Jaigaon

Jaigaon জয়গাওঁ  (Bengali) जयगाँव  (Hindi) जयगाउँ  (Nepali)
Town
Jaigaon from the Gumba hill
Jaigaon Location in West Bengal, India,
Coordinates: 26°50′N 89°23′E / 26.83°N 89.38°ECoordinates: 26°50′N 89°23′E / 26.83°N 89.38°E
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	Alipurduar
Government
• Type	Democratic
• Body	Jaigaon Gram Panchayat and Jaigaon Development Authority
Population (2011)As per data.gov.in
• Total	42,254
Languages
• Official	Nepali, Bengali, English
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Lok Sabha Constituency	Alipurduar (ST)
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Kalchini (ST)
Website	www.alipurduar.org www.wbdma.gov.in/HTM/MUNI_JDA.htm

Jaigaon (Bengali: জয়গাওঁ) is a town in West Bengal, India that is located on the country's border with Bhutan. The main overland entrance to Bhutan is through Jaigaon and Bhutan Gate separates the two countries. Bhutan does not have domestic roads linking to all its towns, so Bhutan uses Indian roads passing through Jaigaon to reach such destinations as Samtse, Gomtu and Samdrup Jongkhar. Bagdogra Airport (Siliguri) is the nearest airport, and Kolkata its nearest port, where goods to Bhutan are brought from. Hasimara is the nearest railway station. India offers a free flow of goods from Kolkata port to Bhutan. It lies on the banks of the Torsa River. It is a census town and a police station of Alipurduar subdivision.^[1]

Environment

Hill Down View Of Jaigaon

Jaigaon is in a small valley located near the low-lying hills of the Himalayan mountains. Jaigaon receives an abundant amount of rainfall throughout the year. The outskirts of the city are demarcated by tea gardens. The Torsa River flows at the lower end of the town. High levels of in-migration to Jaigaon from elsewhere in India has caused the environmental conditions of the city to deteriorate. To solve the problem of non-potable drinking water, various bore wells and pump stations operate around the town, adding to the problem of the decreasing water table below the town.

Geography

Jaigaon is located at 26°50′N 89°23′E / 26.83°N 89.38°E.^[2] Jaigaon has a hilly and sloppy terrain. The town is situated at the India-Bhutan border with Phuentsholing. There are several streams coming from the uphills and joining the river Torsa at the downtown.

Demographic

As of census 2011 India census,^[3] Jaigaon had a population of 42,254. Males constitute 51.2% of the population and females 48.8%. Jaigaon has an average literacy rate of 60.52%.

Education

SHMD School

Jaigaon has several schools under various education board of the country. SHMD School is the only CBSE school in the town. Other schools such as St. Anthony's Convent, BD Memorial, St. John's, and Sunrise follow the ICSE curriculum, whereas Ved Vyas and St. Dominic's follow the state education board, whereas New Adarsh is an open board school.

Nani Bhattacharya Smarak Mahavidyalaya is an affiliated college of North Bengal University located in the vicinity of Jaigaon, and offers degrees in a variety of fields.

Many students in Jaigaon opt to pursue higher education elsewhere in West Bengal, particularly Siliguri and Kolkata.

Culture

The lifestyle of Jaigaon is influenced by the town's diverse population of people from throughout India and Bhutan. The demand of Bhutanese consumers from nearby Phuentsholing has led to the development of the service sector in various fields.

Durga Idol in Jaigaon Puja Pandal

A variety of festivals of various religions are celebrated in Jaigaon, reflecting the town's diverse demographics.

The diversity of Jaigaon can be seen in its food and clothing, which represents diverse segments of Indian culture. In addition, the town's proximity to Bhutan has led to the popularity of Tibetan-influenced cuisine such as momos. In addition, ghos and kiras, the Bhutanese national dress is produced in Jaigaon for Bhutanese consumers.

The ornate border gate between Bhutan and India, seen from Jaigaon, India

Every year various sports and other tournaments are organized in Jaigaon by various trusts and NGOs. A cricket tournament is organized every year, and a marathon is organized every January. Apart from these, various inter-school debates, quizzes and sports meets are organized. On Independence Day, students from various schools participate in events organized by the Indian Consulate to Bhutan. Also on Republic Day every, parades and cultural program are organized in the town.

See also

• Phuntsholing, border town of Bhutan
• Bhutan-India Border

References

1. District-wise list of statutory towns
2. "Yahoo maps location of Jaigaon". Yahoo maps. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
3. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.