Midnapore or Medinipur is a city and a municipality in the West Bengal India. Midnapore district was bifurcated in 2002 as East Midnapore and West Midnapore. It is situated on the banks of the Kangsabati River. Midnapore is notable for its contribution in the history of Indian freedom movement since it has produced many martyrs. During the British Raj, the city became a centre of revolutionary activities, such as the Santal Revolt (1766–1767) and the Chuar rebellion (1799).
The Zilla School, now known as Midnapore Collegiate School was the birthplace of many extremist activities. Teachers like Hemchandra Kanungo inspired and guided the pupils to participate in the Indian Freedom Movement, Khudiram Bose and Satyendranath Basu being the most notable. The Mallick Zamindars also ruled over an extensively large area during the British rule. They also built the Jagannath Temple of Midnapore. The Zamindari house declined after independence but the palace can still be seen at Mallick Chowk at Barabazaar.
The palace also has a Durga manch in it and a Krishna temple in it. In ancient times the region seems to be highly influenced by Jainism and Buddhism. Coins issued by Samudragupta have been found in the near vicinity of the town. the most significant archaeological site in the region is the bustling port of Tamralipta near present-day Tamluk, a site noted in the travelogues of Faxian and Xuanzang. Later Chaitanya passed through the area on his way from Puri to Varanasi as documented in the Chaitanya Charitamrita.well connected by road and rail with all major cities of the state and country there are several places worth visiting in and around the city.
These include Jagannath Temple at Nutan Bazar built in 1851, possibly at the request of descendant of Ganga dynasty of Odisha, Hanuman-jeu Temple in Mirzabazar, the Shitala temple at Barabazar, and the Habibpur Kali Temple. One of the oldest temples in the town is the Rukmini temple at Nutan bazar which was built in 17th century. The Ramakrishna Mission also has a temple adjacent to an elementary and high school. The goddess Kali at the Battala temple is a must visit There are numerous mazars and dargahs dotting the city.
Jora Masjid is the most notable in the town and is the site of a notable annual urs.Among the mazars, Dewan Baba’s mazar near the District Court and Fakir Kua near the bus terminus are locally revered. A number of parks have come up in recent years.Gopegarh Heritage Park is a good picnic spot. The bank of Kangsabati River (also variously known as Kasai and Cossye) is great for sightseeing and fishing and a popular destination for picnics during the Christmas and New Year.
The town, a education hub is known for its unique food culture which people outside the city do not know about. People have their own eating styles which is way different from those living in Kolkata or other parts of the state.Chandrakona, Tamluk, Jhargram Raj Palace, St. Johns Church are worthy of visit. Dantan has the Temple of Samoleswar Mahadev and the.lake of Bidyadhar Puskarini. Also worth visiting is the Chilkigarh Kanak Durga Mandir.
Midnapore is the touch point for all sea beaches of Bengal including Shankarpur beach, Digha beach, and Tajpur beach that attracts lot of touris. Tourism is Midnapore is centered on access to sea beach. Among other places worth visiting are Gopegarh Eco Park, Dakhina Kali Mandir,, and John Pierce Tomb. During Durga Pyuja like other places of the state the city bears a different look. Open to visitors throughout the year, best time to visit is from September to March. There are numerous places to stay in the city be it luxurious to budget hotels and lodges.
