Barobisha
Barobisha or Barovisha or Barabisa is a town located on the National Highway 31C, towards Assam in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal, India. It is 8 km away from the Bengal-Assam border.
Barobisha | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Barobisha Location in West Bengal, India | |
| Coordinates: 26.4679°N 89.8048°E | |
| Country |  |
| State | West Bengal |
| District | Alipurduar |
| Government | |
| • Body | Gram Panchayet |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Bengali, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 736207 |
| Telephone code | 03564 |
| Vehicle registration | WB |
| Nearest city | Alipurduar |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Alipurduar |
| Civic agency | Gram Panchayet |
| Climate | Tropical humid (Köppen) |
Barobisha comes under the Kumargram community development block. The gram panchayats of Kumargram block/ panchayat samiti are: Chengmari, Kamakhyaguri I, Kamakhyaguri II, Khoardanga I, Khoardanga II, Kumargram, Newland, Kumargram Sankosh, Rydak, Turturi Khanda, Valka Barovisha I and Valka Barovisha II.
Barobisha is the gateway to exotic locations like Newlands Tea Garden, Rasikbil migratory bird sanctuary (West Bengal), Kalikhola, Geylegphug, and Phuntsholing Bhutan. The place is famous for its Marathon football league and Kali-mela (the fair on the eve of Goddess Kali worship). To its north lies Bhutan hills, south lies Bangladesh and east lies Assam state. Raidak and Sankosh (Wang Chhu and Tsang Chu in Bhutan) are two rivers on the west and east sides of the place. Currently the major portion of Barobisha is getting a massive facelift as it has been demolished on 7 December 2010 due to reconstruction for the National Highway expansion project, which is almost complete (July 2014).
Location
- Latitude: 26.4679 North
- Longitude: 89.8048 East
- Pin Code: 736207
- Outpost: Barobisha
- District: Alipurduar
- Nearest City: Alipurduar
- State: West Bengal (North)
- Subtropical plains
Major localities
Barobisha bazar and Montala মনতলা, Howlipotty, Christian math, NWGEL Church and Laskar Para, Radhanagar and Laal School, JNV ( Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya ) Central Board School with full Resident, Chakchaka চকচকা & New town, Satsang mandir সৎসঙ্গ মন্দির & Dakshin rampur, Bawt-tola বটতলা and Shalbagan শালবাগান, commercial sales tax office at Assam gate & Shantibon.
The nearest railway station Jorai and nearest Hospital Laal School (towards Bhutan Hills/Pahar).
Occupation
Most of the people are farmers and the next generations rely on business like timber, fishing, vegetable, and retail clothing. Assam-Bengal Commercial/Sales Tax office used to provide a large number of jobs. But post GST regime, Jorai and it's neighbour Barobisha have witnessed massive unemployment due to the unification in taxes and abolishing of State sales Tax gate, which would otherwise serve many people a source of income. Computer learning centres, state government jobs and agriculture provide other job opportunities.
Cultural activities
Cultural activities which was started with the emergence of Natyam নাট্যম-the drama club and "Udaisree Sangha" in the 1980s and 1990s was further geared up by the "Pratyusha প্রত্যুষা Cultural Unit" with their annual drama festival. Apart from this, Dishari, Bawt-tola (or Battala) বটতলা, Swadhin-Bharat club, New-town, Man-tola মনতলা Friends Union Club, Chhanna Chhara Unit and Netaji Sangha নেতাজী সংঘ have also played a considerable role in this regards.
The local cable news network broadcasts a Sunday news bulletin. Local newspapers like Simanto Barta and Volka Samachar, edited by eminent literary persona the late Shantonu lahiri (Volka Samachar presently being published by his widow, M/s Dipali Bagchi) are reliable sources of information.
The Big 31 Feet Idol (একুশ হাত বড়কালী ঠাকুর)
It started in the year 1971 with a seven feet idol! Immediately after Laxmi Puja the construction work begins. It takes 14 days span and the active cooperation of 14 artisans. Famous cultural icon Late Manindra Pal had been involved with this idol making since the beginning. In his absence, his able sons and other prominent idol makers are involved. This Kali idol and an 11 days fair (কালীমেলা) attracts huge crowd every year!
Sports initiatives
Barobisha has a strong and inspiring sports heritage, football in particular. The marathon football league held every year on the eve of Independence day witnesses a massive upsurge of spectators around the district or its neighbourhood area. However, with the advent of cricket in the 1990s, the craze for football has been reduced considerably.
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
Central government funded boarding school Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Barobisha is located one km west of city center on NH 27, near Raidāk II river.
Tourist guide
From here one can visit forests like Chilapata, Rajabhatkhawa, Khutimari, Nimti, Tiamarighat, Dhumpara, Newlands tea garden, and Shill-Bunglow.
The following info may be helpful for tourists:
- Hotels, Lodges & Resorts are available here for dine-in and night stay.
- China-made small, lucrative toys and utilities (imported from Siliguri Hong-Kong market and Dhulabari) are readily available here.
- Rasikbil রসিকবিল migratory bird sanctuary, near Kamakhyaguri
- Kalikhola, Bhutan, Shil Bungalow - Purba Shalbari are good picnic spots Bhutan
- Barobisha: Bawt-tola (or Battala/বটতলা) Shaal-Bagan (collection of a large number of Shorea Robusta or Shaal trees).
- Buxa tiger reserve is just 60 km away from Barobisha.
- The nearest railway station, Kamakhyaguri, (although Jorai station is 2 km away but it is not the stoppage for important trains) is just 7 km away which connects to New Alipurduar, New Jalpaiguri, Howrah/Kolkata.
- The nearest airport is Bagdogra-179 km away, near Siliguri. Guahati airport is 267 km away.
- One can see Bhutanese currency Ngultrum here.
- Boirali maach (বৈরালী মাছ): The rare fishes of Himalyan foothills - Danio rerio, Danio dangila and Barilius Barila are available in Raidak, Jorai and Sankosh river. Boirali fish derives its nutrition from microscopic Dufnia, Cyclop or from green algae Spirogyra or Volvox. These fishes are nowadays facing the crisis of extinction due to water pollution, excess use of pesticides and the frequent vibration caused by dynamite explosions in the hills. (Web page developed by Sudipto Ghosh)
External Sources
সংবাদ প্রতিদিন https://www.sangbadpratidin.in/religion/31-feet-kali-idol-major-attraction-for/