai, such as over hydropower energy, development projects, business and trade. The government of Nepal has accused India of imposing an undeclared blockade in 2015 but it is not clear yet, local peoples blame Nepal administration and government. Dhurmus Suntali Foundation handed over an integrated community containing 50 houses to Musahar community of Bardibas at a cost of Rs. 63 million. The Terai

1800-413: The Nepal and Indian Terai. They used to be semi-nomadic, practised shifting cultivation and collected wild fruits, vegetables and medicinal herbs . They have been living in the Terai for many centuries and reputedly had an innate resistance to malaria . Dhimal reside in the eastern Nepal Terai, viz Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa Districts. In the past, they lived in the fringes of the forest and conducted

1860-561: The Palace ground, one maintained by the government. The Baikunthapur forests have shrunk considerably. They have always been vulnerable to shifts in river courses, but the swampy wet land helps the natural forest to regrow. However, recent deforestation of a huge area is causing ecological imbalances, and also changing weather conditions. Land clearing, terracing, mining and construction are all contributing to soil erosion and degraded water quality. Joint Forest Management activities started in

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1920-569: The Shah rulers encouraged Indians to settle in the Terai, and supported famine-stricken Bihari farmers in efforts to convert to a more productive agricultural lifestyle in the eastern Nepal Terai. From at least 1786 onward, they appointed government officers in the eastern Terai districts of Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Mahottari, Saptari and Morang to levy taxes, collect revenues and maintain civil order, as well as to hunt wild game, including Indian elephants and Indian rhinoceros , mostly for their ivory. At

1980-477: The Terai include: Ghoraghat Ghoraghat was established in the time of Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji (see Blochmanu's Contr., J.A.S,1873, p. 215, Tabaqat-i-Nasiri , p. 156, Ain-i-Akbari , Vol. II, p. 135 and Vol. I, p. 370). After the historical conquest of Nabadwip from Lakshman Sen in 1203 and the conquest of principal city Gaur , Ikhtiyar al-Dīn Muḥammad Khalji left

2040-453: The Terai rises the Bhabar , a narrow but continuous belt of forest about 8–12 km (5.0–7.5 mi) wide. The Urdu word ترائی tarāʼī means "lands lying at the foot of a watershed" or "on the banks of a river; low ground flooded with water, valley, basin, marshy ground, marsh, swamp; meadow". In Hindi , the region is called तराई 'tarāī' meaning "foot-hill". In Nepali , the region

2100-638: The annual production of 2005 was estimated at 10.1 million kg. The Mahendra Highway crosses the Nepal Terai from Kankarbhitta on the eastern border in Jhapa District, Province No. 1 to Mahendranagar near the western border in Kanchanpur District, Mahakali Zone . It is the only motor road spanning the country from east to west. Tea cultivation was introduced in the Darjeeling Terai in 1862. Tourist attractions in

2160-400: The army and officials. But the overwhelming factor has been explosive population growth. The elephant population in West Bengal is healthy and expanding. This is causing problems. Elephant depredation or the destruction of human settlements and raiding of agricultural crops has been occurring since ancient times, but the increase in both human and elephant populations in recent years is causing

2220-494: The battle of Patna, 982 A.H.(1574 AD), when Daud retired to Orissa , (Badaoni, p. 184, Vol. II), his generals Kalapahar and Babu Mankli proceeded to Ghoraghat, (Badaoni, p. 192). Akbar's general, Majnun Khan, died at Ghoraghat. Being the northern frontier district skirting Koch-Behar , numerous colonies of Afghan and Mughal chiefs were planted there under the feudal system, with large jagir lands under each. Bhim Narain, Rajah of Kuch Behar used to regularly pay tribute to

2280-667: The claim. The Raikats still paid only partial tribute. In 1771 the British annexed Baikanthapur and the Raikats became Zamindars (tenants) of Baikunthapur, but remained largely independent. As late as 1839, the British government in India complained that the Raikat had taken possession of the western Duars of Bhutan . In the 1850s commercial exploitation of Darjeeling tea began in the area. The British Raj assumed increasing control under their system of district commissioners , succeeded by

2340-475: The coordinates at the top of this page. Select a satellite view with no labels. Pan back for broader and broader views until the channels of the Brahmaputra are visible at the foot of the image. Along the line between the mountains and the plain there are patches of dark green - the remaining Terai forests. One hundred years ago, there would have been a continuous and much wider band of dark green. Forests like

2400-558: The corridor that connects the Apalchand Reserve Forest of Baikunthapur Forest Division and the Mal Block of Kalimpong Forest Division. In seven years up to 2008, 26 elephants have been killed by trains on this line. Gajoldoba is a reservoir formed by the first Teesta Barrage , which was built for irrigational purposes. It is surrounded by the Baikunthapur forests, and is an hour's drive from Siliguri. The reservoir

2460-418: The deforestation process in the Terai. Between 1961 and 1991, the annual population growth in the Terai was higher than the national average, which indicates that migration from abroad occurred at a large scale. Deforestation continued, and forest products from state-owned forest were partly smuggled to India. Community forestry was introduced in 1995. Since the 1990s, migration from the Terai to urban centres

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2520-683: The districts of these states that are on the India–Nepal border : The Inner Terai Valleys of Nepal consists of five elongated valleys located between the lower Himalayan Range and Sivalik Hills . From north-west to south-east these valleys are: The Outer Terai begins south of the Sivalik Hills and extends to the Indo-Gangetic Plain . In the Far-Western Region, Nepal , it comprises the Kanchanpur and Kailali Districts; in

2580-406: The eastern Nepal Terai, living in close proximity with native Terai peoples. The Indian Terai remained largely uninhabited until the end of the 19th century, as it was arduous and dangerous to penetrate the dense marsh - and malaria -filled jungle with its predators. Dacoit gangs retreated to the Terai jungles, and the area was considered lawless and wild by the British, who sought control of

2640-441: The eastern Terai in Nepal. Following the malaria eradication program using DDT in the 1960s, a large and heterogeneous non-Tharu population settled in the Nepal Terai. Pahari people from the mid-hills including Bahun , Chhetri and Newar moved to the plains in search of arable land. In the rural parts of the Nepal Terai, distribution and value of land determine economic hierarchy to a large extent. High caste migrants from

2700-635: The end of the 18th century, between 200 and 300 elephants were caught annually, using snares or nooses. The far-western and mid-western regions of the Nepal Terai (called ' Naya Muluk ', or ‘new country’) lay on the northern periphery of the Awadh dynasty. After Nepal lost the Anglo–Nepalese War of 1816, the British annexed these regions of the Terai when the Sugauli Treaty was ratified; as

2760-745: The hills and traditional Tharu landlords who own agriculturally productive land constitute the upper level of the economic hierarchy. The poor are the landless or near landless Terai Dalits , including the Musahar , Chamar and Mallaah . Several Chepang people also live in Nepal's central and eastern Terai districts. As of June 2011, the human population in the Nepal Terai totalled 13,318,705 people in 2,527,558 households comprising more than 120 different ethnic groups and castes such as Badi , Chamling , Ghale , Kumal , Limbu , Magar , Muslim , Rajbanshi , Teli , Thakuri , Yadav and Majhi speaking people. The Muslim invasion of northern India during

2820-410: The late 1960s, and about 10,000 Bihari Muslims from Bangladesh in the 1970s. Timber export continued until 1969. In 1970, King Mahendra granted land to loyal ex-army personnel in the districts of Jhapa, Sunsari, Rupandehi and Banke Districts, where seven colonies were developed for resettling about 7,000 people. They acquired property rights over uncultivated forest and 'waste' land, thus accelerating

2880-494: The mid-30s C. The monsoons (June and September) bring severe rain. 125 mm or more may fall in 24 hours, bringing all activity to halt and often causing local floods and landslides. Annual rainfall may exceed 250 cm. Winters (September–February) can be chilly, with cold winds from the Himalayas. Temperatures may fall as low as 5 °C during this period. The land use pattern has changed dramatically since discovery of

2940-545: The national average of 32.4% literate. Santals , Mall Pahari, Bunna and Oraon are the indigenous groups living here for centuries. It is one of the region which was selected for implementation of development project called Santal Development Project (SDP). Agriculture 68.64%, non-agricultural labourer 2.84%, industry 0.50%, commerce 12.95%, transport and communication 2.91%, service 4.35%, construction 0.53%, religious service 0.13%, rent and remittance 0.07% and others 7.08%. UNO : Md. Rafiqul Islam. Ghoraghat Upazila

3000-435: The national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 996 females per 1000 males. 23,554 (20.01%) lived in urban areas. Ethnic population was 7,801 (6.63%), of which Santal were 4,929. As of the 1991 Bangladesh census , Ghoraghat had a population of 84279. Males constituted 51.01% of the population, and females 48.99%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 43913. Ghoraghat has an average literacy rate of 26.1% (7+ years), and

3060-490: The permissible limit (0.05 mg/L, Indian standard) within a depth range of 10–30m, in the Shaugaon surface. This raises concerns about the possibility of arsenic poisoning in the region and in downstream locations. There are three main seasons: summer , monsoons and winter . The summer season extends from the first week of March to the second week of June, with April being the hottest month. Summer temperatures range in

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3120-419: The plain where silting is a rare phenomenon. A large number of small and usually seasonal rivers flow through the Terai, most of which originate in the Sivalik Hills. The soil in the Terai is alluvial and fine to medium textured. Forest cover in the Terai and hill areas has decreased at an annual rate of 1.3% between 1978 and 1979, and 2.3% between 1990 and 1991. With deforestation and cultivation increasing,

3180-417: The potential for growing tea and reduction of the incidence of malaria . At one time, the area was one of dense forests, lakes and marshes laced with constantly shifting rivers. In the last fifty years, a huge influx of people have drastically changed the environment. Today, the area is just 25% forest, 15% tea garden, 43% cultivated and non-cultivated land and 17% water bodies, residential, hill etc. Click on

3240-458: The region's valuable timber reserves. The region was densely forested with stands of foremost Sal . Heavy logging began in the 1920s. Extracted timber was exported to India to collect revenues. Cleared areas were subsequently used for agriculture. But still, the Terai jungles were teaming with wildlife. Inner Terai valleys historically were agriculturally productive but extremely malarial. Some parts were left forested by official decree during

3300-446: The state of India in 1947. The last Raikat of Baikunthapur, died intestate in 1946. The family home is still occupied, but is suffering from disrepair. However, the crumbling Rajbari (palace) in Jalpaiguri is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists and locals. The palace grounds hold the large palace building, its portico, a bushy garden, and two temples. The gate is a huge unreinforced concrete arch structure. There are several lakes in

3360-562: The throne. After a confused struggle, the Raikats withdrew and accepted the authority of the Fauzdar of Ghoraghat , perhaps only nominally. The Raikats moved their capital south to Jalpaiguri around 1720. The Faujdar of Rangpur pressured the Raikats to accept the suzerainty of the Nawab of Bengal sometime between 1736 and 1739, but the Faujdar had to invade the territory in 1756 to enforce

3420-587: The town of Devkot in 1206 to attack Tibet , leaving Ali Mardan Khalji in Ghoraghat. The old Musalman military outpost of Deocote or Devkot near Gangarampur was in this Sarkar. As soon as the Muslims had made themselves masters of Gaur, they established two frontier posts, one at Dumdumma, on the bank of river Punarbhaba and another at Ghoraghat. A mosque in Dumdumma bears an inscription recording that it

3480-560: Was able to locate 24. The town of Ghoraghat was one of these; the Ain lists it as Balda Nuṣratābad , or "the town of Nuṣratābad" (Nuṣratābad was another name for Ghoraghat at the time). A second mahal, called Bari Ghorāghāṭ , comprised the rural district around the city. The Ain lists Balda Nuṣratābad with an assessed revenue of 336,445 dams and Bari Ghorāghāṭ with a revenue of 165,827 dams. Later it became Chakla of Ghoraghat. The Sarkar produced much raw silk, revenue Rs.202,077. After

3540-451: Was built by Zafar Khan Bahram Iztin in the reign of Kai Kaos Shah in the year 697 A.H.(1297 AD). The Ain-i-Akbari lists Ghoraghat as one of the 19 sarkars of Bengal Subah , resulting from Raja Todar Mal 's fiscal reorganisation of the province. Sarkar Ghoraghat comprised present-day southern Rangpur District , southeastern Dinajpur District , and northern Bogra District . It had 84 mahals in its territory, of which Irfan Habib

3600-400: Was eradicated using DDT in the mid-1950s, at the unfortunate expense of future generations of birds, especially vultures, which were especially sensitive to the chemical. Subsequently, people from the hills migrated to the Terai. About 16,000 Tibetan refugees settled in the Nepal Terai in 1959–1960, followed by refugees of Nepali origin from Burma in 1964, from Nagaland and Mizoram in

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