Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • History
    • Ancient
    • Invasion
    • Recent
    • Demography
  • Heritage
    • Culture
  • Articles
    • Case Studies
    • Letters
    • Research & Scholarly
    • Reports
    • Reviews
  • Museum
  • Library
  • News & Events
  • Miscellaneous
    • Poetry
    • Books and Book Reviews
    • Videos & Music
  • Contact Us
  • Tourism
  • Articles
  • Bio
  • Case Studies
  • Letters
  • Memoirs
  • Reports
  • Research & Scholarly
  • Reviews
  • Events
  • Heritage
    • Archaeology
  • Culture
  • Festivals
  • Temples of East Bengal
  • Demography
  • History
  • Ancient
  • Invasion
  • Recent
  • 1964 East Pakistan Riots
  • The Bengali Hindu Homeland Movement
  • The Bengali Language Movement
  • Temples of West Bengal
  • Miscellaneous
    • Arts
  • Books and Book Reviews
  • Library
  • Maps
  • Poetry
  • Videos & Music
  • Museum
  • 1946 Noakhali Pogrom
  • 1947 Partition Riots
  • 1950 Barisal Pogrom
  • 1964 East Pakistan Riots
  • 1971 Bangladesh Genocide
  • Heritage of Bengal
  • Indian Independence Movement
  • News & Events
  • Fundraisers
  • Persecution News
  • Uncategorized

Converted Names of Places (3): Jiaganj-Azimganj

  • Home
  • Converted Names of Places (3): Jiaganj-Azimganj
By Admin   Publish Date: January 25, 2021

Converted Names of Places (3): Jiaganj-Azimganj

 

Located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi river, in Murshidabad district, Jiaganj is the converted name of the ancient Hindu-Jain town of ‘Baluchar’. 

After capturing Bengal and the kingdom of Mokshapur, the Mughal empire went on to Islamize a certain few things under the relatively moderate Akbar. The name of Mokshapur, a relatively small kingdom was changed to Maksudabad, while Baluchar, a township along the banks of Bhagirathi was renamed to Jiaganj. 

The twin towns of Jiaganj and Azimganj, located on the opposite sides of the Bhagirathi river and not too far away from ‘Karnasubarna’ (capital of Shashanka’s Gour empire) had been important trade centres of Vanga from times immerial. While the trade remained during the Subah reign in Bengal, much of the indigenous history was wiped off from memory as Hindus made the mistake of not extensively documenting it.  

It was also a holy place for Vaishnavas during the early periods of Vaishnavism and was also called the Varanasi of Bengal during the reign of Rani Bhabani. 

There are many ancient Hindu mandirs and relatively less older Jain Deuls on both banks of the river. 

One of the most obvious signs of Sasanka’s reign is the presence of ancient Shiva temples or Shiva Lingams. Since Vanga and its neighbouring states were dominated by tribals (Shaktas and others), the abundance of Shiva temples in Murshidabad and Malda, may most definitely be attributed to Sasanka, who was a renowned Shaivite and did much to spread Shaivism. The merging of Shaivism* with Shaktism was most probably his doing as well. 

Shibtalaghat for example is a locality in jiaganj (near to Bhagirathi), which holds an ancient Shiva temple. 

‘Bhattapara’ is yet another locality that holds remnants of an ancient Hindu civilization. 

This town was home to the Bhattas (currently  Bhattacharyas), who had been living here from 350 years before the arrival of Murshid Kuli Khan. The Bhattas or Bhattacharyas, who were “Pashchatya Vaidic Brahmins”, originally from Kanauj (UP) continue to dwell here. It is heard that they came during the reign of the Sen kings (Ballal or Lakshman). There is an ancient Laxmi-Narayan Dev mandir adjacent to their abode and they have a trusty of Sebayat among themselves. Their houses are now in dilapidated conditions. 

Bhattapara is also home to an ancient Durga mandir, known as PatharBari Durga Mandir. 

Then there is Debipur, a small neighborhood located on the banks of Bhāgirathi-Hooghly river, which is traditionally known as ‘Ganga’. Debipur as one can clearly tell by the name was named after Devi Durga or Kali. 

Finally, there are multiple historic Jain mandirs in Baluchar namely Sri Neminath Swami, Chintamani Parasnath, Shantinath, Gaudi Parshwanath, Padmaprabhu, and Sanwalia Parasnath temple, Rambagh Dadabadi, Shree Shambhabnath Ji, Shree Adinath Ji, Shree Bimalnath Ji, Shree Adinath Ji, Kathgola temple, Dadabari at Kiratbagh, Basupujya Parswanath Swami Jinalaya at Kiratbagh, Mahavir Swami Digambar Jain Mandir.

Tags :

Follows :

Latest Uncategorized

  • Sreemangal: Attempt to frame a Hindu youth by posting insulting posts about Islam from fake Facebook ID about 1 week ago
  • Noakhali: Hindu teacher sentenced to 8 years in prison for allegedly insulting Islam about 1 month ago
  • Khulna: Hindu journalist beaten and forced to wear shoe garland for supporting Nupur Sharma about 1 month ago
  • Rajshahi: Hindu emeritus professor’s land grabbed, authorities silent about 1 month ago

Up Comming Event

মন্দিরে জঙ্গি হামলা

মন্দিরে জঙ্গি হামলা

13, November 2021
জেহাদী সন্ত্রাসের বিরুদ্ধে প্রতিবাদ

জেহাদী সন্ত্রাসের বিরুদ্ধে প্রতিবাদ

14, October 2021
বাংলাদেশের সংখ্যালঘু হিন্দুদের দুরাবস্থা

বাংলাদেশের সংখ্যালঘু হিন্দুদের দুরাবস্থা

11, October 2021
বাংলাদেশে ধর্মনিন্দা

বাংলাদেশে ধর্মনিন্দা

7, September 2021

Popular Tags

Quick Link

  • About
  • History
  • News and Events
  • Contact

© Copyright 2022 Sriti O Chetona. All Rights Reserved