Barakar, Burdwan
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Barakar, Burdwan
Village in the Asansol subdivision of Burdwan District, Bengal, situated in 23 45' N. and 86° 49' E., on the left bank of the Barakar river. The population of Barakar proper in 1901 was 385, but the name is ordinarily understood to include several other villages with an aggregate population of nearly 5,000. Barakar is the site of the Bengal Iron and Steel Works, which employ 1,900 hands and had a total output in 1903-4 of 43,737 tons, valued at 24-6 lakhs. The main business is the manufacture of railway plant. The manufacture of steel was tried, but was abandoned as unprofitable in 1906. Messrs. John King &: Co., Engineers and Founders, of Howrah, have also a branch here. Barakar contains several interesting remains, including some ancient stone temples. [Archaeological Survey Reports, vol. viii, pp. 150-4.]
