Tarakeswar is a city and a municipality in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is also one of the police stations under Chandannagore subdivision. Tarakeswar is a place of pilgrimage and a centre of the Shaiva sect in West Bengal away from Kolkata, Tarakeswar can be reached conveniently by train.
Geography
Location
Tarakeswar is located at. It has an average elevation of 18 metres. It is in the Chandannagore sub-division, in the middle of the district, in Hooghly District of Burdwan Division in the state of West Bengal. The town is connected both by railway and State Highway. The town is 48 km from Chinsurah, the district headquarter and 45 km from Chandannagore, the Sub-Divisional Headquarter and 58 km from Kolkata, the state capital by railway. It is also connected with other urban centers of district with motorable roads.
At present the area of the town is. The Tarakeswar Municipality area is divided into 15 wards for administrative purposes. Tarakeswar town is situated in the center of Tarakeswar Block. Four Gram Panchayats surround this Municipality. North portion of this town is Bhanjipur Gram Panchayat, south portion is Ramnagar Gram Panchayat, east portion is Baligori Gram Panchayat and west portion is Santoshpur Gram Panchayat.
Administrative set up
Tarakeswar is in the Chandannagore Sub-Division under the Burdwan Division in the District of Hooghly. It is also under the Tarakeswar Police Station. It received the status of Municipality on 6 August 1975.
Police station
Tarakeswar police station has jurisdiction over Tarakeswar municipal areas and Tarakeswar CD Block.
CD Block HQ
The headquarters of Tarakeswar CD Block are located at Tarakeswar.
Demographics
As per 2011 Census of India, Tarakeswar had a total population of 30,947 of which 16,049 were males and 14,898 were females. Population below 6 years was 2,685. The total number of literates in Tarakeswar was 23,711. Indiacensus, Tarakeswar had a population of 28,178. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. The Sex ratio of population is 880. In Tarakeswar, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. The gross density of population is 7262 person per km2. Tarakeswar has an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 66%. Out of a total population of 30,947, 93.22% were Hindu, 4.97% were Muslim while other religions and atheism comprised the rest.
Economy
The main occupation of the town is agriculture. Trade and commerce also play an important role. Approximately 32 lakh people from the city commute to Kolkata daily for work. In the Howrah-Tarakeswar section there are 48 trains that carry commuters from 21 railway stations.
Pilgrims visit the Taraknath Temple throughout the year, especially on Mondays. Thousands of pilgrims visit Tarakeswar on the occasions of Shravani Mela, on the month of July–August and Gajan. Taraknath Temple is a famous Hindu shrine located in the town of Tarakeswar in Hooghly district of West Bengal, India. The temple enshrines a Shayambhu linga of Lord Shiva. The temple is believed to be constructed in 1729 AD by Raja Bharamalla. Taraknath Mandir was built in an ‘Atchala’ structure of Bengal temple architecture with a ‘natmandir’ in front. The temple features four roofs above the sanctum and extended galleries for the congregation of the devotees. Dudhpukur pond, located north of the temple, is believed to fulfill the prayers of those taking a dip in it. The temple is also claimed to be one of the Jyothirlinga shrines of Mahadev.
Education
The town has 3 higher secondary schools, 1 secondary school, 14 primary schools out of which six are Govt. sanctioned and 8 private school. There are also one college, 3 Shishu Shikha Centre, 2 Branch centers of Open University and Open School and, one Vocational Education & Training Centre. Primary schools in the town are Vidyamandir, Girindra Prathamik Vidyalaya, Hindi School, Anandamarg Primary School, Ramkrishna Vidyamandir, Sishu Niketan, Ankur, Bhanjipur SSK, Children's Aim, Scarlet Academy, Sahapur Primary School. The high schools are Tarakeswar High School, Tarkeswar Girls' School, Bikash Bharati Blooms Day School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, and Tarakeswar Mahavidyalaya. Tarakeswar Degree College was established at Tarakeswar in 1986. It is affiliated with the University of Burdwan and offers honours courses in Bengali, English, Sanskrit, sociology, history, philosophy, geography, music, accountancy, chemistry and computer science. It has an undergraduate course in business administration.
Transport
Road Transport: The town has 45.493 km road out of which 13.436 km is bituminous Road, 10.483 km is concrete, 11.801 km is brick pavement; 1.857 km is Bats-Moorum roads and 7.914 km Kancha Road. Rail Transport: The town has a status of Model Station of Eastern Railway. The distance between Howrah and Tarakeswar is 58 km. It serves as a transportation center for potato and other green vegetables in the southern Bengal.
