Nabadwip
Nabadwip, 1908
(or Nadia). — Ancient capital of Nadia District, Bengal, situated in 23° 24' N. and 88° 23' E., in the head-quarters subdivision, on the west bank of the Bhaglrathi. Population (1901), 10,880, including 10,416 Hindus, 457 Muhammadans, and 7 Christians. This great preponderance of Hindus in a District where 59 per cent, of the population are Musalmans ig significant. Nabadwip is reputed to have been founded in the twelfth century by Lakshman Sen, son of Ballal Sen, king of Bengal. It was captured by Muhammad-i-Bakhtyar Khiljl in 1203. It has long been famous for its sanctity and learning, and its pandits are still referred to on questions of Hindu religion and pre- cedent. Here towards the end of the fifteenth century was born the great Vaishnava reformer, Chaitanya, in whose honour a festival, attended by some 8,000 or 10,000 pilgrims, is held annually in January-February, The famous tols or Sanskrit schools are referred to in the article on Nadia District. The town was constituted a municipality under the name of Nadia in 1869. The income during the decade ending 1901-2 averaged Rs. 7,000, and the expenditure Rs. 6,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 9,100, mainly from a tax on persons (or property tax) ; and the expenditure was Rs. 8,400. The lodging-houses in the town are regulated under Bengal Act IV of 187 1. Brass utensils are manufactured.
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.
