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Bali Dewanganj
Bali Dewanganj
Village
	Bali Dewanganj Location in West Bengal, India Bali Dewanganj Bali Dewanganj (India)
	Coordinates: 22°48′44″N 87°46′06″E / 22.81224°N 87.76836°E
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	Hooghly
Population (2011)
• Total	4,063
Languages
• Official	Bengali, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	712616
Telephone/STD code	03211
Lok Sabha constituency	Arambagh
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Goghat
Website	hooghly.gov.in

Bali Dewanganj (also referred to as only Bali) is a village and a gram panchayat in the Goghat I CD block in the Arambagh subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Geography

8km
5miles

Damodar
River

Rupnarayan
River

Mundeswari
River

Dwarakeswar
River

Shyambazar

H

Satberia

H

Parul

H

Memanpur

H

Mamudpur

H

Madhabpur

H

Kanpur

H

Kayapat

H

Hat Basantapur

H

Hamirbati

H

Gourhati

H

Fului

H

Dihi
Bayara

H

Bhalia

H

Bali Dewanganj

H

Badanganj

H

Gar Mandaran

H

Arambag

M

Dakshin Narayanpur

R

Natibpur

R

Shrirampur

R

Radhanagore

R

Keshabpur

R

Bengai

R

Pursurah

R

Kamarpukur

R

Khanakul

R

Goghat

R

Cities and towns in Arambagh subdivision in Hooghly district
M: municipal city/ town, R: rural/ urban centre, H: historical/ religious centre
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Location

Bali Dewanganj is located at 22°48′44″N 87°46′06″E / 22.81224°N 87.76836°E / 22.81224; 87.76836. It is 13 km from Arambagh on the Arambagh-Ghatal Road.

Area overview

The Arambagh subdivision, presented in the map alongside, is divided into two physiographic parts – the Dwarakeswar River being the dividing line. The western part is upland and rocky – it is extension of the terrain of neighbouring Bankura district. The eastern part is flat alluvial plain area. The railways, the roads and flood-control measures have had an impact on the area.^[1] The area is overwhelmingly rural with 94.77% of the population living in rural areas and 5.23% in urban areas.^[2]

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, Bali had a total population of 4,063 of which 2,093 (52%) were males and 1,970 (48%) were females. Population in the age range 0–6 years was 376. The total number of literate persons in Bali was 2,922 (79.25% of the population over 6 years).^[3]

Culture

Bali Dewanganj is a temple town. The Rautpara neighbourhood alone has five temples, but unfortunately out of these, three are in a dilapidated condition. The Mangal Chandi temple is said to have had 13 pinnacles, and all of them have fallen. In the other two ruined temples one can still see one pinnacle each. The most important structure is the 200-years old Durga temple, maintained by the state archaeological department. It is a rare and unique structure, with a nava ratna superstructure placed on a Jor Bangla base. The Shiva kutir is another place in ruins. A ras mancha still has some terracotta decorations. The pictures in the gallery show a small selection of terracotta work in the different temples.^[4]

David J. McCutchion mentions:^[5]

The Shiva Durga temple of Raut Family as a Jor Bangla with a nava ratna tower, measuring 21’ 10" square, with terracotta on façade, built possibly in the 18th century.
The Damodara temple of the Ghosh family, as a Midnapore type at chala, measuring 22’ x 19’ 6", built in 1822.
The Vishnu temple of Raut Family at Rautpara as a pancha ratna with curved ridging to the turrets, with slight terracotta, measuring 22’ 6" square.
The Mangal Chandi temple, with rich terracotta decoration but ruined, is said to have had 13 turrets.

The temple of Shiva Durga at Bali Dewanganj (at Sr No S-WB-58) is included in the List of State Protected Monuments in West Bengal by the Archaeological Survey of India.^[6]

Bali Dewanganj picture gallery

The Shiva Durga temple (or simply Durga temple) with the Vishnu temple in the background
The massive terracotta panel in Shiva Durga temple
Terracotta panel in Shiva Durga temple
Vishnu temple in Rautpara
Damodar temple of Ghosh family
Terracotta relief in Damodar temple
Lakshmi Janardan temple at Dalapara in a dilpidated condition
Terracotta relief in Lakshmi Janardan temple
Magal Chandi temple at Rautpara. All the 13 turrets are gone.
Terracotta relief in Mangal Chandi Temple
Shib kuthi
Durga temple of Das family at Rautpara
Rasa Mancha
One of the many decorative pieces in Rasa Mancha

Click on the pictures to enlarge picture size

References

^ "District Census Handbook: Hugli, Series-20, Part XIIA" (PDF). Physiography, Page 17-19. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
^ "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Hooghly". Table 2.2, 2.4(a). Department of Planning and Statistics, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
^ "2011 Census – Primary Census Abstract Data Tables". West Bengal – District-wise. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
^ Datta, Rangan. "Next weekend you can be at Bali Dewanganj". The Telegraph, 4 April 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
^ McCutchion, David J., Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal, first published 1972, reprinted 2017, pages 29, 36, 47, 55. The Asiatic Society, Kolkata, ISBN 978-93-81574-65-2
^ "Protected Monuments in West Bengal". Archaeological Survey of India. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2020.