Behala


Behala is a neighbourhood of South Kolkata in the Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Behala is a part of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area. It is broadly spread across Ward Numbers: Ward No. 115, [Kolkata Municipal Corporation|115], 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, and 132 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and is divided into two Vidhan Sabha constituencies: Behala Paschim and Behala Purba. This area is served by the South West Division of the Kolkata Police, also known as Behala Division.
Behala is one of the oldest residential areas of the city. The Sabarna Roy Choudhury's, one of the oldest zamindar families of western Bengal and the trustee of Kalighat [Kali Temple] lives here. It is also home to Sourav Ganguly, former Indian national cricket captain, and Sovan Chatterjee, the former Mayor of Kolkata.
The Durga Puja celebration of the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family at Barisha was launched in 1610 by Laksmikanta Majumdar, making it the second-oldest family Durga Puja in western Bengal. Today, Durga Puja at Behala is marked by exotic theme-based sarbojanin pujas. Barisha Chandi Mela is a 10-day fair held every year in November–December since 1792.

Etymology

The word Behala is commonly believed to have its root in Behula, the name of the female protagonist of Manasamangalkavya. Alternatively, the name may have been derived from the Bengali term Bahulapur. "Bahula" is also an epithet of the goddesses Chandi and Kali. Rev. James Long, who used to live in the area, described Behala as Byala in one of his early writings. It is also known that Behala comprised many small villages before the whole area was urbanised and each village here was suffixed with -behala, i.e., Bazarbehala, Tamtelbehala, Bnorshebehala, Sorshunnobehala, etc. Names like Rajarbaganbehala, Sahapurbehala, Naskarpurbehala, and Santoshbatibehala are also found in the old proceedings of South Suburban Municipality.

History

Modern day

Behala encompasses one of the largest suburban agglomerations of the city of Kolkata. It consists of many small localities like Sahapur, New Alipore, Parnasree Pally, Behala Bazaar, Manton, Behala Chowrasta, Muchipara, Sakherbazaar, Silpara, Bakultala, Shakuntala Park, Kadamtala, Thakurpukur, Haridevpur, Dakshin Behala, Sarsuna, and Joka. Huge growth of population resulted in the area being of interest to daily wage earners, common populace, and educated classes. Due to this enormous and unplanned growth, the traffic is by and large dependent on the arterial Diamond Harbour Road, in spite of the availability of the parallel James Long Sarani as an option. During the construction of the Taratala flyover, a large portion of traffic flowed through James Long Sarani to avoid construction activity, causing the development of other areas of Behala.
Encroachments by street hawkers of the sidewalks on both sides of the busy Diamond Harbour Road are a major problem. Areas like Behala Bazar, Behala Chowrasta, and Behala Sakherbazaar have been added to the 'Calcutta Green Zone' and traffic moves at a snail's pace during peak office hours.
Previously, there were tram lines along the middle of Diamond Harbour Road from Joka to Mominpur, and people often used the trams to go to Esplanade. The service on this stretch has since been withdrawn. Mominpur to Behala Bazaar service was closed in 2006 due to the Taratala flyover. Behala Bazaar to Joka service was also closed in 2011, due to the elevated metro railway construction on Diamond Harbour Road, which will run from Joka to Esplanade.
SL Dhanuka Girls' hostel that has come up at Behala on Diamond Harbour Road, inaugurated on 24 March 2017 by the Chief minister of Bengal Mamata Banerjee.

Geography

Police district

The localities of the Behala area are served by the South West Division of Kolkata Police. It includes Taratala Police station, Behala Police station, Thakurpukur Police Station, Parnashree Police station, Sarsuna Police station, and Haridevpur Police station.
Behala Women Police station, located at the same address as Behala Police station, covers all police districts under the jurisdiction of the South West division, i.e. Sarsuna, Taratala, Behala, Parnasree, Thakurpukur, and Haridevpur.

Education

There are many educational institutions situated in Behala.

Colleges

Schools

Transport

Various buses are available to move around Kolkata. Majerhat Bridge is one of the major roads connecting Behala to the rest of Calcutta, and has led to massive traffic snarls in the area. Now, a new bridge has been made which successfully connects Behala with other areas.

Bus

WBTC
  • S-4
  • AC-4
  • AC-49
  • AC-4A
  • S-4D
  • E-4
  • S-31
  • AC-31
  • S-22
  • S-45
  • AC-12D
  • AC-52
  • VS-6
  • 7A
  • EB-16
  • S-3B
  • S-3W
  • S-12D
  • S-16
  • M-14
  • C-37

Tram

Trams used to be popular vehicles connecting Behala with Esplanade. After the construction of Taratala flyover, the route was truncated and trams would ply only along the Behala-Joka stretch. In 2011, the route finally closed as a result of the Esplanade-Joka Metro Project.

Railway

Behala is served by the Majherhat, Brace Bridge, and New Alipore railway stations on the Sealdah South section of the Kolkata Suburban Railway.
Behala was also served by the Gholesapur, Sakherbazar, and Thakurpukur railway station of Kalighat Falta Railway (KFR), which has been closed in 1957.

Airport

Behala Airport, more commonly referred as Behala Flying Training Institute or Behala Flying Club, is the second of the two airports in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area, the other being the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. There are plans to upgrade the airport. Previously, there was helicopter service from Behala Airport to Digha and Durgapur, but it was later suspended by the authority. Currently, there is no commercial helicopter service available from Behala Flying Club.

Metro Railway

Former President Ms. Pratibha Patil laid the foundation of the Joka to Esplanade Metro Rail Project in presence of Union Finance Minister and Governor of West Bengal in September 2010.
The metro has partially started from Joka to Taratala, and was inaugurated by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 30 December 2022.
Currently, the six active stations are Joka Metro Station, Thakurpukur Metro Station, Sakherbazar Metro Station, Behala Chowrasta Metro Station, Behala Bazaar Metro Station, Taratala Metro Station, and Majherhat Metro Station.
The construction of the Majherhat Metro Station - Esplanade Metro Station portion is expected to be completed by 2029.

Healthcare

The Behala region is surrounded by numerous hospitals and medical centres.
The State General Hospital for region Behala is Vidyasagar State General Hospital, which is beside the Behala bazar metro station and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Behala.
Nearby Behala, at Thakurpukur M.G Road, another famous hospital and medical research centre is situated, the "Saroj Gupta Cancer Research Institute", locally known as "Thakurpukur cancer hospital". It is one of the oldest cancer treatment centres in Kolkata.
Some other hospitals in Behala are:

Festivals

Barisha Chandi Mela, a 10-day fair held every year in November–December since 1792, attracts people from all over the city. Many popular artists also perform during this festival.
A big Rath Yatra festival and mela also occur every year on Diamond Harbour Road, Thakurpukur. The festival and mela starts from day of Ratha Yatra and the mela ends at the day of Ulta Ratha Thakurpukur rath Mela is the biggest Rath Yatra Mela of Behala area.
Apart from Thakurpukur rath yatra mela, Barisha rath yatra mela, Sarsuna Rath Yatra Mela, and Sonamukhi Rath Yatra Mela also occurs every year. A Rath made of brass of sonar Durga Bari, made in 1871, is brought outside every year during Rath Yatra Celebration.
Jagatdhatri Puja is also celebrated in many Localities of Behala.
At Kalipuja, Chamunda Kali Puja and a big Mela also happen every year at Bahadur Math in Dakshin Behala Road, Sasthir More.
The biggest celebration, the festival of Eid, is held at Behala 18 Bigha Masjid.

Business

The Diamond Harbour Road is dotted on both sides with shops and eateries. Clothes, jewellery, electronic items, sports goods, books, and footwear can be found in a multitude of stores all along the stretch from Taratala to Manton. Recent additions to the shopping scene include shopping malls and factory outlets.

Places of interest

  • Sonar Durga Temple
  • Siddheshwari Kali temple
  • 72, Banamali Naskar Lane, Behala, Kolkata-60
Famous place described as Residence of Ghanada in "Ghanada" a Bengali Science fiction novel written by Ghanashyam Das.
  • Douglas Grounds (Oxford Mission)
  • Behala Chanditala Maa Mangal Chandi Temple
  • State Archaeological Museum, Satyen Roy Road
  • Adi Shiva Temple, Barisha Silpara
  • Sabarna Roy Chowdhury Family houses at Barisha
  • Sabarna Sangrahashala, Baro Bari, Barisha
  • St. Peter's Church, CNI
  • 12 Temples of Lord Shiva, more than 350 years old, in Sabarna Para, Sakherbazar
  • Behala Gourio Math
  • Behala Gajantala Shitala Mandir.
  • Behala AC Market
  • Behala Siddeshwari Market
  • Behala Parnashree Lake