West Bengal

West Bengal (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. With Bangladesh, which lies on its eastern border, the state forms the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal. To its northeast lie the states of Assam and Sikkim and the country Bhutan, and to its southwest lies the state of Orissa. To the west it borders the state of Jharkhand and Bihar, and to the northwest it borders Nepal.

The region that is now West Bengal was a part of a number of empires and kingdoms during the past two millenia. The British East India Company captured the region following the Battle of Plassey in 1757 CE, and the city of Kolkata (then Calcutta) served for many years as the capital of British India. A hotbed of the Indian independence movement through the early 20th century, Bengal was divided in 1947 into two separate entities — West Bengal belonging to India, and East Bengal belonging to the new nation of Pakistan.

Following India's independence in 1947, West Bengal's economic and political theatres were dominated for many decades by intellectual Marxism, Naxalite movements and trade unionism. From late 1990s, an economic rejuvenation led to a spurt in the state's economic and industrial growth. An agriculture-dependent state, West Bengal occupies only 2.7% of the India's land area, though it supports over 7.8% of Indian population, and is the most densely populated state in India. West Bengal has been ruled by the CPI(M)-led Left Front for three decades, making it the world's longest-running democratically-elected communist government. West Bengal has been home to notable poets, writers, artists and performers.

History

Main article: History of Bengal

Remnants of civilisation in the greater Bengal region date back 4,000 years, when the region was settled by Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic peoples. The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown, though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang that settled in the area around the year 1000 BCE. After the arrival of Indo-Aryans, the kingdom of Magadha was formed in 7th century BCE, consisting of the Bihar and Bengal regions. It was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time of Buddha and was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas. Under the Maurya dynasty founded by Chandragupta Maurya, the Magadha Empire extended over nearly all of South Asia, including parts of Persia and Afghanistan under Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE. One of the earliest foreign references to Bengal is the mention of a land named Gangaridai by the Greeks around 100 BCE. The word is speculated to have come from Gangahrd (Land with the Ganges in its heart) in reference to an area in Bengal.

Robert Clive, of British East India Company, after winning the the Battle of Plassey in 1757.

From the 3rd to the 6th centuries CE, the kingdom of Magadha served as the seat of the Gupta Empire. The first recorded independent king of Bengal was Shashanka, reigning around early 7th century. After a period of anarchy, the Buddhist Pala dynasty ruled the region for four hundred years, followed by a shorter reign of the Hindu Sena dynasty. Islam was introduced to Bengal in the 12th century CE by Sufi missionaries; subsequent Muslim conquests helped spread Islam throughout the region. Bakhtiar Khilji, a Turkish general, defeated Lakshman Sen of the Sena dynasty and conquered large parts of Bengal. The region was ruled by dynasties of Sultans and feudal lords under the Delhi Sultanate for the next few hundred years. By the 16th century, Mughal general Islam Khan conquered Bengal. However, administration by governors appointed by the court of the Mughal Empire gave way to semi-independence of the area under the Nawabs of Murshidabad, who respected the nominal sovereignty of the Mughals in Delhi.

European traders arrived late in the 15th century. Their influence grew until the British East India Company gained control of Bengal following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, when Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab, was defeated by the British. The Bengal Presidency was established by 1765, eventually including all British territories north of the Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh), from the mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to the Himalayas and the Punjab. Calcutta was named the capital of British India in 1772. The Indian rebellion of 1857 resulted in transfer of authority to the British Crown, administered by the Viceroy of India. The Bengal famine of 1770 claimed millions of lives. The Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements had great impact on the cultural and economic life of Bengal. Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones.

Bengal played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary groups such as Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar dominated. Armed attempts against the British Raj from Bengal reached a climax when Subhash Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army against the British. In 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines; the western part went to India and the eastern part joined Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan — giving rise to Bangladesh in 1971). On 2 October, 1955, the former French enclave of Chandannagar, which had passed into Indian control after 1950, was integrated into West Bengal; portions of Bihar were subsequently merged with West Bengal.

During the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent Marxist-Naxalite movement damaged much of the state's infrastructure, leading to a period of economic stagnation. The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 resulted in the influx of millions of refugees to West Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure. West Bengal politics underwent a major change when the Left Front won the 1977 assembly election, defeating the incumbent Indian National Congress. The Left Front, led by CPI(M) has governed for the last three decades.

The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after economic reforms in India were introduced in the mid-1990s by the central government, aided by election of a new reformist Chief Minister in 2000. In 2006, armed Maoist activists have been organising minor terrorist attacks in some parts of the state.

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography of West Bengal

National Highway 31A winds along the banks of the Teesta River near Kalimpong, in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region.

West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from the Himalayas in the North to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The state has a total area of 88,752 km². The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. This region contains Sandakfu (3,636 m)—the highest peak of the state. A narrow Terai region separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and high lands. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form the most remarkable geographical landmark of the Ganges delta.

The Ganges is the main river, which divides in West Bengal—one branch enters Bangladesh as the Padma or Pôdda, while the other flows through West Bengal as the Bhagirathi River and River Hooghly. The Teesta, Torsa, Jaldhaka and Mahananda rivers are in the northern hilly region. The western plateau region has rivers like the Damodar, Ajay and Kangsabati. The Ganges delta and the Sundarbans area has numerous rivers and creeks; pollution of the Ganges from indiscriminate waste dumping into the river is a major problem. At least 9 districts in the state suffer from arsenic contamination of groundwater, and an estimated 8.7 million people drink water containing arsenic above the World Health Organisation recommended limit of 10 µg/L.

West Bengal's climate varies from tropical savannah in the southern portions to humid subtropical in the north. The main seasons are summer, rainy season, a short autumn, and winter. While the summer in the delta region is noted for excessive humidity, the western highlands experience a dry summer like northern India, with the highest day temperature ranging from 38 °C to 45 °C. At nights, a cool southerly breeze carrying moisture from the Bay of Bengal is usually present. The early summer often sees brief squalls and thunderstorms known as Kalbaisakhi (Nor'westers). Monsoons lash the whole state from June to September. West Bengal receives the Bay of Bengal branch of the Indian ocean monsoon that moves in a northwest direction. Winter (December–January) is mild over the plains, average minimum temperature being 15 °C. A cold and dry northern wind blows in the winter, substantially lowering the humidity level. However, the Darjeeling Himalayan Hill region experiences a harsh winter, with snowfall at places.

Flora and fauna

A Bengal tiger

Sal trees in Arabari forest, in West Midnapur. Joint Forest Management maintains the forest.

Owing to the varying altitude from the Himalayas to the coastal plains, the flora and fauna of the state is diverse. Forests make up 14% of the geographical area — 11,879 km² of West Bengal landmass — which is lower then the national average of 23%. Protected forests cover 4% of the state area. Part of Sundarbans mangrove forest — the world's largest — is located in southern West Bengal.

From a phytogeographic viewpoint, the southern part of West Bengal can be divided into two regions: the Gangetic plain and the littoral mangrove forests of the Sundarbans. The alluvial soil of the Gangetic plain compounded with favorable rainfall make this region especially fertile. Much of the vegetation of the western part of the state shares floristic similarities with the plants of the Chota Nagpur plateau in the adjoining state of Jharkhand. The predominant commercial tree species is Shorea robusta, commonly known as Sal. The coastal region of Purba Medinipur exhibits coastal vegetation; the predominant tree is the Casuarina. The most valuable tree from the Sundarbans is the ubiquitous sundri (Heritiera fomes) from which the forest gets its name. Vegetation in northern West Bengal is dictated by elevation and precipitation. For example, the foothills of the Himalayas, the Dooars, are densely wooded with Sal and other trees of the tropical evergreen type. Above 1000 m, the forest type changes to subtropical. In Darjeeling, which is above 1500 m, common trees typifying the temperate forest are oaks, conifers, and rhododendrons.

The Sundarbans are noted for a reserve project conserving Bengal tigers. There are five national parks in the state — Sundarbans National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Gorumara National Park, Neora Valley National Park and Singalila National Park. Wildlife includes the Indian rhinoceros, Indian elephants, deer, bison, leopards, gaur, and crocodiles. The state is also rich in bird life. Migratory birds come to the state during the winter. The high altitude forests like Singalila National Park shelter barking deer, red panda, chinkara, takin, serow, pangolin, minivet and Kalij pheasants. In addition to the Bengal tiger, the Sundarbans host many other endangered species like Gangetic dolphin, river terrapin, estuarine crocodile etc. The mangrove forest also acts as a natural fish nursery, supporting coastal fishes along the Bay of Bengal.

Government and politics

Main article: Government of West Bengal

A Left Front political rally in Kolkata

Like other Indian states, West Bengal is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy; universal suffrage is granted to residents. There are three branches of government. The legislature — the West Bengal Legislative Assembly — consists of elected members and special office bearers (the Speaker and Deputy Speaker) elected by the members. Assembly meetings are presided over by the Speaker (or the Deputy Speaker in the Speaker's absence). The judiciary is composed of the Calcutta High Court and a system of lower courts. Executive authority is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by the the Chief Minister although the titular head of government is the Governor, the head of state appointed by the President of India. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the Chief Minister by the Governor, and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Council of Ministers is answerable to the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly is unicameral with 295 M.L.A. including one nominated from the Anglo-Indian community. Its term is 5 years, unless sooner dissolved. Auxiliary authorities known as panchayats, for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs. The state contributes 42 seats to the Lok Sabha and 16 seats to the Rajya Sabha,

A political alliance — the Left Front (led by the CPI(M)) — and other major parties like All India Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress are the main players in the regional politics. Following the West Bengal state assembly election, 2006, the Left Front coalition under Buddhadeb Bhattacharya of the CPI(M) was elected to power. West Bengal is being ruled by the Left Front for the past 30 years — the world's longest-running democratically-elected Communist government.

See also : Chief Minister of West Bengal, Political parties of West Bengal

Subdivisions

Districts of West Bengal

Main article: List of Districts (Zilas) in West Bengal

There are 19 districts in West Bengal — Bankura, Bardhaman, Birbhum, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, East Midnapore, Hooghly, Howrah, Jalpaiguri, Kolkata, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur, Purulia, South 24 Parganas, Dakshin Dinajpur and West Midnapore. Each district is governed by a district collector or district magistrate, appointed either by the Indian Administrative Service or the West Bengal Civil Service. Each district is subdivided into Sub-Divisions, governed by a sub-divisional magistrate, and again into Blocks. Blocks consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities.

The capital and largest city of the state is Kolkata — the third-largest urban agglomeration and the fourth-largest city in India. Siliguri is an economically important town, strategically located in the northeastern Chicken's Neck of India. Asansol, Durgapur and Raniganj are cities in the western industrial belt. Other major cities and towns in West Bengal are Howrah, Haldia, Kharagpur, Burdwan, Darjeeling, Midnapore, Tamluk, Malda and Cooch Behar.

Economy

Gross State Domestic Product at Current Prices (93–94 Base) figures in crores of Indian Rupees
Year	Gross State Domestic Product
1998–2000	126,834
2000–2001	139,863
2001–2002	153,865
2002–2003	165,419
2003–2004	186,429
2004–2005	206,881

Agriculture is the leading occupation in West Bengal. Rice is the state's principal food crop; other food crops are maise, pulses, oil seeds, wheat, barley, potatoes and vegetables. Jute is the main cash crop of the region. Tea is also produced commercially; the region is well known for Darjeeling and other high quality teas. Tobacco and sugarcane are also grown. However, the service sector is the largest contributor to the gross domestic product of the state, contributing 51% of the state domestic product compared to 27% from agriculture and 22% from industry. State industries are localized in the Kolkata region and the mineral-rich western highlands. Durgapur–Asansol colliery belt is home to a number of major steel plants. Manufacturing industries playing an important economic role are engineering products, electronics, electrical equipment, cables, steel, leather, textiles, jewellery, frigates, automobiles, railway coaches, and wagons.

Freshly sown saplings of paddy; in the background are stacks of jute sticks

A significant part of the state is economically backward — large parts of six northern districts (Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Malda, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur), three western districts (Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum), and the Sundarban area. Years after independence, West Bengal was still dependent on the central government for meeting its food demand; food production remained stagnant and the green revolution bypassed the state. However, there has been a significant spurt in food production since the 1980s, and the state now has a surplus of food grains. The state's share of total industrial output in India was 9.8% in 1980–81, declining to 5% by 1997–98. However, the service sector has grown at a rate higher than the national rate.

West Bengal has the third largest economy (2003-2004) in India, with a net state domestic product of US$ 21.5 billion. During 2001–2002, the state's average SDP was more than 7.8% — outperforming the National GDP Growth. The state has promoted foreign direct investment, which has mostly come in the software and electronics fields; Kolkata is becoming a major hub for the Information technology (IT) industry. Owing to the boom in Kolkata's and the overall state's economy, West Bengal is now the third fastest growing economy in the country. However, the rapid industrialisation process has given rise to debate over industrial land acquisition in this agrarian state. NASSCOM-Gartner ranks West Bengal power infrastructure the best in the country.

See also: List of conglomerates in West Bengal

Transport

File:Digha-train.jpg

A South Eastern Railway train plying between Kolkata and Digha

The total length of surface road in West Bengal is over 92,023 km; national highways comprise 2,377 km and state highways 2,393 km. Average speed on state highways varies between 40–50 km/h; in villages and towns, speeds are as low as 20–25 km/h due to the proliferation of speed bumps. Total railway length is 3,825 km. Kolkata is the headquarters of two divisions of the Indian Railways — Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway. The Northeast Frontier Railway plies in the northern parts of the state. The Kolkata metro is the country's first underground railway, and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (NFR) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The state's only international airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum, Kolkata; Bagdogra airport near Siliguri is another significant airport in the state. Kolkata is a major river-port in eastern India. The Kolkata Port Trust manages both the Kolkata docks and the Haldia docks. There is passenger service to Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and cargo ship service to ports in India and abroad, operated by the Shipping Corporation of India. Ferry is a principal mode of transport in the southern part of the state, especially the Sundarbans area. Kolkata is the only city in India to have tram transport, operated by Calcutta Tramways Company.

Several government-owned organisations operate bus services in the state, including the Calcutta State Transport Corporation, the North Bengal State Transport Corporation, the South Bengal State Transport Corporation, and the West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation. There are also private bus companies, while the railway is a nationalised service without any private investment. Hired forms of mechanised transport include metered taxis, while auto rickshaws ply specific routes in cities. In most of the cities, cycle rickshaws — and in Kolkata, hand-pulled rickshaws — are also used for short-distance travel.

Demographics

A village scene in West Midnapur. Seventy-two percent of the state's population lives in villages.

The vast majority of the 80,221,171 population of West Bengal are Bengalis. Minorities of Biharis are scattered throughout the state, while communites of Sherpas and ethnic Tibetans can be found in regions bordering Sikkim. West Bengal is also home to indigenous tribal Adivasis (including Santals and Kol), who are mostly concentrated in the western districts.

The official language is Bengali. Hindi and English are also in common usage, while Nepali is spoken primarily by the Gorkhas of Darjeeling district. Hinduism is the principal religion, accounting for 72.5% of the population; Muslims comprise 25%, and other religions comprise the remainder.

West Bengal has a population density of 904 people/km², ranking as the most densely populated state in India. The state comprises 7.81% of India's population. The state's 1991–2001 growth rate of 17.84% is slightly lower than the national rate of 21.34%. The gender ratio is 934 females per 1000 males.

The literacy rate is 69.22%. The life expectancy in the state is 63.4 years, marginally more than the national value of 61.7 years. About 72% of people live in rural areas. The proportion of people living below the poverty line in 1999-2000 was 31.85%. Scheduled Castes and Tribes form 28.6% and 5.8% of the population respectively in rural areas, and 19.9% and 1.5% respectively in urban areas.

The crime rate in the state was 82.6 per 100,000 (half of the national average) in 2004; this is the fourth-lowest crime rate amongst 32 states and union territories of India. However, the state reported the highest rate of Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes. In recorded crimes against women, the state had a crime rate of 7.1 compared to the national rate of 14.1. West Bengal was the first Indian state to constitute a Human Rights Commission of its own.

Culture

Baul singers at Basanta-Utsab, Shantiniketan

An idol of Durga, shown riding her lion and attacking the demon Mahishasura.

Main article: Culture of West Bengal

The Bangla language boasts a rich literary heritage, shared with neighboring Bangladesh. West Bengal has a long tradition in folk literature, evidenced by the Charyapada, Mangalkavya, Shreekrishna Kirtana, Thakurmar Jhuli, and stories related to Gopal Bhar. In the nineteenth and twentieth century, Bengali literature matured through the works of authors such as Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

The musical tradition of West Bengal is lyrics-based (Baniprodhan), with minimal instrumental accompaniment. The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of Bangla folk music, which has also been influenced by regional music traditions. Gombhira and Bhawaiya are popular musical forms. Folk music in West Bengal is often accompanied by the ektara, a one-stringed instrument. West Bengal also has an heritage in North Indian classical music. From the early 1990s, there has been an emergence and popularisation of new genres of music, including fusions of Baul and Jazz by bands like Moheener Ghoraguli and Bhoomi, as well as the emergence of what has been called Jeebonmukhi Gaan (Songs from Life) led by artists like Kabir Suman and bands like Chandrabindu.

Bengali dance forms draw from folk traditions, especially those of the tribal groups, as well as the broader Indian dance traditions. Chau dance of Purulia is a rare form of mask dance.

Mainstream Hindi films are popular, as are films from the Bengali cinema industry, dubbed "Tollywood." The Bengali film industry is known for its art films. Its long tradition of filmmaking has produced acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak; contemporary directors include Buddhadev Dasgupta, Goutam Ghose, Aparna Sen and Rituparno Ghosh.

Rice and fish are traditional favorite foods, leading to a saying that "fish and rice make a Bengali" (machhe bhate bangali). Meat production has increased significantly in recent years. Bengalis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products, including Rôshogolla, Chômchôm and Kalojam. Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes hilsa preparations — a favorite among Bengalis. Popular street food includes Beguni (fried battered eggplant slices), Kati roll (flatbread roll with vegetable or chicken stuffing) and phuchka (deep fried crêpe with tamarind and lentil sauce).

Bengali women commonly wear sari (shaŗi) and the salwar kameez, distinctly designed according to local cultural customs. In urban areas, many women and men wear Western-style attire. Durga Puja in October is the most popular festival in the West Bengal. Men also wear traditional costumes such as the kurta with dhoti or pyjama, often on religious occasions. Pohela Baishakh (Bengali New Year), Rathayatra, Dolyatra or Basanta-Utsab, Nobanno, Poush parbon (festival of Poush), Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha are other major festivals. Buddha Purnima, which marks the birth of Gautama Buddha, is one of the most important Buddhist festivals while Christmas, called Bôŗodin (Great day) in Bangla is celebrated by the minority Christian population. West Bengal is the birthplace of several famous religious teachers, including Sri Chaitanya, Sri Ramakrishna, and Swami Vivekananda.

Education

Main article: Education in West Bengal

File:IIT KGP Main Building.JPG

IIT Kharagpur

West Bengal schools are run by the state government or by private organisations, including religious institutions. Instruction is mainly in English or Bengali, though Hindi and Urdu are also used. The schools are affiliated with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), or the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Under the 10+2+3 plan, after completing secondary school, students typically enroll for 2 years in a junior college (also known as a pre-university) or in schools with a higher secondary facility affiliated with the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education. Students choose from one of three streams — liberal arts, commerce or science. Upon completing the required coursework, students may enroll in general or professional degree programs.

West Bengal has eighteen universities. The University of Calcutta, one of the oldest and largest public universities in India, has more than 200 affiliated colleges. The Bengal Engineering & Science University and Jadavpur University are prestigious technical universities. The state has higher education institutes of national importance including the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (the first of its kind in India), the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, the Asiatic Society, the Indian Statistical Institute and the Marine Engineering and Research Institute.

Media

West Bengal had 559 published newspapers in 2005, of which 430 were in Bangla. Ananda Bazar Patrika, published from Kolkata with 11,30,167 copies, has the largest circulation for a single-edition, regional language newspaper in India. Other major Bengali newspapers are Aajkaal, Bartaman, Sangbad Pratidin and Ganashakti. The Telegraph, The Statesman, Asian Age, Hindustan Times and The Times of India are newspapers published in English. Vernacular newspapers such as those in Hindi, Gujarati, Oriya, Urdu, Punjabi and Nepali are also read by smaller audiences.

Doordarshan is the state-owned television broadcaster. Multi system operators provide a mix of Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, English and international channels via cable. Bengali 24-hour television news channels include STAR Ananda and Kolkata TV. All India Radio is a public radio station; private FM stations are available only in cities like Kolkata. BSNL, Reliance Infocomm, Hutch and Airtel are the available cellular phone operators. Broadband internet is available only in the big towns and cities, provided by state-owned BSNL and other private companies, whereas dial-up access is available throughout the state.

Sports

Football is the most popular sport in the state; Kolkata, the capital, is one of the major centers for football in India. Kolkata is home to top national clubs such as East Bengal, Mohan Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting Club. Cricket is also popular and is played throughout the state; Calcutta Cricket and Football Club is the second-oldest cricket club in the world. Indian sports such as Kho Kho and Kabaddi are also played.

West Bengal has several large stadiums —The Eden Gardens is one of only two 100,000-seat cricket amphitheaters in the world. Salt Lake Stadium — a multi-use stadium — is the world's third highest-capacity football stadium, and Netaji Indoor Stadium is air-conditioned. National and international sports events are also held in Durgapur, Siliguri and Kharagpur.

Notable sports persons from West Bengal include former Indian national cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, Olympic tennis bronze medallist Leander Paes and chess grand master Dibyendu Barua.

References

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External links

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• Official website of Government of West Bengal
• Information about West Bengal in Bengali