has overtaken traditionally popular Jaldapara National Park in footfall and Malbazar has emerged as one of the most important towns in the Dooars. Malbazar subdivision is presented in the map alongside.It is a predominantly rural area with 88.62% of the population living in rural areas and 11.32% living in the urban areas.Tea gardens in the Dooars and Terai regions produce 226 million kg or over a quarter of India's total tea crop. Some tea gardens were identified in the 2011 census as census towns or villages. Such places are marked in the map as CT or R. Specific tea estate pages are marked TE. Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
Demographics
As per the 2011 Census of India, Matialihat had a total population of 4,215. There were 2,200 males and 2,015 females. There were 398 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate people in Matialihat was 3,253.
Infrastructure
According to the District Census Handbook 2011, Jalpaiguri, Matialihat covered an area of 0.3118 km2. Among the civic amenities, it had 20 km roads with open drains, the protected water supply involved overhead tank, tap water from treated sources, hand pumps. It had 766 domestic electric connections, 125 road lighting points. Among the medical facilities it had 1 dispensary/ health centre, 5 medicine shops. Among the educational facilities it had 5 primary schools, 1 middle school, 1 secondary school, the nearest senior secondary school at Chaloa 8 km away. Among the social, cultural and recreational facilities, it had 1 public library, 1 reading room. An important commodity it produced was tea. It had branches of 1 cooperative bank, 2 non-agricultral credit societies.
Matelli Bazar is surrounded by many TeaGardens and is the main center for the people/workers of those gardens, people from those gardens majorly come to the Bazaar on its popular Sunday market for the purchase of their daily needs. However, some people come daily as well.
Culture, festivals and celebrations
Since the major population of Matelli and its surroundings are Hindu though people from all the religion lives here with love and peace, It has never been heard about any type of clash between any communities. People from all the religion celebrates their festivals with lots of love and joy. The place has been popular for its picnic spot, and during the new year, some Melas are set up during the Durga Puja which is a major festival of West Bengal. Nagaisuree TG Mela, Ingdong TG Mela – people of the TG celebrate these mela as their cultural part wearing the traditional dresses and dancing around. People from all the communities visit the Mela.
