Kushmandi is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Gangarampur subdivision of Dakshin Dinajpur district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History
Dinajpur district was constituted in 1786. In 1947, the Radcliffe Line placed the Sadar and Thakurgaon subdivisions of Dinajpur district in East Pakistan. The Balurghat subdivision of Dinajpur district was reconstituted as West Dinajpur district in West Bengal. The new Raiganj subdivision was formed in 1948. In order to restore territorial links between northern and southern parts of West Bengal which had been snapped during the partition of Bengal, and on the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission a portion of the erstwhile Kishanganj subdivision comprising Goalpokhar, Islampur and Chopra thanas (police stations) and parts of Thakurganj thana, along with the adjacent parts of the erstwhile Gopalpur thana in Katihar subdivision were transferred from Purnea district in Bihar to West Bengal in 1956, and were formally incorporated into Raiganj subdivision in West Dinajpur. The township of Kishanganj and its entire municipal boundary remained within Bihar. With the introduction of the Community Development Programme in 1960-61, community development blocks were set up in West Dinajpur district. In 1992, West Dinajpur district was bifurcated and Dakshin Dinajpur district was established.
Geography
Kushmandi is located at .
Dakshin Dinajpur district is physiographically a part of the Barind Tract. The area is generally flat and slightly undulating. The elevation of the district is about 15 metres above mean sea level. However, the soil varies. CD Blocks such as Balurghat, Hili and Kumarganj have alluvial soil, Tapan CD Block has laterite soil. There are three main rivers. The Atreyee comes from Bangladesh, flows through Kumarganj and Balurghat CD Blocks and goes back to Bangladesh. The Punarbhaba flows through Gangarampur and Tapan CD Blocks. The Tangon flows through Kushmandi and Bansihari CD Blocks. There is a small river named Jamuna in the Hili CD Block. All rivers, flowing from north to south, overflow during the monsoons and cause floods.
Kushmandi is bounded by Kaliaganj CD Block, in Uttar Dinajpur district and Biral Upazila in Dinajpur District, Bangladesh, on the north, Gangarampur CD Block on the east, Bansihari and Harirampur CD Blocks on the south and Kaliaganj CD Block in Uttar Dinajpur district on the west.
Six out of the eight CD Blocks in the district are on the India-Bangladesh border popularly referred to as a porous border. 2,216 km of the 4,096 km long India-Bangladesh border falls in West Bengal. More than 11,000 people live near/ around the zero line in Dakshin Dinajpur. Approximately 252 km of the international border is in Dakshin Dinajpur district.
Kushmandi CD Block has an area of 310.63 km2.It has 1 panchayat samity, 8 gram panchayats, 133 gram sansads (village councils), 231 mouzas and 228 inhabited villages. Kushmandi police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Kushmandi.
Gram panchayats of Kushmandi block/ panchayat samiti are: Akcha, Berail, Deul, Kalikamora, Karanji, Kushmandi, Maligaon and Udaypur.
Tourist spots
Ayra forest
A forest situated near the India-Bangladesh border, has many ponds and old trees. It is very beautiful place where many people come for picnics in winter. On X-mas day and New year day the place becomes crowded by the travelers for enjoying nature's beauty of the place and Mahipal dighi.
Mahipal Dighi
Mahipal dighi, a large lake, is located in Kushmandi block. It has a length of 4 km approx and a diameter 0.6 km. It was dug by King Mahipal II of the Pal dynasty. There are debris of a Indigo kuthi on the northern bank of the Lack which was established by Mr. Thomas, an indigo merchant, a friend of William Carey.
Temple of Lord Shiva
An ancient temple situated at Aminpur. This is "Panchamukhi" (Five headed) Shiva temple, which is very rare in India. This temple is constructed by Zamindar of Aminpur. Famous Maatia Maa Kali temple is also situation nearby.
Demographics
Population
As per 2011 Census of India, Kushmandi CD Block had a total population of 198,752, all of which were rural. There were 100,317 (50%) males and 98,435 (50%) females. Population below 6 years was 25,687. Scheduled Castes numbered 88,967 (44.76%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 15,622 (7.86%).
As per 2001 census Kushmandi block had a population of 175,086 of which 89,130 are males and 85,956 are females.
The only large village (with 4,000+ population) in Kushmandi CD Block was (2011 population in brackets): Nahit (4,630).